Guest post by Chris Bird of MamaBirdsBlog.com.

A few years ago I had a life-changing event. Well, not me really, but my husband, Danny. We had just moved to Denver when, at 39 years of age, Danny was diagnosed with Lymphoma. While it’s true that cancer can give some people a new appreciation for life and the courage to live more boldly, I believe it’s also true that it can do the same for those who go through it with them. Okay. For me, it was more of a push.

Danny’s illness meant he could not return to work as a pilot for at least two years. With a one-year-old baby at home, someone needed to pay the bills. So, soon after Danny started the recovery process from his treatment, I prepared myself to return to a career I had no interest in anymore, and thought I had left behind with the birth of our daughter. Given the poor economy and the fact that I had no professional connections in Denver, my outlook wasn’t good. I was also not excited about not being the primary caregiver for my baby anymore.

Understatement: I had a lot of internal conflict going on.

The timing could not have been more perfect for me to meet Gretchen Reid. I entered a Mom Makeover Contest through Colorado Parent Magazine, enticed by the prize of life coaching from Gretchen amongst other goodies. And I won! That little silver lining turned out to be just what I needed.

Gretchen listened while I let out all the negative self-talk going on in my head about the impossibility of my situation, the doubts I had about finding work and turning over the reigns of caring for our daughter, Reagan to my husband. It was a job I had been used to doing almost single-handedly her entire life. Yes, that had been only two years, but still!

I can see how ridiculous it sounds now to make a big deal about a little role reversal, but as a new mom, I had envisioned every moment — teaching, playing, loving and laughing — in this perfect paradigm that had me in it. Time to let go of that. Gretchen helped me to see that just because Danny might not do everything the way I would, didn’t mean he wouldn’t be meeting Reagan’s needs. As long as she was fed, clean and happy, that was all that mattered. L-e-t i-t g-o-o-o-o-o.

As if that wasn’t tough enough, now Gretchen wanted me to be open to the idea of doing something new. “What?! Are you crazy?” is what I didn’t say, but I’m sure my face did. I couldn’t just go learn a new trade when we needed a paycheck. Or could I?

From learning I liked to write and play around on the internet, Gretchen posited, “what about social media services?” Huh? I didn’t even know what that meant! So, I got the lo-down and sat on it for a few days. I soon found myself opening up to the possibility that it wasn’t too late, nor impossible to embark upon a new career AND support my family. Actually, crouching at a crossroads may be the perfect time to do it. I discovered I could easily marry my graphic design and advertising background with my love of writing and techno-geekdom into this burgeoning new field of marketing on the internet. I went for it.

It’s been a little over a year since Gretchen pushed me out of my box and onto a journey of personal discovery and fulfillment in work and motherhood. I’ve managed to let go enough to put Reagan into a full-day pre-school/daycare three days a week – a blessing for us all. Graphic design still helps pay the bills, but, by putting myself out there, I’ve found clients willing to take baby steps with me into a whole new way of doing business in addition to traditional print advertising.

This month, Danny returns to flying, and I’m now working part-time from home, managing social media for clients, writing my blog and working on a business plan for an internet site that celebrates parents who have overcome great obstacles and achieved great things while putting their kids first. The four days a week I’m not working, I chase my now three-year-old around, cart her to swim class and gymnastics and make every moment count with my family. I guess you could say, I’ve decided to try and have it all.