The longest month of the year is OVER!

I just want to share that I am so grateful this month is over. January always starts off on a down note, the holidays are over, reality engages, resolutions begin along with an entire twelve months to ride the roller coaster between success (lost 10 pounds) and guilty confusion (down 2 pounds?). Fortunately I was raised Catholic and I am comfortable with the cycle, leaning a bit more to the guilty confusion than the success aspect, but comfortable none the less.

As I work my way towards the big five-oh, I believe it is important to focus on success. When I was very young I was pretty sure that my successful adult life would include a brief stint as a movie star followed by a happy home life being a mother and wife. As I became more familiar with reality I realized that I would have to work, very hard, outside the home, for a really, really long time. I definitely had to redefine what success was going to be for me.

Looking back, I can honestly say I am amazingly successful. I don't have a huge house, vacation home, or new cars (I have a somewhat expensive Italian Greyhound (birthday gift) pictured above recovering from a night on the town). I do have my family: Mark, our children Mckenzie and Sam, my mother, sisters, brothers, in-laws, friends and lots of nieces and nephews. Also, I started a company in the mid 1980's that allows me to travel and teach about a subject I love. Almost best of all - I don't ever have to work for mean people, how many of us can say that?

So, I say ya me! I understand what success is.... for me. When I go out into the world and see what a pain in the ass success can be for other women I want to tell them, "You can define success!" You don't need to be in the C-suite or on a board of directors. There is so much more than 65+ hour workweeks, you just have put down the Kool-Aid.

There is a brand out there called SUCCESS. The dickhead, Jack Welsh, summed it up a couple of years ago at a national conference. Welch said, "those who take time off for family could be passed over for promotions if "you're not there in the clutch." Also, "Women who take time off can still "have a nice career," but their chances of reaching the top are smaller." Someone needs to introduce Jack to the definition of "the top". I tried calling him a couple of times this week, still waiting for him to get back to me. I will keep you posted.

Final note for the week... I fell down! I clearly stated last week that this is officially off the table, but apparently not. It wasn't even a reasonable fall down, like outside, on the ice. I was rushing into the kitchen to get the low fat popcorn out of the microwave before it burned. No worries, both popcorn and self came through without incident.