Honoring Your Path

I have just finished speaking at several national events and retreats on the topic of how to create balance from the "inside out" (the idea that fancy Blackberries and new organizing systems are truly just time management band-aids; creating true well-being is an inside-out job).

I believe that inherent to our journey to inner peace and well-being, is the necessity to constantly challenge our own beliefs and assumptions. Particularly about how we choose to navigate our careers--and where we choose to direct our time and energy.

One of the things I most enjoyed about my travels during October, was the opportunity to meet and visit with amazing, inspiring women--also authors/speakers and entrepreneurs like myself-- from around the world.

Arianne de Bonvoisin a new friend from NY, just released a new book that explores the concept of "change" and how to navigate this constant successfully, Jen Groover, a savvy PA entrepreneur and mom to twins, has created a "purse kingdom" based on an idea she refused to let go of, Cathy Greenburg in AZ, used her life tragedies to inspire a wonderful series of books that help people to understand happiness--and what motivates people who are, Galia Gichon, in NY, a former stockbroker and mom to young kids who has created some great "down to earth" personal finance tools for people like you and me and editor Erin Casey in TX, (under Success magazine) has launched a wonderful new magazine for women called Success for Women.

Meeting all of these women--many moms like myself--really stretched me in new ways. It made me pause--and reflect--on how I have consciously set up my life and businesses. It challenged me to review my commitments to myself and my family about what I'm willing and not willing to do to support my work goals.

I am active in a wonderful professional organization for self-employed women called the Business+Balance Success Group (look for their new web site next month!). Frequently I hear entrepreneurs beat themselves up about how much more they should be doing or how often they compare themselves to others (read "Are You Kind to Yourself?" to hear more on this topic.)

All of us are on our own unique path. Everyone's journey--and moment-to-moment personal and professional choices--will look vastly different, depending on our life stage, our "non-negotiables," the age (s) of our kids, our personalities/innate talents and how much we’re willing to work.

Ultimately, I believe--as I think my colleagues do as well--that we can only truly hold on to who we are and maintain equilibrium, if the choices we make are coming from our internal guidance system--not from "shoulds" or external demands.

I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Carol Orsborn, "Your ordinary self is enough." Because there will always be more work to do or more emails to return. It's up to us to remember our worth is not measured by how busy we are, but by who we are. At least that’s what my inner wisdom tells me.

How about you? Is there anything you need to change about how you work to better honor your path?