Don't Be Ashamed to Hustle
The best piece of professional advice I ever got was this: “Don’t ever be afraid to wash the dishes”.
It pierced my heart because as an immigrant I was built to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
As I grew in my professional career, my bank account wasn’t necessarily growing as quickly. I had to make a decision to swallow any pride I had left and get a side hustle. I watched as my husband hustled after his main job, and after seven years of school, I rolled up my sleeves, too.
I remember walking into my first mall job at the age of 27 and feeling a bit disappointed in myself. I felt like I didn’t climb the ladder of success as fast as those around me. But I learned early on that the comparison trap is a soul killer. I needed to focus on my own priorities and my own goals.
I needed to build my self-confidence back up. I needed to realize that no one had forced me to take on this job. If I was going to sign myself up to do it, I needed to bring my A – game to the field. So there I went. I began working at the mall from 6:00-11:30 after my normal 9:00-5:00 shift three times a week.
I’ll be honest, it was absolutely exhausting and at times I really hated it. But it built my work ethic.
A few months later, I began teaching twice a week in the evening as a part-time lecturer, and I really enjoyed it. Then, on the weekends, I began cleaning homes. I’ll never forget cleaning the home of a very disturbed man who had about five cats – it was super awful because I was so allergic!
However, in between all of the side jobs, I recall trying to figure out so much about myself. About my goals. About what I wanted for the rest of my life emotionally, financially and physically.
Hustling birthed a different side of me. It grew a resilience that I didn’t think I had in me.
I’m grateful for my side hustles and was never ashamed of them. I did what I needed to do for that specific season of my life. I also became closer to discovering and shaping my purpose.
Never be ashamed to hustle. Be okay with washing the dishes.
Karina Daves is passionate about being there for women, specifically moms, that need tools and confidence to keep going, no matter where they are in life. She provides moms with the tricks and tools that they need to maintain their sanity and achieve their best life and relationship GOALS! She's excited to be here for you! Check her out at https://www.karinafdaves.com/