Saturday, August 30, 2008

A New Breed of Work-at-Home Moms

Recently in the news we’ve seen a lot of discussion about women leaving the traditional workforce. It seems that there is now a trend over the past few years of women opting-out; whereas in years past, women entered the workforce in ever-increasing numbers, chasing the dream of equality. Many experts are coming to the conclusion that women are now opting-out of the workforce to stay home to raise their children. But is that the whole picture?

What might not be so obvious is the emergence of a new breed of work at home moms. Traditionally, work-at-home moms carried a stigma; a preconceived picture of a woman who conducts in-home party presentations or is trying to succeed at an MLM program. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, if that’s your thing, and it does require exceptional skills to be successful in the direct sales and multi-level marketing industries. The focus of this article is on a different kind of work-at-home: The Executive Work-at-Home Mom.

The Executive Work-at-Home Mom is a mom who may have once been in the workforce, as an upper level-executive, a university professor, a CPA, an attorney or in some other highly successful career. She may be a marketing expert, a technical writer, an interior designer, or a professional life coach. The Executive Work-at-Home Mom has a specialized set of skills and a ton of knowledge waiting to be utilized.

Yes, women and mothers are leaving the traditional workforce, but many women and mothers are also starting and running successful businesses or freelancing from home. Women fought for years to be treated equally in the workforce, to have the same rights and the same opportunities. We still want that, but we also want the opportunity to work more flexibly, and be home with our children to watch them grow and to nurture them. In many cases, it’s necessary for both spouses to work in order to adequately support the family.

But is it possible for women to “have their cake and eat it too,” so to speak? More and more, career-minded women who still want the opportunity to stay at home to raise their children are finding innovative ways to do just that, while contributing to the family income. These are the Executive Work-at-Home Moms.

Today we read stories of empowered women who were determined to find the best of both worlds, who may have struggled on their way but achieved their ultimate dreams of running a successful business from home. For these Executive Work-at-Home Moms, they combined their passions, their education, experience and expertise into tremendous opportunities. Women bring a unique perspective to the business world, and many of the world’s hugely successful corporations are run by or started by women.

Women no longer have to make a choice between staying home or contributing to the family income. Technology enables workers in many fields to work remotely, sometimes without ever even having to step foot on-site. It’s easier than ever before to be paid for your expertise by running a consulting or freelance business out of the comfort of your own home. For mothers who have the qualifications and experience to offer services or knowledge to small businesses and even corporations, this is often the perfect solution. For freelancers, independent contractors and even small businesses with a few employees, umbrella corporations exist that make it even easier to conduct business with clients. These types of services are often lifesavers for the Executive Work-at-Home Moms who are running a business from home while raising children.

So while it may be true that women are leaving the workforce and possibly not returning to the traditional work setting, I believe that the number of Executive Work-at-Home Moms is growing. Women are realizing that it is possible to watch your children grow while making a significant contribution to the family income, and we’re using our unique business sense to make it happen.

Author: arstringfellow

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_610082_28.html

The 7 Secrets of a Confident and Secure Woman

Seven Secrets of a Confident & Secure Woman

1. A confident & secure woman REPOSITIONS HERSELF

A confident woman never forgets the one thing that never changes –THERE IS ALWAYS CHANGE.
Nothing stays the same – things are always in motion. Under the right magnification, we would see that even the tallest skyscraper is moving. With the winds of change ever blowing, a secure woman realizes that she may not currently possess all the tools or knowledge that will take her to her goal, but she’s always ready to learn what she needs to know at any given time in order to get there. This may mean going back to school, changing job or vocations or even moving to a different location, but she is ready, willing and able to adapt to changing circumstances.

2. A confident & secure woman KNOWS HOW TO GIVE AND TAKE

Most of us have been told since childhood, “The gift is in the giving.” A confident woman understands that this is absolutely true. She knows the laws that tell her what she gives will return to her several times over. She will give her time, energy, and even her heart to those who need her. However, she also knows that she is not a super human and she does not over-extend herself. She regularly takes time for herself!

3. A confident & secure woman LIVES IN THE PRESENT

Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future is the bread of idleness & futility that a confident woman refuses to eat. When recalling the past, she does not allow herself to dwell there but, rather, refocuses on the here and now. She understands that her past experiences, whether joyful or painful, are a part of her and have made
her the confident person that she is today. She also understands that the future is not real – it exists only in the mind. She has hopes for the future and engages in the occasional daydream while keeping herself solidly in the present tense of her life.

4. A confident & secure woman KEEPS HERE EYE ON THE PRIZE

Not everything we do comes up roses. To expect perfection is cavalier, but to know that mistakes are a part of the journey is wisdom. This knowledge allows the confident woman to refuse to pity herself when something doesn’t turn out as she’d hoped or expected it would. She might allow herself a brief ‘pity party’ but she refuses to wallow in the mud of self pity.


5. A confident & secure woman KNOW HOW TO SAY NO

Women have too little time and too much responsibility. The demands of jobs, child care, household duties, civic and/or church responsibility, and elder care are often draining. Having time to herself to do with as she pleases seems to be a far-fetched dream for many women.
The confident woman knows her limits and her need for self care. She understands that in order to be able to accomplish all that she wants/needs to do, she MUST have adequate energy reserves from which to draw. While sympathetic and even flattered when her phone rings off the hook with others making requests of her, she is able to pick and choose those people or causes to which/whom she will devote her time and energy.

6. A confident & secure woman TRUSTS HER INNER VOICE

While she may occasionally feel uncertain or seek the counsel of others, the confident woman knows deep down that her own heart will give her the direction she needs. While this intuition may be said to be a characteristic of all women, it is one that becomes refined only with age, wisdom and experience. The secure woman will carefully consider all the information at her disposal, seek advice from those she respects and then turn to that little voice inside of herself and become her own best counsel.

7. A confident & secure woman DOESN’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

If we allow ourselves to think too much about something or consider every little thing that could possibly come up or go awry, we can soon make mountains out of molehills and drive ourselves crazy. The secure woman is able to separate the chaff from the grain and focus only on those things of primary concern to her in any situation. She does not micro manage herself or her affairs. Rather, she focuses on the broader picture along with the key ingredients that are needed to solve her problem or reach her goal.

Scott Smallwood is the creator and founder of honest to God Coaching, a healing and transformative coaching program exclusively for women. Scott have experience to solve problem like unhappy marriage , how to build self esteem. He is the author of "Simply Believe!" For more detail visit www.scottsmallwood.org

Author: scottsmallwood
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_610710_28.html

Must-Have Anti Aging Skin Care System Check List

Get on the fast-track to younger looking skin. Make your life simple by creating a handy check list before you purchase an anti aging skin care system. By doing this you will get to know how to choose a comprehensive skincare line. Here are some tips to put on your list:

First, get an age-defense cream that you can apply before you start your busy day. A special ingredient, appropriately titled, CynergyTK is a good place to start your selection. One anti aging skin care review about CynergyTK highlights its ability to boost collagen and elastin in the skin. Additionally, another article praised the keratin-based ingredient in CynergyTK for its anti-aging benefits and protective qualities.

Second, don't just focus on your face. A good anti aging body lotion with contain active ingredients to work on your arms and legs, and eliminate those dry patches on your elbows and knees.

Third, keep your skin well hydrated. A deep nourishing mask can work wonders on tired skin or keep great skin looking the way it is. And, you'll find, that today's facial masks are much easier to use than the ones of yesteryear. You know, like those heavy clay or mud masks you left on your face for hours.

Instead, look for avocado or macadamia oil-based masks that you simply leave on your face for a few minutes. Then all you do is gently rub off what does not absorb into your skin. Similarly, a deep-cleansing mask should be used every two weeks to remove dangerous toxins from your skin. This can help you avoid getting those pesky pimples. A cleansing mask made with Kaolin is a good choice if you have oily skin. Kaolin is a gentle solution that helps to heal blemishes and inflammation, and even blocks new bumps from forming.

Next, purchase a night-cream to let the product work while you rest. A restorative night cream is what all the Hollywood insiders have been using for years. You too can make it a vital part of your anti aging skin care system. A good night-cream silently helps to produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in your skin, as well as prevent the damage caused by free radicals.

Finally, take steps to firm up the areas around your eyes. An eye contour gel is designed to treat the skin in this sensitive area. To get rid of bags and puffiness around the eyes look for a newly developed item made in Europe called Eyeliss. A convenient thing about this product is that it works rather fast. So if you want to look refreshed before a special event, use it to smooth wrinkles or lessen the dark circles under your eyes. Any anti aging skin care review will stress the importance of focusing on the areas around the eyes. And your check list just wouldn't be complete without it.

In closing, be wise to buy a quality-made anti aging skin care system. A good system will have been fully tested. Avoid inexpensive cosmetics since many times they are made on the cheap and poorly tested; or not even evaluated at all.

Check out an additional anti aging skin care review by visiting www.healthy-skin-answers.com.

Author: Lauren Masters
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_607523_28.html