Work life balance - take time for you!

You may have decided to become an entrepreneur or run your own business, so that you can have an amazing work life balance, I know I did.  You love what you do and are committed to your business, your calling has become your vocation and you are filled with passion and excitement for what you do.

Being with the children
Additionally, you also love being able to drop or pick up your kids up from school.  Make pizzas with your children, as I will be doing later and just generally interacting and engaging with them during daytime hours and enjoy being their parents.

How to balance it all?
However, sometimes it is difficult to strike a healthy work life, balance with all the pressure you may experience as a woman.  Wanting to be there for your children, to really invest in their lives.  Yet also wanting to create the most successful and dynamic business for yourself and others.  Wanting to create a business, were you impact and transform the lives of others, supporting them in creating the lives of their dreams.

Nourishing yourself spiritually and physically
My life lesson this week and a discussion I had with one of my client's this week was about striking an effective work life balance between being yourself, a parent/wife and running your own business.   As well as factoring in time for developing, growing and marketing your business, and working with your clients.   Time for being a mother and wife/partner and it is still important to include time for yourself.  You cannot avoid nurturing and nourishing yourself both spiritually; through meditation or prayer and physically; through exercise and spa treatments etc...  Otherwise you will have found that you have merely swapped being married to a job, to being married to your business.   Yes you may have to work hard in the early years, however, how can you serve others, when you are empty yourself.

Take time for you and you will find yourself even more effective in your life transition, less overwhelmed and living an amazing journey.

You are the best and deserve the best.

Be blessed to be a blessing!

Nobody tells you how hard it is!

Today's blog is less about transformational strategies and more about encouraging all the mums out there like myself doing the best they can, but surprised about all the hard work that is involved in being a parent.  My husband has this philosophy that the only difficult stage of parenting is raising teenagers.   I disagree I think every age, has it's difficulties and issues, whether it be babies, preschoolers, infant or juniors, pre-teenagers and teens.  You have probably found the same and may even find yourself bemoaning, "Nobody told me how hard it was before I had children!", a friend who has 6 year old twins and I recently had this discussion. No, they never do.

I have a 2 and almost 6 year old and they both have the capacity to fill your heart with warmth at times or leave you tearing your hair out and shouting. I am sure you have found the same, but I am sure you don't ever shout.   Mums with older children and far more wisdom than me, have suggested that shouting is a waste of my energy and time; maybe deep down inside I know they are right, but sometimes it's frustrating when I talk to my children and they just completely ignore me. Additionally, they are boys and I have been told that it's a masculine thing. Not sure if that is true or not. So let's be honest with each other, motherhood is hard, I am sure sometimes, you find it hard too. Nevertheless, strangers may look at your children with judgement and disdaint, I have had strangers ask me if my child was on a tag because, he was playing with a metal chain near the bus stop. I was like really, really now do you want me to forget the educational training I have had and dignify that with an answer. I guess you can tell I wasn't very happy that day, and I am not sure how you would have responded?

For mums dealing their children, it is not easy, being a parent doesn't come with a manual and nobody told you how hard it would be, but I just wanted to let you know that you are the most amazing mum ever. You are doing an awesome job, your kids value you completely and you are raising dynamic and individuals that will make an impact on the society around themselves. Don't be so hard on yourself, value and celebrate your achievements and most importantly don't judge yourself by the standards of others. You have no idea what is going on in the other person's life.

Finally I salute all the mothers reading this post, you are marvellous and be proud of your achievements.

Be blessed to be a blessing!

40s and loving it!

I have recently joined a 40+ group on facebook and have also been talking to some friends who are either almost 40 or in their 40s. The mixed responses from these women have been insightful and varied. I am sure if you are over 35, you may have found the same. You may have friends who are in their 30s, who face the thought of turning 40, with fear and upset; complaining that they are getting old. I think your only as old as you feel, how old do you feel today? Don't get me wrong, we all have days when we feel tired, but I don't think 40 is as old as it was, when you were a child and those over 35 were referred to, as middle-aged.

Some women respond to turning 40 with amazing midlife transitions, they train for a marathon, travel the world, decide to have children or decide to change their careers. Are you one of these women? Or would you like to be?

My friend and I were discussing the wisdom of 40. The conversation went something like this. "In your twenties you are trying to work out who you are. In your thirties, you've grown up and are establishing who you are. By the forties you've fallen in love with who you are, and your pretty secure in yourself".

I love being over 40 and I am sure you feel the same, for me the saying that life begins at 40 is so true. I am sure the same is true for many of you? If it isn't for you then, there is still time for change. 40 has a vitality and freedom from the opinion of others that was not always so clear in our earlier years. You are old enough to have a level of wisdom that wasn't there in your 20s, yet young enough to take on new challenges and transform your life, into the life you desire.

Be blessed to be a blessing

Sharing and Collaboration

My husband recently asked "Was I walking in God's purpose for my life?". My response was "Yes" So he asked me "What is your purpose?" and "To share", I explained. "Share what?" He queried and I replied "Whatever God has placed on my heart". I think, he found my answer perplexing and didn't understand.    

Since then, an incredible and astonishing thing happened. A conversation with an inspirational friend, refined my focus and I discovered more clarity about what my sharing meant. I had shared the uplifting, unique and inspirational music of a friend without even thinking about it, and today I shared another friend's awesome writing talent.

For a long time I have known that part of my purpose has been to share and encourage others especially those of faith and women in particular. Too often you may suffer and struggle with issues in your lives in silence. Whether as Christians or just as women you may find you feel, you are not good enough to achieve your dreams.  Someone during your journey has shattered your self-confidence and your ability to truly believe in your own greatness. It could be a teacher, a parent, a relative, a friend or even a work colleague. It doesn't matter who stripped your dreams away from you. They had no right to, and even more than that they lied to you, they were wrong. 

You are all the things you thought you were and then some more. You were created with greatness within you, you are like a butterfly, amazing, creative, beautiful and a dynamic individual. You are unique, you are not a replica, there is no one else on this entire planet like you. You are like a butterfly, know that no one else can do what you do or how you do it. Also know that you were created with a unique and awe-inspiring purpose.

We touch and influence each others lives in some shape whether knowingly or unknowingly. Or even possibly through the 6 degrees of separation theory.

So I encourage you from today onwards, to actively and openly encourage those around you. To share your story and truth with those around you. Empower those around you to live their best lives and be the best version of themselves.

As I share my journey with you all, I encourage you to share your own. I believe we all have the power to live amazing and extraordinary lives, we just need to be that first.

As a transformational strategist consultant, my role is to support women in living their best lives. Especially if these women are unsure of what their next steps should be, as they transition from living their current lives to designing the lives they want.  

Be blessed to be a blessing