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LightBulb Moment

July 27, 2007 | Category: In My Life



I was sitting in BlogHer this morning, in a break-out about branding.

And I had this moment of utter clarity.

Absolute.

Since I walked away from my seat at the big table, I have been completely demoralized. Not because I missed my career so much - I had a great run, and was ready for a new challenge, frankly. Not because I dislike being home with my son - I love hanging with that kid - even on the days when his horns are showing.

Around and around, tumbling in the dryer of thought. A big Bounce sheet stuck to my head.

Unable to name my discontent.

And then, suddenly, a presenter say something and it all clicked together.

I am an IT Chick. I LOVE being an IT chick. For 20 years now, I've been wired up. And for some reason, I thought that I had to stop being one when I left my job. Because the job? It validated me as an IT Chick. It gave my fancy business cards and responsibility and an association in the Fortune 200 list.

But that's bullshit, right?

RIGHT?

I mean, I can STILL be an IT chick even if I also happen to be replacing the plaster on the kitchen walls. I can be one even when I am teaching my son a new sight word.

I can still be me, somehow.

Wife, Mother, Daughter, Friend, Writer, Teacher, Pink-haired Coldplay-loving G&T sipping freelance loud proud Christian tolerant foreign-film-watching IT CHICK.

Right....?


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Tagged: Corporate, Mommy, Life
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Comments


Right on!

Posted by: UCM on August 3, 2007 09:42 PM


Yay!!!! You sound so empowered!

:::breaks out cheerleader skirt and pom-poms:::

Go, Elizabeth, GO!!!

Posted by: Stacy on July 30, 2007 05:30 PM


RIGHT!!

Posted by: Angie on July 30, 2007 05:13 PM


ABSOLUTELY!!!

Posted by: laura on July 29, 2007 06:56 PM


Of course you can. Sounds awesome to me.

Posted by: Jenn on July 28, 2007 09:01 PM


Hi, Elizabeth! You just stood up and spoke during the Community panel that I'm in and I just had to check out your blog. I love this post. I've been feeling the same mix of feelings lately, mainly because I became a stay-at-home mom 12 years ago and although I've always had part-time freelance writing gigs on the side, I'm just now going back to an office job outside of the home. And I'm having so much fun! And I feel guilty about it. But I think I'm enjoying it so much because I am feeling like an IT chick again. Thanks for bringing this up! Good food for thought. I'm going to link to you from my site: ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com. Hope you link to me too! Kristin

Posted by: Kristin Park on July 28, 2007 02:49 PM


Absolutely!! My hope is that we become a more complex version of ourselves as we grow and become moms and wives rather than totally losing myself to it.

Posted by: momtowahid on July 27, 2007 09:27 PM