Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamorphosis. - Martha Beck

Are you mindful of the nature of your friends, family, clients and associates?

Do you often engage with people who take pleasure in espousing crazy talk, negativity or languishing in the past? Or do you share your time with people who are mostly positive, supportive and creative? If you are surrounded by the former, I recommend weeding your personal garden of buzz kills, complainers, controllers and drama queens.

Have you been involved in situations where personal power is traded for acceptance and peace at any cost? Finding ourselves in situations where we relinquish our personal power and over-empower others is a part of life until you learn how to protect and own your personal power. If you are a highly sensitive person, these encounters can bring forward feelings of sadness, betrayal and confusion.

March is teasing you to wake up to your full potential. Tapping you on the shoulder reminding you to breathe and embrace the Spring thaw. Chirping at you to bid farewell to February's low light and bleak economic climate.

The standard definition of selfish goes something like this...

Limited to or caring only about yourself and your own needs or lacking regard for the rights or feelings of others; "shockingly inconsiderate behavior".

Yet, we observe the world through our eyes, ears, tastes, emotions and personal experiences.

How can we not be selfish?

One of the definitions of overwhelm is being buried or drowned beneath a huge mass.

Feel familiar?

My particular brand of overwhelm is more like ... suffocating skin crawling madness. I used to be the mistress of overwhelm. The discomfort was intense and yet there was a rush involved with pulling off what felt impossible. It took years to get acquainted with the damage ripple caused by all of the needless stress.

The good news is you can learn to minimize this paralyzing feeling by facing what's going on and taking action; like a gymnast on a balance beam, taking one step sure step after the other.

Through life experience, education and awareness, I have observed three kinds of people. Those who dwell in the past, those who thrive in the moment and those who prepare for the future.

Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Science has proved that stress damage to DNA is the culprit behind wrinkles, gray hair, and diseases that can shorten our lifespan.

A whopping number of women are working full time jobs and raising families. We are professionals, employees, entrepreneurs, mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and friends. Some of us even do our best to be everything to everyone, but at what cost? We working moms must start to pay attention to the quality of our lives. My question is; are you making anytime for YOU or have you become a martyr? You can spot martyr behavior by asking yourself, if you ever display or exaggerate your discomfort or distress to obtain sympathy or admiration. If you do, chances are you are behaving like a martyr.

Do you feel like you are spinning your wheels? Do you have a business or personal goal that seems unreachable? Is your life is way off kilter? If you answered yes to any of these questions, here are three tips for you.

Have you ever been a part of a conversation where the person you are talking with is always stepping on your words and interrupting your flow by cutting you off at every turn? How did that make you feel? Compare that experience to having a conversation with a person who is attentive, making eye contact and processing your words before responding. Active listening is a skill worth mastering for rewarding and successful relationships.

Last year I made one of the most important decisions in my life. The promise to leave corporate America and give my entrepreneurial calling a shot. I declared New Years Eve of 2006 that I would not enter the comfort of my workplace of 14 years, one day beyond December 31st of the new year. Here we are one year later and I DID IT!

5 winning ways to create a more balanced and fulfilling life.

When I started in sales, I was focused on one goal, closing the deal. On my quest to make a sales call that would put me over the top of my annual budget, I made a huge mistake and learned a valuable lesson from my client. I came to the appointment with the goal of asking for the order. I left with nothing, followed by an angry phone call to my sales manager asking for a new salesperson. You see, I did not show a genuine interest in the relationship or my customers business. This selfish plan backfired, big time.

Have you ever felt like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Why do we allow ourselves to fall victim to the rat race? Why has it become the norm to pile on responsibilities, errands, and favors to the degree that we become slaves to our lives? Consider lightening your load; allowing yourself to be still or take a walk; to let things go for a few hours or a full day if you can swing it. Your quality of life will improve a great deal when you take time to live in the present moment.

For more than 50 years, more and more women are working full time jobs and raising families. We are mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and friends. We do our best to have "it" all. But at what cost? Now, more than ever before, we must pay attention to the quality of our lives. Being better, faster, smarter is not a healthy, balanced way to live.