Entrepreneurship as a Path to Building Your Life

For most of my life, I noticed I built everything around my work. How much energy I had left at the end of the day determined whether I could go to an event, meet a friend, or do anything social at all. Most weekdays, by 5 PM, I was drained. So I crammed most of my activities into the weekends, when I finally had the energy to enjoy them.

 

That mindset—organizing my life around my job—stayed with me for years. But over time, I realized it did not have to be that way. Entrepreneurship, with all its flexibility, gave me the opportunity to design a life that reflected my values and priorities. I could finally shape my work to fit the lifestyle I envisioned, instead of squeezing my life into the gaps left by work.  Entrepreneurship was the path that really led me to leaning into my slow-living energy.  

 

I love being an entrepreneur.  The freedom it brings. I love creating a schedule that aligns with my natural rhythms and energy levels. I love meeting friends on weekday mornings when I am most energized. I have energy to be the kind of friend I want to be.  I have the emotional and physical availability to provide the best care I can as a physical therapist.  So many things changed when I became my own boss.

 

Becoming an entrepreneur showed me that the balanced life I always longed for was actually possible. While I believe balance can still be achieved within a traditional 9–5 job, entrepreneurship opens the door to a different level of creativity and choice.  I have watched many of my physical therapy entrepreneur friends reshape the way healthcare is delivered—offering wellness services, birth-prep courses, and community groups that support connection among postpartum moms. I have seen a friend dedicate every Friday to providing pro-bono care, expanding access for individuals with lower incomes. I have also witnessed friends build their own businesses so they can spend more time with their families, create a more nourishing blend of work and home life, while making meaningful contributions both inside and outside their homes.

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When Motherhood Expands—Not Limits—Our Purpose

About 80% of my clients are mothers, and I have the privilege of walking alongside them through pregnancy, postpartum, and even as they welcome their second or third child.  My practice model provides therapy in the home, and always feel so welcomed into their family units. I learn so much from each of them—our conversations span everything from the challenges of pregnancy and the transition into postpartum, to navigating marriage with children, rediscovering identity beyond motherhood, and finding a healthy balance between work and family.

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The mothers I work with truly cherish motherhood. Yet as their children grow older, many begin to realize that their entire identity has become wrapped up in their role as “mom.”  I could see a longing in them—a desire to explore something beyond the daily rhythms of home life. Not because our identity should be rooted in what we do, but because their hearts were yearning for spaces where their creativity, femininity, and ideas could shine.

 

Motherhood should not diminish our dreams. Sometimes those dreams are simply paused for a season, or they take on a new shape based on the time and energy we can give.  New dreams may also come to the surface.  Being a mother is a sacred calling, but it is not the only calling a woman carries.  We have different callings depending on the season we are in.   I have watched the women in my life step into motherhood while still stewarding their gifts in new and imaginative ways.  I have seen women launch their own businesses so they can work just two days a week while still being fully present with their children. Another woman transitioned from a full-time clinical role to splitting her time between patient care and teaching in a graduate dental program. I have seen women lean into their creativity—writing books, starting a cooperative pre-school (co-op) for neighboring families in the faith community, or launching YouTube channels that explore motherhood, slow living, and entrepreneurship.  Lastly, I have watched many women change and pursue careers that serve the postpartum community, specifically as lactation consultants or doulas.  I am amazed!

 

Proverbs 31 offers a beautiful picture of this balance: a woman who nurtures her home and family while also engaging in business, creativity, leadership, and generosity. Her household thrives because she is living fully in the design God created for her—not a reduced version confined solely to motherhood, but a whole, vibrant woman walking in the fullness of her purpose.  Please check out my other blog post "A Time For Everything," where I dive deeper into embracing our callings in different seasons of life.

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💬 What dreams have I set aside that I might revisit this season?

💬 How can I create small pockets of time to explore and nurture my creativity?

💬 Who in my life models a healthy blending of motherhood and personal calling? What do I admire about them?

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Human Needs 

Humans have a wide range of needs and expecting all of them to be met in one area of life is not realistic. Our needs can be met through different roles—at home, at work, through friendships, through self-care, or in our communities. We are not fully self-sufficient, but we can cultivate an inner capacity for self-reliance. And our needs shift as we move through different seasons and stages of life. They form a constellation of interwoven qualities that exist within each of us.

 

Here is a list of human needs created by Marshall Rosenberg.  I found this list quite helpful to reflect on — I would write down which needs were most important to me in my current season of life.  You can also ask your friend, "What do you need from me right now?"  Sharing how you like to be cared for helps you communicate to a partner, friend, coworker, or family member the ways you feel most loved.

 

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💬 Which human needs resonate with your current season of life? 

💬 Which human needs are you yearning for?

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Thank you so much for reading ❤️

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Check out my other blog​ posts! 

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My next blog post will be on "A Time for Everything" with a focus on motherhood. 

I also expand on homemaking in another post!