Paradigm Shift NYC Presents “No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power” with Gloria Feldt, Feminist Icon

TWM is proud to be a Co-Sponsor of this Women's History Month event and honored that our founder, Kristina Leonardi will be one of the panelists.  Hope to see you on March 19th! 

Click here for more information and place to register.

At Your Service

The following was originally posted on January 18, 2011 on Kristina's blog.

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week. Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a coach and speaker in the areas of career development, work/life wellness and personal growth.  

You can follow her @clearlykristina and like her Personal Growth Gab (PGG) page on Facebook to get more thought-provoking, inspirational and motivational tidbits like this!

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“Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”  Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the most common desires I hear from clients when embarking on a new career or making a transition is that they want to be doing something with meaning, something that helps people.
My approach is to ask them,  “What is the thing that makes you, you? What you are passionate about; when do you lose track of time?” I inquire as to what their fantasy job would be, and very rarely does that answer have to do with becoming a social worker or joining the Peace Corps.

You don’t have to become the next Mother Teresa, Gandhi or MLK to make a difference and live your life in service to others. Perhaps that may be your path, but as Dr. King also said, “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” Running for public office or volunteering on a regular basis can certainly fill that role, but service can be expressed in a myriad of forms that aren’t always so obvious or grandiose. Just being yourself and doing your best at YOU allows us to benefit from whatever unique gifts and talents you possess.

When one’s work is done with love and integrity, every job is one of service. MLK day is also about celebrating diversity, which can refer to many things including occupation.  We all have jobs that make the world go round. Whether it’s the super taking care of your building, the bus driver making sure you get to your destination safely, the guy who makes your coffee and bagel every morning, the janitor that cleans the public restrooms you use, the designer of the clothes you are wearing, the comedian that made you laugh last night, the singer whose song you enjoyed on your Ipod, writer whose novel you devoured over the weekend – no occupation is too insignificant, as long as it is done to the best of one’s ability, you can see how any of those people have served you on some level.

And regardless of your job, there is also the service you can provide by smiling at someone when you’re walking down the street, or showing a kindness to a stranger, and notice how for moment you made someone happy or uplifted them in some way.

The thing that I enjoy most and lose track of time doing is talking to folks about their life’s work and helping them make their everyday existence as meaningful and peaceful as possible. I would love the opportunity to help you connect the dots of your life, create more work/life balance and recognize the value in whatever you do,  so just give me a buzz as I am always here, at your service!

All Roads: Same Place

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week. Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a career/life coach, speaker, seminar leader and expert in the areas of career development, work/life wellness and personal growth.

The following was originally posted on September 25, 2013 on Kristina's blog.

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September is always an exciting time of year for me as world leaders convene on the island of Manhattan for the United Nations General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative.

Many of you know my degree is in International Relations. Early on I was a passionate student of languages and cultures, got bit by the travel bug at age 12 after a trip to Spain, Portugal and Morocco with my grandmother; by senior year in high school I was studying Spanish, French and Italian (foregoing chemistry and physics..), Mandarin Chinese freshman year in college, organized international student orientations, studied abroad my third year…you get the picture.

My dream was to one day work for the UN, as my intention and mission in life was to contribute to world peace (I simply didn’t understand why people and countries couldn’t get along just because of race, religion or anything else), so that was a seemingly logical goal. Who grows up wanting to be a career/life coach? Like so many professions today, that didn’t even exist when I was a kid! Ah, but the Universe has a funny way of working things out.

Once I discovered that being employed by the UN did not ultimately fit my skill set or desired environment, I set out to create my own international experiences - teaching middle and high school Spanish, working and traveling with an upscale educational tour operator, teaching Tourism Destinations & Cultures for NYU, and founding my own mini-version of the UN called The Women’s Mosaic, bringing together women from different cultures and backgrounds to learn from and be inspired by one another.

As a result of that creation, I got hooked into the UN, met several times and received praise from Kofi Annan, have attended many of their conferences (I still get verklempt when I am in the auditorium wearing an earpiece…), and before any of this, without consciously trying, ended up living in the very neighborhood where the UN’s headquarters is situated – so for my entire adult life I have been surrounded by diplomats and their missions, sharing my coffee shop, gym and grocery store with them 24/7.

Fast forward to more recently, as my interest and passion for personal growth, empowerment and healing along with my ability to relate to just about anyone, combined with x-ray vision, supersonic hearing, and broad knowledge base of industries, careers and other resources have combined to make me into this very interesting and profoundly effective person I will call a career/life coach for lack of a better title….and I have been helping people professionally in this capacity for over six years.

Last week I had a big ah-ha moment after a Skype session with a new client in Hungary who had attended one of my talks while here on holiday. Although that was only my second international call, I realized just how diverse and, yes, global my clientele is! I have worked with well over a hundred people from all backgrounds – whether foreign nationals here visiting or working temporarily, or folks that were not born here but came as children or adults to live. They hail from Macedonia, Italy, Puerto Rico, Mexico, New Zealand, Dominican Republic, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, Canada, Australia, El Salvador, Russia, Japan, Philippines, and Israel as well as embody the many diverse ethnicities and religions found here; African-American, Haitian, Indian, Persian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Quaker, and so much more; many of my clients have accents, as English is their second or third language! So DUH, here I am using my degree in ‘International Relations’ yet once again, simply in another form. Pretty cool, huh?

I share all of this not just to illustrate how the thread of my interests and passions have run through everything I do, but also for this: My work with individuals only confirms my theories, thoughts and ideals about countries and humanity as a whole. The more I learn and observe intimately the intricacies of all these seemingly different folks’ journeys and backgrounds, the more I see the hard evidence of how we are all wired as humans with the same desires, dreams, hopes and challenges – no matter what corner of the globe you are from we have far more in common than you can imagine.

Think you’re so special? You are. You have a uniqueness that you bring to this planet. But you are also made of the same stuff as that guy or gal is sitting next to you on the subway, or across the ocean. And because of things like technology and climate change, we are more interconnected than ever. So this week take a moment to expand your horizons - who can you learn about, chat with or help in some way that is out of your normal sphere of influence? How can you Imagine your world for the better? What can you do to think globally but act locally?

Not sure what is the micro in your life that will affect the macro? Give me a buzz and we’ll translate the language of your soul to see how it will weave into the tapestry of history and become that much needed piece of the peace puzzle we are all a part of, no matter who you are or where you come from.

FINAL WEEK: Be sure to take advantage of my special Back to School September discount offer!

Salary Negotiations and Self Confidence

I recently learned the importance of negotiation, especially when it comes to salary. When I received a job offer letter from a small company offering a part-time position that will become full-time after a month, it looked good to me at first. Then, my eyes scanned down to the hourly rate listed, and I knew I had to start negotiating. While I understand that most companies of all sizes have had to downsize due to the lingering consequences of the recession, I knew immediately that I could not accept the offer as is.


From all that I have read and know from firsthand knowledge about salary negotiations, I am aware that many job seekers won't even attempt to start the process, which should happen right after an offer is made by a potential employer. Sometimes those who have been looking for employment for an extended period of time may be prone to jump on the first opportunity to come their way. I have different circumstances; I work as a consultant for several companies, and while I am open to a full-time position, it has to be something that will justify me giving up (or cutting down) on my other work projects. The position I was recently offered did not convince me to make any changes, because they are only willing to go up $1 an hour, and they are not offering any benefits.


My advice to anyone in this situation is to always see if there is any "wiggle room" in a job offer. If an increase in salary is not possible or not as high as you would like it to be, then a prospective employer may be open to other options, such as offering public transportation reimbursement, parking fees or a health insurance plan with varying levels of coverage. When I was negotiating my salary, I calculated how much my daily travel expenses to and from the location would be, and the result is one of the reasons why I decided not to accept the position.


I knew that if I accepted their terms with no hesitations, I would not be able to respect myself. I also think my would-be employer would have continued to undervalue me, knowing that I am willing to work for so little from the very beginning. Ultimately, I walked away from negotiations with my head held high, knowing that I made the right decision. Thankfully, I handled myself well enough that they are considering me for a per diem position, which I can definitely live with.


Do you have any salary negotiation stories to share?

I Wanna Dance!

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to welcome Sonia as a guest blogger:

Sonia is an economist from Barcelona. She discovered flamenco and decided to make it her profession at the age of 24, completely changing her life. She's convinced you can do anything you want if you fight for it and never lose your passion!


When I sat down to write this, an avalanche of questions and doubts came to me... Who am I to be writing? What do I have to say?

Well: I’m 31, with a degree in Economics; at 24, I fell in love with dancing; at 26, I quit a great job to become a professional flamenco dancer. And after seven years of struggle, I AM HAPPY and want to share with you my journey.

Leaving work was perhaps the easiest part. At 24, I was dancing at the same level as a 6-year-old and my body prevented me from moving as fast as my mind was going. Needless to say, though I didn’t lack desire or dedication, I felt powerless. Accepting my physical limitations and learning to handle destructive feelings of impotence and frustration, are perhaps two of the battles won I'm most proud of because they provided me with the tools to face other challenges. In my case, these challenges included the death of my mother two years ago and, of course, leaving a career my family and friends were proud of to be an artist. (I won’t tell you what my father said when I announced: “Papa, yo quiero bailar” -- “Dad, I wanna dance!”)

After quitting, I had more to overcome. I was good and people believed I had danced for several years but I kept hiding the truth because I saw my age as a handicap and something to be ashamed of. We’ve been sold the idea that the age when you started doing something defines how well you do it and how authorized you are to teach it to others. The younger, the better. I was not even allowed to participate in many contests for “new talent” because I’m too old, despite my limited years of training.

But isn’t it just as valid to have started something in later in life and achieve success?

I realized that my age was something to be proud of. When you start a new life at a later age, it means you’re sailing alone. But as your arms move your boat forward, those arms get stronger, providing better support for the weight of the challenges, disappointments, failures, as well as opportunities and success that will come to you.

I hope my story will encourage you. If you are someone who’s a little unhappy and needs a final push to start changing it, know that you can! In these troubled times when everything is changing, maybe we should take advantage of this global confusion and embrace change. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who understand and support you.

The next step for me is going to New York. I don’t know what will come of it, but neither did I that first day I put on flamenco shoes thinking that it was just a leisure activity for after work... and it changed my life!

From Hate to Happiness

This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared on my personal blog:

An observation: It's been so long since I did work I actually enjoy doing that I forgot 1) how wonderful it feels, and 2) that it's possible to work for long periods of time without needing distractions.

Starting Tuesday afternoon, I worked almost non-stop on a new project until Wednesday at midnight. In that time, I took three breaks: a 3-hour nap, a walk in the gorgeous, sunny, 75-degree weather in Paris, and a picnic dinner along the Seine with friends. And while I was tired by the end and welcomed sleep once I got to bed, for most of that time, I was so energized and excited that I kept working because I didn't want to do anything else. I was, dare I say it, HAPPY. Imagine that!

I used to love working. Even if I didn't love the job or the people or office politics or maybe just wasn't feeling it that day, working made me happy. I was a workaholic because it was a chance to constantly challenge myself, learn something new, and do the things I enjoyed, even if only for a few hours a week. In the last year, I started not only hating work but hating myself. I knew something was wrong long before I got the nerve to fix it but even then, I didn't fully appreciate how much I had changed until now.

my new, balanced schedule - took me two hours to create & it was FUN! I even danced!

I remember now why I've never believed that everyone is miserable at work, because they don't have to be! It is perfectly possible to live your life not hating work! That doesn't mean you love it all the time or maybe even most of the time (ebb and flow and all that jazz) but you certainly shouldn't hate it.

So if you do hate it, hopefully you'll take the risk, get out of there, and get back on track. Or at least find a way to add more of what you love to a situation you hate as a tentative step. Even with how stressful things have been for me these last few months -- and these last two weeks in particular -- I feel so much lighter and calmer and happier than I did all of last year. I feel like a totally different person.

Here's hoping you aren't in a miserable situation (fingers crossed), but that you find the courage to take yourself out if you are.

At Your Service

The following was originally posted on January 18, 2011 on Kristina's blog.

Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a career/life coach, speaker, seminar leader and expert in the areas of career development, work/life wellness and personal growth.  Click here for her special caoching rates through the end of January.

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“Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the most common desires I hear from clients when embarking on a new career or making a transition is that they want to be doing something with meaning, something that helps people.

My approach is to ask them, “What is the thing that makes you, you? What you are passionate about; when do you lose track of time?” I inquire as to what their fantasy job would be, and very rarely does that answer have to do with becoming a social worker or joining the Peace Corps.

You don’t have to become the next Mother Teresa, Gandhi or MLK to make a difference and live your life in service to others. Perhaps that may be your path, but as Dr. King also said, “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” Running for public office or volunteering on a regular basis can certainly fill that role, but service can be expressed in a myriad of forms that aren’t always so obvious or grandiose. Just being yourself and doing your best at YOU allows us to benefit from whatever unique gifts and talents you possess.

When one’s work is done with love and integrity, every job is one of service. MLK day is also about celebrating diversity, which can refer to many things including occupation. We all have jobs that make the world go round. Whether it’s the super taking care of your building, the bus driver making sure you get to your destination safely, the guy who makes your coffee and bagel every morning, the janitor that cleans the public restrooms you use, the designer of the clothes you are wearing, the comedian that made you laugh last night, the singer whose song you enjoyed on your Ipod, writer whose novel you devoured over the weekend – no occupation is too insignificant, as long as it is done to the best of one’s ability, you can see how any of those people have served you on some level.

And regardless of your job, there is also the service you can provide by smiling at someone when you’re walking down the street, or showing a kindness to a stranger, and notice how for moment you made someone happy or uplifted them in some way.

The thing that I enjoy most and lose track of time doing is talking to folks about their life’s work and helping them make their everyday existence as meaningful and peaceful as possible. I would love the opportunity to help you connect the dots of your life, create more work/life balance and recognize the value in whatever you do, so just give me a buzz as I am always here, at your service.

In Trouble For No Reason

Have you ever been in a situation at work where you did nothing wrong, but the hypersensitivity of others gets you in trouble? This just happened to my mother, a nurse supervisor, who had to report a staffing situation at work, and then recommended that the managers make sure their staffing is secure before they leave for the weekends. She actually got in trouble for writing this, even though this is what managers are supposed to do. Her co-workers and I know she did nothing wrong, but it appears that her direct supervisor agrees with the manager who complained about her email in the first place. My mother has been warned and even threatened with termination if they find fault with her future correspondence. There is definitely more to this story meets the eye.

My mother is planning to retire next year, so she is ready for an earlier termination if it comes. She is also one of the highest paid in her position, so those who do the firing would prefer to let go of someone like her. This way, they can hire someone else to do the same work for much less. My mother’s supervisor, who was just hired last year to clean house, has been very critical of her for nonexistent offences. My mother’s saving grace has always been her great work ethic; if her performance was less than stellar, she definitely would have been fired by now.

The complaint made against my mother is just further proof that those who are great at their jobs, are pleasant and fair to their co-workers, subordinates, and supervisors, and always try to do the right thing can still be on the chopping block for a many complicated reasons. I think the lesson is to continue doing a good job, whatever it may be, but to be aware of those in the position to make life more difficult, for their own reasons. A little paranoia may be necessary for survival.

Have you been in trouble at work for no valid reason?

Tricky Timing

One of the strangest things about life is timing. It's strange how everything seems to fall apart at the same time, but then also comes together at the same time.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was stressing out about going on my tropical vacay to Antigua without having a job. Even though the vacation was booked way before I was jobless, it seemed like a waste of time (not to mention, the opposite of relaxing) to spend an entire week abroad, with limited internet access when there were jobs to apply to and interviews to go on.

So it was pretty much the best news ever to finally land a gig just as I was off to my vacation! Then while away, I learned that I got into the grad program in Paris I had applied to a mere week before!

Of course the timing of everything was kinda crazy to me. I was happy to learn that I can petition for a deferment to enter the grad program in the spring or fall of 2013 instead of this fall (and now hoping it's accepted), but it's still a lot going on in a very short period of time. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, just realizing how quickly things can fall apart and then how quickly they can all gel back together again.

Now I'm back from paradise, hating the cold, but excited about figuring out the next steps in my life -- starting with my first day at work tomorrow morning!

My Downtime

It's now the start of my second week without a job, and it's been a bit strange so far. I've learned some things about myself, starting with the fact that I don't seem capable of sitting still for very long. I don't know if it's because I'm freaking out about not having a job or if I just don't know how to relax, but apart from a couple of days when I took one nap, I haven't given myself much down time.

I'm spending my days applying to jobs, interviewing, looking for side gigs, talking to recruiters, and staying active (and sane) with hot yoga and the gym. In the next couple of weeks, I'll also be working on an application for a grad program at the American University of Paris.

This is not at all the image my friends have of how I'm spending my time. When I talk about how tired or sore I feel, they look at me like I'm crazy and make comments about how easy it is to not have to work.

I don't know how much longer I can go without having a job and feeling like I actually have a purpose, but I'm hoping this doesn't have to last long enough to make a difference.

Have you ever had downtime from work (by choice or not) that kept you as busy as you were at work? Did you ever take a real break?

What's 2012 Got for Us?

As 2011 comes to a close, most of us are reflecting on how it went and wondering what 2012 might hold for us. My best friend and I were so emotionally and mentally drained from 2010, we just wanted it to be over and couldn't wait for 2011 to begin. We figured, hey, it can't get much worse!

We were right to expect great things in 2011: we both found jobs we loved, apartments in neighborhoods near each other, roommates we not only tolerated but actually liked, new friends, new lovers, and a lot more. I'm sure there are other people out there who had even better, more eventful 2011s, but we've got reason to be happy with what we got.

Now that 2012 is nearly upon us, I'm starting to worry about what it has in store for us. One thing we know for sure is that we're going on a week-long trip to Antigua in February, and something tells me we'll definitely need it. By then, we'll each have new roommates that we hope we like as much as the ones we have now, as one of my roommates and her only roommate are both moving to the West Coast (not together, just a coincidence). Oh, and then there's the little thing of having to look for a new source of income because I'll be unemployed as of December 30th.

I guess you can say the year is ending with as much newness and uncertainty as it brought throughout the year. I just hope this rocky end to 2011 doesn't bleed too much into 2012 so we can both start fresh as quickly as possible and recharge our batteries on a warm beach in the Caribbean.

What do you think 2012 holds for you?

Switch Em Up Style

The summer has been very hectic for me, especially with moving and starting a new job within a week of each other. I've now been in my new apartment for just over a month and at my new job just under a month, but I'm still trying to get used to both. The apartment end doesn't need much of an update, but I'm struggling just a bit on the job front.

It's not that things aren't going well; they're actually going splendidly in terms of my actual work, the people I'm meeting, and the compliments I've been getting about my performance. What I'm struggling with is something that seems small but is starting to cause a bit of anxiety: fashion.

Yes, my clothes, makeup, hair, and shoes are constantly on my mind now that I work in "corporate America." I straighten my hair at least once a week now and feel strange when I don't have time and it's a poofy mess of curls. I try to wear makeup every day (something I've never even come close to doing before), but have been failing somewhat miserably so far because I constantly forget until I'm in the office. I wear dresses almost every day because I haven't gotten pants that fit, and I wear cardigans or blazers to cover my tattoos. I switch back and forth between (somewhat dingy) flats and the heels I bought a while back that I never thought I'd wear regularly. 

The problem is I haven't quite figured out how I'm supposed to dress. I look at my colleagues and try to see what their outfits have in common, which isn't usually much other than not wearing jeans. Every morning is the same game of questions: is this skirt too short? Does this actually match? Am I showing too much skin?

I'm hoping I get the hang of it soon and can stop worrying about something I care as little about as fashion. Though now that I say it, maybe that's the source of the problem...

Have you ever needed to worry about switching up your style? How did it go?

Email Communication Vacation

This holiday season, I plan to take a nice long break from checking my work-related emails. This is harder than it sounds, especially since I do most of my work from my laptop anywhere I happen to be. My hours are often long, and can extend into the weekends. I am often on the road, off to meetings with clients and associates who need a great deal of information, so I must always be prepared. That is why I made a conscious decision to step away from my work email completely during my seventeen days out of the office.

In previous positions I have had, I was always tempted to check work email if I had access to it after a few days. Since I am fortunate enough to have more time off, I decided to disconnect from my work-related duties completely for a little more than two weeks to reflect on the year that has passed, plan a little for the year to come, and to reconnect with family and friends. Yes, I need more than just thinking of a few New Year’s Resolutions the day before the year end.

A part of me would like to avoid personal emails completely during this period, but that would not be possible for me due to familial and friendship obligations. I see myself just checking once a day, or once every other day, just to see if I can. Perhaps when I have another vacation in the future, I can retreat from my personal emails completely too, but it seems too radical a concept for me at this time.

We are all so connected to each other via the web, but not so much in person; the Internet is our substitute for most communications these days. When there is no Internet access, we often find ourselves lost if we do not turn on our computers, laptops and/or phones to see what is going on. I look forward to transforming any lost feelings I may have into those of freedom from “the machine.”

Would you ever take a break from email?

Blogging for Equal Pay Day

Many of you probably don’t know this, but today is Equal Pay Day. As somebody whose major in college was women’s studies, I’ve long been aware of the wage gap that persists and have stayed on top of the facts now that it affects me much more. Here's some info:

On average, women make roughly 77 cents to each dollar a man makes. For example, a recent study found that women make $4,600 less than men in their first post-MBA job. Minorities also face a wage gap, and not only because of differences in education. The difference among women is also a problem – the wage gap between mothers and non-mothers is widening. Just this week, we learned that women who have children at an older age aren’t as heavily penalized on the equal pay front as women who have children at a younger age.

There are a lot of factors at play here, but I want to bring attention to one part of it that is within our control, and that’s salary negotiation.

Of all the women friends I have, there are only two I can think of who have ever tried to negotiate their salary – one negotiated her starting salary and the other negotiated a raise. I have to admit that even I had never negotiated a salary until my most recent job offer, even with all of my knowledge about how important it is to negotiate at every level. While every negotiation you make will not always result in the outcome you want or need, it’s still crucial to make the effort and the fact is that a lot of women don't.

Aside from that course of action we can take in our own careers, it’s also good to educate ourselves and others. The National Committee on Pay Equity website has a lot of facts and figures, along with resources on evaluating your company’s practices, learning about the Paycheck Fairness Act, and so forth. So get out there and make every day Equal Pay Day until Equal Pay is a reality.

Where The Jobs Are

Like many Americans, I am looking for a steady job. There is so much information in the media about the recovering economy and job growth, but like many others, I haven’t seen these improvements yet. I know that I have to be open to moving to another part of the United States, or even another country. It is all about where the jobs are, and that means taking risks.

I am not unfamiliar with this. When I received my ESL teaching certification a few years ago, I decided to teach abroad for at least one year. I was a little scared to leave the U.S. for Indonesia; the only person I knew who lived there was a cousin I met once when I was a little girl. The first few months after I arrived were difficult, because I was constantly getting sick, and the workplace culture at the two schools I worked in was very corrupt. Despite all of this, I made a life for myself there. I made friends, learned to speak a little of the language, and traveled to some beautiful locales. In short, I adapted to my surroundings, even though I was counting the days until my teaching contract would be complete. I proved to myself that since I made it in Indonesia, I can make it almost anywhere I want to go.

I plan to move twice this year; once at the end of this month, and the next before the end of this year. The first move is a transitional one, because I will still be living near New York City, but my plans are to relocate to out of the area completely. I just know that my next opportunity is somewhere else, and I am ready to take it on, whatever it is. I am looking forward to the future, even with all of the uncertainties surrounding me.

Would you relocate for the right job, even if it means leaving everything and everyone you know behind?

A Commute Disrupted

I recently started a new job and with that new job comes a new commute. It’s much closer to my home than my previous job; a 15-minute walk, to be exact. When I first realized this, I got really excited. I love walking and have been known to walk to and from my previous job during nice weather, even if it was a 50- to 60-minute walk. But now that I’ve actually tried out this commute, it occurs to me that there was something I was forgetting: reading.

You see, I normally do most of my reading on my commute to work. A 30-minute ride in public transportation is great for getting through a couple of chapters in a good book. A 15-minute walk, however, would be quite dangerous if there were any books thrown into the mix. I tried taking the bus this morning in the hopes that I could get through at least a few pages, but the bus ride was only 10 minutes long – not even enough time to get back into my book.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t make me less excited about starting my new job. My job will be fun and the people seem great, but what on earth is a bookworm to do without a commute during which to read her books?!

I suppose it doesn’t help that my schedule in general for the past two weeks has been even more hectic than usual. Or that the next two weeks will continue to be just as bad. Usually, this amount of pressure and stress is easily alleviated with a good dose of reading at the start and end of my days.

How will I find the time to do what I love doing most? Any suggestions?

Money Makes the World Go Round

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week:

Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic. She is a career/life path consultant, speaker, seminar leader and expert in the areas of women, diversity and personal growth.

Join her for TWM's Visioning Workshop next Saturday, March 20. You can also check out her series, Thursdays at Three for weekly inspiration.


Artists and musicians do it. Actors and writers do it. Designers do it. Nonprofits and entrepreneurs do it. To some extent, we all do it. We strive to maintain our authenticity, creativity and vision of who we are and what we want to express in the world while trying to earn a living in it.

Last week I attended a lovely event hosted by In Good Company highlighting the journey of fashion designer Selia Yang. She reinforced once again that for successful creative types, every decision cannot always be 100% creative - to truly exist and thrive, you must understand and often defer to the financial/commercial aspect.

These types of lifestyles are the 'roads less traveled' for a reason - if it was easy everyone would be doing it! It's a path that takes faith, determination, perseverance, and, perhaps most of all, courage.

The word courage is made up of the Latin root for 'heart'. There is no doubt that to do what you want to do in life, you need lots of heart - in the form of love for yourself, others and your work, and the passion and conviction to forge ahead, even if you don't know for sure where your next meal will come from.

There's a reason they call it show business, and although nonprofits are not for profit, they still need money to do the work they do. How to achieve that balance of being who we are and supporting ourselves is an eternal quest with no silver bullet answer. At the end of the day, we need to be able to decide as individuals just how much we can compromise ourselves for it.

When choosing to live a life that is most true to who you are, you need to be aware of what things you might have to sacrifice to make things happen. But as challenging as the path can be, there is always a payoff for sticking with it - we wouldn't have all the beauty, innovation, entertainment and opportunity in the world if others hadn't done so!

The Story of a Writer

CHICKS ROCK! welcomes our latest guest blogger, Moria:

Moria Byrne is an editor, blogger, freelance journalist and New York native. Her articles have appeared in: Baltimore Business Journal, Maryland Daily Record, The Jewish Times, and The Narragansett Times.


Before moving to New York, I never uttered the words “I'm a writer” out loud. I lived in Maryland where writing means government grants or medical writing for Johns Hopkins. Mostly, I didn't take my writing seriously. I wrote as a freelance journalist for a few local newspapers, but editing was how I made a living.

A few years ago, I believed the world saw writers as the mechanics of the communication world. We have the talent to put things together in a functional way most people don't--yet we're not taken seriously. Maybe it was New York's overpriced coffee or polluted air, but suddenly, I believed I'd underestimated writers. We are chameleons, I told myself. (Not out loud, of course.) Our creativity takes us in endless directions: copywriters, teachers, radio hosts, what have you. I was ready to throw my proverbial beret in the air and then it hit me. How will I make a living at writing?

My transition from editor to writer would have been easier if I'd stayed in the country. But wanderlust led me to the Philippines. When I returned to the States and attended a Media Bistro event in NYC, I experienced culture-shock. I went to a panel on the "Magazines of the Future" and was accosted with words Twitter, CMS, and RSS. I realized I was MIA. I was ready to ship myself in a ground air mail package to the country I'd just returned from where at least I spoke the local language. But being a journalist at heart, I investigated. I found social media communities were happy to share free information on the new terminology.

In a city with Ivy Leagues, Fortune 500 businesses and media leaders, I have attended seminars, found cutting edge industry information, and built my skills without more than a subway pass and wireless card. My internal software has been updated and I’m amazed at where social media could take my career. But NYC serves as both teacher and muse. Despite the lean prospects for employment in this overpopulated city, inspiration is enough reason to stay for now.

My In-Between Schedule

Something happens to people when they find themselves between paying jobs. Some of us instantly jump into action to find another position by posting and sending a resume to everyone we know, and attending networking functions. Others need structure and the appropriate motivation to find out what is next for us, because despair is a serious roadblock on the road to employment, especially during the current recession. I believe that difficult times like these come to us as human beings to test us. It is a psychological "survival of the fittest" that scares us all, but we can rise above fear to explore options never considered under normal circumstances.

I consider myself one of those people who can think "outside the box" now that I am in the crossroads of my life and career possibilities. I see many roads ahead of me, so I am preparing myself before choosing which one to take. One way I do this is by establishing something many of us take for granted: a daily schedule.

I find that if I adhere to some sort of daily routine, I am far more productive. Waking up everyday by at least 6:30 AM is one way to get me motivated to complete various tasks and just enjoy more of the day. Instead of being chained to my laptop everyday for hours, I make sure to go to libraries for a change of scenery. It is important to diversify your tasks and surroundings on a daily basis when you are in between jobs, because it is easy to become complacent when one day is like all the other days before it.

There are pitfalls to a schedule that I am very familiar with. If it is too strict and doesn't take into account the unexpected, it can easily fall apart. If you just have some sort of schedule in place and make an effort to follow through with it, life is much more manageable.

Do you have a personal schedule that works for you?

Is the Grass Greener?

People who know me know that I can be indecisive about my future. I have had the feeling for some time now that I am “running in place” in almost all aspects of my life, and when I have so many ideas as to what my next steps will be, it can be overwhelming, to say the least.

Some friends and family members have had great success moving to other countries and/or cities to accomplish their goals. It is a leap of faith when someone leaves everything they know to build a life elsewhere. It is nothing new, especially since a primary aspect of human history is migration. As the child of immigrants, I know from my parents how difficult it was to leave their families and friends to realize the American dream. My relatives who remain in India or live in other parts of the world believe that it far too easy for people to achieve financial success in America. Some of them claim to dislike this country and the people, even though they have never been here or had any interactions with Americans (with the exception of my siblings and cousins, of course.) Still, it is apparent to me that most of these naysayers would have jumped at the chance to come to the U.S.A., if they had the opportunity. Those of my relatives who never had any interest to visit this country at the very least (if there are any) are more than willing to ask for, and accept, American dollars from my parents when they come to visit India. “The grass may be greener,” in their eyes, but many of them don’t understand what my parents and other immigrants went through to become successful.

Relocation to another city (or possibly another country) is on the table for me now, especially since my current project is coming to an end. I am keeping myself in check by making realistic and ambitious career goals, and pray that all will turn out well.

Do any of you have plans to relocate, or have you done so already?