Another work week wrapped up. Four more days of nesting and practice before I’m officially on production, and I can feel that strange mix of readiness and nerves settling in.
I’m learning a lot. Processes are starting to click. Policies, coverages, compliance rules, and all the ways they shift from state to state are slowly becoming familiar instead of overwhelming. That part feels solid. Where I’m still stretching is confidence, specifically the confidence to close.
This role is different for me. I’ve always worked in service first, with sales somewhere in the background. Upselling. Cross selling. Helping first, offering later. This is my first time being fully, unapologetically in Sales. That mental shift matters. My job isn’t to over explain or linger in service mode. My job is to guide, advise, and then ask for the sale without apologizing for it. I know the value of what I’m offering. I just have to remember that confidence is part of the role, not an extra skill I’m waiting to unlock.
And then there’s the weekend. A reset in a very different way.
I’m taking my daughter to see the Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie she’s been counting down to ever since she saw the trailer weeks ago when I took her to see Avatar Fire and Ash. Yesterday, I texted her and told her I’d bought the tickets online. Her response came back immediately. All caps. Too many exclamation points. Pure, unfiltered joy. That kind of reaction stays with you. It’s the reminder that sometimes choosing your kid looks like saying yes to something you don’t fully understand, because their excitement is the whole point.
I’ll be honest, I’m fully prepared to sit through two hours and change of something I didn’t choose for myself. But that feels small compared to watching her light up knowing she’s been seen and prioritized. I used to like Naruto, Bleach, and Inuyasha. I watched Sailor Moon when I was a teenager. Maybe that part of me wakes back up. Maybe I enjoy it more than I expect. And even if I don’t, I’ll still enjoy sitting next to her while she does.
Sometimes the win isn’t loving the movie. It’s choosing your kid. Over convenience. Over personal preference. Over the easy no.
I also know what next Friday brings. I’ll punch out of work and immediately switch into birthday party mode. My stepdaughter’s birthday is Thursday, but her party is Saturday, and the house is already quietly filling up with the evidence. Boxes of party favors. Unwrapped presents. Decorations. About 250 balloons waiting their turn. I’m still proud of myself for finally buying an electric balloon inflator this year. That thing is going to earn its keep for many parties to come.
What I’m really excited about, though, is the moment she walks in. If everything goes the way I’m hoping, she won’t be here while I’m decorating. Maybe she’ll spend the night at a friend’s house and show up right as the party starts. It won’t be a surprise party, but the room will be. I keep picturing her face when she sees it. That pause. The widening eyes. The quiet second where it all lands and she realizes how much thought went into it. That’s the moment I’m building toward.
I might bake the cake and cupcakes Thursday after work so Friday night and Saturday morning are just about decorating and final touches. Less scrambling. More intention. I want to be present for that look on her face, not exhausted and rushing past it.
Progress at work. Presence at home. Choosing them, again and again. All of it counts.
Comments ()