If you're like me, becoming a mom is one of the greatest gifts you've experienced in life.

But with it, comes some difficult decisions.

Having been a career woman whose life once centered around my work, I suddenly found myself dreading going into the office.

Secretly, I started fantasizing about quitting my job and reinventing my life AND my career.

That's when my Passion Shift began.

But I didn't quite know what The Passion Shift was yet, so I wasted a lot of time, energy, and emotion living in a perpetual state of “Shoulds...”

As in...
“I should be able to balance work and home better.”
“I should live up to other people's expectations of me.”
“I should be a better wife/mother/sister/employee...”

Can you relate?

I talk to so many women – from traditional working moms to moms who have shifted out of a 9 to 5 job and into a career of their own design to stay at home moms – and they all tell me that when they experienced THEIR Passion Shift, they, too, struggled with The “Shoulds.”

Today, I'm happy to report that I no longer live in a state of SHOULD.

It took some time, but I finally summoned the inner strength it required to send The “Shoulds” packing, and started creating a life of my own design – on my terms, for my family.

I left my job, reinvented my career, and now relish the gift of playing an active role in raising my daughter every day.

Notice I said GIFT.

When The Passion Shift first occurs, it can feel like a nuisance, bother, or burden.

Why am I feeling this way? you may find yourself lamenting.

What's wrong with me? you may be asking yourself every morning when you look in the mirror at the woman you no longer totally recognize.

It would be so much easier if I felt like I used to, you find yourself thinking as you lie awake at night, praying for a solution.

I get it. I've been there. And if you find yourself grappling with these feelings and more, you're not alone.

And you're not wrong for feeling how you feel.

Today, I invite you to STOP beating yourself up for wanting things to be different.

And I invite you to START looking at your Passion Shift as a gift.

It's not happening to you. It's happening for you.

The Passion Shift allows you create a deeper connection with who you're becoming as a mother. It allows you to redefine what's important to you. To get really clear about your values and the vision you have for your life as a mom – AND as a woman.

When I became a mom, my values experienced a significant shift. Suddenly I found myself craving simplicity. Freedom & Flexibility. Family. By tuning in to my most precious values, I gave myself permission to build a life based on what really mattered to me.

How can you tune in, honor, and build a life based on YOUR core values?

By simply identifying and understanding what's most important to you now that you're a mom, you can start identifying what needs to change for you to start living in more alignment with your shift.

It won't always be easy. And it will require courage. But remember – you're not on this journey alone. Many women have come before you. And many women will follow. How can you honor YOUR shift to create a life of your design on your terms?

Here's to celebrating your shift as a gift!

Karen Steele is a Mom, Entrepreneur, Founder of The Passion Shift and an avid rule-breaker in how she lives her life. Through her powerful 7-step Passion Shift™ program Karen shares her expertise and life-changing tools, tips and strategies to teach busy, overwhelmed working moms how to change the rules they live their life by so they can free their time and energy, find their passion and revolutionize their work life to create the fun, freedom and financial security they dream of for their families. Karen brings to her work over a decade of experience empowering women to build the confidence, courage and belief to create the lives they truly want.  Download Karen’s FREE Training Audio Master The Passion-Shift Mindset: Learn How To Change the Rules So You Can Start Living Your Passion, Revolutionize Your Work Life & Free Your Time & Energy to Have More Fun With Your Family. Follow Karen and The Passion Shift on FACEBOOK