An Encouraging Word

I've been writing - just not on my blog. I've been on my website - just not my blog. I've been networking and even talking to other bloggers - just not on my blog. So now here I am. On my blog. And I've got some cool people for you to meet. (and by the way, my new blog designer should have had her baby by now and hopefully in December - in time for my birthday or Christmas maybe? - I'll have a fresh new look in the place. It's gonna be great!)

You see I am writing a book. (You knew that.) But the first part was actually writing all my thoughts down and figuring out the chapters. (Check.) Then I needed to write a proposal. (Check.) Then I wanted to show it to an agent and get feedback. (Check.) The agent's feedback was for more info that I had already planned to write about so now I'm on the fourth thing - talking to other moms for my book. This has been so much fun so far and very encouraging...for me! Talking about the book keeps me writing for the book.

Teachable moment: So, if you really want to do something, my friends, don't keep it to yourself. Putting it out there helps you do what you need to do and keeps the momentum going. The vision in your head can't come to life if you don't let it breathe and circulate among others.

Who have I met so far, you ask? Well, I want to talk to 100 moms. I've got about 30 so far. I need to start getting them organized anyway so I thought I'd share some of them with you. I think you'll like them. Say hello to:

Coach Carrie Bliss - Get Your Bliss - Carrie is also an author and oh my goodness, this woman is a true multi-tasker!

Hypnotist Fern Tausig - My Healing Hypnosis - Fern is really disciplined and had some interesting things to say about making the family her priority.

Writer Rhonda McKnight - Urban Christian Fiction Today - Rhonda is a writer worth emulating and she's an editor too and you know how hard it is to find that combo? Very.

Coach Felicia Pratt - I Complete Me - Such a sweet person. She's just getting going but she's clearly got a vision and a message for moms in particular about finding themselves in the hustle and bustle.

Virtual Assistant Angel (that's her web name) - The Corner Office - I was amazed by Angel who is a blogger I follow. (Look for her in my followers.) She got her business up and running AND has employees in I won't even tell you the amount of time! Awesome.

Web magazine editor Diedra Chatman - Noir Mommies - Deidra knows what she wants and never hesitated about the steps she's taken. Like Carrie, she's independent and unstoppable.

Product developer Jennifer Covello - Frittabello - Fun person with a fun product - a journal for the first 5 years of your child's life. She's selling in stores and already getting accolades and it's barely been 2 years.

I am so inspired by these women and it's been fun talking to all of them. I have more on tap and some previous to them who I now need to call since I revamped by questioning. Some of these moms blog, like Angel and Felicia. I'm stalking them. You should too. Some of these moms are also on Twitter, like Jennifer and Diedra. Shoot. I need to go make sure I'm following them everywhere they are myself!

I can't wait to share what they shared with me for my book. I can't wait to talk to some more moms next week. If you are a mom and you want to start a business but you have a job, that's no reason to not move forward. It really depends on how much you want to do it and if you are open to the unknown. The first step is truly knowing who you are, how you do things, what you want to do and why. And even the what doesn't have to be crystal clear just yet. You can research that. It's all about being true to you while being the mother/wife/significant other/employee that you are. You were created for a purpose and frankly, while I know it's not easy and we all have different priorities, I don't believe God intended for you to hide your light under a bushel at any point in your life. It may need to manifest differently according to whatever is going on at that time, but no matter where you are or what you are doing, take the time to shine.

I need to talk to 68 more moms for my book. Moms who created businesses while working a job and taking care of a family. I want to talk to you if you feel successful, whatever success means to you. That means you don't have to be profitable yet. I just want to know you know you are on your road and have some wisdom to share. Should I be talking to you? Here I am. Contact me.

It's a Roller Coaster so Throw Your Hands Up!

I've been thinking about the amount of things I need and want to do:

• Work
• Taking care of home
• Managing a business
• Church/church activities
• Son's social life
• Daughter's social life
• Trying not to let Mr. T forget he's the man. (ha!)

While I'm thinking, I'm thinking about all this work/life balance we are constantly striving to obtain and you have one school of thought that says, "You can have it all!" And another school of thought that says,
"You can have it all! - Eventually." Mixed in there is the understanding that we can find balance if we try. And there are those who say, "Naw! No balance. Only managing."

I'm close to that last one I think. But when I think of balance, I think of a see-saw. Or the infamous scales from Blind Justice or the Pisces sign, whatever your preference may be. But that denotes some sort of equality and shifting of weight from one to the other to either balance or at least keep from being tipped off the contraption.

But a see-saw is so limiting and not true to life. It has ups and downs, sure, but if that is a metaphor for life, then all you have is ups and downs, sometimes stuck in the middle, sometimes jumping at the bumps but you always know when to expect the bumps. That's not life. At least not the life of a mother.

I say life is a roller coaster; organized chaos is the goal here because if you are a mother, you are not only managing your life, which you maybe can control, but the lives of your family and can you really control all their stuff to your satisfaction? No. Don't even pretend like you can. Because if I could, I would not be faced with Son's Little League Opening Day happening on the same day as Daughter's fashion show at the church. His is earlier but she has to be at hers about 3 hours before the start and overlap is a certainty. So who wins? Well, we all do since we're a 2-parent home and we all lose a little too. So I'll try to go to his for a bit before I have to take her to hers. And he and Mr. T can come to hers when they are done at his. And we'll all collapse later that night. That's a roller coaster, ya'll. Pure and simple. Highs, lows, ups, downs, unexpected twists, slow starts, fast plummets. Is this not life?

Got a poll over there in the sidebar and plenty of room for comments here. (And by the way, I'm working on a book about this whole thing. More to come. ;-D) Share! Share!