Today, Tiffany and I (or as we're collectively known - Tiffamin) went to a Women's Conference in Princeton.
Some people may laugh at the idea of a women's conference. They may say that in the year 2008, women have every opportunity to excel and succeed. And "they" are right in a sense. Women have been making amazing strides for decades (centuries if we go past what's been written) but there is still something to be said for the professional woman that often goes unnoticed...
We are Super Heroes.
That's right - I'll say it...I'll toot my own horn and I dont care!
Women (and some men - I'm not knockin the men who do all this too) go to work each day and work in an office, then they come home and work at home and if you have children and a husband all of that gets multiplied exponentially...I can't even calculate it. We are the nurturers, the problem solvers, the democrats (sometimes the Republicans but you know what I mean), the cooks, the housekeepers, best friends, party planners, bill payers, travel agents, lovers, wives, sisters, mothers, daughters, CEOs, masters of school projects, queen of last minute cupcakes for 60 and much more. Did I leave something out?
I found out in a text message from my husband that "he relies on me." REALLY? I think I knew it deep inside but it was a little nice to know that he acknowledges it too. The cold hard fact is that these million roles we possess are not going away any time soon. Years and years of living has proven that we're actually GOOD at all of this stuff. We know, inately, how to dry the tears while perfecting last quarter's market share reports while cooking a (healthful) meal for 2.5 children and a spouse.
Doesnt that amaze you? It amazes me...and then I realize that that woman IS me. And my chest gets tight and I start to tear up thinking of all the other things I need to do...scratch that. Want to do.
Do you ever feel like you want to do something but then have an excuse why you don't do it? I run that scenario all the time. I want to paint, I want to run, I want to do yoga but I can't because (I'm tired, I don't have time, I don't have this or that). Today was about no excuses...no complaints. Basically, telling you that you're in control so prioritize and do what's most important to you - focus on it, no distractions, time yourself, and then reward yourself for it...with something that you love. The facilitator suggested chocolate but we all know that that would leave to very bad things for me. :)
So many of us feign being totally put together all the time - I know i do it from time to time. But I'll tell you - I feel stress like the rest of us too. I realized that the tight feeling in my chest and my physician's tendency to take my blood pressure 3xs before giving me a lecture on stress - these were not good things.
So today was about me. Well about women everywhere really but since I was there and this is my blog it was about ME. It wasn't so much LEARNING how to take charge and be assertive because I think that I know those things. I find myself to be a fairly diplomatic and take charge kind of gal. I think that I'm a natural leader and one who takes other's feelings into consideration. What I needed from today was the permission to take charge - permission to be in control - to say no - to stand up and just get done what I thought was most important.
And best of all - to not let all those "Mr. Grumpy Pants" (thanks Shirley) ruin my day.
I was talking to a young mom/wife today who was telling me how much her husband frustrates her because they run a business together and are polar opposites. I kept saying, "but you LET him frustrate you." and then I came home and got frustrated with my own husband.
No one is perfect. But we all need to live our lives and lead our destiny...hopefully with the one that we love by our side because that makes the journey so much sweeter.
So tomorrow I'm going to wake up and think positive, I'm going to be amazing and know that my frustration and stress comes from my reaction to others' actions...and those idiots down the hall.
(just kidding - the people down the hall from me at work are really nice. The idiots are someplace else...)
Some people may laugh at the idea of a women's conference. They may say that in the year 2008, women have every opportunity to excel and succeed. And "they" are right in a sense. Women have been making amazing strides for decades (centuries if we go past what's been written) but there is still something to be said for the professional woman that often goes unnoticed...
We are Super Heroes.
That's right - I'll say it...I'll toot my own horn and I dont care!
Women (and some men - I'm not knockin the men who do all this too) go to work each day and work in an office, then they come home and work at home and if you have children and a husband all of that gets multiplied exponentially...I can't even calculate it. We are the nurturers, the problem solvers, the democrats (sometimes the Republicans but you know what I mean), the cooks, the housekeepers, best friends, party planners, bill payers, travel agents, lovers, wives, sisters, mothers, daughters, CEOs, masters of school projects, queen of last minute cupcakes for 60 and much more. Did I leave something out?
I found out in a text message from my husband that "he relies on me." REALLY? I think I knew it deep inside but it was a little nice to know that he acknowledges it too. The cold hard fact is that these million roles we possess are not going away any time soon. Years and years of living has proven that we're actually GOOD at all of this stuff. We know, inately, how to dry the tears while perfecting last quarter's market share reports while cooking a (healthful) meal for 2.5 children and a spouse.
Doesnt that amaze you? It amazes me...and then I realize that that woman IS me. And my chest gets tight and I start to tear up thinking of all the other things I need to do...scratch that. Want to do.
Do you ever feel like you want to do something but then have an excuse why you don't do it? I run that scenario all the time. I want to paint, I want to run, I want to do yoga but I can't because (I'm tired, I don't have time, I don't have this or that). Today was about no excuses...no complaints. Basically, telling you that you're in control so prioritize and do what's most important to you - focus on it, no distractions, time yourself, and then reward yourself for it...with something that you love. The facilitator suggested chocolate but we all know that that would leave to very bad things for me. :)
So many of us feign being totally put together all the time - I know i do it from time to time. But I'll tell you - I feel stress like the rest of us too. I realized that the tight feeling in my chest and my physician's tendency to take my blood pressure 3xs before giving me a lecture on stress - these were not good things.
So today was about me. Well about women everywhere really but since I was there and this is my blog it was about ME. It wasn't so much LEARNING how to take charge and be assertive because I think that I know those things. I find myself to be a fairly diplomatic and take charge kind of gal. I think that I'm a natural leader and one who takes other's feelings into consideration. What I needed from today was the permission to take charge - permission to be in control - to say no - to stand up and just get done what I thought was most important.
And best of all - to not let all those "Mr. Grumpy Pants" (thanks Shirley) ruin my day.
I was talking to a young mom/wife today who was telling me how much her husband frustrates her because they run a business together and are polar opposites. I kept saying, "but you LET him frustrate you." and then I came home and got frustrated with my own husband.
No one is perfect. But we all need to live our lives and lead our destiny...hopefully with the one that we love by our side because that makes the journey so much sweeter.
So tomorrow I'm going to wake up and think positive, I'm going to be amazing and know that my frustration and stress comes from my reaction to others' actions...and those idiots down the hall.
(just kidding - the people down the hall from me at work are really nice. The idiots are someplace else...)
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