Life on Track

Values, Focus, and Flexibility - You Cannot Do it All

One of the challenges we have as women in managing our lives today, is that we cannot do it all.

If you are a woman and want to have a family and run your business, you will have to make a choice. 
If you want to raise healthy, responsible children; children and family need to be a priority. Otherwise, the children will be neglected.  You will need to hire out someone to manage the business. If you want to have a business, the business needs to be a priority, otherwise it will fail.  You can not do it all at the same time.

One of the advantages of knowing and focusing your underlying values, is that you can be connected, and act on those same values both in your family and in your business, and do them at different times. Take time to raise your children, and when they have grown, take time to be more active in the business and community.  The same values can be expressed in both areas.  Or, let one of the other member of the family handle the business concerns while you focus on family, or vice versa.

For example, if one of your strengths is a love of learning, the love of learning can be expressed in the education of your activities with your children. The same value in later years can be expressed in a variety of ways such as community activities, sharing new ideas through articles, or giving workshops. Either way, an awareness of your values allows you to contribute while maintaining continuity and focus.

Warmly,

Dr. Alice

Finding Focus by Aligning With Your Higher Values

One proven way to find focus is to align yourself with your higher values, intentions, and purpose.    When you do so, you will discover you are coming from a place of strength, expansion, and flow. In previous posts, we have discussed how everyone has a set of unique character strengths and values through which they experience their calling and purpose in life. It is important to discover them because when you do you will feel a deep sense of gratification and enthusiasm. 

Even more, when you are aligned, you will find that the same values will emerge in your family as
well as business. This makes it much easier to be focused as well as connected. For example, I came from a family where curiosity and learning were important. We shared our new discoveries at work as well as in our family life.  It has given us much gratification and joy to also find ways to bring it to the community. 

We also found that we could define a focus and have differences in how we express our learning.  We have very different interests and still feel and still be connected. For example, we set up a family legacy project.  Each person has their own small area of contribution where they are an important of the team. Being in the flow makes in much easier to start new projects and helps to establish the connections and support you will need to bring it through.  Creating a space to find your values and intentions has many benefits for all.

Warmly,

Dr. Alice