Bitch you doing a good job.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Hey y’all HEY!

What a week. I had the whole week planned out and that shit did NOT go accordingly. Yes business was AH-mazing and we even took an impromptu trip to the mountains. But BAYBEEEE! WHEW!

Fasten your seatbelt, you are about to hear the side of business ownership that most people will not tell you. Yea, you absolutely can be successful in your business, make a lot of money, look cute, have a happy family and STILL be losing your fucking mind.

This is why I am so transparent with my journey as a wife, mother, and successful business owner. People will have you think that once you have it all together life becomes effortless. That. Shit. Is. A. LIE! BRUH! I plan everything, not even in an obsessive way but very strategically. Meals, vacations, cleaning, school, work, you name it. I know it sounds like A lot to some people but as a mother of 10, wait, a PREGNANT mom of 10 trust me when I tell you, it is necessary. So, I understand that everyone does not function the same so I do allow myself to veer from the schedules to give a little spontaneity. HOWEVER, despite the fact that there was nothing planned for the week the trip to the mountains stressed me all the way out!

First I couldn’t find an air bnb that was close enough to stay so we booked two rooms at a hotel. Let me just say that hotels are so overpriced in comparison to air bnb. 🙄  Like most families, instead of packing, I just went shopping for everyone. No? Just me. 😐. So one of the days was dedicated to shopping for 10 children 😭. LOADS of money but okay, not a surprise. Then, I forgot to pack road food because 1. McRush has to be eating on the road because imma go to sleep as soon as the engine starts running 😂. So the food keeps him occupied. 🤷🏾  2. The children like snacks. Like, ALOT! This means more money spent. 😑  So okay, no biggie, we got it, right? The plan was to shop at a grocery store and cook while on our trip. So we get there and I’m like FUUUUUUCK DAT! I’m not cooking. I’m on vacation too. So we’re eating out. Yup, you guessed it. More money. 🤑 The rooms had two FULL sized beds. Who thee fuck shares a full sized bed? It was official. I was stressed. THIS is why I don’t do spontaneous. But okay. We get to the mountains pit stop and go to the restrooms. Leave and as soon as we get to our location, “mom, I have to pee” BRUH! Over all, the experience was fun and new. It was great for memories but baybee! Imma have to clone myself before I do that again because, I’M NOT!

So boom, we get back, still nothing on my schedule so imma chill out. Right? Wrong! I needed a nap, you know pregnancy kicking my ass. Nah, the RushBunch act like Daddy is golden and cannot be disturbed. Every five seconds somebody is calling my name, diaper change, tattling, whining. So I finally call dad like dude. Get your children! I finally get a moment of peace and 3 minutes in, a client calls with an emergency. Now I’m up until 1 am handling some last minute work. Where errybody at? Sleep.

I was livid. I wanted to cry. Okay, I did. I tried to be spontaneous and surprise the ingrates but no it was still mommy can I all the way there, through the trip, back, and at home. (I cried because it took me a lot to step out of my comfort zone of schedule a and when I did, I was miserable as fuck.)

The bottom line is, regardless of how much you plan, anticipate, or organize, life can get stressful. That is why I take solo vacations, pamper myself, and make sure I pour into me on a regular basis. Because sometimes in life, as a mom, you legit have to say #FDK and take the time to make YOU smile. Because baby, you deserve it! 🥂

Dear covid…..

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Hey y’all. I hope everyone is safe out here in these covid streets.

A lot has happened since I last blogged. Business shifts, financial shifts, and more importantly personal shifts.

After YEARS of working my business o am just now realizing that I need to take care of me too. I mean I bathe and stuff but its deeper than that right. I have decided to hire a cleaning crew to come to the house. And right now I am looking for a Day nanny.

I know people have been saying self care for years and things like “you can’t pour from an empty cup”. My cup has been empty so long that I have just been used to the drain. Being a mom is running a business and in many aspects so is marriage. Then to actually be running a business, being a mentor, and volunteering can definitely take its toll.

I incorporated baths into my regime. Yes, baths. I shower everyday, sometimes twice a day. But nothing relaxes you like locking your bathroom door and sitting in a hot tub… maybe even bubbles. I deserve bubbles right. 😉

But more importantly I am incorporating delegating because just because we can do it all doesn’t mean we should. There are things we need to do,, especially as moms, and Madam Maxine Waters said, reclaim our time.

My babies are healthy and my husband is happy so I think I do a pretty good job. But at the end of the day I am absolutely burned out.

I hired a coach to get my business life together because like I say all the time, if your coach doesn’t have a coach then they are a hypocrite. How can I, as a coach, tell you that you need a business coach but not have one myself. I have had several coaches over the years and its time I added me to the list of things to support. (My coach would agree) I have decided to take an hiatus from the fave of the business to work the back end and hire those who can help.

Covid has caused many of us to transition to virtual meetings and meet ups with our friends and family but what I take it as is we all need a moment to slow down.

I am grateful to be among the many untouched by this crazy thing and I am praying for all those who may not be able to say the same. We have to take control of the things in our life that beat us down like pushing too much or looking for perfection before pursuing our goals. Your happiness should be a goal.

Are you happy?

👀 hello?

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Almost 38 weeks pregnant and I am over it. Also, I am over the affects that Covid is having on my business. Things are shaping up but also taking a toll. Who knew.

I haven’t been checking in because nothing is really going on. I always want to blog but there a lot of you-had-to-be-there moments so they don’t convey well via blog. For this reason I have been considering vlogging, especially after the baby is born. It will be simpler.. I heard that. Yes, vlogging will be simpler because I do not plan on editing at all. It will be the RushBunch raw and uncut. I really hope you’re ready for that. I will be BUT commenting will be turned off cause I’m not so saved anymore and my quick flip of the lip is not so holy. I don’t want to embarrass McRush. 😜

The baby’s name is Maia, yup, kinda like me but most of you know that’s a nickname. She will be born at home with hubby and doula by my side. While I am excited about the birth, not so much about the healing time. I just hate sitting around. The plan this time is to spend a few days at home and then check into a hotel for peace and quiet. Yes, Maia will be there. That’s the plan but I foresee it not happening. Yesterday I wasn’t feeling well so I stayed in the room locked away to rest but all I could think about was my babies. 🙄 Being a parent is a set up. We say we want a break but when we get it our minds are consumed with their wellbeing. Trash! Also, if anyone knows a remedy to ease Braxton hicks please share in the comments because at this point I’m like, are you coming or naw? 😐

iRush

Mama needs a break

Posted on by JustAskMaia

🗣️ LISTEN!

Mama needs a break! I don’t care judge me. Raising a house full of children, running a busy firm, 33 weeks pregnant, DURING covid19. BRUH!

God wakes me up every morning at 6:48 and refuses to tell me why so I am forced to just be up and productive. 🙄 When I do get to go to bed around midnight, if I’m lucky, baby decides NOW is the best time to do the Macarena on my bladder. I am constantly asking the ancestors what I did in my past life to subject my current life to such umcooperativeness ← yes I know that’s not a word Leave 👏🏾 me 👏🏾 alone 👏🏾!

Between black lives Matter being an actual issue, trump being somebody’s president (not mine) and countries shutting us out of their world, I SWEAR I am living in the book 1984 by George Orwell. Is this really the matrix or am I being punked like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show? I’m no conspiracy theorist but come on now! What gives? I’m also not religious (any more) but I’m this close 👌🏾 to looking up and declaring I see Jesus in the sky. Lord take me nah!

Sweet baby Jesus lying in a manger, what is going on and what did I bring my children into. This has GOT to be a sin. What did God say to me to convince me to THIS? It was a setup. No way He told this all to me and I was like “Yeah! That sounds hella dope, sign me up G!” Naw. Not buying it. G got jokes and I’on think they’re funny.

What are you guys doing to keep sane? No foreal, I need tips. Speak up!!

Is my living in vain?

Posted on by JustAskMaia

In the midst of this dark cloud lingering over my head, I am forced to work through tears shed.

No matter what I am doing, in the blink of an eye, I will find myself crying. I snickered to myself appreciating the fact that I do not wear make up. What a waste it would be right now.

Funny, no matter what we go through as parents we still must be sure our children are living their best life. For me that is forcing a smile with uncertainties lingering like a lone cloud on a sunny day.

Isn’t it ironic how we do so many good deeds and it feels, sometimes, as though they measure up to nothing? I remember when I was a young girl, my mom told be to be sure that my good far outweighed my bad. I literally live by that staple. Yet, I now find myself perplexed as to why.

Why then, do I still endure such unbelievable pain? Why is it life seems a constant test? When the heck is the exam so I can pass already!

I don’t know everything there is to know about life, but I do know this, its yours to live. Choose happiness and pass it on.

I’ll tell you what. When my daughter passed away I no longer took each moment I had with my children for granted. Not that I ever did but every breath seems even more previous to me. That is part of my reason for homeschooling. I always say that God has given me a charge (or 10) and I take that charge very seriously. These are little people who will soon try to find their own place in the world. It is my job to assist them as much, and as early, as possible.

Does my heart hurt every morning? Absolutely.

Do I have butterflies since this incident. Always.

But it will not stop my unwavering love and care. I push through, as we all do.

Am I always going to get it right? Nope.

Is my living in vain. Of course not.

How to homeschool without going crazy 😲

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Today started out a little to early for me. My oldest had to be to work at 7 and while some may think 7 a.m. is not early, first of all, YES IT IS! But more importantly, we are no small family so just dropping him off at work calls for me to not only rise earlier to get the RushBunch together but STAY up. In this house, once I get them up, there is no laying back down.

Getting them up means extra time needed to wash faces, brush teeth, wash, make beds, get dressed and grab a snack on the way out the door. Yes, just to drop #1 off. These tasks usually take me about an hour and that’s if I don’t do the girls’ hair.

I was literally dragging and absolutely moody. In case some of you have forgotten, I am six months pregnant. And while McRush usually helps with the ease of getting out the house, he had long been gone for work.

There are several ways I lift the weight of homeschooling without hassle. Today I am going to share with you one of them. But first, let me just state that every morning they have to write the creed and study their spelling words. That takes no effort from me at all. The purpose in the creed writing is to work on their handwriting, in the event that you were wondering. While they do this, I am making breakfast.

Packet Privilege.

This is something that is an absolute life saver to me. Usually, prior to the start of the year, I print out grade appropriate worksheets for each child. In my case its head start to 12th grade. I make packet that contains anywhere from 5-10 worksheets. I do at least 20 per person, so make sure you have paper for your printer. (In the event you do not have a print, I will get to that.) I put these packets away! Packet Privileges can be earned or used as a “substitute teacher” for the day. 🤗

For days like today when I just did not feel like adulting, it was a substitute. I hand out the packets and let them work at their pace. Here is the thing though, the packet must be more like review work because, as with a substitute teacher, you are not available to “teach” so should not introduce new works you may have to explain. It should also contain learning games like word search puzzles or sodoku. With that being said, that is why I say packets can be “earned”. It can count as a free day to the children. We work on a bonus system. Following the rules of both school and home and doing at least one thing ‘above and beyond’, you can earn a packet privilege for a day.

This is one of the many ways I keep my sanity on school days when I want to call out and binge watch Netflix or even work on my business.

For those of you who do not have a printer, for the younger, elementary school children, you can find workbooks at Dollar Tree for them. Tear out all of the pages, shuffle them and staple. Voila! Packets. For parents with older children, you may have to spend more than $1 but go to Wal-Mart or Target and get the more advanced workbooks (in the books section) and do the same thing. (You can also find these in book stores like Barnes and Noble but you WILL spend at least $20 per book and you know I like my budget 🙂)

I hope this was helpful and hit the follow button for more homeschooling tips.

iRush.

Ch Ch Changes.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

I have received emails and messages regarding my, and my family’s, well being. I get texts and phone calls wondering if everything is alright. First of all, thank you, second of all, to be blunt, honest, and direct; No. No, everything is not alright. I am falling into shambles but it’s not necessarily in a horrible way. It’s bad, yes. But I am embracing it as new beginnings.

I have contemplated telling this for weeks but I have contemplated these decisions for even longer than that. One decision I cannot reveal just yet as it is still in the works but this decision is the biggest one I have ever EVER had to make in my entire life. It is scary and its heartbreaking. The worst part is it is just the beginning. I will make a lot of enemies over this decision, or shall I say, my enemies will show their faces. That’s the scariest part but I have to do what is best for me and my family and I have to stop being a coward about it.

The decision I CAN tell you about is almost as disheartening but also has been a long time coming. For whatever reason, I tend to hold on to people and things that no longer serve any good in my life. And while I enjoyed it, it was emotionally, physically, mentally and financially draining. I kept going because it fell in with my passion which was helping my people. But it left me burned even in my niceness and determination to thrive.

If you have ever been a client of mine, more than likely you received an email that says this:

‘Hello. I wanted you to be the first to hear that I am shutting down Rush Consulting Firm as you know it, effective this weekend.

For almost 10 years I have run this company and I have loved every minute of it; it is my pride and joy. I LOVE helping my people follow their hearts and turn their passion into a paycheck, however, the business has not been beneficial to my family for a long time. The long hours, traveling, and debt that come with running any business has taken a toll on not only myself but my growing family as well. I will be able to assist you and/or refer you if needed, moving forward but this email will no longer be available. If you need to reach me, Rush.Consulting@yahoo.com’

Yup. That’s it. I am dismantling my business. Not just this one, but Slips Socks and Bows, and Heels and Hustle as well. I have already canceled our family site, http://www.iRush.life and I will be having blowout sales on remaining paraphernalia in the coming days. The decision to shut down my businesses piggybacks off of the anguish and heartache that I have in the aforementioned decision that we made. I am sure I will be unable to function in the capacity needed to be prosperous until I regain my composure.

I will continue to post for encouragement and still push for you to start your businesses but I will also be transferring my knowledge to youtube videos instead of consultations. So in a way, I guess you can say I’m giving it all away for free so keep a lookout for the page.

I will focus more on my family because, at this time, it is where I am needed most. I will try to do better at blogging and keep you guys abreast of whats happening, both good and bad. I cannot, however, guarantee that I will be keeping my facebook page.

#9KidsAndCounting

-Rush

View More: http://foreverinamemoryphotography.pass.us/rushfamily2017

The pause.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

So this week has been pretty hectic, If I calculate properly, it’s been hectic these past few weeks. In the midst, I had so many great things to blog about. I would pre-process it in my head how I was going to start off, the fluff in the middle, and the spectacular ending.  At this moment that I had to take a pause in the craziness of it all, I forgot. Every single detail, gone. Just like mommy brain. So many great ideas to implement and when you get the time, crickets, every dang time.

Although I am slightly saddened my this mush memory of mine, I love blogging so I decided to free flow like I usually do.

Let’s start with the bad decisions I made.

I threw out my last pair of contacts (from my eyes). As I dropped them in the toilet ( I found that this is best so #9 doesn’t try to eat them) I can literally see me doing it in slow motion as I realized a second too late that I did not have another pair to replace them. So now I am forced to wear these bottle cap glasses until I find time to get a new prescription. The plus side to this is I have noticed Oprah has been wearing her thickumms glasses so I am just going to go with it as if she inspired me to do so too. Embrace your blindness honey!

This next one is a pro and a con.

I overpaid my credit cards. The good in this is, well, I overpaid my credit cards. The not so good is, I could have used that money to go shopping. I know you may be thinking, just use your cards to go shopping but that’s counterproductive to the goal of eliminating debt.

A good thing that happened is I was asked to speak at the College of Charleston. It was kind of last minute so I was a little nervous and felt ill-prepared. The most nerve-wracking part was, I was talking to a bunch of teenagers. Now, I can talk business with adults all day long but teenagers always give you this look like ‘ I really don’t want to be here, listen to you, or care what you have to say’. I must admit, it’s a little intimidating but in the end, they were going with the flow and I felt less like I had to pull teeth or interact with myself.

I hosted a Stay at home mom event at my home. Those who know me are aware that I do not host at my home but I am stepping out of my comfort zone and I am glad I did. I had a wonderful time and was able to interact with families which is always awesome.

Family wins.

I bought six school desks for $5 a piece and they are pristine condition. My babies leveled up this week in their academics.  We scored more books for our home library. #1 got his drivers license (I don’t know how excited I am about this one). #8 is very close to being potty trained. And McRush is going back to school. And I have decided to slowly pick law back up, and I do mean slow. Like one class a semester, cash. Remember the eliminating debt mentioned above.

That’s just some of what has been going on in the Rush house.

What’s going on in your neck of the woods?

View More: http://foreverinamemoryphotography.pass.us/rushfamily2017

 

 

Thanks for the memories FaceBook.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Facebook gets annoying with its algorithm and lack of proper refreshing of the page. Lately, I have been having to go to my personal page to see any updates on my posts because my notifications are all out of sequence. You have people friend requesting you that should clearly be spam pages and from some, I hear people are being systematically unfriended. Whats up with that? To add fuel to the fire, they are cutting back promotions.

Now that we have all of that negativity out of the way. Facebook has this awesome memory feature that populates what you posted on that day a year or more back. I love that feature because it shows growth in both thought and writing. It’s fun to see where I was mentally back in the day. unfortunately for me, I have only had facebook for a few years so my growth tracking is minimal. But I did get to see this awesome blog that I blogged four years ago and I wanted to share it with you.

‘I turned in my letter of resignation today. It is time to take my own words to heart and stop holding on because of fear. I thought that because I was pursuing my dreams of being an entrepreneur and working my 9-5 was okay as long as I kept my determination and focus. But I was only kidding myself. How can I fully be true to my greatness if a piece of me was being dedicated to someone else’s goals? How can I say stay focused if a large portion of my day was consumed with a job that has nothing to do with the path I desired to walk?

I was a hypocrite. Bottom line.

I find myself on many nights working into the wee hours of the morning typing, scripting, marketing, building my own dreams because from 7:30 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon my focus was on building the dreams of my employer. I was pushing for myself but I wasn’t giving 100% so I cheated myself out of 40 hours a week. I was getting the short end of the stick. I believed I was worth it but did I really?

I am telling you this because, as I stated in an earlier blog, I write to inspire you and in inspiring you I was inspiring myself. So here I stand, inspired. Determined. Relieved. Excited. Nervous. READY.
People refuse to jump for fear of failure. You won’t jump for yourself but you put your trust and security in the power of someone else’s hands because THEY won’t fail you? We have to believe that we are meant to be amazing. So BE AMAZING.

When is the last time you trusted, and I mean really trust yourself? When is the last time you gave yourself the push you know you needed and just went for it, from your soul?
We have a tendency to blame others for our failures but when will you begin to take control of your own life and accept the destiny that you know you deserve.

Look around, is that all you want? For the rest of your life?

We have to begin doing the things that are for our betterment and happiness. Stop allowing consequences to change our path to prosperity. We have to learn to trust our instincts and stop second-guessing ourselves. We have to start believing in what we set out to do. Know that with or without the support we WILL prosper. You will stand on higher ground and take a look in the mirror and smile saying to yourself “I made it.”

Trust that you can. Believe that you will. And you shall prosper.’

I thought this was dope and hella honest so I wanted to share..

-Rush

Twitter handle is @Rush_consulting
Inspired
Posted 25th February 2014 by

Naughty by nature.

Posted on by JustAskMaia

Why are my children running around here cussing Y’all?

I mean like pros! It’s the littles. They get mad and spew out the “b” word in a hot flash. and don’t let them get hurt. They drop the “f” bomb in a way that would make a sailor proud. I can’t really say I am mad about it because there are times when I want to throw out a few explicit of my own, but alas, here I am trying to set a good example for these knuckleheads.

We are probably the most unholy holy people you will ever meet. We don’t cuss (at least McRush and I don’t), smoke, drink, party, or have unfit company, shoot we don’t even get out much. But not for reason of religion but reasons of choice. The RushBunch are not even allowed to watch television and when they do as a treat it is definitely a G rated movie, okay maybe there have been a few PG in there but you get my point.

Yes, I correct and chastise them but who chose these particular words as cuss words? My mother used to teach us that any word used out of anger or to humiliate or degrade someone was a cuss word so why these particular words?

Behind my closed bedroom doors, I laugh at their ability to grasp the context of the word to use it in a proper manner. Hmm, maybe I AM doing a great job homeschooling.

Or perhaps they overheard me listening to Cardi B.

-Rush

View More: http://foreverinamemoryphotography.pass.us/rushfamily2017