Tips, tales, and non-partisan humour of a political wife. How to survive being a political wife.
Political Wife Life was born because I was searching for an online community “for and of” political spouses. When I couldn’t find it, I built one.
Although this community is called “Political Wife Life,” isn’t just for political spouses. Do you find yourself in a bit of a spotlight without as much support or resources as you need? Then this is the place you.
Continue reading “Political Wife Life: How It Started/How It’s Going”
As we grow, move, and become busier, it can become more and more challenging to start new adult friendships. How do extremely busy, grown-up, women build their tribe?
As an entrepreneur who works from home 98% of the time, and a super-busy mom (and political wife) who often feels overscheduled and overwhelmed, going out and meeting new people usually takes the back burner to catching up on sleep (or laundry). #glamorous
Do not fear! There is hope for making new and meaningful friendships even in the busiest seasons of life.
1. Meet your neighbours
There have been exceptional people EVERYWHERE my husband, and I have lived–even the box in the sky (aka condo) where I am typing this. Sarah and I first met in an elevator. She had a puppy in her purse.
It turns out that we both had small dogs and lived on the same floor in the building. It gets better; she is single, loves kids, and also self-employed.
We now hang out all the time, she helps me stay alive, and I feed her. I get to live vicariously through her untethered soul, and she gets to play with my kid and eat home-cooked meals.
I could go on and on about all the fantastic things she brings to my life but for brevity’s sake, let’s say that Sarah puts the heart in condo living and makes it feel like a community. #blessed
Moral of the story: There are always amazing people (sometimes quite literally) outside your door. You just have to be open to meeting them–so put on a smile next time you get in an elevator.
2. Funny Places
I met Brooklyn in a hotel bar in Ottawa.
Yes, this happened for real–I was waiting for my husband to finish up a meeting. It turns out that not only did we have a ton of mutual friends (who later joined us for a drink); the next day, we were both flying to the same conference a few provinces away, AND she was also moving down the street from me in Toronto (five hours away from where she currently lived) a few weeks later.
Moral of the story: Kismet is real. I am not saying that you should start hanging out at hotel bars (in fact I would strongly advise against it) but trust the universe and bizarre things like this happen.
3. Social Media:
One March, near International Women’s Day, I started feeling the burning desire to expand my circle of kick-butt ladies. That week, if a lady popped up on my suggested friend list on FaceBook and we had 50 or more mutual friends, I sent them a friend request.
One of the fantastic people who accepted my friend request was Marissa. It turns out that our husbands had worked together for the last few years, but we didn’t connect the dots because neither of us had the same last names as our spouses. We decided to have coffee the next day.
Yes, we live in the same part of the city and have kids the same age, but what really cemented our friendship was that she made me laugh so hard on our first coffee date that I snorted. For real.
Moral of the story: Social media is meant to be social. Don’t be afraid to (safely) meet people (in a public place).
4. An unsuspecting hobby/Side Hustle
I had great skin as a teen, but after I had my daughter at the age of 30, I broke out with what I like to call “sexy mom acne.”
After trying a lot of expensive products that didn’t work, I tried something that had a 60-day money-back guarantee only because of the guarantee. Low and behold, it worked!
My friends noticed and wanted some too, so I decided to link arms with the company.
Mariko also sells this magical skincare as a side hustle. We met at an event and shared a cab home because after we started chatting, we learned that we lived in the same general direction and loved politics.
Mariko is now my power partner and helps me strategise, and keeps me accountable to my goals. She is also my go-to person for a kick in the butt.
I didn’t just make one amazing friend through this company. I now have a network of amazing people that I have bonded with all over North America!
If you are missing something from your life, maybe you too need a community of like-minded women in your life (maybe you need some amazing skincare products too). Message me at [email protected], and we will hop on the phone to see what this business can do for YOU and your skin.
Moral of the story: Say yes, to new opportunities! You never know the sisterhood that awaits!
What are some of the ways that you have met friends as an adult? Comment below, I would love to know.
Happy Spring!
Are you ready for three awesome items to enhance your spring look?
All three of the items mentioned below are flattering to all body types and work for all ages.
#1. I love classic fashion, so sometimes it takes me a bit to jump on the cool-kids-clothes bandwagon. I have just embraced the Kimino.
Who knew Kimonos were so versatile?! They can be used with leggings, dress pants, skirts, and dresses. Kimonos are also flattering to all body types. Since they are popular right now, they are easy to find and really affordable.
Tips:
*Wear a belt to accentuate your waist and to dress it up.
*I prefer mine to be a bit longer in the backs, so it works well with leggings.
I TRIED so hard to take a good picture of it with my ring light and tripod but wasn’t happy with any of my photos. So here is a mix of a professional photo and my failed attempt
#2. The Perfect Little Black Dress (obviously). A little black dress (LBD) is so essential to political wives that it is actually in the Political Wife Life logo. Forget being a woman in the public eye; EVERY WOMAN NEEDS THE PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS.
The perfect LBD has always embodied timelessness, poise, versatility, and self-assurance. When you find the perfect LBD your confidence increases.
Look no further, I have done all the heavy lifting for you and found the LBD that looks amazing on EVERY body type! the SHEER dress is made out of yoga pant fabric, has a cool, wicking layer, and built-in tummy control (bye-bye uncomfortable shapewear) and has built-in support, so a bra is optional.
Click here http://bit.ly/PWLsheerDress to order this amazing SHEER dress and save 20% when you use the code Kate20
The dress company is NOT paying me to tell you about this product. This is not a sponsored post!
3. Little Black Dress of Skincare:
What’s the point of having the perfect outfit if you aren’t comfortable in your own skin? Beauty is confidence, and your skin dramatically affects your confidence! Once again, I have searched high and low and tried so many different products so you don’t have to (but more about that in a separate post) and finally found the BEST for ALL skin-types and concerns.
Seriously! Check out my before and after photos.
I am not wearing make-up in either of the photos, but I did have my eyebrows microbla1de which is why they look thicker. I had been using the adult acne system and an additional sensitive skin treatment by the same company to help with the redness in this photo.
Click here http://bit.ly/BestSkinGuarrantee to see what skin care system is right for you.
BONUS: If you order a join as a Preferred Customer and order a regimen before tomorrow, May 9th, 2019, at 11:59 pm you will receive a FREE multi-function eye-cream that retails for over $70. Offer is available in Canada, USA, and Australia. Click here for more info http://bit.ly/PWLfreeEYEcream
I hope you enjoyed my top three favourite items for spring! What are the must-haves in your closet?
How would you rate 2018? Did you set any big goals and reach them? 2018 was big for our family in so many ways! Here are my “Top 9” photos that I picked to symbolize what 2018 meant to me.
1) What: The Sheer Dress (aka the Ultimate LBD)
What it means to me: The reason I started Political Wife Life
A little black dress (LBD) has always symbolized Political Wife Life for me. So much so that it is the logo. The perfect LBD has always embodied timelessness, poise, versatility, and self-assurance. When you find the perfect LBD your confidence increases. I was so excited to discover this dress and this amazing company! The best part is that the Sheer Dress looks good on all body types!
And the Sheer Dress is currently having a 40% off sale until the end of 2018 with the code HAPPYNEWYEAR Click here! Yes, the dress is that amazing, and no, they are not paying me to write this.
However, this photo is about more than just a dress, it symbolizes the rebirth of my passion for my blog and supporting women who find themselves in the public eye without a guide. You can expect a lot more activity on this blog in 2019!
2) What: Y’all I got new glasses (and contact lenses) and I can see so much better.
What it means to me: Finding my WHY and mapping it out. In 2018 I got very clear on my vision for the future and what I need to do to achieve my life calling. Obviously, this will be a blog post on
3) What: Lobster Poutine in Halifax
What it means to me: Spending time with friends.
This summer’s trip to Halifax was one of the most fun trips I have ever been on (thanks to the people we spent it with). We were also there for a convention, which always feels like a family reunion. Plus, it was lobster season in Halifax. Need I say more?
4) What: Things aren’t always what they seem.
What it means to me: Death and Grieving.
This picture is not what it seems. It probably appears the happiest and most brightly coloured out of the nine but it symbolizes grief for me. I purchased these two toys for a friend’s little boy who was having surgery. They became his favourite toys and then became a symbol of him for his family after he passed away a few months later. This beautiful, grieving family has taught me so much about life, faith, and grief. I am so grateful on how vulnerable and open they are with their story.
5) What: St Patrick’s day in the Dominican Republic.
What it means to me: Happiness and Peace
This picture just makes me happy. It was the only all-inclusive beach vacation I have ever been on. I remember sitting in a little cabana by the ocean thinking “whenever I need to be happy and peaceful; I will come back to this moment.” And I do.
6) What: Perogies and Cottage life
What it means to me: The world loves fried cabs and bacon (nothing profound here).
Me holding a batch of perogies I just “made” (not from scratch) during my favourite week of the year, the week we join friends (who feel like family) at a cottage. Apparently, my Instagram followers like perogies too because this pic got a lot “of likes.”
7) What: Me drinking a glass of celery juice.
What it means to me: Investing in myself so that I am able to fulfil my destiny.
I have always exhausted easily. Yes, I can be happier and seem more energetic than most people, but then I crash–for weeks sometimes. Once I became clear on my calling and my vision for the future I realized that I wasn’t able to stay awake long enough to accomplish all the activities I needed. So I took a big step and invested in my health to so that I can achieve my purpose.
8) What: Me taking photos at the top of a mountain.
What it means to me: 2018
*Cue Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” (cheesy but perfect)
Wow! What a year! 2018 and was. If I only chose one photo to represent 2018, it would be this one. There were exciting advancements in my husband’s career which made our lives much busier. I set a crazy business goal and hit it but then wasn’t able to maintain it. That broke my heart. I allowed myself two hours to cry, and then I kicked myself in the butt and made a plan for success. This year I truly learned that the road to success not only the up and down but it is a path that goes up, down, and north, south, east, and west.
9) What: My newborn nieceWhat it means to me: Rebirth (duh)
You don’t need a New Year or a Monday to start over. If you are still breathing, then you have an amazing opportunity! We should all get that tattooed on ourselves.
Fun Fact: I am the second oldest of 10 kids, and until September I was the only person to have a child. Sibling #7 had a baby girl this fall and I am FINALLY an aunt! New life is always so fun–especially when you just get to spoil it and not get up in the night!
Thank you for joining me on this reflection. I can’t wait to grow with you in 2019!
Please tag me (@politicalwifelife) in your favourite Instagram photo! I would love to know why your photo is meaningful to you!
~Kate~
Tonight is election-eve in my neck of the woods. That is pretty much a holiday if you are a political wife. At this point in the campaign, most political spouses have either been a solo-parent or living with someone who is spun so tight you think they will snap or have a stroke.
Fear not (some sort of) normalcy is finally on the horizon.
Apparently, your body (mostly) replaces itself every 7-15 years. However, I feel like a completely different person than I was that last election-eve only four years ago.
3) Forgive, but don’t forget. Bitterness will not make you a better person or your life better. But learn from those who have you hurt you.
4) You really can’t trust anyone except a therapist. You should probably get one.
5) Laugh. The world is crazy and very few things make sense. Take comfort that this will probably be the only constant.