I recently sat down with WestGroupe do to an interview on life, inspiration, making a difference, and Women On The Fence. I wanted to share that interview with you today. If you haven’t heard of WestGroupe, they are a cutting-edge eyeglass company, so if you are a glasses wearer like me, you might love some of their incredible styles.
By Guest Blogger Carol Cain
My teen has been working at adjusting his mindset to what he sees around him and his reality. What he sees around him: parents buying their teens expensive, out-of-the-box cars the minute they turn 17 and new iPhones the minute they hit the market. His reality: which does not suck I might add, is that his 17th birthday will be celebrated a week late because we blew all our money on plane tickets for him and the rest of the family to Turks and Caicos for a long weekend (did you know that flying to Turks and Caicos costs as much as flying to Europe during peak season? It’s no joke my friends.)
Happy Monday!
Today, I wanted to publish a Motivation Monday, because that’s just what I was after watching MAKERS’ latest video on Sara Blakely. Firstly, if you’re not familiar with Makers.com, may I suggest you head over there right after you finish reading (and watching) this post. They are doing some incredible work in the women’s space.
You might recall we had an exciting giveaway back in the summer. You, my lovely readers, know that I have been a loyal member of the Aeroplan program, accumulating Aeroplan Miles as I have spent dollars (which I have redeemed for airfare, hotel, car rental, merchandise, and more), for almost 20 years! Well, Aeroplan turned 30 this summer and we honored that anniversary by giving away 30,000 MILES to a lucky random WomenOnTheFence reader. It was cool!
I was diagnosed with a BRCA2 gene mutation (breast and ovarian cancer gene) in December 2008. My lifetime risk of developing breast cancer was 87%, my risk of ovarian cancer; 45%. Now, I ask you, if you knew your chance of winning the lotto was 87%, how often would you buy a ticket? Or if the pilot on your flight told you that you had an 87% chance of crashing, would you board?
That’s how I felt. No cancer, but stuck between a rock and a hard place. This disease had already claimed so many of my family members; I couldn’t let it get me too. Finding out I had this mutated gene gave me no choice but to take control and deal cancer a pre-emptive strike! I was going to do my best to prevent it as scary as it might be. I wanted to live a long life and be there for my children, my husband and myself.
Happy Monday, girls! We’re back in the groove today. The kids finally went back to school after last week’s Jewish holidays, and I went back to the gym (five pounds heavier due to endless chopped liver, brisket and gefilte fish).
You might recall we had one of my favorite guest bloggers on this site, Janet Tarasofsky. Her post titled 525,600 Minutes to Single Motherhood began like this:
Single mothers are created in all different ways– some through divorce, some by choice and some by pure chance. I struggle to decide exactly which category I fall into… perhaps you can help me to decide?
The day was September 22nd, 2003. I was selfish. A workaholic. 9 months pregnant. And didn’t know just how my life would change the next day, at 5:40am on a Tuesday, September 23rd.
When I heard the first cry, it literally took my breath away. I was instantly hooked. I hovered over his crib in the hospital. I watched him breathe. I watched his little round face for hours. It was a love only a mother could comprehend.
So to my first born child, my son, who turns 11 today, watching you grow over the past 11 years, has literally, just as the moment you came into the world, taken my breath away. When I’m flustered, you remain calm, saying, “Mommy, don’t worry. Don’t get excited, it’s good.” Or how you can read and watch historical biographies and documentaries for hours, wanting to soak up as much knowledge about the world as possible. Or something as silly as your iPod buzzing off the hook (hello 6th grade!), and you saying, “I don’t care about any of that. I prefer to BE with my friends than text them.” You are all kindness, compassion, sensitivity, intelligence, maturity, strength, and someone I would want as a friend in my life.
We should probably begin by defining success.
To me, it meant spending my days doing something I loved. Having the flexibility to be present for school concerts, sick days and summers. Travel. And rarely, if ever, being told what to do. If you look at that list carefully, you will note I am basically unemployable – or as others like to call it – an entrepreneur.
So, this is the deal, ladies. Our website got overtaken by hackers in Pakistan this past weekend.
We then decided Monday morning to prematurely launch our new site redesign (it was the same amount of work to bring back the old site, or get the new one up and running).
But maybe that was a mistake.
We’ve been working on our blog redesign for A LONG TIME. Our goal is to bring you a more user-friendly experience, easier to navigate, and specifically, a more mobile friendly site too.
As many of you know, I am the proud Brand Ambassador of Le Château, Canada’s leading specialty retailer and manufacturer of contemporary fashion apparel, accessories, and footwear at value pricing for style-conscious women and men of all ages. I can usually be seen on TV, at red carpet events, speaking, working, or even at carpool in Le Château. So, I’m excited to announce today that Le Château has teamed up with celebrated actress Lauren Holly to present Lauren’s Closet: an exclusive, on-trend collection launching this fall.
Lauren’s Closet is a sophisticated collection designed by Le Château and brought together by actress Lauren Holly. The collection ranges from chic daywear, to trendy casual wear and evening wear that encompass Lauren Holly’s lifestyle.
I help busy women (like you!) prioritize self-care so you can experience less stress, more calm and greater joy every day!
