Some big news...

I have finally taken the leap and quit my 9-5 job.

Actually it’s an 8-5 job, which means I wake up at 6 to get my kids ready and do the school run; and I am home by 6 after picking up my son from nursery. That’s a 12 hour day.

If you count the next two hours when the kids have dinner, bath and their bedtime routine, it’s usually 8:30pm before I get any time for myself or my husband.

What was I thinking trying to start a side-hustle with this schedule?

The irony is, if I hadn’t been trying to build a side-hustle, I probably wouldn’t have quit my job, especially without something else in hand.

I have spent the last 2 years exploring options of solopreneurship and side-hustles. I have been learning about new tools, and the unlimited potential of no-code and AI. And I have been engaging in some incredible communities filled with like-minded people taking bold moves so that they can build a life designed on their terms. This has given me the courage and motivation to give it a shot myself.

Add to that over 17 years of work experience, some savings and an amazingly supportive husband, I am lucky to be able to take the decision to leave my job to pursue designing my own life.

Never have I quit a job without another in hand. The road I am choosing is no doubt long and bumpy, with many valleys to fall into. But what I’ve learned is that if you can stay the course, it is possible to work doing something you love, make the money you need and desire, and have the time-flexibility you crave. It’s about time I try. It’s now or never!

It all started with this newsletter

Your life and mindset changes dramatically after kids. Your priorities, your energy, your perspective, everything does a 180 degrees flip.

You love working, but you want to be with your kids too.

You have career ambitions, but you don’t want to miss your kids school performance.

You want to grow personally, but you also want to be a present parent.

You want to go out with your friends, but you also want to be up at 6am to play with your kids the next day.

You want to read a book, but you also want to take your kids to the park.

How can we build a life where we can build our careers without compromising on time with our families? How can we focus on our personal growth whilst being a present parent?

I started this newsletter to explore these questions. And whilst I don’t have the answers - as there is no one answer - I do have a direction and the motivation to find my way and build my own answer.

So many mums are doing it already:

• Suzi Whitford

• Andrea Olson

• Katt Risen

• Jyotsna Ramachandran

• Meral Jibouri

• Falguni Nayar

• Ketaki Sharma

• Meera Meyer

They have made me realize that anything is possible. We just have to want it enough, and be willing to take a chance on it.

Now I just need to pick a route, and go all in.

I will keep you posted.

All for now. Have a great weekend!

Abha x