Let me set the scene:
This week, I tripped over the dog and smashed six eggs, then I spilled a full water bottle across the kitchen table… the very same table where laptops, homework books, and hope were sitting.
The school sent home a list of requirements for the following day and guess what? PE kits? Forgotten. Lunch boxes? MIA. Musical instruments? Nope. Flowers for the class project? Wilted in the boot of the car overnight.
Welcome to my TED Talk on “How to Lose Your Mind in 3 Business Days.”
Honestly, I’ve been walking around like a zombie. I’ve been blunt at work – and not in a cute “assertive girl boss” way. I mean more of a “Oh no, did I say that out loud?” kind of way. It sounded lovely in my head. Shame it didn’t land the same way out loud.
And this morning? After I dropped Ava off at school, I sat in my car, put my head on the steering wheel… and cried. Not because I was sad. I’m not sad. I’m just exhausted.
Choose Your Hard
This week, my mentor Sophie reminded me of something I needed to hear (and maybe you do too):
Choose. Your. Hard.
Because here’s the thing. It’s all hard.
Staying in a 9-5 job where you ask for permission to take a day off when your kid is sick – that’s hard.
Building your own business so you can have freedom – also hard.
Running around like a personal assistant to everyone in the house with no pay and no HR department? Hard.
Trying to remember every school requirement without losing your mind or your car keys? Hard.
Being in debt is hard. Saving and not “treating yourself” is also hard.
Being single is hard. Being married is hard.
Being overweight is hard. Losing weight? Bloody hard.
Doing nothing is hard. Changing your life is also hard.
So, if it’s all going to be hard anyway… choose your hard.
I’m choosing the hard that leads to freedom.
I’m choosing the hard that means one day I’ll take a Thursday off just because I fancy a beach day with Ava – without filling in a holiday request form.
I’m choosing the hard that might mean crying in my car today, but smiling in Bali next Christmas because I made this happen.
To the Mum Who’s Also Hanging by a Thread
If you’re reading this with a cold cup of tea, still in yesterday’s pyjama bottoms, scrolling on your phone while also trying to figure out what the heck to cook with a sad-looking broccoli and a tin of beans… I see you.
You’ve probably also cried in your car this week.
Or lost it over a missing shoe five minutes before the school run.
Or sat up late Googling “how to make money from home” while everyone else is snoring.
And just like me, you’re probably tired.
But you’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re doing it all.
And that’s exactly why you deserve more.
More time.
More freedom.
More joy.
More days where you don’t have to choose between a school assembly and your manager’s glare.
Let’s Figure Out Your Freedom Plan
If you’re ready to start choosing the hard that leads to change (but you don’t have a clue where to begin), I’ve got you.
👇 You’ve got two options:
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Book a 1:1 chat with me. Zero pressure, just a real convo with someone who gets it.
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Download my free guide: “How To Build A Profitable Online Business” It’s practical, no fluff, and written in the same messy, honest tone as this blog. Because we don’t have time for polished perfection – we just want progress.
Click HERE to grab it now.
Because if you’re going to cry in the car, let it be happy tears… the kind where you look back and realise, this was the week I finally chose my hard.
You’ve got this, even if your eggs are cracked and your brain’s running on fumes.
We’re in this together.
Love,
Sarah x💛
Mum, hustler, part-time kitchen disaster, and full-time dream builder.
I love this. Thanks for your honesty. And such a great read because we can all relate. “Choosing Your Hard” is easier for me now than it once was. Life after all is all about choice -the quieter the better in making these choices. The better to hear what the soul wants us to hear.
Being part of this online community – and reading posts like yours – is one of the reasons I think I haven’t lost my sanity yet.
To be honest, I reread it quite a few times because, if we’re going to be honest, after being away for several months due to work, I now find myself needing some time off just to reenergize myself (must be the “getting older” feeling) but the good thing about it all is that with posts like these, I think I can find the way to get back on the horse as they say and get that chosen hard done!
Thanks for reminding me that it’s ok to take a knee 🙂
Haha, yes! Sometimes you’ve got to take a knee and recharge—no shame in that! So glad this post spoke to you and gave you a little spark to keep going. Cheers to finding that balance! 💪✨
Hi Sarah – I absolutely love the honesty and transparency of this post. While I’m not an exhausted mother, I believe I do have that feeling from time to time of just being overwhelmed and wanting just to sit and disappear into my despair… Or perceived despair. I believe we’ve all been there. The good news is that most of us have overcome. I love the idea of choosing your hard! That it’s such a simple statement but such a challenging thing to do given the many opportunities we have and the many situations that we have to face on a daily basis. I am so glad I read this today. Thank you for being who you are and for willing to share your story so that we can all learn and relate! Cheers to you!
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your own perspective. It’s comforting to know that feeling overwhelmed isn’t just a mum thing—it’s a human thing! Cheers to you too for embracing the hard and finding your own way through it. Let’s keep learning and growing together! 🌟😊
Hey Sarah, your post took me right back! My kids are older now, but reading about your week brought up memories of when they were little, total chaos with spilled drinks on their homework or racing to find a missing shoe before the school drop-off. Your “choose your hard” message really was great. Even now, I’m juggling so many things, but it’s got me thinking about picking the kind of hard that feels worth it. Thanks for the real talk and reminding me we’re all in this messy life together. 💛
Meredith
Meredith recently posted…Affiliate Marketing Traffic Sources That Drive Real Results
Thank you so much for comment. You have given me a lot of comfort knowing mums have gone through this and I’m not on my own! I really appreciate it! x
Oh Sarah, this hit me right in the cracked-eggs-and-yesterday’s-pajamas part of my soul. 😅
Thank you for putting into words what so many of us feel but don’t always say out loud. The reminder that “it’s all hard – so choose your hard” stopped me mid-scroll. That line belongs on a Post-it, a coffee mug, and maybe tattooed on my forehead.
I’ve had my own version of the steering wheel cry—mine involved burnt toast, a forgotten dentist appointment, and a full-on meltdown over missing socks. But like you said, we’re not failing. We’re just freaking trying, and that counts for something.
Your honesty is the kind of motivation that actually feels doable. Not polished, not preachy—just real. I grabbed your guide (thank you!) and I’m choosing the hard that leads to freedom too.
PS: Wilted car-boot flowers should be a metaphor for something deep. I’m working on it. 😂
Sending hugs from one tired, scrappy dream-builder to another 💛
Thanks Alison. Burt toast is always the start of the meltdown! I really appreciate the comment, it did make me laugh and gave me comfort that I’m not on my own. x
Sarah, thanks – remember you have us to talk to. I’ve had those moments too, trying to build an affiliate business, apply for jobs, support my family, and grieve my dad’s passing all at once. I’ve sat in my car, completely drained, just needing a quiet space to breathe. You’re right, everything is hard, but I’ve chosen the kind of hard that brings me closer to freedom and time for what truly matters. Thanks for sharing this with such honesty, it’s the reminder I didn’t know I needed today. Thanks, Atif