I have been through a lot of change over this past year. I’ve been pretty quiet on this blog. I used to blog daily but over the last two years, it felt like my words dried up. I had nothing more to say. I worked hard on growing my business, my team, my online courses, and my membership sites…AND WE SURE GREW! We’ve also had some incredible guest writers helping us keep the great career advice flowing. Thank you to everyone who has written for Classy Career Girl over the last two years.

I didn’t work on my own blog and I didn’t write. I couldn’t. How could I put into words how I felt? How could I say to the world how sad and scared I was? This blog and my social media outlets have always been positive. Our brand always keeps it positive because there is already way too much negativity happening in the world. I couldn’t say anything because I was sad and I didn’t want to change the vibe of our brand here at Classy Career Girl.

Today, the words are coming back. With the birth of my second daughter last month, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders because I no longer have the fear I have been living with for many years. Many of you know that I have had three miscarriages over the last 6 years. When they happen, they knock me down hard. It usually takes me an entire year to work through the grief and the last one in 2016 took me even longer.  This blog has always been my creative outlet when times are tough. I remember the days when I would go to my computer in tears and write about some career tip just because I knew it would make me feel a little bit better. I knew that by helping someone else, it made my problems disappear for a bit. So I did it every day.

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Photos by Megan Ann Photography

Today, my creative juices are flowing again. I had to go through this past year of growth and change. I had to get over the fears that were holding me back. I’ve learned so so so much that I already knew and I teach others. But, I had to re-learn it myself.

I had to learn how to get over my fear.

I had to learn how to take care of myself and my health.

I had to learn self-care.

I had to learn how to be happy and fulfilled.

I had to learn how to NOT be a workaholic.

I had to remember what my passions are.

I had to seek advice and counsel from people who knew more than I did.

I had to stop thinking negatively and start thinking positively.

I had to communicate better with my husband.

I had to “chill and relax” and play more with my daughter.

I had to let go of the routines (like bedtime by 7 pm sharp!) and my internal “go-go-go” schedule.

I had to learn what foods were good for my body.

I had to get off the caffeine hamster wheel.

I had to make a vision of what I wanted my future to look like and firmly believe it would happen.

I had to fully grieve my lost babies from my three previous miscarriages so I would not be afraid of getting pregnant again.

I had to take the reigns of my own health and medicines.

I had to focus on getting to my healthiest, happiest state.

I had to focus on me first and let my business and family flow from there.

I had to regularly go to church and get involved with a community.

I had to share my struggles, fears, and pain with others.

I had to regularly workout and take care of my body.

I had to laugh more and just have fun.

I had to let go of work and let my business grow without me.

What else is new?

I love that this blog documents my journey since 2010 when I started it. So much has changed and so many of you have been reading for years. THANK YOU!

In many ways, I may be very different from you. But, in many ways, we are still the same.

I am a mother of two. You may be a mom too or you might not want kids for another decade (or ever).

I have been in the working world since 2004. You may be a seasoned vet at your job too or you might still be in college.

I have had my own business for 8 years. You may be a business owner too or you may just be thinking of starting your career.

I have been married since 2006. You might be married too or you might think you are never going to find the right guy.

Whatever your personal life situation, there are things that are the same between us and that’s why you read this blog. What is the same is our desire to be happy in whatever life we are living and whatever work we are doing. The desire to have our dreams fulfilled in our personal life while also living out our dreams in our professional life too. It’s a balance that is so hard to get to because of one thing…TIME.

But, it’s so worth it.

There is peace and happiness out there for you. You’ll look around on day and say, “THIS is what I always dreamed of. I am there. I don’t need more. I don’t need a bigger house, a better car, more kids, more money or a better life. This is the life I always wanted.”

So if you are struggling with fear, time and balance…please know this. I have and I am too. We all are.

We all struggle with the list above. We all struggle with finding the time to have more fun in the day and to not work so hard. We all struggle with finding the energy to take care of our health. We struggle with being present and making time for the people who matter most in our life. Life is busy.

The goal of this blog and the Classy Career Girl brand is to help you with that struggle in all areas of your life so you can have happiness. Of course, we focus on your work happiness first but the truth is there is a balance between your work and life. If your work sucks, you’ll be unhappy at home and never have a happy personal life. If your personal life sucks, you’ll never have the energy to make waves and build your confidence to make your professional goals happen.

That’s why everything we do and all our courses, products, and membership sites were created to inspire and motivate you to live out your dreams personally and professionally.

I’m excited for you to see where this next year of our brand is headed. It requires getting over major fears and also creating a new vision for our brand. It requires doing things we’ve never done before as a team and me stepping out of my comfort zone as a leader and CEO.

I’m glad you are on this journey with me.

-Anna