Tag Archives: self improvement

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v6

We’re officially 2 months into 2017 and rolling deep into the 1st QTR. I already feel like I’ve been hit by a MACK truck due to all of the intensity of the year. There hasn’t been any easing up so the mantra is to continue forward by collaborating with others and group hugs with your tribe.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Maybe you’re not down with protesting – totally get it – maybe you’re a consumer who wants to make an impact with how you spend your hard earned moolah so you decide that you’ll patronize establishments/brands that have your shared values. Recently we saw that with the #deleteUber trend and #grabyourwallet where Uber and Ivanka Trump’s brands were affected by consumers making a statement with their purchasing power. It also works when you have a brand such as travel expert Rick Steves making a commitment to donate to the ACLU if you spent money on his products on Inauguration Day. I’m an advocate for companies to have good corporate social responsibility and when they do, I want to support their efforts. Not all companies are perfect because humans aren’t made to be so I believe that customers can make companies aware of how to improve and if actions are taken, support them for course correcting. What do you think? Do you think about corporate social responsibility when you support brands?
  • Living in DC makes every Executive Order even more acutely meaningful. I also have a life where my professional life is fully integrated with my personal beliefs. I may not necessarily agree 100% with my clients but I know that their intentions are well meaning and a policy disagreement isn’t going to dissuade me from working with them. As a result, I’m keenly aware of my personal definition of living a meaningful life through a professional context. If your professional/personal life makes you want to take action in a more meaningful way then you can create projects or join in projects that align with your own values and personality.
  • I’ve talked about having more headaches lately, but did I also mention that I’ve been feeling more anxiety as well? It helps that I’m spending less time watching the news, although I keep informed with reputable news sources so that I can stay updated on what’s happening around me. Another activity that I’ve been incorporating into my daily life is the practice of grounding so that I can feel my physical being while separating the anxiousness that has bubbled to the surface. There are times when you just want to curl up in the fetal position, but remind yourself that you’re not alone and use these tips to get you back up and ready to go. For those who consume alcohol, a glass of wine also helps 🙂
  • More than ever, we need to look out for one another. Living in DC is slightly different than living in other places because a lot of us work in the political sphere in some capacity so it’s extremely important to remember that other people don’t live in such a politically charged atmosphere. We need to help one another in an intersectional way so think about our sisters and brothers in other places so that we don’t feel so alone. It can be challenging to be in an area where you’re opinion is the dissenting perspective. Reach out to one another and let’s welcome more people who share the same concerns.
  • With the #NoBanNoWall and a myriad of other Executive Orders as well as expressing our opinions to elected leaders, the congressional switchboard has been in overdrive. Making calls can be challenging for those who don’t really talk on the phone, but this kind of outreach is the most effective in swaying elected officials to take their constituents’ opinions seriously. Practice helps which means making more calls (something I routinely tell my clients when making fundraising calls) but it may help to know that psychologists can explain the source of your phone anxiety.
  • With the change in administration and the end of the campaign season, I’ve been doing a lot of coffees with people who want advice on how to transition to their next position. Here are Do’s and Don’ts for going to your next coffee. I would also add send a thank you note (email/written note) afterwards! It helps us to remember who you are and let’s us know that you’re inclined to have good organizational skills and attention to detail.

Thanks for reading/sharing – see you next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v5

It’s been a rough week. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m in a constant headache. It has been fast and furious and not in a good way. This has been brutal for the heart, soul, & body. Remember that you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • This past week has shown how swiftly the WH is moving on immigration. Here are ways that you can help fight these policies. Share them with your friends and network who don’t live in the Beltway because that’s where we need the movement to grow.
  • CNN Contributor Jeff Yang has some insightful thoughts about the WH for their explanation of the exclusion of mentioning Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Make sure you follow him too!

  • Interesting PBS piece on the stigma of being young, black & Republican. As a lifelong Democrat, I hope that the Democratic Party and the progressive allies that align with our values don’t ever take for granted the constituencies that support the Progressive Movement. Outreach and being welcoming, among other actions are clear indicators in making constituencies feel valued.
  • I work with c3s that are looking into more flexible funding for their organizations because of the changing environment. This piece from Inside Philanthropy is important because we all need to recognize that having the flexibility to address needs quickly will help those communities who are in desperate need.
  • We need more women leaders in elected office, not just because it’s representation but also because women govern differently and as a result, things get done. The 2016 cycle had a decrease in women governors and an average flatline in the US House & US Senate. I’m imploring my fellow women activists to take the reins. We need you!

Whose interested in getting together for a group hug? At the very least we can give one another some moral support but we can also do a daily action together! Thanks for reading/sharing & let me know how you’re doing! See you back here, next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v4

I hope you’re energized after January 21st. Seeing all of the fierce women & feminist men from around the world in my social media at the Womens March has been heartwarming & gives me hope for having allies in the challenges ahead. I enjoyed being in New Orleans because I got to meet one of my Tulane/Newcomb Institute mentees in person & help her with her professional goals. Sharing my experiences with future generations of women leaders allows me to welcome those who are willing to share in the struggles & the work towards equity for all women. Minh Ngoc Nguyen was gracious enough to introduce me to wonderful people from the Vietnamese American community who bring resilience & add vibrancy to the New Orleans community such as the co-owners of Drip Affogato Juley Le & Anh T Vu & community leader Anna Nguyen. I’m thrilled to see how they are using their talents to bring awareness to issues important to all members of society. I have The Mister to thank for taking time to the Bywater area so that I could take this pic (if you have the time to read it, I highly recommend it). It reminds us that it will take sacrifice to protect those whose rights are trampled. Civil disobedience and calling out individuals/groups who think that we will stay silent is necessary in creating equality for all of us. We rise together.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I started journaling more so that I could better recognize emotions from my day and better understand how the root of my emotions affects my work. Described as emotional agility, it allows you to be more productive so you can assess the meanings behind your emotions. Here’s where you can evaluate those emotions and take necessary steps to increase your chances for wellness.
  • I’ve had to go on a news detox because it was just too much. I’m pretty vigilant about the news sources that I read/watch so when I share materials, I try to vet them before I share any links. The uptick of fake news got me wondering how they were able to get so far in spreading non-facts and luckily, Melissa Ryan not only shares how these “news stories” were used as a form of attack but also how we can use their same tactics to spread legitimate stories.

Thanks for reading/sharing. Got a tip that you want to share? Send it to me! See you here next Tuesday!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v3

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We’re in the last days of the Obama administration. My husband and I went to a reception at the White House on Monday night to celebrate the work of those who served in the Administration for 8 years. My husband, who I call The Mister, was one of those faithful public servants. It was a wonderful way to start the week, acknowledging all of the energy spent in improving the lives of the American people on behalf of President Obama. The President addressed the crowd and gave thanks for their endurance for sticking it out for those 8 years. I do the political side of things, so it’s nice to see policy in action. Can you tell that I’m super proud of The Mister? He has served in 2 Democratic Administrations so this isn’t his first rodeo when it comes to ending one Administration and transitioning to another where the opposing Party is coming in – the last time we had to do this was in 2000 and since then, he has learned a great deal in his management skills and how to motivate his team. As the Chief of Staff of an agency, he has had to deal with crisis management, personnel issues, as well as working to help improve peoples’ lives. Because isn’t that what we really strive towards, those of us who work in politics or policy? To help bring public policy to the people in an everyday way.

As we head out of DC, there are those who are coming into town for the Womens’ March so we bid you good weather, a safe place to express your views and the spirit of camaraderie. We’re in this together and for the long haul. We’ll see you for the next go around.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Saturday’s a big day so planning ahead on what to wear is equally is important as planning what signs you’ll be carrying. You’ll want comfortable shoes and layers so that you can shed layers if the walk gets your temperature rising. Here are additional tips that can be helpful when you’re planning what to wear for a protest march in winter, not only for comfort but also to make it easier should there be random security sweeps. Good luck!
  • I recently commented on a post of a friend/colleague who shared her long history of work within the progressive movement as well as within the Democratic Party. I acknowledged that she was a mentor and role model for so many women organizers because since she was in a senior leadership position during a time when there weren’t that many women leaders, she helped to amplify and elevate our voices. I’ve lived through 2000 when the Democratic Party was astounded to find itself back in the desert after experiencing 8 years of the Clinton Administration and prior to that 12 years of being locked out of the White House. We are at a place where we need more mentors not only lifting fellow women voices but also teaching the next generation how to survive the desert. When women come to me for advice, I try to give them a perspective of what their actions mean not only to their personal goals, but also how it affects those who come behind them. Why? Because I feel that I have a responsibility to them just like they have a responsibility to those after them to make it a bit easier and that domino affect reverberates to not just women of our generation and ethnicity, but to all of us regardless of those factors. Melissa Harris-Perry calls it activist mentoring and she’s got a list of inspiring women who have done just that for others.
  • I love brainstorming and bringing ideas to reality. Trust me – this sh*z is HARD. There are times when the most brilliant of ideas never make it because the execution is so challenging. Remember when Barack Obama (the dude with the funny name?!?) was running for US Senate? It takes a lot of belief in the idea or of oneself to get others to believe and to convince others that it’s more than just pie in the sky. When you’ve got a great idea, here are the things you must do to make it real.
  • Instead of managing your time, how about managing your energy? I really enjoyed reading this article because it reminds me so much about the link between the alignment of company and staff values. I run a small shop but we can get extremely busy which results in directives and not a lot of time for explaining procedures or the Why (an idea of which I’m a big proponent). To counterbalance some of that crazy, I established a weekly staff lunch so that we would remove ourselves from our work and take the time to get to know one another and to ask questions about why we do things a certain way and learn new ideas. It allows us to get re-focused and re-energized on projects. If we have a late night due to work events and if we don’t have early morning fundraisers then we have a bit more flexibility of coming into the office. When organizations align with the values of the individuals who work there then you have more committed staff. Being able to bring body, mind, emotion and human spirit together equates to a more better performing individuals. Happier, healthier & more focused employees – who doesn’t want to be in that kind of environment?
  • We talked a little about being healthier in previous posts regarding 2017 – how about bringing some hobbies back into your life? What’s that?? Yeah, I know – I’m doing an awful job in committing to my own hobbies (maintaining French lessons) but there are 8 creative hobbies that you can do that are fun (French is fun, I promise!). Embroidery and cross stitch were 2 things that I used to do when I was a teenager. Maybe I can add it to my list again!
  • If you’re planning to hibernate this winter, why not include some SHEro documentaries into your playlist? Get streaming and get inspired!

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you get a minute, LIKE Arum Group on Facebook! See you back here on next Tuesday (I’m going to need a group hug – it will be the start of the new administration).

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v2

The 115th Congress has been sworn in and we’ve started another year of legislative business. Which basically means, fundraising for 2018 has started as well! For the new members, it means hosting Meet and Greets to introduce themselves to the government affairs representatives and to the DC insiders who see this ritual quite often. For those more experienced members, it means call time to start booking events that will tally toward fundraising goals for the quarter. With a new administration and newly sworn in Congress, the Players may have changed but the dance has stayed the same!

Here’s Tuesday Truths…

  • I always believe that you don’t need a certain date to get started so if you have goals that don’t seem to stick, look to your future self to break the cycle. Small steps each day will create the accountability that you have to yourself to change your perspective of self-control.
  • The only place where I have absolute organization is my kitchen (!!). I could tell you where every single item is located with my eyes closed and when I’m cooking, I am fanatical about cleaning as I go so when I’m finished, my kitchen isn’t a hot mess. Now, if I can do the same with my desk….here’s to going back to my previous post!
  • We know that the Inaugural is almost here and the security blanket that was the Obama administration is coming to a close. Having lived in DC when we had a Republican administration seems like a world away but we’re about to live in a different kind of circumstance. If like me, you thought 2016 was a sh*t year and want to make 2017 better, we’re sharing recommendations on how you can make 2017 better politically.
  • We’re just in the beginning of transition, where people may be taking this opportunity to change jobs (willingly or unwillingly). Should you find yourself in a pro-longed job search situation, you may want to bookmark these tips so that you can stay positive while you’re searching.
  • I have a lot of people in my network who are starting new positions creating teams in offices from scratch. That’s a great feeling when you have a fresh start. How you use it can determine how effective the team will be to weather crisis and be as productive as possible. Here are ways that you can create harmony in the office regardless of whether or not you’re starting fresh (you can help course correct too!). I feel this every time I start with a new client and especially when I worked on campaigns, you create an immediate bond because you know that your team has one another’s backs. That camaraderie pushes offices to innovate and to kick out some killer ideas.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you haven’t subscribed, what are you waiting for 😉 See you next Tuesday!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2017 Edition v1

I hope you were able to end 2016 on a high note! I’m ready to kick start this year so let’s get blasting into Tuesday Truths…**pew pew**

  • I think it’s pretty well known that I gravitate towards strong women even when they think that they’re not strong. Acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses is very empowering and that recognition, allows people to take their strengths and use them to their greatest potential. One of the things that others have commented about me is that I tend to give zero F*CKs and I don’t normally have FOMO because I tend to live my life the way that I want. I choose to not regret my choices and that means that every decision that I make is made in consideration in how it furthers my goals (sometimes that means, I share those goals with others and that brings others into consideration). I’m willing to collaborate, be a team player, and live an authentic life that’s true to what I want to accomplish. I really do believe that life gets better when you stop giving a f*ck.
  • When you’re in need of advice, it’s a good idea to check in with people you admire to get clarity on where you’re headed aka networking. That may mean talking to someone who isn’t necessarily a buddy/pal. To really make progress, you need to network smart. You don’t get brownie points if you have 100 coffees (although if this was fundraising and you were strategic about coffees, I would give you a gold star for every coffee you had that equated to $$, but I’m digressing). This is an exercise of quality over quantity.
  • Back to my random thought about fundraising from my earlier post where a mix of quality and quantity work to make fundraising successful or for that matter, life. I read this awesome article about rejection. Most people fail at fundraising because they’re afraid of that sensation. Life becomes much more fruitful when you disconnect/desensitize the negativity associated with rejection. Fundraising involves a bit of psychology because we research what motivates prospects to give and it’s the same when you think about asking for something. Jia Jiang – you’re a ROCK STAR!
  • One of the best gals around is Tanya Tarr (I’ve talked about her writing for Women@Forbes in the past) and she was recently interviewed by Morra Aarons-Mele on her negotiating checklist. She’s got an incredible guide for resources and walks you down the path to clearly mapping out your conversation. Game changer for sure!
  • Because I want you to start getting active along with pursuing your professional goals, I’m sharing 7 tips to help you keep your fitness goals. I’ve talked about recognizing what your body tells you – get enough sleep, drink more water, exercise when it’s best for your schedule and whether you like it or not, being healthy really puts you in peak condition to do more with your best muscle, your mind. I skipped out on exercise for the last few months of the 2016 election cycle and my body feels it! I lost a lot of my strength and I’m trying to get myself back to pre-election fighting form. To be perfectly honest, I use none of the tips that I shared with you in this post (do what I say, not as I do!). I do regularly schedule classes and make myself exercise when I don’t have a class – all with my work/travel schedule in mind. I’m jazzed when I compete with myself and knowing that I’ve kicked ass on those pistol squats and I have muscle definition from doing weights is what motivates me to keep at it. I’m hardly a fitness guru and I’m fine with knowing that I’m challenging myself physically every day. Getting old is a B*TCH!

What tips do you have to share? Thanks for reading/sharing!

See you back here next Tuesday!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v52

This is it – the last blog post for 2016 – thank the heavens because 2016 was hella rough! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we make it to the other side unscathed and we kick off 2017 with some good energy.

Happy to See Ya 2017!

We’re doing a recap of the articles that were most read on the blog so some of them may be new to you if you recently joined the Arum Group community! Hope they continue to serve you on your professional and personal journeys.

Here’s the BEST of Tuesday Truths!

  • We’re looking for success in our lives and sometimes we’re our biggest obstacle. We form bad habits and it stops us from reaching our potential. Most often, the simplest of things can be the most complicated. Here’s the most read article of 2016 – 25 simple things to give up if you want to succeed.
  • These 2 articles tied for the 2nd most read: one relates to improving your resume (8 common resume mistakes to avoid), the other is about how to earn your manager’s respect.  A great read for those who are getting ready to jump into the job market and for those who may be looking to improve their work situation. Either way, great tools to get you in tip top shape for your professional portfolio.
  • It seems that readers care about their appearance because the next article deals with Dressing Like a Leader: Style Tips for Women in the Spotlight. Women get ridiculed for looking a certain way, regardless if they’re in leadership positions or not. Men have a pretty basic uniform and can convey their personality by a change of accessories. The cut of a suit can bring a certain swagger and that is a part of the brand image that you want to project. An ill fitting suit negatively impacts a brand – it doesn’t look professional if things are too tight or too loose. You want to own your image. If that means silver lamé or a hoodie w jeans combo then go all in and be comfortable with your choices. I like fashion as a statement of who I am so I take the time to think about the aesthetic. Others may not want to spend the time to think of what to wear so having a “uniform” that makes you comfortable in your power is what will bring your self confidence to the surface.

I hope you find inspiration to start 2017 and no worries if you find inspiration later down the road. My belief is you don’t need a calendar or a specific date to start – do it when you’re ready even when you think you’re not prepared (there’s only so much planning and researching you can do – dive in!) You’ve certainly inspired me to share these kinds of articles and I THANK YOU for keeping me accountable. See you next week, next year!

— Madalene

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v50

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Thanks to everyone who reached out to me regarding my last post of Tuesday Truths. You’re all very kind to be so supportive and my apologies if I caused any worry. I’m not going anywhere (just yet!), but I’m seriously taking a long view of where my firm is headed into the future. For 14 years, I have worked directly with candidates and elected officials, raising funds for their re-elections and as much as that aspect of my work was fulfilling and made me feel that I was part of a team, I have evolved as an individual as well as a consultant. I’m shifting my focus to provide more overall strategic advice, not just in fundraising but also in other fields outside of raising money. I will continue to do campaign fundraising and will spend more time managing staff to do that aspect while I work on other projects that will involve overall strategy. It’s hard wired into my brain to work around a congressional calendar and I no longer feel tethered to such constraints. It’s liberating and it’s also a bit terrifying to step outside of familiar territory, but that’s life – challenging yourself and spreading your wings to explore (can I get any more cliché – said in my best Chandler from Friends voice).

In the meantime, here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than this list of women elected officials who are rocking this country. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of them in getting them elected (even with their bad assery, some of them still had to give it multiple tries to win – meaning, don’t GIVE UP!). I know that they’ll be fighting for all of us so if you can spare a few dollars, think about supporting them as we head into 2017!
  • Teen Vogue has been crushing it with their post election articles and this doesn’t disappoint (although the topic saddens me that with such a diverse world, we’re talking about fighting discrimination). On a side note, I might be out of the demographic for the publication but I’m going to be supporting a fellow WOC in their EIC, Elaine Welteroth (the only 2nd African American to to hold the EIC title in Conde Nast’s 107 history). Back to talking about post-election -> I recently went to a town hall and heard many young women from a variety of backgrounds discuss their feelings. It’s so important to acknowledge those feelings and make room for one another. Love one another and own your identity. It’s been over a month since we woke up to the 2016 election results and I can tell you that I’m still struggling, for myself and for others. Melissa Harris-Perry created a syllabus to help you process how this all went down. Elections are complicated – candidates bring baggage involving the history of constituency politics and how people engage with one another. Even though I’ve been working in politics as an operative for 20 years, I can still learn from these materials and refresh my memory.
  • It’s always wonderful to see colleagues featured in articles sharing their work! Creating a welcoming atmosphere as well as putting some fun into a stressful work environment can go a long way to keeping staff motivated and cranking out their best work. Human resources does so much more than the paperwork when hiring new staff. Kudos to you Bernard Coleman!
  • During the 2016 election, I started working more on the media training side of politics, learning the tactics needed to defuse an argument, whether on the radio or on tv. It may seem to be counter intuitive, but agreeing with the person FIRST then using a segue way without the using the word “but” gets them to see that you agree with them without disqualifying their argument. The goal isn’t about being right – it’s about convincing them to get on your side. Use a bit of honey and it will bring people to see your point of view. If you’re looking for ways to have this kind of conversation without being overly confrontational then you’ll want to read this article.
  • You’ve got past the initial stage of sending in your resume and cover letter and now, you’re headed to the interview! Learn a few tips on body language so that you’re conveying a “HIRE ME” message of confidence and maturity.
  • When your boss is a micro-manager and you come out of the other side realizing that you learned a thing or two from that experience. Who enjoys being micro-managed? I’m sure not a one of you (or me for that matter!). Although I don’t see myself as a member of that crew (who would ever want to join?!), I suspect that my team would say that I’m a stickler on the details. I keep to the mantra of “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good”, but there are certain standards that need to be met time and time again if we’re going to be considered great at our jobs. Being treated poorly is very different than being held to a higher standard. I’ve always felt that when my team works well, it’s because we share in the responsibility and the accountability of one another. Let’s not let one another down. You do that by producing your best work. Sub-par is not acceptable when everyone else is pushing out top notch. It elevates everyone.

Thanks for reading/sharing and feel free to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v49

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I’m traveling down a path of change, not necessarily unwanted. Election outcome aside, I’m about to embrace a professional change in my own career so the opportunities that lie ahead of me are ones that will evolve with my own set of goals. I find myself facing a lot of uncertainty, where my professional identity is no longer fixed to the individual elected officials that I once represented. There’s a lot of freedom in re-designing my own brand and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that await me.

Let’s get to Tuesday Truths!

  • Mindfulness has been a catch phrase when it comes to leadership. How useful is it if people aren’t learning how to use all facets of it? Mindfulness trainings are necessary so that people can learn how to address the 3 essential items to be more successful in leadership.
  • A majority of the people who have worked as associates on my team were usually recent college graduates and my office was their 1st experience in a professional setting. One of the 1st things that happens when joining a team is to earn your manager’s respect. Here are tips where you can make sure that you’re getting recognized for your work and how managers can better communicate their goals so that everyone gets a common result.
  • Looking for more ways to be productive? These slides can help break some mental barriers so that you can have better time management.
  • “It’s better to thank someone for the room they make for you than to apologize for taking up space in their lives.” – casual gratitude can make people feel better and some cases, live longer!
  • One of things that we learn on campaigns is that there are only 3 resources: people, time and money and the most important resource is time. It’s limited and extremely valuable because you can’t get anymore of it. So when you think about your own time, you have to be judicious on how you allocate it. Learning to say no on your time can be daunting so we’e got some ideas on how you can diplomatically decline.
  • When I was in mid twenties, I had my quarter life crisis and as a result, I burned out of politics. I was no longer interested in my selected career and decided to pursue something entirely different. When we work in stressful environments, the possibility of burning out increases so we always need to find personalized solutions to help us avoid the burnout. What do you do so that you can manage your stress?

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you have helpful tips, please let me know!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 Edition v48

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I hope that you had a relaxing holiday! I’m ready to tackle the next few weeks so that I can mentally prepare for 2017. Tis the season for reflection and setting goals. So let’s take a look at Tuesday Truths to see how we can jump start the new year.

  • Sometimes when you set goals and not meet them, you wonder if they were too lofty or question if you have the stamina to reach them. What’s important is to realize that you need to set your goals that motivate you to achieve them vs make you more frustrated. Here are a few tips that you can use so that you can make those goals achievable as well as keep you moving towards the bigger picture.
  • With the new year comes a fresh start and there are times when we take risks to shake things up a bit so how do you make a risky move less risky? Before you jump into the deep end, you can do “life design interviews” to see if a change in careers is really in the cards for you. Something I probably should have done when I had my quarter life crisis!
  • Women have a more challenging environment in our professional careers because it’s not the social norm to have a life that includes family and professional achievement all rolled into one. We are questioned about our priorities of having children over the financial bottom line for the companies where we work. It’s a time in our lives when we start to question how do we prioritize? How does this connect with our personal achievements and goals? Ambition isn’t a dirty word. It’s also important to recognize that women have complicated roles in society and when we’re placed in positions where men are the norm, there are societal pressures that put women in a bind. We are constantly asserting ourselves while trying to please everyone else.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you have any tips that you care to add, please share!

— Madalene