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Check out these inspiring & motivating articles for the working woman. We discuss searching for work, struggling at your job, changing careers, work-life balance & more. #gritandgracelife

This is How I Finally Found Contentment as a Mom

This is How I Finally Found Contentment as a Mom

Every day was a battle. As a young mom who mainly stayed home with her kids, I battled post-partum depression. I battled exhaustion. I battled discouragement. The days felt so long, and I felt completely inadequate. And I knew, somewhere deep down in the pit of my soul, that I was the only mom not loving the days of the littles. Friends had told me that they felt called to be moms. (I never felt that calling.) Others had told me they couldn’t imagine doing anything else than being a stay-at-home mom. (I loved being a part-time professor.) One even told me I wasn’t doing enough for my children if I didn’t educate them the same way she was. (Just no.) Every […]

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Can Women Do It All? With Christy Wright of Business Boutique – 091

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More“A lot of women treat everything in their life as equal, so when push comes to shove and you’re needed in two places, you don’t know what to choose.” That quote from this week’s guest resonated with your co-hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham. It probably does you too! To discuss this struggle and offer possible solutions for most women’s busyness, we brought in an expert on the subject. Meet our new best friend; Author, Business Coach, Ramsay personality and busy wife and mom, Christy Wright. In her casual yet straightforward style, she explains why it’s OK for a woman to want to pursue passions

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5 Quotes That Will Encourage You, Working (Super) Mom

5 Quotes That Will Encourage You, Working (Super) Mom

Working moms do it all—but it’s hard! The struggle to find work and life balance is real, but in the end, what really matters is that you tried your best. At least, that’s what I’ve been told from the women who’ve seen it through. One thing I know that all of us working moms could use is a little encouragement. Just a quick note that says, “Hey, I see you. I see all of the obstacles you overcome every day. It’s not always flawless, but you put your heart and soul into it. You are a strong woman, and you’re a good mom.” So, working mom, these 5 quotes are for you: “I think every working mom probably feels the same thing: You

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Being a Successful Leader Starts With You

How to Be a Leader You Can Be Proud Of

“It’s just a busy season. I promise I’ll be home more when I finish this project.” I apologized to my husband as I raced out the door for an early-morning meeting that would be followed by a full day and a late-night event. When I snuck into bed later that evening hoping I wouldn’t wake him, he sighed and quietly said, “It’s not just a season, Jen. It’s you. There’s always another project. There’s always more you need to do. It doesn’t matter what the job is or who your boss is; you always run yourself ragged. You have to make choices that will sustain you.” As I’m sure you can imagine, I didn’t receive his comments well. And it wasn’t just

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Freedom from the Glass Ceiling and the Glass Slipper

Do You Have to Break the Glass Ceiling to Be Strong?

“This isn’t what we fought so hard for when we finally broke the glass ceiling, is it?” I heard this question posed while watching television. In this scene, a successful female lawyer and her law firm peer were confounded by the decision of a younger, promising female lawyer who just announced her intention to resign from her career in order to become a wife and mother. This was television’s attempt to be profound, reflecting what they considered a cultural phenomenon. The glass ceiling they were speaking of is the battle waged in the ’60s and ’70s to create opportunity for females in the workplace. Opportunity for advancement, for holding the leadership positions rather than the clerical. To become the company president, not the

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

How to Find Your Own Voice, With JJ Heller – 085

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreHas your life taken an unexpected turn after experiencing disappointment? Perhaps it’s left you feeling like you’re not good at what you thought you were, or worse, not good at anything at all. This week’s guest, JJ Heller, will inspire you. Her unlikely journey from basketball player to recording artist entailed many unexpected turns. She admits that “finding her voice” (not just musically, but figuratively) took time, tweaks, and listening to valuable feedback from others. It also required patience—and persistence too! With her recorded album count now in the double digits, she can attest to the fact that when you work within your limitations and

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This Grit and Grace Life Podcast

Behind the Scenes of a Family Business With CreativeQT – 082

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Email | TuneIn | RSS | MoreWhat happens when you mix a creative dad, a multi-tasking home-school mom, five kids, and a unique idea inspired by their family chaos? A new business! One that will help manage some of the chaos in your home, too! Darlene and Julie chat with Adam and Dana Sue Hinkle, owners of CreativeQT about their family and business journey. It’s the phrase “Make Time Together” that became their simple reminder for families—and spurred them to create practical yet inspired tools to help families have it. Through learning, storage, and organization-based kids toys, they give you a few items that will help you spend less time managing

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Workplace Flexibility is Increasing, And This Is Why

Workplace Flexibility is Increasing, And This Is Why

The days of having to clock into work at the office are long gone for some employees. With the steady advancement of technology, many workers can now perform their duties from most anywhere that they can connect to the internet or Wi-Fi. The results are in for performance in workplace flexibility, and they are quite encouraging. According to a recent study from Werk, a company that guides employers with technology and corporate insights into workplace flexibility, over 50% of current employees would choose another employer if it meant having greater flexibility in the place and time of performing their work. Many employees are requesting flexibility with their current employers as well, with varying degrees of success. Working parents, students, caregivers, creatives, and

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Ask Dr. Zoe - How Do I Set Boundaries with My Invasive Mother-in-Law? feature image

Ask Dr. Zoe – Should I Quit If I Don’t Like My Coworker?

‘Puzzled’ Asked: I’ve become increasingly unhappy in my workplace (but not my position) due to a seriously unkind and hostile coworker. I’ve been pondering whether I should make a change but don’t have another job secured as yet. Is it faith or foolishness to leave a job when one doesn’t have another one to go to immediately? Not sure if the enemy is trying to drive me out or if the Lord wants me to leave or if this is all just my own doing. Dr. Zoe Answered: Unless you don’t need the finances your job provides, it’s foolish to leave when you don’t have another one secured. The sense of relief you feel will quickly be overshadowed by the stress of

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Why-You-Should-Build-a-Powerful-Diverse-Team

Why You Should Build a Powerful Diverse Team

During my years in the music business, it became abundantly clear to me that to achieve what we wanted to accomplish, we had to have a diverse team to succeed. One would have thought the talent displayed in the musicians was all that was required. A great song easily found success, right? While it was true their abilities were the ones most evident to success, it was also the collection of all the team players that enabled us to flourish. When the individual talents were gathered and merged, it often reminded me of a big successful party. The end of the planning, execution, and delivery told all: either everyone had a good time, or if some part of the plan failed, the

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Dear-Small-Business-Owner,-This-One's-for-You

Dear Small Business Owner, This One’s for You

I created a recent email, as entrepreneurs often do, announcing a new way to be involved with my services. A “new deal,” “a special”; it could even be called a “sale.” I work for myself in a job that I am passionate about, which creates a thin veil (more like a permeable membrane), that separates my identity of “self” from my “work.” Artists and small business owners know the feeling: It’s hard when your work is your passion because it’s a vulnerable place to stand. I worked hard to cultivate and maintain that list in my email, and on the day the email went out to inboxes, I was nervous but excited. What if people hate it? No, think positive. What if

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Everything-You-Need-to-Create-a-Great-Resume-ORIG

Everything You Need to Create a Great Resume

The thought of searching for another job is exhausting. What to wear, what to say, when to arrive, where to even apply! Just as important is making certain that your resume is not only up-to-date but also eye-catching; one that will stand out among all the others your potential employer will receive. How do you do that? Here are a few pointers from my friend and colleague, Adria Keuning, who just happens to read resumes for a living as the manager of talent at our workplace: Make certain that there are no typos or grammatical errors. It really does matter. Keep formatting (such as fonts, bullets, etc.) consistent. Give detail when spelling out your job responsibilities from previous or current employment, but

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What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Self-Employment-Taxes

What You Need to Know About Self-Employment Taxes

I’m too small…I didn’t make that much…they won’t notice…Social Security will be gone by the time I get there anyway! Excuses. Good, possibly accurate ones, but excuses nonetheless. Self-employment taxes are annoying, confusing, expensive…mostly annoying. So, it’s no surprise that a recent independent survey of 500 freelancers by QuickBooks Self-Employed shows “some 36 percent of self-employed workers are taking their chances.” AKA, not paying taxes. The Struggle (is so real) As the number one challenge, according to the Quickbooks survey, “31 percent of self-employed workers say they struggle to get paid on time.” As a self-employed person myself, I can totally relate to this. Just because we bill on Sundays, doesn’t mean we get paid on Sundays! Another 25 percent are worried

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We-Asked-the-Experts-How-to-Crush-Your-New-Years-Resolutions

We Asked the Experts How to Crush Your New Year’s Resolutions

The champagne is all popped. The New Year has been rung. Now what? This is a strange time of year, isn’t it? We’ve all spent the past month (and maybe longer depending on when you started your holiday revelry) indulging, celebrating, laughing and enjoying life to the full. And this is how it should be. Ringing in the end of the year with friends and family is a joyous time, meant to be savored. Most of us don’t calorie count at a party and this isn’t a time of year when we crank out new goals to be attained and to work toward. But the New Year? That’s when we get busy. We make plans. We start regimes. We join accountability groups.

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This Is Why You Need LinkedIn and How You Can Get Started

This Is Why You Need LinkedIn and How You Can Get Started

LinkedIn stands out among social media sites. It’s a place where professionals connect, employers seek potential new employees, and where men and women can interact with other like-minded professionals. But what is the best use of LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a site for professionally minded people. It doesn’t mean you must have a management position or a degree to use the site, but you should be mindful of what you post. LinkedIn users are not interested in last night’s party, who you’re dating, or what you had for lunch. Snippets of your personal life are acceptable, but save the fun and the drama for Facebook and Instagram. (Don’t miss this article by a former corporate recruiter on the topic of social media affecting your

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Why Putting Others First Will Make You More Successful

Why Putting Others First Will Make You More Successful

The best boss I ever had was a woman who had a great knack for empowering people to discover and cultivate their unique gifts and talents. Humble and approachable, a large part of what made this leader well-regarded in the workplace and community was the way she invested herself in those around her. She spotted hidden talent in college students when her peers overlooked them. She took intentional time from her busy schedule to mentor her employees, giving us the language to frame our vocational aspirations and dreams. As she guided us in our quest to hone our own versions of success, she seemed to achieve more of it herself. This leader was a refreshing voice in a “me-first” world. There’s another

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The Write Way Out of Writer's Block

The Write Way Out of Writer’s Block

Oddly enough, this article bloomed from a very frustrating stint of writer’s block. As a graduate student, aspiring journalist, and regular writer for The Grit and Grace Project, the onset of writer’s block is quite possibly my worst nightmare. I want to write for a living and am paying thousands of dollars for an education that is designed to teach me how to write better. Yet, I’ve been struggling to hit the keys on my laptop for about a week now. So, in my effort to make lemonade after being served a very rotten vat of lemons, I decided to work with my block by writing about it. There are a few small tips and tricks I’ve implemented over the years that

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