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3 Keys to Successful Leadership in the Midst of Chaos

By Jenni Catron / Work & Money, Life & Culture

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the answer just wasn’t clear? Maybe it was a decision to take a new job in a different city. Maybe it was a really confusing or inconsistent relationship. Maybe it was taking a risk that didn’t seem to have a clear reward. We face tough decisions every single day. And as a woman, you’re not only facing your own decisions but also navigating the decision making for your family, your team at work, and for some of you, your entire organization. Living Within the Tension Leaders live in a constant state of tension. We live between what is and what could be. We straddle the known and the unknown. We wrestle the probable […]

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The Thief I Let In: A Day in the Life of a Working Mom

By Carolyn Gordon / Work & Money, Best Of, Motherhood

It was a typical morning. The alarm went off at 6:40 a.m. Snooze was hit once. There was a sleepy, teething baby girl that took over the spot of my husband, who had left for work. Our son was already up, sitting on the couch and watching cartoons. His pleading for pre-packaged blueberry muffins woke up his sister. Ready or not, it was time to kick it into high gear and get ready for school and work. Sounds of the blender, breast pump, and electric toothbrushes filled the house. A computer charger, matching sock, and school folder couldn’t be found. Then, the realization that I didn’t have a sitter for my daughter for that afternoon’s work meeting, the lab stealing the last

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5 Job Interview Tips to Help You Land the Position

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture, Work & Money

Through the years I have hired (and fired) a lot of different people for a bunch of different positions. I’ve hired accountants, truck drivers, radio promoters, executive assistants, and even band members. The good news is the firing part didn’t happen often because I quickly learned the qualities I wanted in any employee. Something I frequently noticed while interviewing for a position was the majority of people were not very good at this process. They didn’t interview well! But those that almost always rose to the top had a few of the same job interview approaches. They possessed many of the same character traits. They got my attention and inevitably landed on the top of the pile to pick from. If you’re

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10 Quick Ways to Be More Productive While Working from Home

By Marlys Johnson Lawry / Life & Culture

When my four adult children were in town for their father’s celebration of life service, they strategized over possibilities for my future as a new widow. “Mom, we think you should take an early retirement,” my son, Jeremy, and daughter-in-law, Denise, said over dinner. “We think you should keep blogging, get back into speaking, and write more books. And here’s how you can afford to do that.” Whereupon, they presented three options. And so, it was with astonishment and a slight tug on my heartstrings that I submitted my resignation at the St. Charles Cancer Center. And now I have one of those jobs where you wake up in the morning and have to think for a moment what day it is.

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How to Take Back Your Time with Christy Wright – 166

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More “How do I find a work-life balance?” seems to be an eternal question, one we just keep circling back to as the to-do list grows longer. Whether it’s our jobs, homes, family or friends, there’s always something or someone who needs us. Life feels demanding and 24 hours in a day to get everything done just doesn’t cut it anymore. Author and speaker Christy Wright joins Darlene Brock and Julie Bender to offer her take on this question—and it has nothing to do with balance at all. Taking cues from her new book, “Take Back Your Time,” Christy discusses five ways that we can

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Ask Dr. Zoe – How Do I Nail a Job Interview?

By Dr. Zoe Shaw / Ask Dr. Zoe, Life & Culture

‘Weary Traveler’ Asked: Six months ago, I quit my management job. Since then, I have been doing travel contracts outside of my home state. I have applied for several jobs and had a few promising interviews. I have not been offered any of the jobs though. I want to get back home and be with my husband and daughter. What am I doing wrong in my job interviews? Dr. Zoe Answered: I don’t know what you are doing in your interviews, but I know that most women don’t sell themselves well. We are conditioned to be humble, not boastful, to be a “nice” girl. We don’t want to be misconstrued as arrogant or the “B” word. We even stray away from seeming

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Follow These Teachers Now for Classroom Inspiration

Instagram Teachers to Follow for Back to School Inspiration

By Molly Dockweiler / Life & Culture

As a teacher, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking for lesson ideas, bulletin board inspiration, and so on. What I’ve found on Pinterest looks great, but many of the ideas have never been tested in the chaos of a real classroom. While great in theory, these ideas often flop. My time has been better spent looking through different Instagram accounts of teachers who are in the classroom full time—tried and true—dealing with whatever is thrown at them on any given day. Here are several of my favorite Instagram accounts of elementary classroom teachers who will spark your inspiration for this new school year, as well as additional teacher-oriented accounts for all grade levels. Teachers of Primary Grades (K-2) @aroundthekampfire

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Teaching During Covid Is No Joke, but We Can Finish Strong

By Carey Melton / Life & Culture

Picture it: a school in 2021. Welcome signs and student artwork are replaced by Covid-19 warning posters. Full faces are replaced by masks revealing only the eyeballs and up. Physical bodies are replaced by foreheads or ceiling fans on a screen. Class sets of copies are replaced by scanning > saving as a pdf > downloading to your computer > then adding it to Google Classroom. All the while, we teachers are getting our in-person students started on their bell-ringer and signing onto the Google Meet with virtual students. We do all this with the same smile we started the year with, although now it’s a little forced. We click, talk, answer questions, pass out papers, and write on the board simultaneously!

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Are Your Compromises Hindering Your Freedom and Integrity?

By Allison McCormick / Purpose, Faith

At 36, Elizabeth was proud of her accomplishments. A thriving career, a loving marriage, a bright energetic daughter, and an entourage of friends that loved and supported her. Yet, when you talked with her or spent any time around her, you detected a brokenness that was difficult to explain. There was the person she wanted you to see, an accomplished professional with a full life, and a distorted reflection that was her true self. People say you know a person by the company they keep. I think you know the person by the compromises they make. People are what they do in the secret spaces of their hearts. The truth of their lives surfaces when the pretense that keeps their image intact

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Ask Dr. Zoe – Should I Finish My Degree or Change My Career Path?

By Dr. Zoe Shaw / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Still Not Graduated’ Asked: I have been very blessed that my parents have been able to financially support me as I seek higher education. The problem is I don’t know what I want from this education. I recently realized that I am extremely unhappy pursuing my current degree, but I do not want to change course and begin working on a different degree. However, since I never did any internships in school, I have no experience and cannot find employment. I feel that my parents have invested so much money in me, and I have nothing to show them in return. Should I finish my degree and try to gain experience? I am at a loss for what to do now. Dr.

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Stop People Pleasing Now With Cherlyn Decker – 159

By This Grit & Grace Life Podcast / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreDo other people’s opinions affect how you feel about yourself? Often find yourself trying to please others, hoping they will see you as you want to be seen? If so, you’ll appreciate this episode. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender interview Cherlyn Decker—a speaker, writer, and coach who has helped hundreds of women turn their struggles into a source of strength. They discuss everyday battles many women face: people pleasing, mom guilt, and obsessing over what others think of them. Cheryln shares practical tools that can help you turn from these harmful habits, encouraging you to look back on past life experiences for how they “stack”

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how to leave your job with a good reputation

3 Ways to Leave Your Job With a Good Reputation

By Melissa Dyer / Life & Culture

After leaving my job two years ago, I recently learned that I’ve gone the entire time without burning any bridges. There is a touch of irony in how I came by this information. I live in South Florida, and there are a few ways we celebrate Christmas that are unique to our locale. One of those unique ways is our annual holiday parades—we decorate boats. Fortunately, for my family, we also live in close proximity to a bridge that serves as one of the many milestones on our local parade route. This exquisite little detail makes for a perfect family friendly holiday tradition. As a large excited mob, we annually crest to the top of this nearby bridge and view the decorated

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3 Keys to Successful Leadership in the Midst of Chaos

By Jenni Catron / Life & Culture, Work & Money

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Episode 30 Six qualities that make a leader strong

This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Preview – Episode 30 Six Qualities that Make a Female Strong with Leadership Expert Jenni Catron

By Our Grit and Grace Life Videos / Purpose, Work & Money

Do you desire to climb the corporate ladder? Or do you prefer to be influential among your peers and at the helm of your household? Regardless of where you are or where you aim to be, you have undeniable impact as a woman. Jenni Catron, leadership expert and CEO of The 4Sight Group, joins Darlene and Julie to talk about the six characteristics of a strong female leader, and how you can channel these traits in every area of your life.

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When You Feel Like Something’s Not Right About the Right Thing

By Katie Sue Cosgrove / Faith

Has anyone else felt this way? Like the fate of humanity depends on you doing everything that is expected of you and nothing less. I’ve read a lot of books and articles about how the firstborn child has an “achiever” and “people-pleaser” mentality growing up. I was often told I could pretty much do whatever I wanted to. I didn’t color too far outside of the lines. I thrived on praise from my parents and teachers. I’ll never forget one time when I was about 13 or so when my (overly outspoken) aunt looked at my younger sister and me and said that I was the “practical” one while my sister was the “vivacious” one. All through elementary, middle, and high school I self-identified

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This Is What 5 Men Said About Women and Relationships

By Savana Scarborough / Life & Culture

In today’s society, it seems that the more we strive for gender equality, the deeper the divide between men and women becomes. But sometimes we forget to take a step back and think about how men view the same world we as women are living in. We were all made equal but with different talents and purposes, and it is important to remember these different viewpoints. We asked five men for their opinions on a variety of topics and enjoyed reading their responses. We hope you do, too! 1. How do you feel about women in the workplace? Would it be a problem if your partner was the main breadwinner? Will, 24 I believe there are some positions that are better suited

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Now Is Not the Time to Quit Your Daydream

By Joyell Nevins / Purpose

The man in blue caught my eye: a friendly cop plastered on a billboard, encouraging would-be policemen to train and apply for the sheriff’s office. “Perfect!” I thought, planning to tell my sister Kara. Kara had always dreamed of becoming a woman in an investigative unit. She had her heart set on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), but surely local police was a great way to start. And then I remembered—Kara passed away in a drowning accident just a month before. She was 33 years old. There is a plethora of awful things surrounding Kara’s death, including her darling 3-year-old who won’t get to have her mom in her life. But what hit me that day was the travesty of lost

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