After a long day's work, I came home and made dinner, did the laundry, and still had time to put my feet up and flip between America's Next Top Model and America's Got Talent. But the beauty of this is the fact that I just had to take care of myself. I do not (thank God) have any kids or a husband or anyone else to think about when I get home. So for this week I am wondering: Can we have it all? Or do women have to give up love for success???
In today's world of oober independent, strong women the media gives off the message that the lifestyle of the 1950s wife is no longer necessary. It is now more important for most women to climb the corporate ladder than it is to find a man, marry and multiply. A recent study by the Pew Research Center even suggests that 18% of women in America have not had kids by age 40. And of course this is a complicated study with multiple factors that I will cover later ... but my point is, the growing trend in America is to focus on your future in terms of your career as oppossed to a family.
And according to Forbes.com, No, You Can't Have It All! This article says that their are three exceptions to this rule: having a "house husband", having a flexible work schedule, and having a nanny. But even these offer a "watered-down" version of parenting. And the article suggests that someone who tries to balance both may never make it to the top in her career. The author writes, "It may be in some ways the ideal compromise, but once a woman is no longer available 24-7, she is sure to lose out to her male counterparts."
So even though I am several years away from needing to know how to even try to balance a career and a family, it is something that I think about. This is the time when the climb on the corporate ladder begins. And everything from here on will determine my future. This is the time where we determine and develop our futures. Though the long term is trying to balance soccer practice and business meetings, the short term is trying to balance the full time internship and the dating world. So even though this seems far off, it's actually pretty complicated now too.
While it may seem difficult and perhaps impossible to "have it all", I will still strive to conquer both a successful career and a successful love life. Because there is hope out there for those of us who try to be Superwoman and have it all.
Here's what you said on Twitter:
skeyz91 @sexintheville "No unless they make it their decision. Many women have balanced love and success and had gr8 lives."
Let's not get it twisted ladies! You can't have what you never owned in the first place. If you don't OWN balance in your world, the next level you get to you can't own it either. So, no you can't balance dating and climbing the corporate ladder, chances are your balancing act between ballet practice and that proposal at 6:30pm is going to fail too! And to even get a husband you have to have a boyfriend. To get a boyfriend you have to be attractive to the one seeking you. Every now and then ladies, take that suit jacket off and be just that a LADY! Don't forget a man wants a librarian, cook, nanny, stripper, and a teacher. There's where that balance comes in! But before he sees that in you, he sees that attractive LADY first, not your career. That will keep his interest, but not keep it up (if you know what I mean)! So, if and only if you got the mindset to be EVERY WOMAN, Whitney Houston, then sit down little girl! You haven't graduated to Woman yet!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah we definitely have to be able to balance!
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