Working Moms, C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E Each Week!

Lunch by Sushi Fuku

• Don't forget to celebrate your life each day!
• Take pleasure in the mandatory yet mundane tasks that take up so much of our time.
• Carpe diem!

On Monday, while doing some lunchtime Internet surfing, I found some posts with a common theme, “Carpe Diem”. Posts on Facebook by Danielle Faust and Bernetta Jackson-Knigten were particularly thought provoking. They got me thinking about how we live our lives and the choices that we make.

Many people embark on a career path either with the best of intentions, or under duress because they were pressured into it by their parents, or because of circumstance. Then, along the way, they come to loathe it. That’s why so many view retirement as the dream and why people dream about hitting the Power Ball. They just want a way off of the treadmill they’re on, but they have failed to identify an exit plan. Generally, their failure to identify that exit plan has to do with fear.

Don’t get me wrong, I have been known to be afraid. Also, I’m not against retirement or hitting the Power Ball. If the universe is listening, I’d welcome both with great appreciation! Still, I am too young and too broke (those cute kids cost money) to consider retirement in the near future. And hitting the Power Ball isn’t really a great financial planning tactic. Also, I refuse to believe that I have to wait for old age or luck to determine my happiness. I think that a lot of people are like me. We want to celebrate our lives while we are living it instead of merely waiting for a "better day". 

The question for all of is what do we do in the mean time. And the answer is, find out ways to make each week special. Here are some tips from my Facebook friends about how they make each week matter. Check them out!

How to Live Your Dream Life While Waiting for Your Dream Job

I am a motivational speaker and have a speech called, “How to Live Your Dream Life While Waiting for Your Dream Job” that’s really popular. In that speech, I identify how one can make every day amazing even if your vocation or profession doesn’t make your heart sing. (Email me if you’d like to hear more about it.) The truth is, it might take some time to identify your dream and/or to figure out how to get paid for it. However, you shouldn't resign yourself to merely enduring your current job while you're waiting.

Here is the truth. We need to commit to living our dream regardless of circumstance. We have to choose happiness. We cannot say that it was robbed from us or that we were waiting for our dream to come true. To borrow a line from Oprah, it is our responsibility to live our best lives. We owe it to ourselves and to our families. Below are some tips to make that happen, daily.

(You can thank me later via comment or through email. Seriously, let me know if this post resonates with you!) 

 Celebrate Your Life Every Day

Create rituals that make you smile.

Exercise. It keeps your mind sharp and body tight.

Love. If you don't love your job, love your kids, spouse, friends. Make loving a part of each week. It will lessen any frustrations or disappointments.

Enjoy your days. Life is to be enjoyed not endured, regardless of your circumstances. A job/career is only a part of the pie. If you are otherwise living the dream, acknowledge it, claim it and embrace it. 

Brace yourself for frustrations and disappointments. They will come, but know that they shall pass.

Recognize that failure isn't fatal and success isn't final. It is the courage that endures that counts. You can't lose if you never give up.

Always do your best. There's a book by don Miguel Ruiz called, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. It describes what doing your best looks like and will change your life. Promise! If you'd like a copy of the book, click below.

Take control of your life. Not to speak in cliches, but you are the captain of your ship and the master of your soul--not the President, the mayor, or your boss. Happiness is a choice that you can make every day, even if your husband/kids/traffic/pants that no longer fit frustrate you.

Exhale. The weekend has arrived. Use your time to recharge your batteries.

As the photo above indicates, on Monday, I celebrated my life with sushi for lunch...