A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.

It's a new year!!!



New Year 2010

"New Year's most glorious light is sweet hope!" -Unknown


I greeted the New Year with friends, family, champagne, and a kiss. It was a most appropriate end to a year that was punctuated by illness, recovery, and redemption. It was also an inspiring way to begin 2010.

It was a marked difference from last year when my year ended with me party hopping. And began with me greeting the New Year with people that I knew only casually. While I toasted the new year, I really only went through the motions of celebration. There is a certain pressure to be on for New Year’s. Being the overachiever that I am, I rose to the challenge. However, my heart longed for something more meaningful.


Don’t get me wrong, even thought I was glad to be alive and understood that New Year’s Eve is more symbolic than prophetic, I truly believe that New Year’s Eve should be shared with those you truly care about.

This year, I changed my experience by planning a party that gave me the experience that I missed last year. Taking responsibility for my own experience made all of the difference. And even though I cut my finger during the preparation, got a work call that cut my make up time short, and some people couldn’t attend—I greeted the year with love. That truly made all of the difference.

My celebration was joyful, pure and true. I pray that I continue to experience love throughout 2010.

Cheers!
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