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As I prepare to launch my book Get Your Girl Back, eight years in the making, people often ask, “What is this Get Your Girl Back thing you are doing?” They don’t know why but something about the movement appeals to them.

As moms we make hundreds of decisions every day. Yesterday I was working out of my home office when my seven year old son came home from school. Looking at him as he happily tore off his shoes, I said, “Hey, you want to go on the Jet Ski?” As I said it I thought to myself, “Do I really want to fight to get it off the dock, flush the engines, and clean it?” Yet I knew, simply because the words came out of my mouth that my girl wanted to go.

Excited, Noah took off running for the dock. The Florida sun was shining bright, there was a cool breeze, and I could smell the salt in the air. As we pushed off the dock and ventured into the Gulf of Mexico, I was unprepared for the rough waters as our jet ski flew through the waves. A little uncomfortable and considering turning back, I began to hear the most amazing sound…it was Noah giggling. He started laughing so hard I thought he was going to cry. Contagious, I started laughing and pulled on the throttle so we would go faster and faster. The waves it turned out simulated a roller coaster!

I was so glad I trusted my instinct and let my girl drive my decision to jump on the ski and have some fun (instead of wrapping up more work, making a snack or starting homework). I have learned that the endless list of things to do will always be there but my son, all of seven years old won’t. Soon Noah will turn eight, nine, and then ten. By the time he’s a teenager, he probably won’t want to get on the Jet Ski with me but instead his friends. That’s why I choose to be spontaneous, have more fun, and let my girl come out to play whenever she wants.

Perhaps you have small kids and they too will be coming home from school today. As they run in the door excited to see you and tell you about their day, what can you do to shake things up, engage them in something fun, and more importantly, stray from your routine? Could you go for a big dish of ice cream at their favorite store and entice them to pile on the toppings? Yes, your kids will think you are off your rocker but I promise, you’ll have fun and it will be a moment to remember. Perhaps it’s snowing where you live. Challenge your kids to a snowball fight! If they don’t respond, walk outside and fire one at the window. Trust me, they will engage.

If you don’t have small kids at home any longer I’m certain you can relate and would give anything to go back in time for just one moment. Perhaps your husband is coming home instead. Maybe he would like to go get ice cream or spontaneously go to a movie. My point is to lighten up, play more, and simply have more fun. After all, one day he might not be there either. Life is short, don’t take it for granted. Instead, dive in and live every moment, out loud.

WHAT’S YOUR WORK PURPOSE? 

CAN YOU REALLY TURN TALENT INTO INCOME?

The Get Your Girl Back Movement is about helping women fall in love with their lives again.  My mission is to help you reconnect with that part of you, that girl that still resides deep inside that wants to have fun, be spontaneous, laugh more, and be happy, really happy, or as my friend Lindsay says, “Almost euphoric.”

This week my focus is on work- what you do for a living (Will do when your kids are in school full time or grown).  Whatever the case, I want to get your wheels spinning and perhaps make you a little restless even as you get up to go to work tomorrow!  If your girl, who stood in the mirror looking back at you ten, twenty or thirty years ago were standing next to you today, how would she feel about what you do for a living?  Are you utilizing your natural talents and gifts or did you get a job that was meant to be “temporary” but grew into a lifetime gig?  Do you have a job that suffices but fails to stimulate you or utilize your God given talents?  Can you say with confidence you are living your work purpose?

You will be most successful both professionally and financially when you put your natural talents and gifts to work in your career.   A gift is something you do well, that comes easily to you but perhaps not so easily to others.  It’s typically something people comment on such as, “Wow, you are such an amazing cook,” or in my case, it was evidenced in the many notations on my report cards as a child that said, “Traci talks too much!”  Little did I know I would be paid to talk when I grew up and turned my gift into income!  My challenge to you is to focus on finding your work purpose.  Don’t just work to make a living because you will end up living to work.   Jot down things you love to do, consider fun or therapeutic.  Maybe you love to sew, write, talk politics, or travel.  When doing these things you are happy and in your element.  Don’t worry right now about how to turn talent into income but instead, focus on identifying your natural talents and gifts- write them down.  As you stew on your list and ponder this blog, ideas will begin to come to you. The first step is to just think and consider what’s possible.  If you could do anything and money was not a concern, what would you do?  If every career paid the same salary and all you had to do was show up, what job would you take?  If you weren’t paid at all but needed something to do every day, what would it be?  This is the first step to finding your work purpose so grab a pen and don’t be modest- own your gifts girlfriend, they are yours from God and you will be blessed upon using them.

As moms we make hundreds of decisions every day. Yesterday I was working out of my home office when my seven year old son came home from school. Looking at him as he happily tore off his shoes, I said, “Hey, you want to go on the Jet Ski?” As I said it I thought to myself, “Do I really want to fight to get it off the dock, flush the engines, and clean it?” Yet I knew, simply because the words came out of my mouth that my girl wanted to go.

Excited, Noah took off running for the dock. The Florida sun was shining bright, there was a cool breeze, and I could smell the salt in the air. As we pushed off the dock and ventured into the Gulf of Mexico, I was unprepared for the rough waters as our jet ski flew through the waves. A little uncomfortable and considering turning back, I began to hear the most amazing sound…it was Noah giggling. He started laughing so hard I thought he was going to cry. Contagious, I started laughing and pulled on the throttle so we would go faster and faster. The waves it turned out simulated a roller coaster!

I was so glad I trusted my instinct and let my girl drive my decision to jump on the ski and have some fun (instead of wrapping up more work, making a snack or starting homework). I have learned that the endless list of things to do will always be there but my son, all of seven years old won’t. Soon Noah will turn eight, nine, and then ten. By the time he’s a teenager, he probably won’t want to get on the Jet Ski with me but instead his friends. That’s why I choose to be spontaneous, have more fun, and let my girl come out to play whenever she wants.

Perhaps you have small kids and they too will be coming home from school today. As they run in the door excited to see you and tell you about their day, what can you do to shake things up, engage them in something fun, and more importantly, stray from your routine? Could you go for a big dish of ice cream at their favorite store and entice them to pile on the toppings? Yes, your kids will think you are off your rocker but I promise, you’ll have fun and it will be a moment to remember. Perhaps it’s snowing where you live. Challenge your kids to a snowball fight! If they don’t respond, walk outside and fire one at the window. Trust me, they will engage.

If you don’t have small kids at home any longer I’m certain you can relate and would give anything to go back in time for just one moment. Perhaps your husband is coming home instead. Maybe he would like to go get ice cream or spontaneously go to a movie. My point is to lighten up, play more, and simply have more fun. Afterall, one day he might not be there either. Life is short, don’t take it for granted. Instead, dive in and live every moment, out loud.