Sometimes you have to stop waiting for permission and start believing in yourself.
The Dreams That Were Dismissed
For years, I carried a dream in my heart – the dream of starting my own business. I'd share my vision with my husband, hoping for encouragement, support, maybe even a "Let's figure this out together."
Instead, I got shut down. "No." "Now's not the time." My dreams were brushed off, dismissed before they could even breathe.
Looking back, I realize his responses came from his own fears and limitations – but at the time, it felt like my dreams didn't matter. Like I didn't matter.
Here's what I wish I'd known then: You can't wait for others to believe in your dreams. You have to believe in them yourself.
The Breaking Point That Became My Breakthrough
When my oldest son turned 7 and my second son was born, something fierce awakened inside me. I looked at my precious baby boy – who would grow up alongside my business from just 8 weeks old – and made a promise: I would not miss his childhood like I had missed so much of my first son's.
Those few precious evening hours between work, school, and daycare pickup weren't enough. I was living in the margins of my own life, exhausted and stretched thin, watching my children grow up around someone else's schedule.
I decided: No more.
When Life Forced My Hand (And Gave Me the Greatest Gift)
Then 2011 happened. The economy crashed, and I lost my job.
But here's the plot twist that changed everything: I had several job offers. Multiple companies wanted to hire me. But when I did the math – really looked at what they were offering versus what I was worth, what I needed to cover school and daycare costs – none of them made sense.
Why would I work for less than I was worth just to pay someone else to raise my children?
That's when consulting became my bridge to freedom. I could make what I needed while maintaining control over my time and my family's life.
The universe wasn't punishing me – it was setting me free. It was saying: "Stop waiting for permission. Your time is NOW!"
The Lightbulb Moment That Changed Everything
One day, I reached into a drawer and found those plain, boring waterproof labels I'd bought for my oldest son years earlier. We couldn't find construction truck labels anywhere, so we'd settled for these uninspiring plain ones. And guess what? We never used them because they were so boring.
That's when lightning struck: I could do so much better.
With my design skills and a mother's understanding of what kids actually want, I could create labels that would make children excited to put their names on their belongings.
Building My Empire While Raising My Kingdom
What followed was intensive research – materials, equipment, design options, market analysis. But here's the beautiful part: I did it all while being the mother I wanted to be.
My youngest stayed home with me as I built the business. No more daycare costs. No more rushing. No more paying someone else to watch my child grow up. He was right there as I took calls, designed labels, and built Sticky Monkey Labels from the ground up.
As the business grew, so did our family's vision. Eventually, I brought all three of my boys home for online school. Now I guide their education while running my business – something that would have been impossible in a traditional job that undervalued me.
The Most Beautiful Victory Lap
Today, my oldest son has graduated and not only helps in my business, but he's also starting his own business. I get to watch him chase his dreams with the confidence that comes from seeing his mother refuse to accept less than she was worth.
This is what happens when you stop letting others define your value and start defining it yourself.
To Every Woman Who's Tired of Being Undervalued
If someone in your life is dismissing your dreams, if employers are lowballing your worth, if anyone is telling you to "be realistic" about your limitations – listen carefully:
DO NOT LET MEN DEFINE YOU. DO NOT LET ANYONE DEFINE YOU.
You know your worth. You know what's right for your family. You know what you're capable of.
Stop accepting:
- Jobs that pay you less than you're worth
- Schedules that steal your family time
- Other people's fears as your limitations
- "No" as a final answer
Start demanding:
- What you're actually worth
- Time with your children
- Control over your own life
- Respect for your dreams
The Math That Will Set You Free
Before you take that next job offer, do the real math:
- What's your time with your children worth?
- What are you paying in childcare, gas, work clothes, stress?
- What's the cost of missing bedtime stories, school events, and spontaneous moments?
- What's the price of living someone else's schedule?
Sometimes the "safe" choice is actually the most expensive one.
Your Children Are Your Why AND Your Witnesses
When you choose to believe in yourself despite the doubters, you're not just changing your life. You're teaching your children that:
- They don't have to accept less than they're worth
- Dreams are worth fighting for
- Family comes first, always
- Courage creates possibilities
- Mom's dreams matter too
My boys have watched me build something from nothing. They've seen me handle rejection, celebrate victories, and never settle for less than I deserved. Now they're applying those same principles to their own lives.
Your Time is NOW
Stop waiting for the perfect job offer. Stop waiting for support that may never come. Stop letting other people's limitations become your ceiling.
You know what's right for you and your children. Trust that knowing. Act on that knowing.
The economy might crash. Jobs might disappear. People might doubt you. But your dreams? Your determination? Your love for your family? Those are unshakeable.
Make it happen. Do what's right for yourself and your children. Your future self – and your children – are counting on you.
What becomes possible when you stop asking for permission and start demanding what you're worth?
Dodie is the founder and owner of Sticky Monkey Labels, a mom-owned business she built while raising three boys who now learn and work alongside her. She's living proof that sometimes the best career move is the one everyone else thinks is crazy.