I often get asked the question, “Erica, how do you do it all?” People look at me and think that I do it all because I work a full-time job, run my side business, host and produce this podcast, and am a mom of three busy teenagers.
In general, women believe that they have to do it all in order to achieve what they want in life. I used to think the same way, but I learned that this simply is not true.
In this episode, I share my approach to getting things done, and it might just surprise you. The purpose of this mini training is to help other women escape from the trap of trying to do it all. It really is a trap that can lead to frustration or giving up. I certainly don’t want you to give up on your dreams.
My answer to that question is that I don’t do it all - I do what’s important.
I focus my time and energy on things that get me closer to my dreams and to living the life that I want to live. I know that my time is a limited resource, so I do my best to use it wisely. I could easily spend hours on social media, watching TV, or talking on the phone in the evenings after work. But that wouldn’t be an effective use of my time, and it certainly would not help me build my business.
How to Escape the Trap of Trying to Do It All
One of the first things you can do to escape the trap of trying to do it all is stop beating yourself up. If you don’t get everything done on your list, it’s ok. Tell yourself that you did your best today, and that tomorrow is a new day.
Give yourself permission to not be perfect – no one is.
Setting unrealistic expectations can easily lead to feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Be realistic and set goals that coincide with your lifestyle.
Figure out what’s important to you. Start investing your time and energy into what’s important and will get you closer to living your dream.
Delegate tasks to free up more time to focus on what’s important.
Start where you are and take small steps along the way.
Action Step:
What can you do today that will get you closer to your dreams?
What will you do on a regular basis to build the momentum you need to achieve your dreams?
Write your answers down and commit to doing one thing daily for the next 7 days. After that, add something else from your answer above. Continue this until you feel that you are making the most of your time AND making consistent progress toward your goals and dreams.
Born in Israel, Edie Berg has lived in various parts of the world. She has also enjoyed a variety of interesting professions. Now in her “fourth profession” as the host of her podcast, The Strong Women’s Club, Edie interviews very successful women from different fields about their journeys. Through her podcast, Edie hopes to inspire women to go after what they really want.
How Edie Started The Strong Women’s Club Podcast
Edie started her podcast on a whim, out of her own love for radio and podcasts. She’s grateful for this platform that allows her to interview such an elite group of successful women, to learn from them, become friends with them, while teaching and inspiring women around the world.
Biggest Challenge Edie Faced when Starting her Podcast
Edie loves starting new things, so getting her podcast up and running with all the techie stuff wasn’t an issue. Getting good guests was a challenge in the beginning. Once she figured that out, she then had to figure out how to grow her audience.
Edie has learned that there will be different challenges in each stage of your podcasting experience.
How Edie Found Time to Start a Podcast while Working her 9 to 5 Job
Edie admits that it was hard finding the time for her podcast in the beginning. There are some things about podcasting that she loves and other things that she doesn’t love so much.
Edie encourages aspiring podcasters to view podcasting as a marathon, and to pace themselves for the journey.
Her children are teenagers, so she has a little more freedom to work on her podcast in the evenings after dinner. To work around family time, Edie usually schedules interviews while her kids are doing homework or after their bedtime.
Sometimes Edie works on the weekend and uses her lunch break at work to get some of her podcast tasks done.
Edie’s Tips for Aspiring Podcasters & Business Owners
Edie’s Self-Care Ritual
She enjoys doing cross fit exercise early in the morning before work and also started using the app, Head Space, to help her with meditation. Edie tries to eat well and get enough rest, too.
Edie’s Biggest Lesson That She’s Learned on Her Journey
That she wants to live without regrets. Even though her life is more challenging now than it was before she started her podcast, she likes herself better this way.
Edie’s Suggested Book
Women Don’t Ask by Linda Babcock & Sara Laschever
Edie found this book to be about the art of negotiation – why women don’t negotiate as well as men do, why their salaries are lower than men, why women don’t go out and get what they want, set lower goals, etc. She feels that this is a great book for women in the workplace.
Edie’s Projects
Edie plans to continue her podcast, blogging, and nurturing her Facebook Group, The Strong Women’s Club
How to Connect with Edie Online
Website: http://thestrongwomensclub.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/edieberg or www.facebook.com/strongwomensclub
Edie’s Parting Words of Wisdom
“It’s never too late to reinvent yourself and do exactly what you want to do.”
“It’s all about evolution.” ~Natasha Grey
Natasha Grey earned a bachelors and masters degree in psychology and became a child and family therapist. After having her son, she began to question her life. The answers she received led Natasha to her heart.
She made a conscious decision to shift from treating illnesses to preventing them. Now her time and energy is devoted to well-being, wholeness, as well as mind, body and spirit connection.
In addition to being a wife and a mother, Natasha is the author of the children’s book, Everyday Superheroes, which she wrote to inspire young children to recognize their inner hero.
Natasha’s Thoughts on Leaving Her Job to Become a Full-Time Entrepreneur
Leaving her job was scary because it was a completely new identity. Up until that point in her life, Natasha wasn’t a big risk-taker. But she also knew that there was something to be said about recognizing fear, doing it anyway, and knowing that everything is going to be ok.
Natasha discovered that her fears weren’t about her – they were about what others thought of her. Once she was ok with following what was true to her rather than what other people thought was true for her, she gained a great sense of freedom and allowance.
Two Powerful Motivating Forces in Natasha’s Decision to Follow Her Heart
Natasha’s son and the idea of having regrets were her biggest motivation to walk away from her job and follow her heart.
She didn’t want her son growing up watching her mother spend her life working in a job that wasn’t meaningful. She also did not want to wake up one day with regrets about things she wished she would have done when she had the chance.
Natasha reminds you that this is your life right here, right now and nothing is guaranteed. She encourages listeners to seize the moment and follow their heart.
Conscious Living - Natasha’s Holistic Approach to Prevention
Natasha and her husband, Casey, created their Conscious Living brand to help people gain awareness around the foods they’re eating, the homes that they live in, and how they’re impacting their bodies and health. Her brand helps people shift to a humanistic way of seeing themselves so they make better choices that prevent illness.
How to Start Making Conscious Decisions about Your Health
It all begins with education and having a desire to make healthier choices. Start by recognizing that each decision you make impacts your health and wellness in some way. Instead of trying to revamp your lifestyle all at once, take baby steps in areas of interest to you. Small steps will prevent you from feeling frustrated and overwhelmed.
Natasha’s Suggested Books
Loving What Is, by Byron Katie
This is an easy read with practical, actionable steps that you can incorporate into your life.
The Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson
This is a book that will help you get grounded and remind yourself of who you really are.
Natasha’s Projects
Natasha and her husband have developed a relationship program to support couples. They have The Conscious Store, an online store that sells fair trade handpicked, health food items, clothes and much more.
Casey +Natasha, Conscious Living Podcast, where she interviews guest from all over the world who are living a life on purpose.
How to Find Natasha Online
Website: http://caseyplusnatasha.com (this is where her podcast lives, too)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CaseyPlusNatasha
Periscope: @caseyplusnatasha
Twitter: @CaseyNatashaG
Natasha’s Parting Words of Wisdom
“Whatever you want for your kids, do that for yourself.”
“A so-called good birth or a so-called bad birth isn’t about the mode of delivery – it’s about the experience the mother had and whether or not she was passive or empowered.” ~Selina Boily
Inspired by the birth of her children – one at the hospital and one at home – Selina Boily pursued her midwifery career at the Seattle Midwifery School. She graduated in 1999 and registered with the College of Midwives of British Columbia in 2000. Selina and her family moved to the Cowichan Valley and started the Cowichan Midwifery Group in 2001. She has over 20 years of experience as a midwife and a lifetime of passion for supporting mothers.
In this episode Selina shares her thoughts on motherhood, the birthing process, and life as a mompreneur.
Selina’s Philosophy and Her Why
Aware of the impact that birthing has on women and driven by her birthing experience, Selina is passionate about supporting mothers through the birthing process. Selina believes that giving birth is a woman’s “primary relationship” and “the first time that she falls in love and learns to trust her environment.” By supporting women through this miraculous process, she feels that she’s contributing to a better world for future generations.
Birthing Allows You to Write Your Own Story
Selina believes that giving birth is about being able to write your own story. She teaches women how to recognize that giving birth isn’t something that just happens to them, but that they are actively participating in their birthing story.
Selina’s Advice for Expectant Mothers
Pregnant women need to have many conversations with their health care providers. It’s important that they have a connection where they feel safe being vulnerable and sharing their feelings. Expectant mothers should be empowered to make choices about the care they receive during their pregnancy and the birth of their babies.
Selina’s Take on the Idea of a Good Birth and a Bad Birth
A so-called good birth or a so-called bad birth isn’t about the mode of delivery. It’s more about the experience the mother had and whether or not she was passive or empowered. It’s about if she could understand and participate in her birthing.
About The Matraea Centre
The Matraea Centre was a 10-year goal. It began as a dream that Selina and her co-founder, Kate Coyote, had to create a multidisciplinary health center that would become a community for birthing families.
Today the Matraea Centre is a central hub for alternative health and wellness services for women and families. The core mission of Matraea is to provide women with access to useful information, products, and services so they can make great choices for their babies, their birth, and their families. Some of the services offered include naturopathic medicine, massage therapy, acupuncture, pre-natal education, and yoga. There is also an online store with a line of pre- and post-natal certified, organic teas and cosmetics.
Selina’s Biggest Challenge as a Mom Pursuing her Dream
Selina’s biggest challenge has been finding personal balance while juggling all of the moving parts of being an entrepreneur and a mother. At the same time, she discovered that being a mother brought her to balance. The bond she has with her children reminds her to stop and do other things that are as meaningful to her as her business is.
Let Go of Cultural Ideology of Motherhood
Selina encourages women to let go of what they have been culturally programmed to think as mothers and choose to live their lives the best way for themselves and their families.
Selina’s Suggested Reading
The Green Mama Book, by Manda Gillespie
This book will help you make healthier choices for you and your family.
Selina’s Projects
Selina has partnered with Plan Canada and the Because I’m A Girl campaign to support young girls around the world. She is collaborating with Manda Gillespie, founder of The Green Mama, to offer products that empower and support mothers.
Where You Can Find Selina Online
Website: http://matraea.com
Twitter & Instagram: @Matraea
Facebook: http://facebook.com/matraeatrading
Selina’s Parting Words of Wisdom
Find what it is that you love and throw yourself into that. Let it be your inspiration, and let it pull you through. Be creative with what you love and let things follow that.