The Value of Time...

The Sustainable Culinary Showcase

Sustainable Fashion Show

Sustainable Culinary Showcase

Showcase-sustainable cupcakes!

Trashcan Joe played on recycled instruments at the showcase.

Portland Taiko Drums Opened the Conference

Showcase event

The program

So here is a little snapshot of what I have been doing with the last year of my life. I interviewed when I was 7 months pregnant and out of 100 applicants I got the contract. A one year contract planning the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference for the International Ecotourism Society. I knew it would be a challenge and that I could do the job but I didn't know how much it would interfere with raising Boston and my family life. 5 months after I started I still had not received any money yet, because my contract was commission based...BIG mistake. At that point I realized that I would not be making the amount promised. Still I had so much time invested...I kept going. As September 8th through the 10th approached the hours got longer and longer. Many nights I was up until 2am working after working an entire day. Working from home no longer seemed like a luxury, I literally felt chained to my desk. I finally made it to the week before the conference, I was strangely excited that all of my hard work was about to unfold. Everything about the conference went as planned, a few snags here and there but to the public eye it was the best conference they had ever had. The board clapped for me as I walked in the room the day after event. I was overcome with emotion and quickly realized that I had put my heart and soul into this conference. They offered me another contract...same terms.

For the last two weeks I have going back and forth on whether or not to continue working with TIES (the International Ecotourism Society). When your husband makes only commission and as a small business owner it is really hard to walk away potential income. After all of the should I do it, yes or no discussions, Ben and I decided that my time is more valuable elsewhere. Finding new business and raising Boston as much as I can. Last Sunday there was a lesson on faith. The simplest subject shed so much light on this deep debate of ours. One of the women mentioned when she was younger that in tough times she would try to do more and more of everything. She shared that it was taxing and took so much out of her. As she got older she started using a different method. She started stepping back and living by faith. That if she focused on her family, faith and what really mattered that it would work out.

From that lesson I learned that my faith, my family and my time is more valuable than anything else I have.