He discovered his life purpose in this world towards his 40s; who loves to read, learn and develop; While he was one of those who lived to eat, he turned to eating to live, but is very happy to be in the kitchen, feeding, drinking and sharing, and loves to discover new places and new tastes; He wholeheartedly believes that the more you give in life, the more you receive; First of all, mother, but also daughter, wife, friend, friend, from Izmir and METU...
 

I grew up with a full culinary culture in the family and with wonderful flavors prepared from Ottoman, Aegean and Turkish Cuisine at special tables where the whole family gathered together. We would not only eat, but also listen to the stories of how those dishes were born and how they were cooked, from the elders of the family. Meals were social gatherings that brought the family together; Weekend and holiday plans were made according to meals.
 

Since our education system defines "success" as getting into the best schools with the best scores and climbing the career ladder to a good salary in those famous big companies when I graduate, I also got my share from that school. For years, I managed the brands I dreamed of when I was a student, in a multinational, highly acclaimed "dream company" that produces products that go into everyone's home. Meetings, long night shifts, frequent sleepover business meetings where I run from one end of the world to the other, leaving one suitcase behind and picking up the other, are all a big illusion that life consists only of work.
 

'Life in Balance' was my greatest quest during this period; especially after getting married and becoming a mother... Like all working mothers, I found myself in the cycle of going back to work, catching up on meetings and travels, and trying to do everything. I spent my life explaining to everyone for a long time how I was able to leave the "dream company" that everyone strives to enter and rise. Just as I am grateful for the work I have done, what I have learned and what it has given me, I have not regretted the decision I made even for a single day because of what they have taken from me lately.
 

When I took a motherhood break from my career, I had the luxury of being able to manage my own time with part-time academics and project-based consultancy for a short time. I learned dozens of information about children both by experiencing it and by following the developments in the world and researching the literature. With "Life in Balance", I will share with you my experiences and how I succeeded.

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When a person has a child, they start analyzing, researching and examining everything in more detail. The fact that pediatricians, whom I had never questioned until that day and whom we trusted and surrendered to because they were popular and experienced, wrote the same prescription for every child, made me stop and think about treatments aimed at eliminating the symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem.  Meanwhile, another project that I started part-time has turned into a full-time job again. But this time, when I went to bed at night, I was doing a job with a very clear conscience. I was working so that mothers like me could feed their children clean, drug-free, residue-free fruit in today's dirty food world. Many people who knew me thought I started my own business; I took ownership of my job so much. While I said I would never return to corporate work again, life taught me not to talk big. :)

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It's harder than being a full-time working mother of two; being a full-time working mother of two children, continuing to teach at university, and being a student again herself. The majority of my 17-year career has been spent in the food and beverage industry. Recently, agriculture came into my life. I had the opportunity to work with very valuable academicians. In order to take all this knowledge one step further, but first of all, to be a better mother to my children, I completed the "Holistic Nutrition and Health" program in America, which includes expert and leading academics in the field. I spent 1 year working full time in the office from morning to evening, being a mother from evening until bedtime, and being a student after the children went to bed, sacrificing my sleep most of the time. The training I received was something I did so wholeheartedly that I never felt tired. The best gift I gave myself after my children was this 2nd Diploma.

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Today, I would like to thank everyone who supported me in becoming Aslıhan and embarking on this journey, and I am grateful for everything I have.

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As someone who believes that reading and learning is not the end, I hope that my story and shares will inspire you for a balanced life as I continue my journey.

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