"When are you going to get a job?"

People still don't understand stay at home moms. One of the worst questions people ask is "When are you going to get a job?".

I chose to stay home with my kids and I will tell you, there were times when I wanted nothing more than to be a working woman. Being a stay at home mom is a SACRIFICE. Contrary to popular belief it is not about sitting at home, watching soap operas and reality TV and getting fat. Okay maybe the getting fat part, but that happens to working moms too. Being at home with your kids is hard. You don't get a lunch break. You're on 24/7.

When my kids were younger, people would say I should put them in daycare and work. Have you ever weighed those options? A woman with no degree, working a job under $10/hr, paying daycare, gas, eating lunch out, clothes for work... expenses add up. What I'd make would only pay for what I was using. The option was to stay home, raise my kids, teach them to read before they went to kindergarten, see them off to school, meet them at the door when they get home, ask them about their day, help them with their homework, cook for them,  spend time with them, give them attention, keep them out of trouble, be.their.mom...

I stayed home and for me, that was my gift to them. It's a sacrifice, on finanace, on my identity, on my self-worth at times. It was a sacrifice, because I'd watch mom's around me do it all. Career, education, home life. It made me feel inferior.

And the questions about "When are you going to get a job?", those questions from people who didn't GET IT were like knives sometimes. My job has been my kids. And I have excelled and managed my team well. It may not pay as much as yours, it doesnt come with medical benefits or a retirement check, but I can guarantee my reward is much much greater in the end.

~Inspired by an early morning conversation with A STAY-AT-HOME MOM.

Workout fail!

I have been killing myself with that workout I posted in my last post.  Have any of you tried it?  Okay, I'm not talking to those of you who are heavy fitness buffs, gung-ho burpee queens or marathon runners.  All of you don't count because I'm sure this is a piece of cake.  I'm taking about all of you newbies, or people like me who work out, but don't really work out.  You know, people like me who consider a good run the 3 minute jog that had you about to pass out. 

Today, I got on the treadmill to start the warm-up. 

I got off.  5 minute jog...

 

I could not force myself into a workout.

It's days like these that I disappoint myself.

 

I wanted to do anything BUT workout.

Like finish off the brownies I bought this weekend...

Well, I'll try again tomorrow!

Tight Curves workout

My sister sent me this workout. I took a look at it and figure what the heck! So the first day I tried it I was learning what each workout was. I didn't know what a lot of work outs were, so I was googling them as I went through them. I only did one rep, and only some of the workout. The next day the bottom half of my body was sore!

Today I tried to make it through the whole workout, doing 3 reps of each. I did most of it. I didn't do it without resting in between. I knew I couldn't handle that. I did modify because I don't have an exercise bike. I did my treadmill. 1 rep only. 4 minutes moderate, 11 inure strong.

My body is going to be screaming later. I surely can't stay up late tonight. But I really do like this workout! Lol!

Podcasts for Professions Settings? YES!

What are some ways podcasts can be used in professional settings? Why/when would podcasting be the appropriate new media tool to communicate the information? Discuss ways podcasts can establish credibility in the workplace.

Podcasting is a great tool for a business to talk about their product or service in detail in a short video or audio. Sometimes it may be easier for people to understand something if they can see or hear it. If a business is using a podcast in a video form it can allow potential customers to actually see what the business is selling. Videos are more visually appealing and will pique the interest of people more so than just a blog post.

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JourneytoFindMyInnerSkinny/posts/1494613010753381

A great HOW-TO PODCAST site

The site I chose is titles "How to conduct a quality podcast interview in 7 steps by Yaro Starak.
http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/6837/how-to-conduct-a-quality-podcast-interview-in-7-steps/

I thought this site gave great advice on communication in a successful podcast. It discussed creating a podcast from beginning to end, including the equipment needed to conduct a podcast and how to focus on the Audience and their needs. The tips were great for helping someone build a successful podcast.

https://www.facebook.com/JourneytoFindMyInnerSkinny/posts/1494615130753169

Unit 7 Assignment: Podcast for Journey to My Inner Skinny

Podcast for Journey to My Inner Skinny

Hello everyone and Welcome to Journey to My Inner Skinny.  I am your host, Kay, and today I be talking to you about the reason I began my journey and about one of the apps I am using to help me track and achieve my goals. 

For those of you who know me, you know me as a highly confident girl who has never had a problem with seeing beauty in herself.  Some call it conceitedness.  EH!  Either way, I have never had a problem with loving myself.  I still love myself and know my beauty, but recently the weight gain I see when I look at myself in the mirror, and the fact that my clothes are screaming for some relief, has me a little, well, uncomfortable with the girl I am now. 

So my journey began when I knew I didn’t want to be the fat friend in the crowd and I was tired of feeling like I didn’t want people to see me the way that I am.  My journey began when I realized that my stretchy gym clothes were the only clothes I wanted to put on every day.

So a trip to a wellness center where I could find out my BMI, and get a nutrition guide and also a fitness guide laid out for me is what has been helping.  Learning to set my goals and eat the right way to achieve weight loss has helped me a lot.  Counting calories, something I said I would never do, has been a very important part of everything.  I couldn’t do it on my own, so when I was introduced to an app that could help me do this, I was all in.  MyFitnessPal is a great app that helps me keep track of the things I am putting into my mouth all day.  There are foods preprogramed in the app for people like me who are clueless and don’t have the time or patience to weigh everything.  You can scan the labels of the things you’re eating and even find a restaurant’s menu items and log calories when you are eating out.  I can log my workouts, and keep in touch with friends who are using the app for support.  I have really liked using this app so far and I encourage anyone who is trying to lose weight to use it.

So far, my journey has been slow, but I am finding a happier Kay and a much more energized Kay.  So something has to working, right?  That my time.  Thanks you for listening to Journey to My Inner Skinny.

Unit 5 Assignment: Building a Blog

A blog is an online journal or diary written by a person or a group of people to log or document and share with readers (Kaplan Glossary, 2014).  It is a reflection of the personality of the author or the point or interest the author is trying to communicate.

            Starting with the blog design, a blog has to grab the interest of the reader.  The design should reflect the theme.  The design should be easy for readers to read and easy to follow.  The font shouldn’t be small and bunched up and the page should be cluttered.  A blog’s content should relate to the theme.  Pictures and graphics are appealing to readers but should be used smartly and in moderation.  Logos and catchy titles blog are the first things a reader sees and can help a reader determine whether they are interested in the blog or not.

            Adding your personal touch to a blog is how to get readers to connect.  When readers can connect with the author they feel like they are more than just readers but have a personal connection.  Having a connection with readers could keep them coming back.  A personal touch could be photos of the author and family, or using humor and sarcasm to display the author’s personality.  A blog for a company has to reflect the personality or image of the company.  A blog shouldn’t feel as if it is written by a robot, but by a real person and personal touches give the blog a personal voice. 

            Blogging is more than just writing something for someone to read but creating an ambiance with content geared towards a particular interest and audience.  A blog is visual and starts with what the readers sees in the design and the connection a person gets with the content and the author.  Blogs are an experience to the reader and the experience needs to be presented right to keep the readers coming back for more.