In October of this last year, I changed positions at my job. It was a huge change, but it has been amazing so far. My new position means that I am working directly with students, which is a dream come true for me, but it also means that I am working longer hours, I no longer am able to work from home on a regular basis, and I have to travel significantly more. But I am seriously the happiest I have been professionally speaking that I have ever been.

For me, the timing felt right. The kids are getting more self-sufficient and Mr. Cereal’s job is also transitioning, so he has been able to fill in the gaps that I have left. One of the things that I’ve found the most difficult is balancing the time I have with the kids, and the time I am spending on my job. I wrote early on here at Hellobee that I had chosen to stay in a job that was not fulfilling at all, but it meant that I was able to spend more time with my kids. And that worked for a long time, but with the completion of my master’s degree, I was itching to move up and start using my skills.

Within a month of changing positions, I had to travel to Chicago for work. Normally, this is probably not that big of a deal for most parents, but for me, this was the first time I had ever left Little Bug, and only the second time I had left LeLe. To make it even more complicated, I was still breastfeeding Little Bug and I knew that if I went to Chicago for a few days, I would probably lose my supply. When it came right down to it, the build-up of leaving was so much worse than actually leaving. The kids did just fine, I had fun and got to sleep alone in a bed for the first time in 4 years. It was a win-win.

I can’t help but feel guilty some of the time. Both for being away from the kids, but also because Mr. Cereal has had to take on a lot more and for some reason, this makes me feel badly. On the other hand, I feel incredibly powerful in my job. I am making positive and lasting changes in the lives of college students, I am expanding my network exponentially, meeting so many new and interesting people, and I am being asked to talk about the program I am working for at conferences and workshops. I really do think that even though this is taking some of my leisure time, I am modeling to my children that a career that makes you happy and fulfilled can be a really amazing thing.

I worry that I am missing things, but there is a really nice element of the kids actually missing me, which almost never was displayed before. I love talking to them on the phone when I am gone and having them tell me about their days, I love being able to tell them about the places I am traveling to, and I love that I am showing them how to work hard and be successful.

Have you experienced a similar change in your career? Please share your experiences.