In May of 2019, I took a leap and decided to pursue my MFA in Creative Writing. I’ve always enjoyed writing and it’s been a dream of mine to publish a novel. The last four years have flown by and I’m wrapping up my final class and preparing to focus on my thesis.

As I prepare to begin writing my thesis, I have been reflecting on the last four years and the things I have had to juggle to realize my writing goal. I am a mom of two girls, ages 5 and 8, we have 5 dogs, I work full-time as a software engineer, and we actively foster with a local dog rescue, Peak Lab Rescue.

I often get asked “how do you do it?” or told “I don’t know how you do it.” Some days I wonder this myself. The truth is I have a supportive husband and network that I can rely on. In addition to disciplined time management, I try to take care of my mental and physical health by talking with my therapist, attending my local Burn Boot Camp, and making sure I eat well and get enough sleep.

There is still a lot of work to do to complete my MFA, but I’m proud to have reached this milestone and am ready to tackle the challenges that still await me. When you really want to achieve something, you will do what is necessary to make it happen. Self-care is extremely important and should not be considered something selfish.

What goals are you setting for yourself and what are you doing to achieve them? Whatever they might be, make sure you are taking time to take care of you!