Simone Knego - The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You: Follow Your Own Path, Discover Your Own Journey

SERIOUSLY? No, you cant have ice cream before breakfast! Its not your birthday.

This sentence perfectly sums up the story of my everyday lifeand maybe yours tooa never - ending cycle of meal preparation, house cleaning, homework help, and shuttling back and forth from every corner of the city and beyond. I am in the thick of cheering, prodding, feeding, and sometimes even scoldingall day long. My life is at times exhausting but never dull.

When people learn I have six children, they might say, How do you do it? Youre extraordinary. But I honestly have never seen myself as extraordinary. I am your basic, ordinary, everyday mother trying to keep up with the laundry. And through it all, I never feel that I am doing enough because there is always more to do.

But, in my everyday, run - of - the - mill life, I have had these extraordinary moments where Ive been faced with a choicethe choice to step up and do something meaningful, or to look the other way and let the opportunity pass me by. More often than not, Ive made the choice to step up, simply because it was the right thing to do. I believe that each of us has the same kind of moments. If we choose to step up and act in those moments, those moments begin to shape and define our lives. And in these moments, even the most basic person like me is able to do extraordinary things.

One of those moments came while I was sitting in a womens empowerment luncheon. It was one of those aha moments that come in a flash, but the effects linger on. There were two amazing, inspirational speakers who told us their stories of being self - made . One was a woman who quit her day job and created multiple companies that were now valued at over $200 million dollars. The other speaker was equally as accomplished. I sat there in awe, so impressed by their achievements. I looked around the room and everyone seemed to feel the same way. But as I got up to leave, I truly questioned if I was inspired, or if I felt a little bit bad about myself.

Yesthese women were inspiringbut Ill never be them. And Ill probably never achieve anything close to what theyve achieved.

Then, in a stroke of what only can be called inspiration, a thought flashed into my mind. Thats the whole pointyou dont have to be anybody but who you actually are. You just need to realize that what you do every day inspires the people around you to be the best they can be. If you change the way you see yourself, the world around you will change.

That day was a turning point for mea realization that I just needed to be me. I dont need to compare myself to anyone else. Im capable of inspiring the people around me just as I am. And with that realization, I saw the world around me through a different lens. Sure, I still see myself in the mirror every morning and need to remind myself of what Im capable of. I truly believe even the most inspirational women, the women people aspire to be like, probably still do the same. But now when I look in the mirror I can see me rather than hope for the reflection of someone I wish I could be.

Being a mother has been one of my greatest blessings of life, and an important part of my journey. It hasnt always been easy, but it has always been worth it. Motherhood is not all of mebut it is a major part.

My journey also includes those things that I do outside of the home to contribute to the world around me. I have always believed that it is important for me to use my skills and talents to contribute to the world, and to our family, in a positive way. For me, I have been able to accomplish this through both professional employment and meaningful volunteer work. Im constantly searching for balance in my happily unbalanced life.

As a mother, its important for me to set a good example for my children in both my personal and professional life. Through my work outside the home, they are able to see that they can do whatever they set their mind to, and that we all have something to contribute to this world. I feel that by making my own contribution to the world, it makes me a better mother, and it allows me to use my brain and my skills for things outside of being a mom.

Ive also found much fulfillment in the volunteer work Ive done. As a co - chair of the National Young Leadership for the Jewish Federation of North America, Ive had the great honor of working side by side with some of the most amazing leaders, learning from them, and being inspired by them. The choices Ive made have led to extraordinary adventures.

Every journey is like that. Its our choices that are the guiding factor.

Growing up in the Jewish community has been an important part of my journey, and it has helped me to see that the world is a very big place. Some of my Jewish friends were very Orthodox, and others were more secular, with a strong commitment to the customs and traditions. My family was more about the customs and traditions, which is what Rob and I focus on in our own family. To me, Judaism isnt just about being religiouswe arent a religious family. Its about being part of a community whose fundamental values are centered around family and making the world a better place for everyone in it.

Being a member of the Jewish community also reminds me often that theres still so much we can do to care for the people in it. One of the most important aspects of Judaism, for me, is the concept of Tikkun Olam , which means repair the world. It doesnt just mean to repair the Jewish worldits about repairing the whole world, and really looking at the world from a different perspective. Our behaviors and actions should be beneficial to the world around us.

In the Jewish community, we simply want to take care of people. I volunteer with the Jewish Federation because it is an organization that does exactly that. There are many organizations within the Jewish community who are doing their best to be the good in the world. Many of the funds that we contribute to the community are for programs, including the local food bank. It isnt just for Jewish people, but for all people. Our goal is to reach out and help all humanityto make the world a better place for all of us. Its not about religion; its about people and the good we all can do for each other.

As I write this book, were in the middle of a global pandemic, protests are spreading like flames throughout our country to fight racial injustice, and the need to serve one another has never been greater. Like everyone else, Im navigating situations and making choices that I never thought I would have to face. With the events of COVID -19, everything has changed, and weve changed as a people. Life will never be what it once was. Social distancing has become a new catchphrase, and masks are no longer just for bandits and superheroes.