choose.

not exactly sure why, but the moment i saw THIS on the HONY instagram account that i follow, this post struck a chord within me.

it's pretty tough being a woman these days. if you don't work, you get accused of mooching off your husband and being unproductive then if you work, you get accused of not caring for your family enough and being selfish. sometimes, you can never win.

growing up, it never occurred to me that i wouldn't work, even after marriage. sure, i never knew how i would make it work if i had kids, but somehow, i had faith that i would be able to juggle it all somehow. so here i am, married with a kid, and still working, as i always thought i would be. it's only been a few months and boy, is it challenging but i wouldn't have it any other way.

i won't lie, i work partly for selfish reasons. i'd like to sustain my lifestyle (i like to eat out and try different cafes once in awhile and i like to cook using good ingredients - i try to buy organic as much as i can) and working keeps my mind stimulated. i was on maternity leave for two months, and i liked being at home, but i also missed work -  although these days i never have time to catch up with all my tv series.

i have full admiration for women who stay home with their kids full-time (some even have businesses on the side!) - but i don't think i could do that. it would drive me crazy. i love jigglyboo but i also love working. and i want her to grow up knowing that she can have anything she aims for, as long as she works for it.

if she wants to be a stay-at-home-mom, that's great but be smart about it. always have savings tucked aside if anything goes wrong. let it be her own choice and not because she's forced to.and if she chooses to work, i hope she pursues a career that makes her feel happy and fulfilled. i hope she doesn't go to work feeling miserable every morning. i hope she takes pride in her work and inspires herself to always achieve her best, and who knows, maybe even inspires others. i hope jigglyboo never feels like she has to choose between a career or a family in the future. sure, the path may not be exactly as what we plan it out to be but there is always a way to make things work.

at the end of the day, i am proud to be a woman - its advantages and all the challenges that come with it. i am happy that today, the women i know have a choice on what to make of their lives. to work, not to work - it comes down to what you feel is best for yourself and for your family. and whatever the choices that we make, we can wear them with pride. i can only hope that one day all women, everywhere, have that same choice.