This is the theme of my life… “What now?” Particularly as a parent. Particularly right now.

Right after my first son was born, I was lost. I felt the world around me was speeding up and I was coming to a full, complete, unavoidable stop. Who was I? Would I ever catch up (with life, friends, exercise, news, sleep, pursuits) I had that little baby, and what now?

I have continued to ask that question as we have both grown. A sibling. A rough spot in marriage. A new house. Starting Mamalode.  Friendships. Politics. What now?

A movement has begun: What now?

A moment was lost: What now?

A life begins: What now?

It is the gut check. The beginning of a new road. The start of a plan.

So here we go, friends. A month to explore this very question and the moments we are forced to ask it. Usually we ask because somehow we have found the precipice and everything is changed.

Do we jump? Run? Hide? Fight? Crash?

For me, it is all of the above… plus a healthy (ish) dose of trying to find the right words to map my course.

What now? You tell me.

–elke

About the Author

Elke

Elke Govertsen is a entrepreneur and founder of Mamalode. She has been featured in Real Simple, Forbes, Where Women Create, Ad Tech, and listed as one of Origin Magazine's "Top 100 Creatives." She has been a speaker at The Girls Lounge, Adweek, C2Montreal, HATCH, TEDx and (her favorite) in classrooms. She speaks on a variety of topics from entrepreneurship to overcoming obstacles. She loves consulting in the areas of community design, storytelling and brand building. Her special skills include extreme bootstrapping, overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities. Of the many things she has learned by doing Mamalode, her ability to work with absolute chaos/kids/mess just might be the best. She is learning that slowing down creates more impact.