amBITCHion

Hello Happy Mamas!


I'm reading a book right now that focuses on the struggle a lot of women face around ambition and doing what needs to be done to be and feel successful.

I definitely experience it.

For most of my life, from a very early age, I've felt ambitious. I wanted to go out into the world, shake it up, make a ton of money and enjoy all of the amazing things this world has to offer.

 At first I wanted to be a Joan Jett-type rock star. I even begged my mom, at the age of 8, to let me dye my short, spikey hair black. That was a no-go. Later I wanted to be a teacher, so I could help shape our future minds, but decided the salary I would make wouldn't allow for the lifestyle I craved. In high school, I took a really interesting Pre-Law class and thought, this is it. I want to become a prosecuting attorney and fight against the evil-doers of the world and bring them to justice. But then I decided that the system was too flawed and I didn't want to dedicate years and years to studying boring and outdated (in my humbly opinionated 15 year old mind) laws.

After high school, I attended a community college in pursuit of a degree in education with a concentration in writing. A year later, I quit, because it wasn't lighting me up.

I spent the next 12 or so years working less than stimulating jobs, earning money to pay the bills, but that's about it. I didn't tap into that inner reservoir of ambition for a couple of reasons. One, because I had no desire whatsoever to become the best at where I was, and I still wasn't completely committed to any one direction for my career.  And two-and this is the big one- I now had a family. I was a mom. And, you can't be a kind, nurturing and loving ball of feminine energy and raise your children in a creative and supportive home if you're busting your ass building a successful career, right? Oh and let's not forget-if you're ambitious, then you must be a self-serving bitch. You'll step on whoever you need to to get where you want.

Being a great mom and partner and being successful can't go hand in hand. Or can they? If you subscribe to the old fashioned, women stay home, cook, clean and bear children mentality, then, no. But if you approach this whole debate with a fresh view and a few tools in your back pocket, I think you can do it. Believing that you can make it happen, being open to new opportunities to make it easier and creating boundaries with yourself and everyone else will go a very long way.

You probably won't be able to create a completely perfect balance between everything that's important to you, all of the time. Maybe this week you focus on work a bit more, and next week you'll have more time for your family. I think that overall, it will balance out, you just need to remain aware, be in tune with the needs of yourself and your loved ones, create and enforce those boundaries and you'll be well on your way. Oh yeah, and good, clear communication is a good thing, too.





So now, I'm incredibly grateful that I've found a career that is absolutely perfect for me. What's kind of funny is that I've combined the most interesting parts of the careers I wanted to pursue and I very harmoniously get to use them all. I teach, I speak (on a stage, if I want to, to channel my inner Joan Jett), I'm helping others live better lives, I write, I fight against evil-doers (although not the murderers, thieves, and pedophiles I had initially envisioned-now I educate people of the dangers of big pharma, the monopolization of our food system and GMO's...).

My next big step (or steps, really) will be to continually tap into that ambitious center of myself and make the big stuff happen. I am currently writing my first book, which I will be promoting the heck out of before the end of the year. I will then use that momentum to sell out my online program, Happy Mama 101. Through all of this, I'm going to help moms all over the world appreciate themselves, their passions, their health and their happiness. I'm going to create that massive ripple effect of generosity and joy that will allow the children of today become the amazing and integrity-driven adults of tomorrow.

These are not small goals, these are ambitious goals.

Ambitious goals with ambitious results.

I'm up for it, are you? Do you have any struggles with ambition?




By the way, the book I'm reading is:

am-BITCH-ous
(def.) a woman who: 1.makes more money
2. has more power 3. gets the recognition
she deserves 4. has the determination to go
after her dreams and can do it with integrity

Debra Condren, Ph.D.



Check it out, it's pretty great. :)