As moms, we often feel like we need to be superwomen. We're constantly juggling work with home life, and try to fit in time for everything else that's important to us. But oftentimes, something has to give - and it's usually our own wellbeing that takes a backseat. We convince ourselves that we can't possibly say no to anything, but is that really the best way to live? In this post, we'll explore the power of learning to say no, and how it can help you become a happier, more balanced mompreneur.

A No is a Yes to Something Else

We’ve all heard this before, but it bears repeating because when we face rejecting an invitation, it’s easy to forget. (Dare I say it warrants a Post It Note on your bathroom mirror.) To decrease your busy burden, get comfortable saying no.

A no to that invitation to speak at the local networking event is a yes to the time to finish your blog post.

A no to the friend who makes you feel less than is a yes to cuddle time in bed with...

It's easy to see why multitasking is so tempting. We're all busy and it seems like we can do more in less time when we work on multiple projects at once. But research has shown that our brain can't actually handle doing two tasks simultaneously, which means that the quality of both will suffer. So what are your thoughts? Is multitasking good or evil? Let’s explore this a little further.

As many of you know I’ve been spending a lot of time on Clubhouse because I enjoy connecting, inspiring, and learning from others on the app.  It has also increased the time I spend multitasking because I’ve been drawn in by the lure of not wanting to miss out on a conversation. I find myself “clubhousing” while checking emails or making lunch.  Right in line with the oxford definition the performance of more than one task at the same time. I get into trouble when I try to “clubhouse” and complete more demanding tasks.  For example, if...

It's the time of year when we're all a little behind on our to-do lists. With holiday parties, gift shopping, and decorating, it's hard not to fall into a frenzy! I’m excited to share with you my top tool and tips that will help you get your tasks done without feeling frazzled.

The Holiday Binder

I purchased this printable holiday planner from Etsy 2 years ago. It might seem like a lot, but it is my secret weapon for getting through the holidays. I'll admit, I don't use every single page. I print them out and clip them into my holiday binder.  I have a divider page for each holiday Halloween through New Year. I’ve also included a pencil case so when I carry this secret weapon around I’m prepared with post its, pens, and highlighters.

This planner is key for getting my house decorated. I take pictures where I place everything in my house so that when I bust out the big tubs of all my decorations, it's pretty easy for me to figure out where all the stuff...

Has mama guilt stolen your creativity?

There are not enough hours in the day to do everything. Sometimes, you look at your to-do list and wonder how it got so long. You might even think that adding more things to it won't make a difference because there just isn't time for them all! 

What if I told you that making time for imagination is worth doing? Creativity can be very therapeutic and fun too! Here are some ways to find the creativity inside of you: 

Consciously Absorb New Information

Be fully present and experience everything, without filter.  You can do this by consuming information with an open mind that allows you the freedom of thought (and creativity). It's like being a baby again - take it all in!

Uncritically viewing your world gives new experiences their power. Knowledge becomes something exciting rather than scary or intimidating.

Want some more shortcuts? Try letting go completely at times (meditation is perfect for...

It’s time for the truth, ladies. We all fail at something. We are not perfect and we never will be. The sooner you realize this, the happier you will be with your life! 

I'm going to let you in on a little secret - everyone fails sometimes! Everyone makes mistakes, but it's how we handle those failures that really matters. That's right; even me! So don't worry if you've failed before because I know that it happens to all of us. Remember - just dust yourself off and get back up again!

Let’s dive a bit deeper and look at the reasons you are setting yourself up for failure.

You Aren’t Taking Responsibility

When something goes wrong do you immediately react by pointing fingers? 

Next time let’s start by looking at what you could have done differently.  I’ll use my kids as a quick example.  This morning my daughter ratted out her brother for locking her out of the bathroom when she needed to be getting ready...

There’s something magical about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Jelly on toast is good. The same with peanut butter toast but when you smash the two together OMG!  It’s too good to be true.

I think there’s the same magic between energy and happiness.  You can have each one independently but when you smash them together BAM!

Here’s how I see the relationship working. When you soothe your nerves, you build up an inner abundance and boost your energy. In turn that energy boosts happiness. 

I like to have a “playbook” of my go tos when my energy is low. If I'm having a bad day a bubble bath, or reading a book can reset my mind and get me out of my headspace. Here’s another one that’s a bit more challenging, random acts of kindness. BONUS: it fills the tanks of others. 

I'll share a quick example. I was out on a girl’s night to celebrate a birthday. The waitress came over and...

There’s a simple tweak in the way you phrase a sentence that will increase your chances of achieving your dreams by 52%. 

Yep, there's a scientific study to back it up.  I’ll get to that in a minute but first, let's get into how to take control of your life.

Fear Factor

When you feel out of control, often fear is in the driving seat.  With fear at the wheel, you end up in places you never wanted to go.  It’s a bit like following the Waze walking directions in a big city when you don’t have cell reception.  You just end up walking in circles (or is that just me).

Fears are different for everyone and it seems fitting this is going out on the week of Halloween. Here are a few that are common to mompreneurs:

Never Figuring it Out

As moms, our kids look to us for all the answers.  In reality, you fear that you're never going to figure out this life, you're never going to figure out your purpose, you're...

I don’t talk politics on this blog because it’s not relevant (and I don’t want to).  Today I’m going to dip my toe in for just a moment.  There’s currently a sit-in going on at my kids school.  It has to do with vaccinations and I have my opinions but again that doesn’t matter here.

This post is about overwhelm and right now I feel like the political environment of our country is overwhelming.  I never dealt with school protests as a kid. The weight of this as a mom feels heavy.

Our kids have gone through enough dealing with a global pandemic for the last year and a half. I long for the days where my kids biggest concern was what to wear to school.

Enough about politics. Let’s look at some other signs of overwhelm that have a less divisive source.

Not in your Zone

As entrepreneurs we are forced to wear many hats. You have to do it all (even that yucky accounting stuff you don’t...

The phone rang and it was a number I didn’t recognize.  I went against my instincts and answered it.  On the other end was a sweet voice asking me to volunteer for the freshman retreat for my daughter’s high school.  

“Yes” fell out of my mouth without thought but as soon as I hung up the phone I knew that I had crossed a boundary.  I had too much on my plate and was flooded with regret.

Has this ever happened to you?

Definition of Boundaries

Creating boundaries keeps you on the unbusy path. “What is a boundary?” you’re thinking. I like this definition by Brene Brown:

“Boundaries are not fake walls, not separation, they’re not division. They are respect for what’s ok and what’s not ok for me.”

In other words, it is an internal understanding that helps us love ourselves and each other better. Going back to my phone call example above, I knew I...

“Who you are, what you see, feel and do, what you love - is the sum of what you focus on.” This is a quote by Cal Newport, the author of Deep Work. The book is a deep dive into the ability to focus without distractions.

Focus is a gift in our distracted society. It’s a skill that allows you to produce better work in a shorter amount of time.

I’ve written about focus before here and here.

Today I want to focus (HA) on the way to get into the focus zone FAST!

A surefire way to create laser focus when you need to get stuff done is to create a routine to ritualize deep work.  In other words, you will be performing a series of tasks to signal to your body it’s time to go into focus mode.

This will minimize your need to lean on willpower to increase concentration.

Let’s say for example you decide right after reading this sentence that you need to finish planning your social media posts for the remainder of...