The Balancing Act - Women's Dream Conference

Another amazing afternoon session at the Women's Dream Conference discussed challenges that successful women have balancing health, business, relationships and family.  The panelists were:

(Left to Right)

Wendy Jaehn - CARA Running Director (not pictured)

Beth Rosen - Four Keys Media

Monika Dixon - Bee Closer & JMP Global

Dr. Stacie McClane - Chicago Plastic Surgery Centers

Andrea Metcalf - Andrea Metcalf, Inc.

Mary Amons - Founder, LabelsForLove & Cast Member of The Real Housewives of DC

Jennifer Christenson (Moderator) - JMP Global

All of these amazing women have children of various ages and busy careers and businesses.  They constantly strive to find a way to balance all of their passions.  It was an honest conversation (that included some tears) about what women go through and the challenges were face in trying to "have it all".


Tips to Juggle Motherhood and Business-Owner

• Create boundaries
• Be selfish sometimes
• Realize the value in taking care of yourself
• Refocus on your core values - write them down and post them to help you remember.
• Stay connected to your girlfriends - they will remind you that YOU are important (and call you out when you aren't taking care of yourself).
• Accept that you CANNOT give 100% to every area, every day.
• Relax and do your best
• Remember that the failures are the things most teachable to our children

Tips to Dealing With Mommy Guilt

• Remember that life still goes on even when we don't do our best.
• Stay in the moment, don't always be multi-tasking
• Have "magic time" with your kids
• Keep children informed, and keep your promises
• Do things WITH your child, not just FOR your child
• Love, Limit, and Let Them Be
• Don't pass your guilt on to your children
• Be kind to yourself
• Count the things that you DID do, not what you didn't.

Tips to Loving Business and Mommyhood

• Retain your identity
• You CAN do both
• Have fun!
• Embrace the bad moments and learn from them.
• Help your children make smart choices.
• Say "no" to the things that aren't aligned with where you are in life and your core values.
• Teach your family to respect your time and priorities.

Favorite take-aways:

"Don't solve your children's problems for them.  You handicap them when you don't teach them to solve problems for themselves." - Beth Rosen

"Take your passion, turn it in to flow, and make it your job." - Andrea Metcalf



You can find the panelists at:

Wendy Jaehn, Twitter @CARARuns

Beth Rosen, Twitter @BethRosen

Monika Dixon, http://www.jmpglobal.com/

Dr. Stacie McClane, http://www.enhance-face.com/

Andrea Metcalf, Twitter @Andreametcalf

Mary Amons, Twitter @MaryAmons