The Modern Woman's Manifesto

Sometimes we'll get it right and sometimes we'll mess up and have to start over. I know this because I have had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing hundreds of women from all across the country -- women who are trying to chart their own course.
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Author Elizabeth Gilbert writes, "Nearly all the women I know are stressing themselves sick over the pathological fear that they simply aren't doing enough with their lives." We don't want to be that woman. We post Gilbert's article to Facebook, email it to our friends and write simply, "This."

We so want to be the woman who maps her own life as Gilbert implores us to do, but how? How do we shift from busyness and stress and comparison and guilt to acceptance and inspiration and dare I say it... happiness?

The answer is we practice. Sometimes we'll get it right and sometimes we'll mess up and have to start over. I know this because I have had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing hundreds of women from all across the country -- women who are trying to chart their own course. Some of them get it right most of the time and some of them, only part of the time. None of them get it right all of the time. But they practice and each of them inspires me. I wrote the Mogul, Mom and Maid manifesto in order to share the best habits of these smart, busy women.

We are strong. We may get tired and overwhelmed, but we know deep down we are pursuing a fulfilling life path.

We define our own success.

We accept good enough. Perfection is overrated.

We have no time nor need for guilt.

We say yes to what matters most. Everything else is a no.

We've decided the laundry can wait because life will not.

We make the invisible tasks visible. All of our work should be valued.

We ask for help when we need it.

We pace ourselves. Having it all does not mean having it all at once.

We accept that there is always someone thinner, richer or smarter than us and she is probably posting to Facebook or Pinterest right now. We don't care and we don't compare.

We do not judge other women. We lift them up.

We lead from wherever we are, however we can.

Balance takes practice. When we fall down we get up. Every. Single. Time.

Click over to helloladies.com to download an illustrated copy of the manifesto.

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