Comments on: The Pitfalls of Behaving http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/ Keeping it real in the suburbs Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:18:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Strocel.com | Bad Enough, Good Enough and Me http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-95271 Strocel.com | Bad Enough, Good Enough and Me Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:02:56 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-95271 [...] day, I realized that my desire to be good wasn’t serving me. There are some major pitfalls that come with behaving. The biggest one, in my experience, is a life lived for other people rather than yourself. In my [...] [...] day, I realized that my desire to be good wasn’t serving me. There are some major pitfalls that come with behaving. The biggest one, in my experience, is a life lived for other people rather than yourself. In my [...]

]]> By: blog spotlight: strocel | Rants n' Rascals http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-69099 blog spotlight: strocel | Rants n' Rascals Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:37:58 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-69099 [...] called “The Pitfalls of Behaving” (http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/), and it’s about embarking on my journey to live with intention. I like it because it’s [...] [...] called “The Pitfalls of Behaving” (http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/), and it’s about embarking on my journey to live with intention. I like it because it’s [...]

]]> By: » Blogging Your Dreams Strocel.com http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-46622 » Blogging Your Dreams Strocel.com Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:02:31 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-46622 [...] You need to, at minimum, look for another well-laid and secure path. Or, some of us decide to scrap our well-laid and secure paths, and embark on a journey to craft our lives into something [...] [...] You need to, at minimum, look for another well-laid and secure path. Or, some of us decide to scrap our well-laid and secure paths, and embark on a journey to craft our lives into something [...]

]]> By: Betsy http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42554 Betsy Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:14:33 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42554 I love this essay. Spread your wings, Mama. Sometimes it will suck, a lot, sometimes it won't. I'm pretty sure no one on their deathbed thinks, "I wish I spent less time with my children, less time writing, and more time trying to please faceless corporate entities." I love this essay.

Spread your wings, Mama.

Sometimes it will suck, a lot, sometimes it won’t.

I’m pretty sure no one on their deathbed thinks, “I wish I spent less time with my children, less time writing, and more time trying to please faceless corporate entities.”

]]> By: Lady M http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42466 Lady M Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:00:11 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42466 I"m so glad you shared this. I also understand the "being good" bit and how freeing it can be to be more unconventional, even if it is downright scary at times. .-= Lady M´s last post ..<a href="http://www.empress-m.com/2009/10/word-of-day.html" rel="nofollow">Word of the Day</a> =-. I”m so glad you shared this. I also understand the “being good” bit and how freeing it can be to be more unconventional, even if it is downright scary at times.
.-= Lady M´s last post ..Word of the Day =-.

]]> By: Cheryl http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42448 Cheryl Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:56:41 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42448 Thanks for sharing Amber -- you are an amazing writer. Like *pol said, "it’s like you have read a passage from my own life". For so long I've been so afraid of failure that I played by the rules too -- go to school, get an engineering degree, get a good job at a fancy schmancy big name company, get a steady paycheque, buy a house... the list goes on. The more I tried to fit in and do what "everyone else is doing", the more sad I became. I wasn't happy making other people's dreams come true (as an employee) -- what about my own dreams -- don't I count? I didn't enjoy the commuting, sitting in cubicle nation and getting nervous about the annual review wondering if I would or would not get my 2% raise. After having H, I decided to take my life into my own hands and do something for myself. Was I terrified? Absolutely. EI had stopped, husband was switched from full time to contract at his company and I always questioned whether now was the time to start pursuing my dreams or should I just go back to being "good" for a few more years. With alot of support from my husband, I bit the bullet and became my own boss. Now 10 months later, I'm happier than I've ever been. Sure, it's still a struggle - I don't make what I used to, my work day doesn't always end at 5pm and I don't know if I will ever have work/life balance but at least now I only answer to myself (ok and maybe H and my hubby too ;)) Even with all the financial struggles and work/life balance issues my husband and I don't want a do-over. We're thankful that one of us is able to stay at home with little H instead of sending her off to daycare everyday. Family time is priceless. You're a talented and smart woman. I have no doubt that in a few years you will look back and say this was the best decision you've ever made :) .-= Cheryl´s last post ..<a href="http://www.pinkpandafabrics.com/blog/?p=179" rel="nofollow">Fall has arrived… let the holiday crafting begin!</a> =-. Thanks for sharing Amber — you are an amazing writer. Like *pol said, “it’s like you have read a passage from my own life”.

For so long I’ve been so afraid of failure that I played by the rules too — go to school, get an engineering degree, get a good job at a fancy schmancy big name company, get a steady paycheque, buy a house… the list goes on.

The more I tried to fit in and do what “everyone else is doing”, the more sad I became. I wasn’t happy making other people’s dreams come true (as an employee) — what about my own dreams — don’t I count? I didn’t enjoy the commuting, sitting in cubicle nation and getting nervous about the annual review wondering if I would or would not get my 2% raise.

After having H, I decided to take my life into my own hands and do something for myself. Was I terrified? Absolutely. EI had stopped, husband was switched from full time to contract at his company and I always questioned whether now was the time to start pursuing my dreams or should I just go back to being “good” for a few more years. With alot of support from my husband, I bit the bullet and became my own boss.

Now 10 months later, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Sure, it’s still a struggle – I don’t make what I used to, my work day doesn’t always end at 5pm and I don’t know if I will ever have work/life balance but at least now I only answer to myself (ok and maybe H and my hubby too ;) )

Even with all the financial struggles and work/life balance issues my husband and I don’t want a do-over. We’re thankful that one of us is able to stay at home with little H instead of sending her off to daycare everyday. Family time is priceless.

You’re a talented and smart woman. I have no doubt that in a few years you will look back and say this was the best decision you’ve ever made :)
.-= Cheryl´s last post ..Fall has arrived… let the holiday crafting begin! =-.

]]> By: Francesca http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42447 Francesca Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:16:44 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42447 Thank you for sharing your fears, Amber. I really appreciate how you can be analytical also when you are concerned, and self criticism doesn't come easy. I think nobody is quite ready for the bad things in life, whether we spent a life's worth investing in good behaviour nor not. The key thing is how we pick ourselves up and go forward after pitfalls. You're doing very well. .-= Francesca´s last post ..<a href="http://www.fuoriborgo.com/fuoriborgo/2009/10/rake-rack.html" rel="nofollow">Rake rack</a> =-. Thank you for sharing your fears, Amber. I really appreciate how you can be analytical also when you are concerned, and self criticism doesn’t come easy. I think nobody is quite ready for the bad things in life, whether we spent a life’s worth investing in good behaviour nor not. The key thing is how we pick ourselves up and go forward after pitfalls. You’re doing very well.
.-= Francesca´s last post ..Rake rack =-.

]]> By: kgirl http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42439 kgirl Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:48:50 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42439 My husband was laid off while I was on mat leave last year. It was scary, but it allowed him to make changes he would otherwise never have made. Now, he is enjoying a great freelance career and all of the flexibility that freelance allows. And I still have my secure, full-time job with benefits, so it's a good balance. Though I will admit that I often wish we could change places. .-= kgirl´s last post ..<a href="http://kidsarealrightto.blogspot.com/2009/09/top-ten-tuesday-i-love-pvr.html" rel="nofollow">Top Ten Tuesday: I Love PVR</a> =-. My husband was laid off while I was on mat leave last year. It was scary, but it allowed him to make changes he would otherwise never have made. Now, he is enjoying a great freelance career and all of the flexibility that freelance allows. And I still have my secure, full-time job with benefits, so it’s a good balance.

Though I will admit that I often wish we could change places.
.-= kgirl´s last post ..Top Ten Tuesday: I Love PVR =-.

]]> By: highlyirritable http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42434 highlyirritable Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:31:54 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42434 True talent and passion cannot be supressed. It will find a way of filling all the cracks and corners in your life. You are lucky enough to be someone who recognizes this, and instead of being satisfied with dust in the corners, wants to mud up the fancy furniture. Pursue happiness. .-= highlyirritable´s last post ..<a href="http://highlyirritable.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/tequila-to-tetley/" rel="nofollow">Tequila to Tetley</a> =-. True talent and passion cannot be supressed. It will find a way of filling all the cracks and corners in your life. You are lucky enough to be someone who recognizes this, and instead of being satisfied with dust in the corners, wants to mud up the fancy furniture.

Pursue happiness.
.-= highlyirritable´s last post ..Tequila to Tetley =-.

]]> By: Capital Mom http://www.strocel.com/the-pitfalls-of-behaving/#comment-42430 Capital Mom Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:09:23 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=6101#comment-42430 You are an amazing writer. I love reading your posts everyday, even if I am too lazy to come out of Reader to comment. You are being brave and going for it. I want to do that too some day. Right now I am still conforming. .-= Capital Mom´s last post ..<a href="http://capitalmom.blogspot.com/2009/09/telepathic-conversations-1920s-edition.html" rel="nofollow">Telepathic Conversations: the 1920s edition</a> =-. You are an amazing writer. I love reading your posts everyday, even if I am too lazy to come out of Reader to comment.
You are being brave and going for it. I want to do that too some day. Right now I am still conforming.
.-= Capital Mom´s last post ..Telepathic Conversations: the 1920s edition =-.

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