Today, February 1, 2016 marks the official one-year anniversary of my leap of faith. It was an incredible leap. It was terrifying, gut-wrenchingly sad, apocalyptic and exhilarating all at the same time. After two years in graduate school studying for a M.Ed. in elementary education, four years in the classroom as a lead teacher and nearly four years behind the desk as an Assistant Principal, the time came for me to jump. They say jump and the net will appear. Well, honestly, for a while it seemed like it hadn’t.

While I was excited to be embarking on something new, spending more time with my three kids and doing those adorable little wifely things like cooking, cleaning and entertaining, I felt unsettled. As a daughter of a single mom who had worked full-time and maintained the household my entire life, I felt like I was failing. How could I be ‘just’ a mom, ‘just’ a wife? I simply had to do something meaningful didn’t I? Wasn’t I empowered? Wasn’t my being a stay-at-home-mom setting back the womanist movement about 100 years? So, yes, for a while I found myself a bit catatonic. I questioned everything. Ev.ry.thing. It was not the exciting freefall I was expecting…it was more of a nosedive!

Fast forward one full year later to today, the anniversary of the big leap.

This year has been full of twists and turns, ups and downs, successes and abysmal failures. But, the good news is, everyone still has all their appendages, our house is still standing and despite all my crazy, I’m blessed with a husband who still loves me! So, everything is alright. I am excited about and proud of the position I stand in as a mother, as a wife and now also as an entrepreneur. I am experiencing some of the amazing luxuries other wives and mothers dream about; to be home to see my kids grow and blossom and to support my super dedicated, driven, amazing husband on his journey. Oh, and I have found quite a few things I love. Not just things I love, but things I feel I am called to do!

So, on the dawn of my one-year anniversary on this new path, I celebrate by beginning a new chapter here with you! I am excited to use this as a tool to not only share my story, but to empower other women who are faced with that deep burning for more, who see things in their dreams and yearn to make them a reality. Women who, like me, contemplate taking that leap but are fearful of the ground below. Trust me, the net is there, it will catch you, and you will survive the jump. I won’t lie, likely you will not come out unscathed, but don’t those bumps and bruises only make us that much stronger?