From Shifting Countries To Navigating Motherhood, How I Started All Over Again

I am a mom to a 5-year-old. As a mother, there are many moments in life that we truly own and feel proud of. For me, it all started when I got married and moved abroad with my husband.

Along with all the challenges of starting a new life in a foreign land, I was also determined to find a job and pursue my career. It wasn’t easy, as I had no experience. Eventually, I landed a job and had to put more effort into balancing my family and work life, but I learnt a lot in the process.

The unending quest of finding the balance

My journey to get settled in my career didn’t end there. I had to return to India and I had to start all over again and I started applying for countless jobs. Finally, after a long search, I landed a new job that required long tiring travel every day. With no hesitation, I took on this new challenge with courage and determination. I own this moment completely as this period was very challenging for me.

As a working woman, I always felt the need to have a balanced career in my life. From the beginning of my career, I was always determined to do anything related to my career on my own.  I searched for a job on my own and got settled with both life and work.

Motherhood and Owning the Need for Flexibility

Then came the biggest moment of my life – Motherhood. I took a break from my career to spend three years raising my kid and it was a time of great joy and happiness. I cherish and own every moment, watching my child grow and learn new things with each day. After my maternity break, I was determined to find jobs that allowed me to spend enough time with my kid and family. I landed the perfect job with the help of the FlexiBees App which gave me the flexibility to balance work and family life. It's a platform that provides remote and flexible work opportunities to women who wish to return to the workforce for women looking post a break.

I work for the recruitment team at the FlexiBees, this profile gives me opportunities to interact with and help women like me to find suitable positions across sectors. Being in recruitment also makes me ultra aware of the kind of effort women put in to restart their careers after a break. Every day I come across a lot of resumes of women who signup, and finding the right fit for these women is gratifying as I feel I am making a tiny contribution to the lives of women who are trying to find their footing in the workforce.

I own this moment of finding the right job to pursue my career and helping more women like me in this process. Just as I wished to.

The urge to Upskill

As time passed, I had the instinct to grow and learn new things. That's when I decided to learn and upskill myself by taking some courses. However, finding the time to do this while also managing my responsibilities as a mother was a challenge. I had to plan my days and manage my time to make sure that I could balance my work, family, and upskilling. I had to drop off and pick up my child from school, take him to extra classes, and manage my work while finding time to complete my course.

It wasn’t easy, but I was determined to make it work. I would wake up early in the morning or stay up late at night to complete my coursework. I would make use of any free time I had during the day to read, study or practice. I also had to ensure my current work responsibilities did not conflict with my upskilling. I remained focused on my goal of upskilling as I knew it would benefit me in the long run and allow me to grow professionally. 

I am proud to say that I am almost at the stage of completing my course. My upskilling may seem very different from my current role, but the skills I have learned are invaluable. Looking back, I realise that owning this moment of upskilling myself was a bold decision. It took hard work and dedication to prioritise my time. However, I am grateful for this, as it has shown me that anything is possible with determination and a positive mindset.

I am grateful again to have taken charge of my career, and my interest in learning without sacrificing the bond between me, my kid, and my family. I am proud to #ownitall.

#OwnItAll is FlexiBees’ tribute to mothers, asking them to own all they have been through, all they have been, and all they ever wanted to be. This Mother’s Day, SheThePeople is proud to collaborate with FlexiBees to help bring stories of women who embraced challenges, took charge of their lives and returned to work, one way or another.

Suggested reading: I Was Not Ready To Just Be A Mum And Nothing Else: Deepthi Boddupally