Don’t Overlook The Obvious

When we’re in search of something important, we often overlook it even when it’s right in front of our eyes. This is especially true for those who are searching for their purpose, dream job, and ideal life. We tend to look around at what’s working for everyone else instead of looking deep inside to see the strengths and talents God specifically gave us. Once we discover our unique design, it seems so simple. But, the work is in the honest self-reflection AND the daily talks with God.

Our guest blogger today is Magdaline Makris of Mommy’s Kitchen. She, too, looked up, down, and around for what was within her from the very beginning. Now, she’s operating in her gifting and hopes that you will be fortunate enough to do the same.

Hello Woman, Live! and welcome to my blogging journey. I must say it was a bumpy road to here, but I’m here and I’m loving it!

Most people know their dream job at an early age and I was one of those people, until things in my life took a different turn.

When something seems simple we tend to ignore it, unintentionally.  This is what I did for many years.

Coming from a Greek culture, cooking and communicating was in my blood. When I was growing up, my mom was queen in her kitchen and it showed in everything she cooked. She just loved cooking up a storm for her family. I was the oldest of three kids so I was taught as early as 13 years old. I was her right hand in the kitchen. As the years passed, I collected most of her recipes and those of other relatives in the family.

My dad, on the other hand, never knew what the inside of a kitchen looked like. But, he did have entrepreneurial skills and talent that he passed on to all his children. The knowledge we obtained from him was not found in any university class or any corporate seminar. He was our first business mentor.

Over the years, I acquired business skills, a talent for communicating with people, collected many recipes, and wrote many articles but everything was scattered.

In search of my perfect career, I held positions in marketing, promotions, sales, and web design. I even became an ESL teacher (which I hated). I was going nowhere fast. I was a girl in search of ‘the good life’. I was a girl with her mother’s culinary expertise & dad’s entrepreneurial skills. That’s it.

Then I had a big turning point in my life. My dad became ill with lung cancer, this felt like a dead end for me. Everything in my life was at a standstill. I kept catching myself reminiscing of the endless times I had spent with my dad and those never-ending talks about determination, will and persistence to achieve.

“Determination. Will. Persistence. These are the ingredients for life,” my father would say.

 

My dad was a man who had little formal education and yet he built an empire all by himself.  He immigrated to the US with nothing more than the clothes on his back to build a better life for himself and for his family and that’s exactly what he did.  Nothing came easy. He jumped many hurdles and always made it to the finish the line. He was a true believer of entrepreneurship. An immigrant who didn’t speak the language and yet communicated very well with everyone that surrounded him to the point of having dedicated customers who would become lifelong friends…this was my first business class.

About a month before my dad passed away, I heard a little voice in my head telling me, “Do what you do best.”

What is that exactly?

What do I do so well?

I’m just a girl with her mother’s culinary expertise & dad’s entrepreneurial skills. That’s it.

While cooking over the stove one day, everything played through my head like a movie…the time I spent cooking with my mom, the time I spent watching my dad conduct business. I felt compelled to honor my dad.

But, how?I thought to myself.
I can’t even find a way to pursue my dream job.

I’m just a girl with her mother’s culinary expertise & her dad’s entrepreneurial skills. That’s it.

 

Wait.

 

That’s it!

I whipped out a pen & paper, began to write & Mommy’s Kitchen was born.

After creating Mommy’s Kitchen, I still wasn’t 100% sure this was it.

One day I shared the recipe for my dad’s infamous New York hot dogs with onions.  That blog post wasn’t just about hot dogs. No. It was about destiny. It was about going after your dreams and living a life you can be proud of. My dad did that.

This blog post was the confirmation I needed. I knew, right away, that Mommy’s Kitchen was my dream job. And, just like my dad, I hope that I, too, will build my empire with Determination, Will & Persistence.

Thank you all for inspiring me daily.

I hope will encourage you to look within for your star power. In pursuit of your dream career/life, don’t overlook or diminish who you are at your core and what you already know.

My name is Magdaline and I’m the founder of Mommy’s Kitchen. I’m a wife and mom to two wonderful kids. I started blogging just before my dad passed away. Not only has it been therapeutic, but it’s fun, addictive & such an awesome way to honor my dad and his memory.