Staying Fit...When You Have a Million Other Things to do

A Queen Bee is expected to do everything well...and to look good doing it. Health and fitness are critical to a Queen Bee in order to maintain her hectic schedule and fabulous lifestyle, but sometimes it seems IMPOSSIBLE to fit it all in. Lucky for you, productivity and multi-tasking are my specialties. Now we have already talked about the yoga class that I take, which doubles as quality family time. I have recently joined the parent team at my daughter's cheerleading gym. I usually don't have time to sit around and chat with the other moms, so this experience gives me the opportunity to get to know them and establish some networks. A Queen Bee's job is never done!

Initially, I was very skeptical about the idea of a "parent cheer team". I figured they wore matching outfits and really didn't do anything. I went to the first session really just to feel it out to see if there was anything I could get out of it...my time is much too precious to waste. Being that I was still sore enough to take ibuprofen 4 days later, I can tell you that it is a serious work out and it was fun. Plus, I don't know if you know about the "wonderful world of competitive cheerleading", but competitions usually last all.day.long. and most of the time is spent waiting - so it is definitely a plus to be among friends. Also, Sprite can come to practice with me and hang out with her team mates and work on her skills. We are all about killing as many birds as possible...with as few stones as possible.

Another option that a Queen Bee has when trying to optimize her work-out time within her existing schedule, is to organize people to work-out at her place of employment. We hired a personal trainer to come and torture a group of us right after work. We also walk together at lunch time, when weather permits. There are also tons of exercises you can do at your desk. Some can even be modified and done in the car during those long commutes - and long commutes are not recommended Queen Bees, but we'll talk more about that later. If you have the time, of course...

Commitment

So although my new year has gotten off to an excellent start, my resolution, (and I only have one...albeit a major and perhaps impossible one) has not. First, it looked like my usually meticulous planning was a little off . Second, I could not resist the opportunity to participate the parent team at Sprite's cheerleading gym (More on this later, but as in summary, it is about getting in shape and having fun and I am SORE)...which is going to cost me a little bit of money outside of my current discretionary budget of nil. Third, my cellphone which was the perfect tool for a super productive, multi-tasking Queen Bee such as myself, met an untimely demise, forcing me to buy a new one which may not be quite as fabulous, but was much less expensive...and it came in my favorite color. Last, but not the least of my temptations (though this is the one I will actually be able to resist...I believe) I received a phone call today from my salesgirl at Gucci regarding a little sling bag I inquired about...before the new year...before these self-imposed spending limitations...letting me know that the bag was in and she would be happy to hold it for me if I wanted her to...No thank you dear. Those funds are now committed elsewhere...let's see how long it takes before somebody has to commit me!

Creative Crisis

I'd like to think that I am a very creative person, and although I enjoy my job (especially the pay:) ) it seems to me that I should be doing something different. I have and have had a few creative side hustles that I have loved, that haven't been quite as lucrative as what I do now. Now every Queen Bee knows that it is more important to be content with yourself than to have a big paycheck (well, that's what I hear anyway), but the truth is I am not unhappy, I am just not as happy as I think I would be if I was using the right side of my brain a little more. I know that a Queen Bee such as myself can chart her own destiny based on her interest and even though it comes with risks, it would work out in the end...I guess I am not sure that it would work out before my home was foreclosed or my car was repossessed...which is why, for now, I have chosen to stay in my current profession and entertain my creative flights of fancy on a part-time basis.

BUT, a Queen Bee learns from her mistakes and the mistakes of others. My parents discouraged me from focusing on my creative interests - in the end, my master's degree is not really related to my bachelor's degree and my specialist's degree is only vaguely related to my master's degree - and I am still searching to find out what I am really meant to do. We will make sure that Sprite and Danger Boy are exposed to many different opportunities so they can figure out what things interest them most, and then we will support (hopefully not financially for too long into their adult lives) them to make sure that they can turn their interest into profitable careers. After all, who is going to take care of us when we are old (but you know Superwomen are never old, whatever their age may be)