Have you ever struggled with feeling torn between pursuing a career, and juggling your family responsibilities? Maybe gotten frustrated and angry for feeling pressured like you have to choose: A Sheen Exclusive By Leslie T. Mitchell
You’re not the only one. As more and more women tackle this dichotomy head on, I’m doing my best to lead by example, and share what I’ve learned. I wrote my book, Balancing Act: Finding Your Footing on the Balance Beam of Life in 2019, as the result of my own frustrations with the feeling the pressure between family and career. The book has since become a masterclass and course, and also acts as the basis for my TV show, You Can Have It All, on the Everyday Woman TV network.
“Honestly, I was mad. I was frustrated, constantly feeling torn between performing in my career, and being the mom and wife I was called to be at home. I wanted to know – why do I have to choose? Why can’t I have it all?” I asked myself. “Why am I limited to, like funneled towards, only one role or the other, when I’m more than capable of doing both, and more?”
The book is the result of hours of research spent in productivity, efficiency, delegation, and setting, identifying, and maintaining healthy boundaries, all geared towards helping men and women achieve the life they’ve put on hold for one reason or another.
“Think about it this way. You are given $86,400, and you must spend every dime. If you don’t, you must give it back. Think about how you would prioritize the money, why would you buy this or that. Think through where you would give yourself room to grow, permission to indulge, or where you would cut back. That investment is your time. We’re given 86,400 seconds in every single day. Time is a gift. You can’t buy it or borrow it – but you can give it, you can share it. You just can’t make more of it.”
The book acts as the text for the Balancing Act Masterclass, or BAM, where l teach hands-on application to delegation, relinquishing control, and how to achieve your goals without sacrificing your sanity.
“The success of the masterclasses, which have now been running for two years, led me to launch both a community on Vibely and start my own TV show, called You Can Have It All. The show debuted last month on the Everyday Woman TV Network.”
BAM attendees aren’t shy about sharing their experiences – or their results.
“The Balancing Act Masterclass has truly impacted my life,” said attendee Shamonia Wimberly. “My list of tasks in my mind have become structured tasks. My saying yes to everything and everyone is no longer, and now I’m not trying to please others. I have mastered my position of saying no, not now, or I can offer my terms on what I am willing to do. Coach Leslie, thank you for helping me put my life and priorities in order!”
In the TV show, You Can Have It All, I lay the groundwork for living the tips, tricks, and techniques I teach in my masterclasses.
“I want people to know they can have it all – they just can’t do it all, and sometimes, that’s the hardest part. That’s where we need help. Just like you, I’m not the only one who lives in my house. Why should I feel like I’m the only one who is capable of making meals, cleaning up, parenting our kids? I’m not. So I can’t accept that pressure.”
Each TV episode is centered around a question, using a Socratic style designed to push viewers to ask the questions of themselves. Are you settling? Who told you that you couldn’t have it all, and finally, in the third episode, viewers are challenged to ask themselves what do you deserve?
“I want my viewers to make the big shifts in their thinking they need to, in order to unleash the lives they both deserve and desire. We have to be cognizant of what we’re putting out there, and what we think we are deserving of receiving.”
You can catch the show on Everyday Woman TV network, streaming on your favorite platforms, and new masterclasses start every eight weeks.
Happy balancing!
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