Hi, it’s me, Elin. Pronounced like ‘feelin. I’m a millennial mom raising two California girls, but I used to not be a mom. I was just…a California girl. However, the latter is now irrelevant because becoming a mother has altered my body and mind and lifestyle in ways that are irreversible. On January 19th of 2024, I left my career in marketing to take a stab at full-time mothering for a season. I called it a Career Pause.
After five months of focused time with my daughter passed by, I surprised myself when I considered applying to a weekend barista gig walking distance from our house. I missed earning money and having a separate identity outside of motherhood. Cracking the code to figure out how to fulfill both my creative ambition and desire to be the primary caretaker for my daughter is something that is starting to keep me up at night.
If I had to choose again between embracing the role of Stay at Home Mom or Working Mom, I would try both hats on again for a season and my final answer would be neither. I want something in the messy middle. I have no clue how I’m going to get there but something tells me that being honest about it is a good start. Why not do it on the internet?
To start you off, here are links to a few of my most popular essays:
Real Ways to Help a New Mom (That She Won’t Ask For)
Hi! Grab a cup of coffee and get comfy. This letter is a million miles long (but hopefully a million times more helpful than someone saying "let me know if you need anything”) so you may need to click “expand” when viewing via email to read all the way to the end.
Romanticizing Weekdays at Home with a Toddler
I’ve never understood the backlash on Valentine’s Day. Even dating back to my single days of angst, I’ve always been a sucker for the deliberate cheesiness of it all — the frilly bows, pink and red color scheme, heart-shaped treats, and handwritten love notes. Be mine.
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