A new lifestyle retreat for working mothers is debuting in the DC Metro area this April. {re}Treat Yourself – a lifestyle redesign getaway for working mothers – is the brain child of a woman I admire greatly, Stacey Ferguson. (See her Working Mom Spotlight here)

The event was born out of Stacey’s own frustrations, “ I have always been frustrated at the lack of practical lifestyle resources available to parents, specifically moms juggling family and career. So many mothers I know, myself included, are struggling with keeping all of the balls they have to juggle in the air; it’s a major source of stress that is rarely addressed.  After searching high and low for an outlet like without success, I decided to create one.”

Gotta love a woman who gets out there and just makes it happen!

The {re}Treat Yourself  event in April is the first in a series of lifestyle redesign experiences she has planned.  This 2-day event is all-inclusive and will offer busy mothers workshops on topics like: fitness and relaxation; meal planning; developing support systems and nurturing relationships; defining personal style; home and office organization; creating an ideal family life; and much more.

Not to be forgotten, of course, {re}Treat Yourself will also offer attendees opportunities for pampering, downtime and a chance to tackle items off of their to-do lists, in addition to coming away with concrete takeaways to simplify and enrich their lives.

The event is slated for April 13^th and 14^th, 2012 at the AAA Four Diamond Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, VA. Registration is now open. For more information or to sign up, visit: http://Events.JusticeFergie.com

If you are a working woman who desperately needs time to relax and recharge, I urge you to give this weekend some consideration. I know the quality of Stacey’s events and I am certain she will once again knock this out of the park. It looks spectacular!

I read an article today called “Out of the closet as a happy working mom.” In it the author, a fellow working mother, scandalously declares that she does NOT feeling guilty for going back to work.

She states, “It is great to be back. If that sounds insufficiently guilt-ridden, sorry. I’m happy to be back at work. No ambivalence, no self-flagellation. It’s great to earn a paycheck again. It’s magnificent to get coffee, use the bathroom by myself and be around grownups. Even meetings are fun, though that feeling will surely pass. So today I’m outing myself as a happy working mom, despite the pressure women with kids often feel to sound miserable and conflicted about the “choice” to work…. Work is fun. Even with the crazy plate-spinning necessary to hold down a full-time job, it’s fun. ”

I applaud her.

I’ve long been disgusted with the whole working mom vs. stay at home mom guilt trip. Every woman is different. Every situation is different. Judging is pointless.

Much to my own mother’s chagrin (another blog post all together), I have always been a working mother. As cliche as this may sound, I’ve just never had a choice.  As I guilt ridden young mother, I tried oddball schedules (magazine night shift, anyone?), made tough decisions and  major sacrifices and  to keep my family functioning well. Nonetheless, I’ve always held a job.

I’ve had many conversations over the years where I have worked hard to convince others, not to mention myself, that if I didn’t have to work… I wouldn’t.

Total malarkey.

It is how I am wired.

I may not need to work for money but I most definitely would end up finding a committee to run. Or a gala to chair or a blog or magazine to write for or SOMETHING.

But that is just me. My mind is never still. I’ve never been a talented homemaker. (Ask my husband, he will confirm. Oh boy will  he confirm.)

My calling to be in the working world most certainly does not make me a bad mother. My children are fed, clothed, loved and coddled. They are challenged and nurtured and attended to. And sometimes even spoiled. I love them dearly.

Do I feel guilty? Of course. All moms feel guilt, it comes with the territory.

Do I wince when others to judge me? Most certainly. (Don’t they have something more constructive to do with their time?)

Working moms in today’s society feel a tremendous amount of pressure. It goes without saying that if  we could all start trying to support each other in our choices, everyone would be better off.

Even our kids.

Michelle,  Shannon and I –  Nice pimp hat, no?

Sorry I’ve been absent lately. I spent the large part of this week in Baltimore attending the Social Fresh conference. Fabulous experience for marketers! Such a refreshing conference with tons of relevant, actionable topics.

*Um, yeah… I am fully aware that technically today is Thursday so I have no right acting like this is a Wordless Wednesday post but “Text Free Thursday” just didn’t have the same ring to it and I really meant to get this up yesterday, so there.  (I may need some more sleep.) I’ll be sure to blog more about the experience in the next few days.

I have such a hard time saying no. (Can anyone relate?)

I say yes because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I say yes because I want to help people. I say yes because it is in my nature. I say yes because WORLD DOMINATION is part of my master plan. (Natch.) I say yes because I don’t want to disappoint.

I say yes because I don’t realize THE IMPACT that being over committed is going to have on me and my family.

To be perfectly honest, there are many, many times I that I end up regretting that yes. 

Which is why lately, I’ve been making some hard choices. Passing up on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Turning down requests. In short, trying to streamline my life and my family’s life into something more manageable and less stressful for us.

Image via baneofyourresistance.wordpress.com

I shouldn’t wake up in a cold sweat at 5:15 every morning feeling like I’m running behind. It is just not healthy. And it is making me a very grumpy, tired and uninspired girl. (Not to mention mommy, friend, wife, sister, daughter.)

But it is SO VERY HARD to say no.

Sigh.

Interestingly enough, I found an article today written by the Mayo Clinic that talks about this very issue. In it they assert that:

• Saying no isn’t necessarily selfish – When you say no to a new commitment, you’re essentially honoring your existing obligations and ensuring that you’ll be able to devote quality time to them.
• Saying no can allow you to try new things – Just because you’ve always helped plan the company softball tournament  or school charity function doesn’t mean that you have to keep doing it forever. Saying no gives you time to pursue other interests.
• Always saying yes isn’t healthy – When you’re overcommitted and under too much stress, you’re more likely to feel run-down and possibly get sick.

Powerful way of thinking, isn’t it?

And a no for now is not always a no forever, right?

So what about you? Do you have a hard time saying no? Are you overcommitted? How do you manage it all?

Guess what I did today?

I taped a segment for Good Morning Maryland on ABC!  The piece will air in Baltimore this Saturday morning so be sure to tune in as I cover the must haves for back-to-school season.

GIRLY FOOTNOTE: Ahem… You know, BEFORE having to go on television, I could have named two dozen outfits that I could happily throw on any day of the week and I’d be satisfied with my appearance.

Suddenly, last night around, oh, 10:00pm I DIDN’T HAVE ONE DECENT ITEM IN MY WARDROBE.  I chose that precise moment to hate everything that I owned.