SHOWING UP ON PURPOSE
6 Ways for Women to Find Meaning and Create Impact
Updated December, 2023
1. Flow with the Seasons of Life
Many moms have been there – climbing the corporate ladder or diving into academia, only to feel miserable, when they’re due to return to work.
It’s a tough act to follow: Finding balance between demanding work and family life (which by the way, is a whole new job, that moms have to suddenly learn).
But here’s a thought: Let’s ditch the all-or-nothing mindset.
Instead of spreading yourself too thin, trying to be everything to everyone, and everywhere all at once – why not take the time to settle in and find joy, in the unique season that you find yourself in?
Because, in the end, it’s not about doing everything – it’s about doing what matters most. In this moment, and then the next.
What matters most to you today, will probably be different from what matters most to you 10 years from now. In fact – it’s practically sure to be.
Because the sum of our experiences changes us. Our job, is to keep cultivating meaningful moments – more often.
Dance to the beat of your own drum.
Focus on what needs to be tended to now. And let the rest unfold naturally.
2. Learn to Leverage your “Season to Explore”
There are no two ways about it.
Women have more license to explore, experiment and roam – either before they have kids, or once those kids have flown the coop.
Because there’s always one fire or another to put out.
One new ‘learning’ to pick up.
So don’t waste that precious chunk of time, between your late teens to mid 20s – by following the crowd. This is the perfect time to set your money story right, and to jumpstart your career impact more purposefully.
Listen to me talk about this exciting season, in Episode 15:
3. Choose to Slow Down in your “Season to Love”
There will be no time more delectable, more luxurious than stretching awake midmorning – and reaching over to pull your cooing baby close. Do not miss it. I repeat – do not miss it (if it’s something that calls to you).
As moms, we’re often stuck in ‘states of lack,’ when we enter parenthood. All the worrying, hurrying, grogginess, body aches and resentment – making us feel stuck in a nightmarish loop, that seems endless.
Moms ask themselves, “Does anyone ever get to the end of their to-do lists?”
Cue ‘overwhelm.’
What would it look like, if you unraveled your problems, one by one? Sit a moment and consider:
The days are long but the years are short.
In truth, active motherhood is all but a moment. What is 6 months, when you have 60 more years to live?
Parents witness this in turbo-charged time, as their children learn to turn, crawl, eat, walk, run, climb, speak, read and argue – all in the space of a few short years!
The adult world in comparison, seems to make progress at a snails pace. But that’s perfect. Because you only have so much energy and attention to spare.
And your time will come.
Learn how to embrace this season of family, love and relationships in Episode 16:
4. Digging Deeper in the “Season to Root”
Messy middle, here we come!
This is the season when family-life vs. our need to engage more actively beyond the home, start to compete.
Some parents encounter a rude awakening: “I don’t know why my teen is disconnecting from me.”
But it’s only that the directive parenting methods that used to work, don’t anymore. We have to learn new ways of being, respecting and collaborating with our teens.
Let’s be honest – for most of us, this looks different than the way we were parented back in the day.
Today’s teens need the freedom to fail, and the liberty to learn. As do we.
Sure there are things like screen time and enough sleep, that parents still need to be in charge of (because it hugely affects them). But where can we start to let go?
Parents of teens can let go of the minutia of control (a.k.a. don’t sweat the small stuff), and focus our energy on creating a nurturing and safe space. A space where our children and spouse can always return to.
What to do with the rest of our attention and energy?
Now’s our second season to explore! So let’s not hold back. We’ve grown a lot, but we’ve missed you world!
Let yourself explore and dream of how the second half our your life could look, and feel like. I talk more about this in Episode 17:
5. Reach Out in your “Season to Bloom”
You do you. The instruction seems so simple, and yet it’s so hard.
But hopefully, by this stage – possibly in your Mid 40s or 50s; you’ve tried, failed and experienced enough to know yourself a LOT better now. Or perhaps you know all the things you’re NOT.
That’s saying something.
Because this season is all about learning to be comfortable in your own skin – to show up imperfectly and unapologetically, as your biggest, most beautiful self.
Maybe, it’s the years dedicated to nurturing and caring for others that instill a sense of readiness in many women to give back – to serve and give it forward.
How would that look like for you?
🌸 Do you have the luxury to explore something totally new, that you’ve always dreamed of learning, doing and teaching?
🌼 Do you dream of mentoring young ones in your industry, because you see yourself in their eyes?
🪷Do you work just to pay the bills, but dream of spending time around community or kids? Do some volunteering.
🌺 Or do you just want to pick up singing, dancing or painting; which might not look like it’s serving anyone but you?
Whatever it is, no judgement here. If it doesn’t hurt anyone – why not go for it?
Because energy is contagious. Joy spreads joy. You can’t know, how one thing will lead to the next.
It takes practice and cheerleaders to be brave. So seek help where you need it. Keep on going, when the going gets tough.
Find or create groups, places and spaces that you dream of seeing in the world. I share more ways on how to do that, in Episode 18:
6. Life’s is NOT a Straight Line
Time and time again, it’s been said – that progress and breakthrough do not happen in a straight line.
It’s the same with life.
While I’ve tried categorizing a woman’s journey into four distinct seasons, I don’t think we have to go through them, in some fixed order.
Because life’s more like a mixtape than a rigid playlist.
Sometimes you have to slow down, in order to speed up.
You have to regress, before you move forward.
As parents, we see this all the time in our kids. We see that eventually, they learn what needs to be learned.
So start making your own mixtape – and let me know how it goes!