What is your “Why”?
Have you ever dreamed of accomplishing something great? Or planned for an event perhaps, that was supposed to be just perfect? That’s a lot of hard work, time, and (yes- I’ll say it) pressure! When you’re in the midst of putting so much heart and soul into that something great have you ever taken a step back and asked yourself WHY you’re doing it in the first place? Why are you running on caffeine and dry shampoo? Why are you asking Alexa to set a reminder to pick up the kids?
At Midwest Occasions, our why is simple. To serve our community. Galatians 5:13 says “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
We value our community, or who we surround ourselves with, because community helps shape our character and mold us into the people of good faith we want to be. You never know who could be encouraged by your smile. By your simple gesture of kindness.
I tell you about our WHY because life is full of bumps in the road. From the smallest pothole to a complete road block. (You know, the ones you think you can drive right through but find out the hard way you just have to turn around and take the detour anyways). It’s all about what we do with those setbacks. As New York Times Bestselling author Jordan Lee Dooley puts it in her new book Embrace Your Almost, “ These seemingly dead ends can actually be used as a turning point in our lives.” https://jordanleedooley.com/ Where do we go from here? Instead of focusing on the negative or what could have been, let’s reflect and celebrate the journey that got us here in the first place. What matters to you? Find your why for multiple reasons. Do you need a push to stay on track or maybe to shift gears towards that destination you’ve been dreaming about. Find your WHY and when you reach that big goal or deadline, you too may feel a much deeper satisfaction and sense of full circle accomplishment.
I grew up in a small town – rural Indiana where the ground is flat and you can see across my family’s farm fields for miles. Between local church involvement, school sports, 4-H, and my big family gatherings there was always something to be celebrated. My mom had this notoriously natural ability (and still does) to host a crowd, no matter how big or small, with an irreproachable grace. She would make an entire table full of food without blinking an eye or making a fuss. Now that I am older and hosting celebrations of my own I realize just how much work goes behind the scenes. I admired my mother’s strength and saw the joy everyone seemed to delight in when not only family, but also our community came together and truly enjoyed a time of fellowship.
As I reached adulthood, I felt called to serve others just as my mom had done time and time again. But there was a problem. I was not exactly sure how to make that happen or what it meant for me exactly. I went on to study business in college and after several years of corporate America, a husband, a home, and two babies, it was time to put my God given talents to work. After all, I was already helping plan events for family and friends in my “free time” while maintaining a full time job.
I had a strong desire to bring people together to celebrate and create an event that would remain in their hearts for a long time to come.
“Maybe THIS is how I serve my community” I thought. What started out as simply offering to help a friend or two has evolved into a business that I wholeheartedly enjoy and feel right at home doing (quite literally as I write this from my home office). It wasn’t until I discovered what I truly value in life that helped me navigate this journey to event planning and entrepreneurship. This is where I’m meant to be. This is how I serve my community.
If you are a non-profit or simply love supporting your community as we do, send us an email and let us know what you thought of this blog. We are seeking out women owned non-profits.
Email: miranda@midwestoccasions.com
Photography credit: Marissa Wiley – Indy + KC Wedding Photographer / Instagram @marissawileyphoto
Blog Written By: MM
http://www.midwestoccasions.com
