Who I Coach:
Working Midlife Moms

Do any of these situations sound familiar to you?

• “I feel like I’m constantly juggling. My life gives a whole new meaning to the term 'multi-tasking.' I want to deck people who tell me to ‘set priorities,’ because it’s not that simple. Everything is a priority.”
  
• “Sometimes I feel so discouraged. It seems impossible for me to pursue my own goals and dreams, when I have a child to be responsible for. There just isn’t enough time, energy or money. I’m afraid I’ll just have to give up on those dreams.”
  
• “I waited so long and tried so hard to have a child, and now that I have one, I feel guilty if I don’t put her first 100% of the time. I always promised I would be the best mom in the world if only I could have her, and now that I do I feel ungrateful and selfish whenever I want to do something just for me.”

My clients usually have successful careers either in the workplace or as entreprenuers, as well as one or more children. They have reached the stage where they are less interested in conforming to society’s expectations, and more interested in discovering who they are, and what they want. They generally feel caught between the desire to pursue that discovery, the desire to be the best parent they can be to their children, and the challenges of a career.

The moms I work with are busy.

They're researching schools, finding babysitters, attending parent-teacher meetings, changing diapers or getting up every couple of hours at night to check on a sick child. They're arranging playdates, driving kids to soccer practice or rushing to the orthodontist.

They may also be experiencing career burnout, or caring for an elderly parent. Time and energy are always in short supply, and they never feel as though they have enough, especially for themselves. They often feel guilty and indulgent doing anything for themselves, because they feel their children and their job should come first.

I've seen the best results with moms who:

• Are beginning to realize that when they are happy and fulfilled, it benefits everyone in their lives, especially their children. When they take care of themselves, they not only have more to give others, but they are modeling successful behavior for their children. They just haven’t figured out how to do it yet.

• Recognize that what they are doing now isn’t going to get them where they want to go. They are ready to try a new approach, a new way of looking at their lives, and new behaviors. They're tired of living up to the expectations of others, and are ready to discover and express who they are inside.

Next: Learn about MidLife Mom Coaching.