This week we feature Monika Marczuk , a busy single mother of four! Monika is all about wellness for mind, body and soul. Monika was recently certified as a Reiki Instructor which is no easy feat! She recently started her own Holistic Services business so she can help others achieve wellness too. You can find Monika on :
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/sproutingtreewellness/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MontrealBodyTalk/?ref=bookmarks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikamarczuk/
Thanks Monika for sharing your journey with us!
1. What is your name and how many children do you have?
My name in Monika Marczuk and I have 4 children. Steven 23, Joey 20, Morgan 10 and Melinka 5
2. What is you current occupation?
I am sole proprietor and practitioner at Sprouting Tree Wellness– Professional Holistic Services
3. What are you challenges of balancing work and parenting?
My biggest challenge is not over doing it. I remind myself of this often. If I feel myself forcing, if I feel myself pushing myself, or stock piling tasks and duties , I just stop everything and tell myself ” do no thing” . Often what ends up happening a few moments later is that I am actually doing the things that I wanted to get done. I feel often, mothers who work, no matter the occupation, but undo stress ” to do it all” . This is not possible. Do what is only necessary- life will go on, but you won’t if you don’t make yourself top priority. It took me some time to understand this, and I still remind myself of this lesson often.
4. What is your life philosophy?
My life philosophy- I haven’t figured anything out! What I mean by this is, that life is one giant choose your own adventure book. I live my life from a place of child like curiosity, finding wonder in the small things. Remembering that wisdom only comes with experience, kindness, empathy, compassion, play
5. What is a piece of advice you would give other mothers and what is one thing you wish you had known before having children?
Advice to new mothers, your children do not need you to be “perfect” they need you to be happy within yourself and present. Mistakes and mishaps will happen more than you think, and it’s ok. Mothering is not what you think it is. You will have moments of doubt, fear, worry, and wondering if you are nuts for making the choice to have children, and that is ok. Remember you are human, and not a robot. Your body will probably never be the same- how could it be? Look at what you just did? In 9 short months, your body grew and pushed out a LIVE HUMAN BEING. I don’t think it ever ” goes back” and what a disrespect we inflict on ourselves as mothers to force it to, eh? It’s ok to give yourself a time out. If you have a partner it’s ok to say, I need support. Rome was not built in one day. Take a load off Momma. What I wish I would have known before having children? All of the above.
6. What is your greatest achievement apart from your kids so far?
Firstly, I don’t think that my children are a personal achievement of mine. They are little people, with complex feelings, emotions, wants, desires, thoughts … they are not achievements, they are people. My greatest achievement is my ability to keep learning about myself, everyday is a day to learn something new. I have done many things, was a teacher, artist, opened a healing practice, parenting my children.
7. What have you done that you thought you could never do?
Stand up for myself.
(That’s huge Monika!!)
8. What books do you /did you like reading to your children?
Story time in bed just before lights out are a tradition in our house. The kids get into bed and we all cuddle in and read a book of their choice. My favorites are anything by Mercer Mayer, Where the Wild Things Are, Franklin… there are so many. Our library is stacked with books!
We hope Monika will add Three Times The Fun to her book collection too!
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