The Successful Single Mom

Reading for Single Mom Rock Stars

2012-01-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is a "living post:" which means I will be adding to it on a regular basis as I discover more reading resources that could be valuable to you. Enjoy!

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I fully believe that the information you immerse yourself in sets the tone for your future. When you choose to read books, articles, and blogs that lift you up, you in turn lift up your children. Here are some books that can make you laugh, think, and change your life:

Single Moms Raising Sons: Preparing Boys to Be Men WhenThere's No Man Around by Dana Chisolm http://amzn.to/vjZBhV

The Single Moms Little Book of Wisdom:42 Tidbits of Wisdom To Help You Survive, Succeed & Stay Strong -CassandraMack http://amzn.to/vvO9ub

God Loves Single Moms: Practical Help for FindingConfidence, Strength, and Hope by Teresa Whitehurst http://amzn.to/tK5t6L

Single Mom Seeking: Playdates, Blind Dates, and OtherDispatches from the Dating World by Rachel Sarah http://amzn.to/ugCdPZ

The Complete Single Mother: Reassuring Answers to Your MostChallenging Concerns by Andrea Engber & Leah Klungness http://amzn.to/txoEZb

The Single Mom's Devotional: A Book of 52 Practical andEncouraging Devotions by Carla Floch http://amzn.to/sWzF2o

My Single Mom Life: Stories and Practical Lessons for YourJourney by Angela Thomas http://amzn.to/tQUzSB

Knock Yourself Up: No Man? No Problem: A Tell-All Guide toBecoming a Single Mom by Louise Sloan http://amzn.to/swKJ1t

The Single Mom's Guide to Keeping It All Together by ElsaKok Colopy http://amzn.to/vhFK9q

The Best Worst Thing: A Memoir by Widow-Mom Kristen Brown http://amzn.to/tOwaxo

109 Ways to ManageYour Divorce by Michelle Johnson http://amzn.to/op735n

Raising Great Kids on Your Own: A Guide and Companion forEvery Single Parent ... http://amzn.to/vWTief

Single Mom's Empowered: Everything You Need To Know As ASingle Mom by Jessic... http://amzn.to/viGHsz via @amazon

Widow-mom and stress expert @HappyHourEffect wrote abeautiful memoir, The Best Worst Thing. Get it here: http://amzn.to/tOwaxo

Books in The Successful Single Mom Book Series*:

The Successful Single Mom: http://tinyurl.com/36qae74
The Successful Single Mom ebook: http://tinyurl.com/5wkafdw
The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook ebook: http://tinyurl.com/6x8aeqv
The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!: http://amzn.to/txpsbc

All of these links are to Amazon. Most books above are also available at Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Sony, Kobo, Diesel and Smashwords.com.

Honorée turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about her here.

Single Moms Need Maximum Self-Confidence

2011-12-31T06:10:00.000-08:00

You probably have heard the saying (actually a scripture from the book of Matthew) about those who succeed have at least the faith as that contained in a grain of mustard seed?

In order to be as successful as you are capable of being, which is whatever you can dare to think of, go about the task of developing self-confidence with at least that much faith, if not more.

Never mind "what they will say" because you might as well realize right now that they will not be helpful in the least as you climb up the mountain of success and toward your purpose for being on this planet!

Know this:

You already have within you all the power you need to get whatever you want or need in this world, for yourself and your children, and the best way to avail yourself to this power is to believe in yourself.

Fifteen Minutes to CLEAN

2011-12-08T11:34:00.000-08:00

As I write this, I'm staring at a load of clean white towels ... which must be folded before single mom's Effortless Living class tonight. Of course I host it in my home, so all of the moms can bring their kids over, too. That means my house has be clean, and those towels are right in the middle of where the action will be later.

Alisa, one of the original moms in the class and I were having a discussion about keeping things neat and tidy, when, as previously discussed, there are so many things to do. There are a few basic rules I follow that I thought might be helpful.

1. At least once a day, I set the timer for anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes (depending on how much time I have) and "police the area." That means putting things in their place at lightning speed. My living room can go from "oh goodness!!" to "oh how nice" in about 3 minutes flat ... then onto the kitchen and counter tops. Its not deep cleaning, but it keeps the clutter and mess from getting out of control.
2. I use this same "just a few minutes here and there" strategy to fold a couple of loads of laundry, wipe down the guest-bathroom sink and countertop, dust the major surfaces, etc.
3. I do the dishes, wipe down the countertops, and empty the garbage at night before I go to bed. Its nice to wake up to a clean kitchen and empty waste-baskets. I also make my bed every weekday (weekends off!). I just love how neat it makes the whole room look.
4. I delegate to my daughter. She's part of the family, I don't consider this something I need to pay allowance for ... and she loves it! She gets excited when I "let" her vacuum and dust. Score! Seriously, I use a broom to put the "floor scraps" where she can sweep over them with the vacuum and all of that takes about 15 minutes.
5. Everything has a "home" and must go back to its home as soon as possible when not in use. That way we can always find what we need, when we need it.
6. Breathe. It doesn't need to be perfect, just managed.

Please share your tips. Happy cleaning!

Sample Sunday: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook

2011-12-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

The following is a recipe from The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook: 7 Ingredients or Less, On Your Table in 20 Minutes.

The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook contains more than 100 quick, easy and delicious recipes for busy single moms who desire to put nutritious meals that their kids will eat on the table in record time. These recipes do just that!

You can order it through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Tortilla Pizza

A delicious, quick and easy pizza your kids will want to help make andlove to eat!

Ingredients

1 whole wheat tortilla

2 Tbs. pizza or tomato sauce

8-10 pepperoni or turkeypepperoni slices

2 Tbs. miscellaneousveggies: green pepper, mushrooms, onions, cauliflower, broccoli

Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese ~ sprinkle as desired

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350°.Spread sauce to the edges of tortilla. Add pepperoni and veggies. Cover withcheese as desired. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and tortillais crisp.

Number of Servings: 1

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Honorée turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about her here.

Tips for the Single Mom Cook

2011-12-03T16:19:00.001-08:00

Please enjoy this excerpt from The Successful Single Mom Cooks Cookbook.

You can find the book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Smashwords.com.

In case you’re a novice (like Honorée),here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Thinkahead.

You know that dinner is needed, well, prettymuch every night. Sundays are a good day to look at your and your kids’schedules, figure out what days are going to be more jam-packed than others,and plan accordingly. Try to plan a tentative nightly menu and stick to as muchas possible (we know, just because you write down "tuna melts" forWednesday doesn't mean you'll have a taste for it that night), and stick it onthe fridge. Glance at the list the night before or in the morning to see if youhave to take anything out to defrost, or if you need to stop by the store onthe way home to pick something up. Sunday is also a great day to make a bigmeal of a dish that can last throughout the week that can be warmed up in apinch when there's no time/energy left to get dinner on the table.

Whichleads us to:

Leftoversare your friend!

There's bound to be a night where you have tosuccumb to take out for dinner. Opt for healthy, balanced dishes, rather thansomething calorically empty like pizza or fried chicken or fast food. These arefoods that are likely to be eaten all in one sitting, are high in fat and lowin nutrition. For example, Asian leftovers can be reheated easily, and madeinto a brand new stir fry with the addition of frozen vegetables and leftoverrice is transformed into fried rice (extra points for ordering brown riceinstead of steamed rice!). Always be thinking of ways you canincorporate/transform leftovers into something for the next night

Shopsmart.

On your big grocery shopping days, always makesure you have the staples on hand: whole wheat pastas, tortillas (can be frozenseparately and thawed when needed), cans of whole peeled tomatoes, frozenvegetables that can go into anything, such as peas, carrots, pearl onions, andcorn. If you buy larger packages of chicken or other meats, separate and freezethem into manageable portions when you get home.

Don'tbe afraid of day-of grocery shopping.

We know, ten minutes in a grocery store canseem like an hour, but stopping in to get a few fresh ingredients will giveyour meal that more home-cooked feel and flavor. I like to buy bunches of greenonions to chop and use as garnish on a lot of my dishes, and its flavor goes along way! Have a hankering for a dish that night? Write a very specific grocerylist of things you need for the meal, go to the store and STICK TO THE LIST.Plus, if you've completely forgotten to take that frozen chicken or beef out ofthe freezer, those items are there, ready and waiting to be taken home andcooked.

Kidscan cook, too!

They might not be ready to wield a knife, butthey can stir pots, or rinse and strain vegetables. Getting them involved alsotakes a bit of pressure off of you to get everything done, and it turns whatcan sometimes seem like a task into quality time spent together. The sooner youget them to help you with the small tasks, the more useful... er, we mean,interested they will become in cooking as they get older.

Awell-rounded meal.

We won't get into the whole carb vs. no carbargument but growing kids need a well-balanced diet. And that includesproteins, vegetables AND carbohydrates. Incorporating these three elements intoevery tasty meal at home means they won't be scared by vegetables out atrestaurants or at other kids' houses (where you hope and pray they are servingvegetables as well!).

Makeit your own.

Following a recipe to a T ensures that thedish will taste the way the recipe-writer intended. But that doesn't mean YOUmay like it that exact way. Think the dish could benefit from a little garlic?Add some chopped garlic at the beginning or garlic powder at the end. Not intospice? Omit the jalapeno peppers or chili powder, but make sure you compensatefor flavor with a favorite spice or herbs of your own. Add in extra vegetablesto make amp up the nutritional value. Unless the recipe writer is sitting downwith you to dinner, this is your meal, make it how you want.

Makesure it tastes good.

Yes, we all want to sit down to a quick andhealthy meal, but it's all for naught if it doesn't make you and the kids say"mmmmmm!" Taste the dish throughout the cooking process, after you'veadded some seasoning or spices, make sure it's to your liking. Make itsomething that you want to eat again and again, and a favorite on your child'sdinner roster. You have to eat every day, you might as well enjoy it, right?

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Single Moms: Maximizing Your Time

2011-12-01T04:32:00.000-08:00

Good morning! As all single moms are, I was up at 4 a.m. this morning so I could make a dent in my to do list "before the day started." Even though I'm no longer a single mom, all of these strategies I discovered or uncovered while I was a single mom and literally desperate for more sleep!

In my opinion, there's no such thing as time management, but there is time maximization -- which is what single moms really need to be great at! Since efficiency is one of my focus areas as an executive coach, I thought I'd share some tried-and-true methods for maximizing time, but first, let's explore what maximizing your time will help you to do:

Get more done in less time.
Make more money in less time.
Feel less stress and more productive.
Work smarter, not harder, and ...
Feel happier!

The first and most important thing is to get clear about your priorities. I need clean laundry, but it doesn't need to be folded, hung up, and put away more than I need to spend quality time reading with my girl. We want a freshly vacuumed carpet, but our kids need love and attention more. So make a list of all of the things that need to be done, and then rank them in order of importance. The things that aren't the most important, that aren't critical if left incomplete and be left undone (and crossed off that list)!

Next, let the "structure set you free." I calendar everything, including down time. You absolutely must have clean underwear (and other clothing, towels and linens), so calendar in time to do it. What I do is throw a load of laundry in while I'm doing other tasks that don't need my undivided attention. As they say in Sweet Home Alabama, Oprah calls it "multi-tasking." There's no need to do just laundry, you can squeeze it in while you're cleaning the bathroom, or making a casserole, or helping with homework -- or all of the above! Lexi and I read every night from 8:30-9 p.m. With few exceptions, that's our non-negotiable time and I actually really look forward to it!

Breathe. Being a single mom is the hardest job ever. Every day you wake up is a great day, regardless of whether everything gets done or not. Make sure the kids (and you) are clean, fed, and feel loved.

Sample Sunday: Chapter 1 The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

2011-11-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

Chapter 1

Anything is Possible

“Awoman is like a tea bag: you cannot tell how strong
she is until you put her in hot water.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Accordingto the 2010 Census, there are 9.9 million single mothers in the U.S. Theseladies face challenges many other moms and dads don't. Between managing workand home, financial commitments and extracurricular activities, a single mom'swork - alone - is never done.

Inaddition, most single moms experience a dramatic decrease in their standard ofliving after a divorce. Statistics show that women experience a 27 percentdecrease in their standard of living, while the men have a 10 percent standardof living increase the first year after divorce. I’m not one to dwell onstatistics, but I think it’s helpful to have a clear picture.

Thegood news: that doesn’t have to be your story. It might be for a time or evenright now, depending upon your circumstances. Whether you’ve been divorced fora minute or even many years, if you’re still struggling it is understandablethat you would still be having a hard time. It’s even expected! Single momshaven’t had a stigma for the past fifty years for nothing!

However,it doesn’t have to be, or stay, your reality. I promise.

Oneof the reasons I wrote this book is because I believe that regardless of whereyou start out, anything is possible for you. I want you to start to believe it,and eventually to know it.

Iwant you to have the tools, strategies and resources to create whatever youwant to create. It is possible to achieve your goals, regardless of whetheryour goals are to be able to support your children with enough money to go tothe movies once a month, or to become a millionaire and retire in a few years.In this book, you’ll read about moms who have done both – and everything inbetween.

I’veexperienced a complete financial transformation since my divorce without thebenefit of family support, a college education, or even a basic accountingclass. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, so I made some interesting mistakesand had long, unnecessary delays. Yet I’ve triumphed in spite of my challengesand very simply, if I can do it, so can you. I want to shorten your journey tofinancial success and help you avoid some delays and landmines along the way.

Don’tget me wrong: It’s not only about the money. A rich life is full of everythingyou need, including money. But this book is specifically about getting rich,securing your financial future so you can act from a place of power. Not havingenough, almost having enough, having just enough, having more than enough, andhaving more than enough so you can share what’s left over: all of those situationsfeel differently, and having been in all of those places, I know for a factdecisions are made differently when you’re in each of those positions.

I’veheard, “I don’t need millions of dollars …” Great, and that’s true, you don’t.But there’s no shame in wanting millions of dollars. There’s no shame inwanting to have just enough to support your kids and be able to have theoccasional treat. If you’re reading this book, I can assume you want to make apositive leap in your financial circumstances, and I’m here to help you get it.

Justknow that I’m not “all about the money,” but what I know for sure is thathaving an abundance of it is helpful in many ways. It’s psychologically reassuringto have a reserve, and eventually, a war chest. It allows you to make your mostimportant life choices from the best possible place.

Whatdoes that mean, being able to make choices from a positive place? Well, I’vebeen in more than a few conversations with ladies – and not just single moms –who were in, or who had stayed in, relationships because they knew they wouldhave a hard time without “his income.” They put up with crap, settled for lessthan they deserved, and in many cases felt helpless because they didn’t haveenough or more than enough to leave, to start over, to do what their heartdesired.

Ifyou’re ready, you can now begin to see what you’ve been doing, even beensettling for, and make some steps in the direction you’d really like to go.

So what. Now what?

Yourpast and your present don’t necessarily predict your future, but they do shapeit. We certainly make decisions based upon our points of reference. In fact,many of our actions are automatic because of them! This means that what we sawour parents do and believe around wealth and money, we tend to do ourselves. Ifour parents believed there was always plenty to go around, we will tend tobelieve that, too. If they were scared or worried about money, we will tend todo that, too.

Mymother was always concerned and worried about money, and my father was alwaysobsessed with making money. My mother would use grocery money for other things,like clothes or extras. My father was envious and jealous of people who hadmoney, and when he had money, he bought lots for himself but almost nothing forhis family.

WhatI learned from them was, frankly, a scarcity mentality. Once I realized I wasmodeling what I learned, I got to step back and evaluate whether being worriedabout money all the time was effective or ineffective for me. You get to do thesame!

Basedon my upbringing, it was no surprise that I married into a less-than-abundantsituation. I married a divorced military man with three children, tons of debtand a large child support payment. Because of that, we struggled for years. Ilearned to do without, settle, and live in a constant state of stress. Severalthings blasted me out of this lack and limitation, and I’ve used those toolsand strategies throughout the years to continually expand my beliefs andreality. (Don’t worry; my personal strategies are covered in this book!)

Thankfully,I was able to get myself to a state of abundance by being open to thepossibilities and finding out what worked for me through trial and error. Then Iremarried, and my current husband Byron has taught me a lot about thinking evenbigger and more abundantly.

Forexample, I used to shop on a “need to buy” basis. If I “needed” M&Ms, Iwould buy a single serving pack. If I send my husband to buy M&Ms (or anythingelse for that matter), he buys the two-pound bag! Then he’ll say, “Well, you’lleat them eventually won’t you?”

Helearned this abundant thinking from his mom. Right after we were married, Iasked her to pick me up a lint roller at the grocery store. She came back withtwelve!

Mythinking was, “I don’t need twelve, I need one.” But wouldn’t you know, sinceI’ve had them, I’ve used them! Watching my husband and his mom caused me tostop and think about why I never bought more than I needed, from having onepair of basic black heels to almost running out of toilet paper all the timebecause I didn’t buy more than one pack at a time.

Becauseof these shifts, when I shop now, I always buy more than enough. Theinteresting thing is that there’s always enough money to support me buying whatI need. What I’ve learned, modeled and observed is all connected. I know thatnow, but I sure didn’t know that before.

Ihave had the opportunity to expand my thinking, and in doing so, I’ve noticedit’s positively affected other areas of my life, too.

Not“Right or Wrong” … “Effective or “Ineffective”

Asa coach, I don’t live in a world of “right” or “wrong.” I think it’s muchbetter to decide if something is “effective” or “ineffective.”

Iswhat you’re doing and believing about and around money, wealth, and abundanceeffective or ineffective for you? Said another way, do you have enough? Do youhave more than enough? Are you able to pay the bills with plenty left over? Ifnot, would you like to experience what that it is like to have more than enough?

Ifso, you must first surrender the past to the past, analyze your beliefs, decidewhat you want, and get ready for an amazing future.

Didn’tI just make the process sound so easy? In some ways, it really is! If you’re ready,let’s get started.

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Introducing Successful Single Mom Christine Plaisted

2011-11-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Christine Plaisted – mom to Jack, age 13, and Roger, age 15.Christine owns her newly established business, Mercury Permit Services in LasVegas. Christine is now the ultimate optimist and hopes the single moms readingthis book will find the courage to step out on their own, as she did, and knowthat they can do whatever they set their minds to.

Read Christine's complete story in The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

Introducing Successful Single Mom Aljolynn Sperber!

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Aljolynn Sperber – mom to Aidan (Irish for “little fireball”), age 3. Aljolynn has been a single mom almost from the moment shediscovered she was pregnant. After reaching her first goal of supportingher son without outside help, she joined forces with a girlfriend to help her start her ownPR company. Now she has a solid income, savings, and is able to provide whatshe calls “the extras” for her son.

Read Aljolynn's complete story in The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

New Book Release: The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

2011-11-11T05:33:00.001-08:00

The third book in The Successful Single Mom series is officially released today! The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! provides single moms with the road map to riches. It's packed with solid principles single moms need to go to the next level of riches, wealth and abundance.

As a single mom, it's a challenge to successful and solely juggle all of the important responsibilities, including money. In this book, single moms will learn to "speak money," the different options for earning and getting more money, and what to do with it when they get it!

The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! includes the stories of eight successful single moms who share their struggles, breakthroughs, and insights.

It's a must-read for any single mom who wants true financial independence and the knowledge and tools to get there in record time!

You can find the book here: Amazon.com,BarnesandNoble.com and at Smashwords.com.

Enough already: Single Mom are Rock Stars!

2011-11-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

It's fired-up Friday! I heard about Oprah giving advice to a single mom, then I just read this post.

Seriously, it's 2011. While there may be some women who believe that having children for a paycheck is the way to go, most single moms (myself included) became single moms by chance through divorce or even death. Believe me, being a single mom isn't always someone's first choice! Many times, the decision to leave an unhealthy relationship was made because of abuse or even a dangerous situation. Surely you wouldn't expect someone to stay in a situation that was harmful to themselves and/or their children, all so they could "keep the family together?"

Single moms face insecurities, doubts and struggles, often all alone. But we don't stop loving our children or trying to do the best for them. We carry on, keeping the lights on and frig full with a smile on our faces. We have made, are are making, the best decisions we possibly can for ourselves and our children. Frankly, it doesn't matter how a woman becomes a single mom. The fact is, she's a single mom and she's doing the best job she can. Period.

I agree with Ms. Danielle that there's been enough shaming. Honestly, if you don't have something nice to say about someone else or someone else's situation, find something else to talk about. There but for the grace of God goes you, and perhaps you could find it in your heart to have a little compassion. What a single mom needs is a hug, a hot bath, some chocolate and perhaps even a delicious home-cooked meal. Not your criticism. If you're not contributing to a situation, you're making it worse.

To all single moms: you are amazing! (More on that here.) You are proof that someone who sets their mind to something just gets it done. Bravo to you, and cheers to your amazing future.

A good reminder

2011-10-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Sample Sunday: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook

2011-10-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

The following is a recipe from The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook: 7 Ingredients or Less, On Your Table in 20 Minutes.

You can order it through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Mexican-Style Chicken-Filled Tortillas

Quick, easy & flavorful ~ a favorite of kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chickenbreast halves, cut into thin bite-sized strips

1 cup frozen whole kernelsweet corn

1 cup chunky-style salsa

1 (2 ¼-oz.) can sliced ripeolives, well drained

8 8-10-inch fat-free wholewheat tortillas

Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese ~ sprinkle as desired

Directions

1. Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat overmedium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes or untilno longer pink.

2. Stir in corn, salsa and olives. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4-6 minutesor until thoroughly heated.

3. Meanwhile, warm tortillas as directed on package. Spoon ¼ of chickenmixture onto half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas over. If desired, serve withlights sour cream and additional salsa.

Number of Servings: 4

Honorée has dedicated her life to being a positive force for good. She writes personal and professional growth and development books, and The Successful Single Mom book series. As an executive coach and corporate trainer, she turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here. You can read all about her here.

What Makes a Single Mom Successful?

2011-10-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

A Successful Single Mom is a woman who loves her children and herself. She knows the life lessons she teaches her children will affect not only her kids but also her grandkids. She makes her children the focus of her life, and yes, this means going to dance recitals, parent-teacher conferences, doctor's appointments, school functions, and girl-scout meetings. She's also a woman who practices extreme self-care, has her financial house in order, lives a life she loves, and is surrounded by people she loves and loves her.

Put another way: model for your children anything and everything you want them to grow up and do for themselves.If you want them to grow up and experience an abundance of time, love, space and money, figure out a way to bring an more of those into your life. Do more of what you want and less of what you don't want -- for yourself and your kids. Speak well of your ex, their dad. Start loving him for being the father of your children. Use his given name, instead of referring to him as the "ex" or worse. Remember, your kids are half him so when you speak well of him, your kids feel great! If you don't have something nice to say, just stop talking. If you can, do your best to raise your children as co-parents. If you don't know how to do it, seek help and inspiration from a professional and others who are doing it successfully.

A successful single mom does the best she can and when she realizes she can do better, she does better. Cheers to being a successful single mom, today and every day!

Single Mom Free Book Giveaway

2011-10-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

I believe single moms are rock stars, they just don't always know it. Are you a single mom who doesn't always feel like you're Superwoman? Well, I believe you should!

I want every single mom to feel like they can have, do, be, create and accomplish anything and everything they set their minds to!

So, I'm giving away 5 copies of The Successful Single Mom ebook (in the winner's choice of digital format: PDF, Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBook, etc.). If you don't have an e-reader of any kind, I'll send you a paperback copy.

If you're a single mom, you can enter to win by leaving a comment about how being a single mom is going for you, and what you would attempt to do if you knew you could not fail.

You get an extra entry if you "like" the book on Amazon here, follow me on twitter here, or on facebook here. You get 3 entries if you tweet about this entry. Bonus: Blog about the giveaway and leave me a link: 5 entries.

You can enter as many times as you like. Please leave a comment for each entry.

I'll pick the winners at random on Friday.

Single Moms Can Find Love Again

2011-10-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

After you become a single mom and the dust on the relationship settles, you might be resistant (consciously or unconsciously) to seek love again. Once bitten, twice shy, right?

I can relate! Without going into too much detail, let's suffice it to say that while the end of my marriage was a relief, the end of the two relationships that followed was incredibly painful and made me reconsider my ability to find the right partner.

So, I spent several years alone and pretty darn sure that's how I'd be at least until my sweet Lexi went off to college. I was committed to her and my businesses, so keeping busy allowed me to live under the illusion that a relationship wasn't something I wanted.

But truthfully, it was. I like being in a relationship, loving someone and having them love them. Having someone to come home to, call when something happens (good or not-so-good), and share the richness of life with.

So, I changed my focus from "looking for examples where men weren't so good" to "looking for examples of great relationships." You get what you look for, it's true, and when I started looking for men and women in happy relationships, I started to find them.

That caused me to do a few things:

I began to seek out solid relationship advice and information. What makes a good relationship? How can I be a good, no great, partner? Where might I find some good candidates?
I decided what was possible, that it was possible for me, and I deserved it!
I let go of my anger, sadness, frustration and resistance. *Whew!* That was a great day!

Once I had opened myself up a tiny bit (more on that later), I found a tremendous man who has been an incredible addition to my life and my daughter's life.

In order to find love, in whatever form you want it (a marriage, a committed relationship, or just someone to hang out with now and then), in my opinion it helps to make some personal decision that will allow that to happen. Are you ready?

10 Ways You Can Help Me Help Single Moms

2011-10-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Single moms are everywhere, I meet a new one almost every single day. Last night I met a single mom in graduate school with two kids. She works full time, so she gets up at 4 a.m. to study before, in her words, "her day starts." When our mutual friend mentioned The Successful Single Mom to her, she couldn't wait to read it, so I gave her a copy. She just sent me an email this morning telling me how much it inspired and helped her and that she was glad she gave up some sleep to read it. And, she wished she'd had it much sooner.

I think what's true is that single moms want and need the information contained in The Successful Single Mom, but if they don't know it exists, they won't get it and benefit from it!

Here's how you can help me help a Single Mom today:

1. Buy it for yourself or a Single Mom

If you haven’t already (gasp!), please do it now. If you're a single mom, I promise you'll enjoy it! If you're not, well, everyone knows at least one single mom and they will be so grateful you've thought of them and gotten them a gift! Buy it here on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

2. Send an Email

A personal email is always the best way to tell a friend something you like and recommend it to them.

Some thought starters…

"Honoree Corpron Corder, former single mom, executive coach and corporate trainer, has authored a book for single moms that has them creating new levels of personal and professional success! I care about you and your greater success so I heartily recommend getting your hands on the book The Successful Single Mom. Get it here: Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes."

“I’ve been able to change my life and my future with Honorée’s help and the tools from this book!” ~Christine Plaisted, Participant in The Successful Single Mom Group

3. Facebook

Facebook is a great place to tell friends about what they like! Anything you are able to post on your own Facebook page about the book would be appreciated. The above works great here, too.

Be sure to join and join in on the conversation at The Successful Single Mom Facebook Fan Page. There I can keep in touch and help you with what you are doing as well. (Copy ideas to share with your friends is below.)

4. Tweet

Help spread the virus (the good kind) on Twitter. Some tweet topics include 'you are buying the book', 'giving the book as a gift', attach a picture of where you're reading it, shout-out your favorite chapter or re-tweet someone else's comments. The key is to keep the conversation going. You can follow me on Twitter at: @Honoree too. I'm also recommending all of the great books I hear about @singlemombooks.

Another Tweet idea is to add hash tags so that other people can follow and help the news propagate. Use any of these popular hash tags: #singlemom, #TSSM, #singleparent, and #success.

Tweet ideas:

This is the book that changed my life. Buy it and it comes with a free gift. Check it out! http://dld.bz/apNBM

Author @Honoree reveals what single moms need to be balanced, happy and successful! Get it here: http://dld.bz/apNBM

More money, less stress, happier mom = happier kids … it’s all in this great book for #singlemoms: http://dld.bz/apNBM

Whoever told you being a #singlemom was to be pitied or it wasn't possible to be successful, lied to you. Here’s the truth: http://dld.bz/apNBM

For #singlemoms: If you only read one book, ever, THIS is it! http://dld.bz/apNBM

The book that got me back on track after my divorce: http://dld.bz/apNBM

5. Blog

Do you have a blog or know someone who does? You may want to blog about the book andor your favorite topics from the book. You can find blogs and other info here: The Successful Single Mom Blog.

6. Write a Review

If you have a publication single moms read, you can request a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

7. Single-Mom Focused Churches, Non-Profits or Organizations

If you know someone who leads an organization that helps single moms, The Successful Single Mom Principles in The Successful Single Mom are especially poignant as it is about helping single moms get the very best results possible. Recommend they review the book and the bulk purchase program for their entire organization -- just have them email me: Honoree (at) CoachHonoree (dot) com.

8. Media

I am doing TV, radio, newspaper, magazine and online media. You can inquire here: trentis@live.com.

9. YouTube

I've done a series of videos called the Single Mom's Motivational Minute. Start here when you need a few words to make your day better, and be sure to share!

10. Word of Mouth

No rocket science here - tell co-workers, friends, family, and people on the street: "Have you read The Successful Single Mom book? I recommend it!”

Thank you in advance for helping me help others access The Successful Single Mom Principles in The Successful Single Mom book. Your doing so could make a significant difference in someone’s life who might not otherwise have heard about it.

With gratitude and to your success! ~Honoree Corpron Corder

Single Moms: Therapy Can Help You and Your Kids

2011-10-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

With a strong, supportive cast of characters (like a mom and dad, siblings, and/or BFF) it's still almost impossible to be a single mom. Most likely those who know and love you best are still unequipped to help you successfully manage your daily challenges, deal with your long list of responsibilities and handle the emotional roller-coaster. More likely, they are great at listening, lending an ear or a dollar now and then, and offering up a much-needed hug.

If you're like me when I was a single mom, then you have no family, your BFF lives 1000 miles away and your child is at an age where they want answers to their confusing questions.

What to do?

I grew up with parents who were therapists (I know, there's a special place in Heaven for me). Because of that, and my personal (negative) experience with my parents, to say I was adverse to therapy is a major understatement. So when it was suggested that therapy might be an option to help Lexi deal with her absent father, I thought (and said): "No freaking way."

About the time Lexi entered kindergarden, she started to act out and I believe it's because she saw other kid's dads show up for them in a variety of ways (attending school activities, playing with them at the park, etc.) and her friends all had dads at that time. She was noticing she didn't have the same thing, starting to be angry and frustrated and wasn't sure what to do with those emotions. How that manifested is that she wouldn't stay with anyone who wasn't me, besides attending school. Babysitters ran screaming from our home, and if I did have something I had to do, she threw such incredible temper tantrums that I was called and requested home immediately. And, to make it even more fun, she was throwing tantrums just for me, too.

Because I was at a loss of what to do, and up against my own parenting limitations, when one of my clients recommended a therapist, I called immediately and left a message. When the therapist called back, I started to cry because I literally felt like help was on the line and I needed help. I just didn't know what to do for my daughter, and felt at a loss for what to do next.

The therapist laid out a clear set of rules: whatever was said in therapy was confidential and I was not to ask questions of Lexi after the session. It was to be my daughter's safe place to discuss what was on her mind, and that's exactly what happened. It also became a safe place for me to learn tools that I lacked -- we learn from modeling our parents, after all, and I didn't want what I had seen to become what I did. Over time, the therapist gave us both tools for dealing with each other, all the while providing advice, tips, strategies and of course, calling us on our shit. When I was being cranky or unreasonable, I heard about it. When my daughter was being overly dramatic, she heard about it. We learned a lot about what healthy and normal was like.

Best of all, when a situation came up (I wanted to introduce my now-husband to my daughter; Lexi wasn't making friends easily), we had an unbiased, neutral third-party trained in how to deal with them.

If you are a single mom without a solid set of parenting tools, I recommend therapy for you. If you still feel angry, resentful or sad about your children's dad, therapy could be helpful.

If your kids are asking questions you don't know how to answer, a therapist can bridge that gap. They can also provide a soft place to fall, a safe place, to process what's happening and get a handle on it.

I hope that's helpful to you and your kids. The best thing I can say is that it does get better: the intense emotions lessen with time and you get the hang of the single mom thing. Before you know it, everyone will be feeling better. Hang in there!

Successful Single Mom: Beate Chelette

2011-09-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

Single Moms, here's a single mom story to give you hope, inspiration and a glimpse into your possible future:

Beate Chelette is a 43-year-old single mom, entrepreneur, and most recently a self-made multimillionaire. After receiving a degree in photography-and being the youngest photo editor on record for Elle Magazine in her native Germany, she immigrated to the United States in 1989. Most recently she published a book, Women Who Want It All and Get It, too! A single mom since 1995, Beate has lots of wisdom to share. Her daughter, Gina, turned sixteen this year. She believes being a single mom is a world of making sacrifices and focusing on a few very important things – starting with our children and our jobs. She says she really didn’t have time for anything else. She notes that getting organized and putting your priorities in order is crucial for single mom success.

In the beginning, and for many years, she didn’t spend a lot of time going out, treating herself to spa weekends or fancy restaurants. While still on a budget, her self-care consisted of things that were within her reach, such as going for a bicycle ride or taking inexpensive art classes at the local museum. “It made me feel like I was focusing on myself a little but it wasn’t elaborate.” Beate understood what I meant when I talked about “The Tunnel.” For her, this was the period at the beginning that was about self-pity and “What was I thinking? How did I pick this person?” While she never regretted having her daughter, she noted there is definitely a period of wrangling with the decision that seemed to have backfired so badly.

Her positive attitude became apparent when she said, “You say to yourself, ‘I can’t change it, I’m going to roll up my sleeves and move on.’” This is about making the decision that what has happened, what is happening, isn’t going to break you. You’re going to survive, thrive and flourish. Period.

That’s exactly what she did – she started a business with very little money and eventually sold it for several million dollars to a privately-held company owned by Bill Gates. “At the end of the day, I knew I was a good person and the joke could not be on me. I refused to accept that the decisions that I had made to get married, and have a child was going to be the end. What was the spiritual message? That I wasn’t going to be the loser. I was going to be the winner – I believed there was something out there for me. I accepted that the great love affair, the great marriage, wasn’t the thing for me at the time. I saw other single moms – they were so angry and so hateful. I said to myself, ‘I am not going to be an overweight, angry single parent that is going to eventually end up as a spinster!’”

She defines success as arriving at a point when you know you are self-sufficient, when you know you’ve made it. She says, “I know I’ve made it - I know I can take care of myself. I’m the queen of the world now, I can do whatever I want. I can relax and allow myself to enjoy the journey.” Today, Beate runs a successful consulting company, and is promoting her new book, watching her daughter flourish in school and out, and enjoying a committed, happy relationship. Her message for you, dear reader, is “You’re going to make it! There are lots of sacrifices but you will make it – I promise you this will pass and your day will come!” You can listen to my interview with Beate on my website at www.coachhonoree.com.

Now its time to focus on you. Are you ready? We’re going to work on cracking your code for the remainder of this book, so let’s get started!

*The above is an excerpt from The Successful Single Mom book.

The #1 Secret to Post-Divorce Dating

2011-09-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Note: Today's blog is written by one of my very favorite fiction writers, Deborah Coonts. You'll love this blog and her books (that is, if you love fun, funny and sexy murder mysteries ... set in Vegas.)

DEEP IN A SHALLOW WORLD

I'm just not a casual sex kind of gal.

Which is sort of a problem. Newly re-single, older by decades than the last time I swam in the dating pool, I now live in Las Vegas, where the length of a relationship iThes generally measured in hours. A long-term gal in a short-term world. So, how does one find deep in the shallow end?

Certainly not in the local watering holes. A few glasses of wine and all the men seem to look better. While it might be fun, the last thing I need right now is to kiss another toad expecting him to turn into a prince. Been there, done that, bought the tee shirt.

And, to be honest, my luck sorta runs the other way -- I find an apparent prince paddling around the dating pool only to discover he's, well, really comfortable in the shallow end.

They say a fool is someone who keeps doing the same thing expecting a different result. Yup, I'm a dating fool.

Something needed to change. I needed to change. A daunting task considering I've been me for a very long time. But, you see, that's where I was wrong -- sort of. Let me explain.

I'm a fairly logical thinker, so my first step on the path through this morass of human interaction was a drink with a local shrink. He explained to me that most of us treat dating as a game. Perhaps unwittingly, but we all do it. When confronted with a new relationship, we all try to put on our best faces. We trot out our best manners, we accommodate, we facilitate, we supplicate to the detriment of what we want and feel, of who we really are.

As a result, the first part of a relationship is like a Cary Grant movie -- a handsome man with a great . . . laugh track . . . and free-flowing Champagne. But, eventually the movie ends and you're left with a scruffy Cary Grant with morning breath, scratching places even baseball players don't touch, no clever dialogue, no real mutuality of interests or values, and a pounding Champagne hangover -- okay, I could still handle Cary Grant like that -- for a little while. Bad analogy, but you get my drift.

Reality rears its ugly head. You're in bed with a stranger. And it isn't him. Okay, maybe it is him, but it's also you.

Oh, the games people play -- with each other, yes, but mostly with our selves. We pretend in order to perpetuate the fantasy. This is called the masking effect -- and apparently it can last for the first eighteen months or so.

That got me thinking. Did I do that? I certainly didn't intend to present a different me than the me I wanted to be. But, come to think of it . . . Heck, I was raised in the South -- I might as well have "co-dependent" tattooed on my butt. Pleasing others, elevating the needs of others, putting myself waaay down the list, is part of my genetic coding.

So, if I'm hiding me, how can I dare hope for the kind of relationship I dream of -- one of mutual respect? Yes, yes, along with all the other stuff.

I needed to get real. The world isn't a Cary Grant movie and I better quit scripting the parts -- especially my own. No more pretending to be a pretty pin-up content to play second fiddle. No more going along in order to keep the peace. No more putting up and shutting up. No more hiding the fact that I have a brain stuck in overdrive -- an insatiable curiosity. My career and my dreams are as important as anybody else's. In short, I turned me free. Heck, if I couldn't like myself, my real self, who else would?

Unmuzzled and unshackled, I began living the life I imagined.

I also quit worrying about the whole dating thing and began to enjoy my own company. I hadn't spent quality alone-time with me in, well, in forever. And, while I can be a pain in the ass, I'm not all that bad.

Several months into my relationship with me, I had taken myself to the gym, as usual. This particular day, the gym was quiet. Pounding out miles on the treadmill, I was alone except for two guys on ellipticals behind me. They chatted about work, and I couldn't help but eavesdrop -- stories are my life's work. Call it professional interest. Right.

Apparently one of the guys taught at the local college and he was waxing poetic about a website called Rate Your Professor. Much to his delight, some of his students had not only given him high marks, but had also awarded him chili peppers -- evidence of his "hotness".

As I stepped off the treadmill, he said to his friend, "Can you believe it? They think I'm hot."

Call it oxygen deprivation, or an inability to resist swinging at a hanging curveball, but I stopped, looked him up and down, and said, "They're not the only ones."

He turned bright red. I wanted to crawl in a hole. I figured he'd turn and run the next time he saw me. I was wrong.

We're engaged. We've made it through more than eighteen months and we still laugh, love books and movies, travel, and sharing life. And he's still hot.

So, find yourself, like yourself. The right guy will show up and like you, too -- the real you.

It's Time for You to Create a New Story

2011-09-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

I bet you’ve told your story over and over and over again, sometimes to help you process through what happened, sometimes to garner sympathy, and sometimes just to throw Homer under the bus, release some anger and make yourself feel better. Did you really feel better? I don’t know about you, but when I focus on the details of my failed marriage, I just get all fired up again … angry, frustrated and mad at myself for choosing him in the first (damn) place.

I have found instead that by focusing on the many blessings of the relationship, first and foremost my daughter, I can keep my positive mental attitude in check. Then I focus on the lessons learned and distinctions I made that empowered me to move on and create new and improved results in my life. Additionally, when I take responsibility for the fact that I chose him and began to dig deeper into the circumstances that caused me to do so, I began to experience something new, better and different. You can, too.

Why don’t you let the last time you told your story be the last time you told your story? That’s exactly what I told Laurie, a single mom who I coached when writing The Successful Single Mom book.

I heard her story at least three times within the first week of knowing her. As a victim of spousal abuse, she left with just the clothes on her back to live in a battered women’s shelter with her son. Eventually she ended up on welfare prior to starting her own business. Repeating her story was not serving her and what she was saying she wanted. By focusing on the ugly past, she was preventing herself from moving forward. It also affected her self-esteem and feelings of worthiness. Staying in that story kept her right where she was and when she took my advice, her life made a major positive shift almost immediately. Its important to note she chose to not only let go of the past, she replaced it with a new story of where she was going.

Let’s change your focus to all of the cool, great and wonderful things you learned in that relationship: things you did well, things you would want to have happen again in your next relationship, distinctions you made about how to be a better partner, and choosing a better partner in the future.

What happens next in your life is up to you. It's up to you to decide how you'd like it to be, and starting taking steps in that direction. Perhaps today. What do you think?

Searching for Successful & Healthy Single Moms!

2011-08-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

The next two books in The Successful Single Mom book series are underway: The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! and The Successful Single Mom Gets Fit! with release dates of late 2011 and early 2012.

I'm searching for:

Single moms who became very successful after they became single moms*, and
Single moms who practice self-care by exercising, making positive food choices and keeping themselves at or near the top of the list.

If you are one of these fantastic single moms, I want to speak with you and hear your inspiring story because other single moms need to hear about you! Please contact me at Honoree (at) CoachHonoree (dot) com or leave a comment below with your contact information.

Interviews are happening now!

*Please fill out the survey to be considered for The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F8KR67R

Honorée has dedicated her life to being a positive force for good. She writes personal and professional growth and development books, and The Successful Single Mom book series. As an executive coach and corporate trainer, she turns service providers into rainmakers, average producers into rock-stars, and dreams into reality. For more information on how she can specifically help you or your organization, click here.

Dear Single Mom, You're amazing!

2011-08-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Single Mom:

Being a single mom can be the best thing in the world! I know it doesn't always seem like it.

Single moms have long had a stigma around them. I can't count the number of times I heard, "awww, you're a single mom." Then I got a hug or a look of pity. But I always actually thought that was B.S.

I believe this: Single moms are rock stars! The real truth is that you are fantastic! amazing! wonderful! The longer you're a single mom, the better it can get. Your kids don't need an immaculate house or a perfectly cooked dinner. What they need is you, with a smile on your face, lovin' on them every chance you can get.

You're doing the hardest job ever and you're making it look easy. You're keeping the lights on, the clothes clean, making breakfast, lunch and dinner, buying groceries, cleaning the house, helping with the homework, doing great at your job. Look at all you do!! You're amazing!

My wish for you is that you realize how great you are, how great your kids are, what the lessons are you're meant to get from being a single mom. Then, keep doing what you're doing! While you're at it, roll up your sleeves and get busy creating your dream life (or expanding the dream life you're living).

The best is yet to come!

To your best success, Honorée

Chapter One: Oh Shit Day! The Day that Turned Your Lives Upside Down

2011-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

This day could have been yesterday, or perhaps it was ten years ago. The day you became a single mom is, without question, one of the hardest days of your life. This is the day many women have hoped for, regardless whether they come from an abusive, hopeless or simply dissatisfying situation, and yet dread at the same time. There’s a chance you will have freedom: the opportunity to turn your life around and make it the way you want it … then there’s the reality check: how is it possible to get everything done and retain your sanity? Pay the bills? Raise the children?

My daughter went from being a happy, normal two-year-old one day, to being a clingy, needy, demanding, temper-tantrum throwing Tasmanian devil the next. She seemed to sense how unsettled I was feeling and almost instantly began reacting and acting out based upon my mental state. On top of my pending divorce, I now had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach regarding how my daughter was going to be affected – short and long-term – by this new situation and the dark clouds over head. Here’s the kicker: I didn’t want to burden anyone with my feelings and insecurities, so sadly I kept most of them to myself. I didn’t ask for help – I didn’t know how. I didn’t know what was going to happen next and I wasn’t sure how to navigate what was coming.

Did you live that day in your mind a thousand times prior to it actually happening? Before I separated from my ex-husband, I used to think a lot (daydream is probably a better word) about what it would be like to be single again, have my freedom and raise my daughter on my own.

Then I would start to really think it through, and my mind filled with fear and uncertainty. I questioned and doubted. I came close to pushing the eject button for about two years before my actual Oh Shit! Day.

Can I tell you a secret? I was scared to death! I’m in a service business and self-employed, so I didn’t have a regular paycheck. Would my income continue and could we not only survive but thrive if I went out on my own? I was living in Hawaii because my ex was stationed there in the military. Where should I move to? How would I get there? What would I do in terms of support when I got there? Doubt and trepidation kept me stuck for a really long time. If this resonates with you, trust me when I say you are truly not alone.

Although everything has ended up better than great, there were many times I wasn’t sure the garden was growing roses!

Like I did, you may feel there is a seemingly endless list of things to do: dishes, laundry, shopping and other chores, in addition to work … oh yes, and there’s also providing emotional support to your child or children. I remember feeling overwhelmed at the daunting situation. Here’s what I have discovered: its never all done, there are always at least two dozen things on my list … laundry, organize the linen closet, hug my girl, buy school supplies, read email, return phone calls, get dog food, make food shopping list, drop off dry-cleaning, wash the car, finish manuscript … more laundry … sleep …

What has worked for me is the act of surrender. I surrendered to the situation as it was as I was working toward how I wanted it to be. I also began to open my mind to the possibilities. I began to expect the best, and not be surprised when I got it. Once I cut myself some slack, upgraded my attitude to official positive status and raised my expectations, I was able to start to enjoy the days, relax into the time I spent with my daughter and actually make great progress toward my goals.

Take a Moment to Acknowledge Yourself

You are to be commended for your courage! Whether you chose to be a single mom or being a single mom was chosen for you, it takes a tremendous amount of guts to put one foot in front of the other, all on your own. Be sure to acknowledge yourself for using these circumstances as an opportunity to choose you, your future and the future of your children. Congratulations on reaching this new phase of your life - the best is yet to come.

Something Better is Coming

In the last six years, I’ve spoken to countless single moms. When asked the question: “What would you say to a new single mom?” the answer time and time again was a resounding, “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there! It will get better. Someday you’ll look back and realize every challenge has resulted in a blessing.”

Sadly, no-one said that to me until I was already feeling better. I needed to hear it before that moment, and I hope you’re hearing it just when you need it the most. I now say, “The light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train!”

The Successful Single Mom is a woman who follows a set of principles, both to get her groove back and then to keep it. Success is how she defines it, whatever success means to her. You’re a success just for picking up this book and being in the pursuit of your version of success. We’ll explore these principles throughout the book, including the step-by-step instructions to get them implemented in your life. Here are those principles:

The Successful Single Mom Principles

1. Discover the Real Truth

2. Envision Your Exciting Future

3. Assemble a Support Team & Ask for Help

4. Expect and Create Magic and Miracles

5. Prioritize Your Priorities

6. Say Hello to Inner Peace

7. Make a Plan & Set Goals for Your Amazing Future

8. Give Back

Discover the Real Truth

Your self-esteem is most likely, in large part anyway, based upon what you’ve been told about yourself. We’re all affected by what people say about us, even if we’ve chanted a million times, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It is time to excavate what’s really true about you, and use that truth to move you forward.

Envision Your Exciting Future

When you were eight years old, if you wanted a bicycle, you wanted to get a new one all tricked out and one for each of your best friends. It was so easy to use your imagination first before you bugged your parents (constantly) to get you what you wanted, until you got it! Now is the time to awaken those “imagination juices,” and get them flowing in order to become fully connected with the exciting life you’re going to bring into being. In order to be able to attract those new and exciting results, you must begin to radiate more positive energy in order to attract more positive outcomes. The higher your personal vibration, the more opportunities that are going to come your way.

Said another way, you’ve got to have “good vibes” that open you open to new, good stuff.

When I had a network marketing business years ago, my upline used to say, “Honorée, you’ve got to get excited and set yourself on fire! When you do, people will come from miles around

to watch you burn!” Are you drawn to people who are passionate, excited, and on a mission? Of course you are! I know I am. I want to talk to them, get to know them, pick their brains, be around them, and help them achieve their goals. You’ve chosen you, now continue to do so by making your vision so real you can see it, taste it, feel it and believe it is on its way to you (right now!).

Assemble a Support Team & Ask for Help

Your Support Team consists of the people you can count on – really count on – no matter how low you get or how high you fly. They are your cheerleaders, they champion your causes, encouraging, pushing, hugging and tugging you to a better place and eventually your definition of success.

It is important to have this team in place and the sooner the better. Have someone to tell you how fantastic you are, on speed dial, ready for your call anytime 24/7. Just knowing they are there will make all the difference.

I am positive you need to be a strong member of your own support team. You will be alone sometimes and it will be easy in those moments to say things to yourself that are simply not helpful. You can rely on others, and you must also rely on yourself. We’ll talk a lot about how to do that most effectively.

There are probably many people in your life that want to help yet are not quite sure what to do. Perhaps you want two hours to take a nap, or you simply need to do a bit more work to make ends meet. By all means reach out to other moms and offer to trade play dates. I did exactly that when I moved to Nevada from Hawaii five years ago. I didn’t have a team of babysitters or know where to find any, and my closest family members were two thousand miles away. I had to get creative in order to attend the networking meetings that would allow me to grow my business, get my haircut or take a hot bath.

Here’s some great news: people want to help you! You may find that some will offer to help, others won’t. I know from personal experience that there are a number of people just waiting to feel useful, helpful and like they are making a difference. Now is your opportunity to allow them to give you that gift, a gift which you can pay forward a little later on.

Find a way to step through the fear, if that’s what is holding you back. If its too hard to call, send an email. Alisa resonates with the fear. As a single mom, she knows how much is on her plate and its terribly difficult to want to burden another mom with more to do. Every mom feels like there’s an endless list of things to do, whether she’s single or not. Suck it up and ask anyway.

Expect and Create Magic and Miracles

Almost twenty years ago, I discovered the works of Eric Butterworth and Catherine Ponder, both teachers of spiritual laws. I learned from them – and the other works their work led me to – that while we live and operate by the natural laws on the physical plane, the truly powerful laws are mental and spiritual. An example of a physical law is the law of gravity. This law is in effect whether we know about it or not. Remember when you were watching your children learn how to walk? Karma is a well-known spiritual principle – what comes around goes around. Once you know it, you can use it for the greater good. Knowing the laws and how to navigate and use them will help you to effortlessly create bigger and better results quickly. When we tap into the laws, we are tapping into laws that are so powerful they can be used to multiply, neutralize or even reverse natural law. When we use them, they create results that seem truly magical and miraculous. In this book, I’m going to whet your appetite for this kind of information.

Prioritize Your Priorities

Many single moms fall into the superwoman trap, feeling that in addition to working all day, they must also keep a perfectly clean house, serve home-cooked meals, and tend to their children’s every need. We have to be realistic about what we will and won’t be able to accomplish in a day. In addition, we don’t need to feel as though we have to overcompensate just because we are parenting on our own or going through a separation or divorce.

It is important to lower your expectations just a bit (or a lot!) and give yourself a break. It is certainly fine to serve cold cereal for breakfast or a fast-food meal for dinner every now and then, as long as your child’s overall diet is healthy. There’s no need to have a spotless house, what’s important is the quality time you get to spend with your kids. Given the choice, I would much rather read The Magic Umbrella for the zillionth time than vacuum or dust (ok, the real truth is I would rather do almost anything than vacuum or dust, but you get the picture). Did your fondest childhood memories consist of living in an immaculate home or spending one-on-one time when your parents, where they focused just on you? If they didn’t spend quality time with you, wouldn’t it have felt better if they did?

In case it didn’t occur to you, you are meant to be very high up on your priority list. As I write this, I’m flying from Las Vegas to Dallas, and for the umpteenth time I heard, “In case the cabin loses pressure, put the mask on yourself before you put it on any other adults or small children.” That applies to your life right now – you must give to yourself what you need in order for you to be an effective anything – mom, friend, daughter, or employee.

Say Hello to Inner Peace

It is easy to feel massive amounts of guilt for the choices we have made, or may have been made for us. Whether we are single parents by chance or by choice, its natural to feel there’s a lot wrong or lacking.

It’s a great idea to focus on what is wonderful and amazing about your family then to dwell on what’s missing or lacking. Many years ago, Oprah Winfrey suggested creating a gratitude journal. The exercise of writing down five things a day we’re grateful for keeps your conscious and subconscious mind focused in the right direction, the direction you want to go in. By staying focused on where you want to go, you’ll get there sooner. I have also found that by focusing on where I want to go, I’m able to let the daily bumps and challenges more easily roll off my back. I’m focused on what I want, and I don’t expect the journey to be perfect – so when there are challenges it is easier to “be the ant that moves the plant.”

Worrying is a lot of wasted energy that produces no solid, positive result. I know it is easy to do and to do often. You are better off utilizing the tools that are effective at bringing to fruition your goals and dreams. There are some “distracter activities” that are very effective and can keep your vibration high and the magical results consistently on their way to you. I’ll share them with you in an upcoming chapter.

Make a Plan & Set Goals for Your Amazing Future

You are probably finding it hard to get through all the things on your to-do list each day. It is important to set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals for yourself so you have exciting things to look forward to. This can help keep your spirits up and keep you moving forward. These goals are part of the master plan you will be putting together to keep you on track.

It is important to note here no goal is too small. Some of you may be on the fast track to super stardom with a new invention that will change the face of humanity (or at least add 10 minutes to my sleep time). Others may be having a hard time getting out of bed and combing their hair. Your goals must be in alignment with a few key things: (1) where you are in your process, (2) how you’re feeling currently, and (3) where you want your life to go.

If your ambitions are longer-term, such as going back to school, losing weight, starting a new relationship, or moving to a better neighborhood, it is crucial to have more immediate, sanity-saving goals that involve such things as finding some much-needed personal time, going out one night a month, listening to music, writing in a journal, getting fresh air and exercise, or spending a few minutes a day in quiet reflection.

Single mothers must take care of themselves, so include self-care goals in your plan! Make sure you eat well, sleep well, exercise, keep in touch with friends, get a manicure and pedicure, read for pleasure or even seek professional help when you need it. This will help you be the best mom you can be. When you make yourself a priority, your children will imitate that now and as they grow older. Christine understands this all too well. Participating in the program was her gift to herself. After years of putting everyone else first, she realized her self-care was non-existent and decided to do something about it. Now she practices self-care at least weekly by attending the class, and she also meditates, writes in her journal and goes for long walks by herself.

Your powerful, positive plan will get, and keep, you in the “flow state.” The best way to describe the flow is that you always have more than enough of everything you need: money, space, time, love and more. It always comes to you in advance of when you need it, sometimes just in the nick of time, other times long before you actually need it. For me, just when I decide I want a new client or speaking engagement, my phone is ringing or I get an email inquiry. I meet people all the time who say, “I’m so glad we’ve met. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.” Of course it is!

Give Back

You can perpetuate your flow state by activating the Law of Giving and Receiving … by giving. It is a universal truth that when you give, you will receive. When you’re focusing on the needs of others, many times it will make your needs seem small in comparison or even inconsequential. When I think I’m having a bad day I’ll see or hear from someone who makes my situation pale in comparison. As I reach out to lift them up, we both feel better. Without question, spending the last year with the single moms in the group, giving back to them, has been a priceless gift.

The Successful Single Mom Book Series Updates & FAQs

2011-07-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

The blog: The blog is back! After having a different site for the book, I found that using a blog is the easiest and best way to communicate with my readers. Thanks for reading and sharing!

Who needs these books & this site? Any single mom and anyone who loves and wants to support the special single mom in their life.

What's new? The first two books in The Successful Single Mom book series are now available on Kindle and Smashwords and Barnes & Noble!

What's next: Four more books in the series, covering everything from getting fit, finding new love, making more money and raising successful, happy kids.

Have you hugged a single mom today?
To you amazing success, Honorée

~~~***~~~

Holidays & The Single Mom

2008-12-30T10:55:00.000-08:00

This is my first year being remarried and it made me reflect on the five Christmas seasons I spent as a single mom. Most people ask, "What are you doing for the holidays?" This year I had an answer: my in-laws are visiting, we're going to fry some turkeys, make fudge and cookies and watch football. In truth, the past few years I didn't want to burden anyone with the feeling they "should" invite Lexi and me over to their house ... so we spent most of those Christmas Eves and days at home just hanging out.

I am an optimist, so I didn't focus very much on the fact that there wasn't a big list of things on our social calendar. Upon reflection, I thought I would check in with my readers and find out what they do during the holidays, especially when their kids are with the ex. Please share how you spend the holidays, especially if you spend them alone due to lack of family/friends.

My advice to any non-single parents: if you know a single mom (or dad) offer to take their kids for an evening, or even a day or two. Its a much-needed break they probably wouldn't ask for yet would gladly accept!

Is He the One?

2008-12-14T09:31:00.000-08:00

It can be a tricky thing to identify when the one you're with is The One. One of my single mom gal pals confided in me she's in a relationship with someone she's "pretty sure" is the one, but there are some red flags.

I personally believe two things, and sometimes they contradict one another ... the first being, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, the second: the past doesn't equal the future.

So, which one do we use when we are deciding whether our potential future mate candidate is truly the one? What do you think?

The Successful Single Mom Book Launch

2008-12-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

Calling all Single Moms! The official launch of the book is being held January 30, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. Come and meet a few of the moms involved in the Successful Single Mom Transformation Program.

The launch is being hosted at Marquis Las Vegas, the greenest and most wired new homes in Nevada! The event will be held at the spectacular modern estate home Marquis Las Vegas (www.MarquisVegas.com). It is located off of Tomiyasu Lane - betwen Warm Springs and Sunset, and Eastern and Pecos, directly across the street from Wayne Newton's Ranch.

If you would like an invitation, make a post or email me at honoree(at)coachhonoree(dot)com.

Help Needed!

2008-12-04T16:35:00.001-08:00

One of my mom's from the SSM (Successful Single Mom) Transformation Program is so sick she called to ask for help and suggestions. What do you do when you have children to feed, homework to do and that unending list of things to do ... and you are so sick you can't see straight, and you don't have anyone to call for help?

How do you manage a situation like this? What are your tips for our fellow sick single mom?

Magic Moments

2008-12-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

Lexi and I are reading The Secret of the Old Clock, Nancy Drew mystery #1. Each night we read for at least twenty minutes and we have a blast! Last night when I told her we were going to read together after I finished Effortless Living Class, she said, "SWEET!" When we cuddled up on the couch to do the reading, I could tell she was feeling all full up of "mommy juice."

We have a tradition I started when Lexi began kindergarten - after the first day of school, we change into pjs, make chocolate chip cookies and talk about the day.

When I think back to my childhood, there are a few very special things my mom did that have always stayed with me ... she made matching dresses for us to wear (so '70s!), she taught me how to crochet and she read to me, and eventually with me, at every opportunity. These moments were magical to me and made me feel special and loved. That's exactly what I have in mind for my daughter.

I'm curious to know what you do to create magic moments with your kids?

Asking for Help

2008-12-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

The hardest thing to do, according to moms and single moms everywhere, is asking for help. Alisa pointed out that she already has a long list of things to do and knows that every other mom does too. She doesn't want to add more to someone else's list, so she struggles on her own.

There are two important things to note: (1) almost everyone wants to help you and they would be more than happy to do so, and (2) many hands make light work. When we all work together, what we're doing is more fun and gets done faster. That's the idea behind getting a workout buddy.

One of my favorite moms says, "Sure I'll have your daughter over. I'm a big believer in 'there's safety in numbers.'" Its true that my daughter is nowhere to be found for hours at a time when she has a friend over.

Here's my challenge to you: identify something you need help with, ask for help, and then leave a comment here about what happened and how you felt. (Hint: I think its going to work out great and you'll feel amazing.) Once you get the hang of asking for help, you'll wonder why you ever did it any other way.

Success!

2008-12-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Alisa, Julie, Christine, Melinda and I toasted to finishing the manuscript and "putting it to bed" at 6 p.m. on the dot last night. It feels great to finish a project like this one - its a long road that has resulted in a book I'm truly proud of and I know is going to help single moms everywhere! We're right on schedule to release the book on January 16, 2009. (Its also been a blast taking pre-orders today ... wow!)

What was the last big project you completed and felt great about? Please share!

The Successful Single Mom Book on Fox 5 Vegas

2008-11-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

Tune in to the MORE! Show on Fox 5 Vegas this coming Monday, December 1st to see Honorée and Alisa McAffee, a participant in The Successful Single Mom Transformation Program, talk about the Program and the book.

Thanks in advance for viewing!

The BOOK is Set to Print!

2008-11-26T14:58:00.001-08:00

Hi Moms!

The book is going to press on Dec. 5th - the release date is set for January 16, 2009. Thank you for your patience as I've really been focused on getting it done.

Some of you have asked about pre-ordering ... that will be in place soon. Thanks for your interest!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Meals in Minutes

2008-11-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

Single moms feel the pressure to provide healthy meals to our children. After working all day (and sometimes all night), the last thing I want to do is chop, slice, dice or stir (at least for longer than a few minutes). And, by the time we do cross the threshold at the end of the day, I've already been hungry for quite some time. I want to eat NOW, my daughter wants to eat NOW ... I'm sure you can relate.

For the longest time, I was the queen mom of peanut butter and jelly, or hot dogs and beans, or mac 'n cheese and ... well, you get the picture. Not feelin' it in the "Mother of the Year" category, and I really wanted to do better.

While children have an unending capacity to eat the same thing for sometimes weeks in a row, as they're watching the same movie for the millionth time, I got sick of these choices and set out to find easy, simple and healthy meals that consist of just a few ingredients and take less than 20 minutes to make.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Flatbread Pizza (15 minutes tops)
Heat oven to 350*
1 piece Herbed Flatbread
1 Tablespoon Pasta Sauce
2 Tablespoons Mozzarella and 2% Cheddar Cheese
Toppings of your choosing ... veggies, meats, etc.
One "pizza" is the perfect serving amount for one person.
Bake for 10 minutes. Slice and eat.

Meat & Cheesey Roll-ups (20 minutes)
Heat oven to 350*
Pre-made dough (from Trader Joe's, or use Pillsbury's refrigerated pizza crust), cut into 8 triangles
16 pieces sliced lunch meat (turkey, ham, etc.) 2 slices on each triangle of dough
8 piece of cheese (cheddar, swiss, muenster, etc.) 1 on each triangle of dough
Roll dough, meat and cheese, secure with toothpick. Bake for 15 minutes, serve & eat!

Please share yours!

The Worst Day to Feel Crappy

2008-10-31T11:54:00.001-07:00

My daughter has been complaining about an upset tummy for the last two days or so. Not only is it Halloween, when tummy aches are traditionally brought on by too much candy consumption, I had a very important meeting this morning.

So I'm getting ready this morning, with my daughter in my bed watching TV and moaning about her tummy ache, wondering the following: is almost 9 old enough to be left home alone for an hour and a half? Do I cancel my meeting at almost the very last minute and risk the opportunity? Do I drag her along, with the chance she might throw up in the lobby? or the car? or all over me?

Everything ended up working out great for me, but I'm curious - what's a single mom to do in this type of situation? What's the right thing? What are some creative alternatives? What have you done to balance it all as a mom. Reach out with your suggestions - we're all waiting!

(Looks like I'll have to be Sarah Palin next Halloween ... oh sure, you betcha!)

Manners Make a Mom Proud (and Successful)

2008-10-29T18:20:00.001-07:00

"Its nice to meet you. My name is Lexi."

That's the way my daughter greeted two ladies I was meeting with in the past two days. Both were impressed with her manners, and commended me on my mommy-ness. I'm going to bet they also gave me credibility points, and those meetings will eventually lead to new business. I had to take her with me to both meetings because she's out of school on "track break" (its a year-round school thing) and just leaving her in the car with the windows cracked open wasn't the best idea. I'm also jazzed to model successful grown up woman and mom for her!

I started working with Lexi on her manners almost from her first moments. Please. Thank you. You're welcome. May I please ... Could you please ... etc. Repetition really is the mother of skill - pun intended!

My purpose for teaching her great manners was multi-faceted ... pre-child I had a couple of girlfriends I stopped inviting over because their children took delight in destroying my bookshelves, decor, and terrorizing my cats. I never wanted someone to say, "Boy do I like that Honoree, but her child is a monster!" and then stop hanging out with me. I also wanted a child that was a delight to be around. Finally, I think a well-mannered person (child or adult) has an easier time in life because manners open doors and grease wheels. I also think good manners are an integral part of a positive attitude. While she isn't perfect - and who is? - she's a joy to do things for because she sure does know how to show appreciation.

This is encouraging for me, because I know if I suggest it often enough, pretty soon the napkin will automatically go into the lap ...

Besides really great manners, what do you think are important things for us to teach our children? How do we teach these things effectively, when as single moms there's so many things to do? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy mommy-ing!

What's Your Big Dream ... and the Corresponding Story?

2008-10-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

What's your big dream? What have you been telling yourself you want to do for the longest time, but it just hasn't happened? Start a business? Lose weight? Find Mr. Right (or Mr. Right Now)? Go back to school? Take karate?

I made the shift from "why I can't" to "why I can" on a few of my biggies ... because I frankly got tired of waiting "until" ... "until" I get remarried (and have an extra set of hands), until my daughter is old enough to be home by herself, until I have enough cashola, time, support ... and just finally made a plan and took Step #1.

My daughter watches me take myself on, continue to grow, and go for it - it being everything I want - really just squeezing the juice out of life. I think she put less limits on herself because I am an example in action of what's possible.

I know its hard to be managing your own household, with little or no support (financial or otherwise). Its easy to let time pass without putting a stake in the ground and just deciding that no matter what you're going to go after your "it."

I want you to dust off your big dream(s), create a plan, assemble support and take the first step. Need help? Reach out to me - I can help you. Reach out to your friends, family, acquaintances, fellow single moms - we're all here for you.

What's your big dream? What do you need to make it happen? Tell us all why its now in the works, what we can do for you, and when you'll be celebrating so we can bring the champagne!

Throwing Up Must Happen at Midnight

2008-10-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last evening Lexi and I attended her school's annual fall festival. The most nutritious item available for consumption was the pizza they fed to the volunteers. I had a blast selling tickets for the rest of the "menu": cotton candy, popcorn, sodas, caramel apples, etc. After we got home, Lexi had some mac 'n cheese and then went to bed around 9 p.m.

Ahhhhh. Friday night. No alarm tomorrow. Time to get some rest. Not so fast!

At about 12:30 a.m., I hear Lexi calling out to me. Further investigation revealed a classic tummy ache, followed by some classic wretching. Bless her heart, she just didn't agree with all of the goodies she ate. We were up like two girls having a sleep-over until she finally fell asleep at 3 a.m. Not the night of deep sleep I had envisioned!

It reminded me of the time she threw up all over my white linens after eating lasagna, brownies and pink lemonade. As single moms, we often deal with things that require another set of hands, and yet they simply aren't there.

I have found that laughing at the situation during the situation worked better than feeling bummed and overwhelmed - which is what I did earlier on in my single mom expedition.

What do you do to cope with your single mom challenges?

Happy Monday!

2008-10-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I'm still basking in the glow of a fantastic "mom" weekend. Saturday we went Halloween costume shopping - my daughter will be Hannah Montana for the 2nd year in a row. After a few hours at the park at Town Square, we went to one of our favorite haunts (no pun intended): the bookstore. A little slice of Heaven on Earth for me is a place with books, snacks and a beverage. When I was a newly-single mom, I remember sharing a drink with my daughter ... just couldn't afford two drinks really. Although my economic situation has changed for the better, this simple "cheap-to-free" activity is still one of my favorites. As our children age, and they do so very quickly, its the magic moments we have spent together that we remember the most.

We've spent many days at the park, going to free movie night or hanging out painting our toenails.

What are the favorite cheap-to-free activities you do with your kids? Help me compile a list!

Creating a Great Support Team

2008-10-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Your Support Team consists of the people you can count on – really count on – no matter how low you get or how high you fly. They are your cheerleaders – they champion your causes, encouraging, pushing, hugging and tugging you to a better place and eventually your definition of success. To make it through Single Mom Land, they're a necessity!

Its important to have this team in place and the sooner the better. I am also positive you need to be a strong member of your own support team. You will be alone sometimes and it will be easy in those moments to say things to yourself that are simply not helpful. You can rely on others a lot, and you must also rely on yourself.

There are probably many people in your life that want to help yet are not quite sure what to do. Perhaps you want two hours to take a nap, or you simply need to do a bit more work to make ends meet. By all means reach out to your children’s friend’s moms and offer to trade play dates. I did exactly that when I moved to Nevada from Hawaii five years ago. I didn’t have a team of babysitters or know where to find any, and my closest family members were two thousand miles away. If you have family members or close friends that live nearby, ask them to help. Chances are your children are on their best behavior for other people (isn't that always the way?).

Here’s some great news: people want to help you! You may find that some will offer to help, others won’t. I know from personal experience that there are a number of people just waiting to feel useful, helpful and like they are making a difference. Now is your opportunity to allow them to give you that gift – a gift which you can pay forward a little later on.

Who is on your support team and how do they help you? What tips do you have to share in terms of keeping your sanity and getting the help you need? Leave your comments and I'll share them in an upcoming post.

The Most Important Thing

2008-10-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Emily, a single mom from Knoxville, sent me this question: "What's the most important thing I need to do as a single mom?"

Thanks for the question, Emily. I think there are several most important things, and among them these three come immediately to mind: (1) practice self-care, (2) manage your attitude and (3) spend quality time with your children.

As single moms, it is easy to skip the steps of taking care of ourselves. Every time we fly, we're reminded to "put the mask on yourself before putting the mask on anyone else." The same is true as moms, especially single moms. My top 5 self-care actions are these:

Quality time with my girlfriends
A hot bath and a good book
Weekly massage
Enough sleep
A few hours each week that require nothing of me

Having a can-do attitude is so crucial to not just surviving, but thriving! Lori, a participant in the Successful Single Mom Transformation Program, has the best attitude of just about anyone I've ever seen! While her outward conditions aren't the greatest (yet), she exclaims this is the very happiest she's ever been in her life. It is because, and only because, she chooses - daily - to be happy. So can you!

Finally, its important to spend as much quality time with our kids as possible. They are most likely having a tough time, too, and the more you read to them, play with them, and cuddle with them, the more secure and loved they will feel. I know from personal experience that when my daughter acts up, all she really wants is to feel more connected to me. Its a lesson I've "learned" more than once.

What do you think is the most important thing you need to do as a single mom? Do you do it?

The Successful Single Mom

2008-10-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome Single Moms!

The soon-to-be released book, The Successful Single Mom, is for single moms everywhere who want to be the best moms they can be.

Whether you are a single mom by chance or by choice, you have perhaps been struggling with the basic challenges every single mom faces – feeling helpless, overwhelmed or even depressed, having a lack of support, getting it all done, paying the bills and getting some sleep, balancing your personal and professional life -- and there are, of course, many others!

Six years ago I was a newly-divorced mom of a two-year old. I moved to a new city where I knew no-one and had no family. Present day, I am the proud mom of an 8-year old third-grader, newly remarried to a wonderful man, and I run four successful companies.

This blog, and the book, will include the processes and action steps I used after my separation and divorce to get and keep myself in a better place, and on track. Truthfully, most of the time I had to dig deep – I really wanted to stay in bed or on the couch (preferably with a gallon of Rocky Road). As an executive, business and life coach, however, I knew that I needed to use the tools I had in my tool box to create the life I wanted to live. I had to do it consistently and with intention.

If you have wondered what would have to happen in order to “get your groove back” … to feel healthy, centered and even optimistic again, this could be a valuable resource for you. During and after my divorce, I asked myself the questions you may have asked yourself: How do I raise a healthy, happy, well-adjusted child? How do I run a business, eliminate financial stress and feel like I am fulfilling my purpose for being on this planet? How do I heal and open myself up to a new love?

If this resonates with you, stay tuned! Ask questions, post your comments, share your thoughts, and tell your fellow single mom friends (and their support systems).

I'm writing both this blog and the book because this is the information I needed six years ago. I hope its helpful to you on your journey. Here's the truth: the best is yet to come!

Blessings & Light,

Honorée Corpron Corder
Mom
Author
Coach
Personal Transformation Expect
Wife
Lover of Life

The Successful Single Mom

Reading for Single Mom Rock Stars

Single Moms Need Maximum Self-Confidence

Fifteen Minutes to *CLEAN*

Sample Sunday: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook

Tips for the Single Mom Cook

Single Moms: Maximizing Your Time

Sample Sunday: Chapter 1 The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

Introducing Successful Single Mom Christine Plaisted

Introducing Successful Single Mom Aljolynn Sperber!

New Book Release: The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!

Enough already: Single Mom are Rock Stars!

A good reminder

Sample Sunday: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! Cookbook

What Makes a Single Mom Successful?

Single Mom Free Book Giveaway

Single Moms Can Find Love Again

10 Ways You Can Help Me Help Single Moms

Single Moms: Therapy Can Help You and Your Kids

Successful Single Mom: Beate Chelette

The #1 Secret to Post-Divorce Dating

It's Time for You to Create a New Story

Searching for Successful & Healthy Single Moms!

Dear Single Mom, You're amazing!

Chapter One: Oh Shit Day! The Day that Turned Your Lives Upside Down

The Successful Single Mom Book Series Updates & FAQs

Holidays & The Single Mom

Is He the One?

The Successful Single Mom Book Launch

Help Needed!

Magic Moments

Asking for Help

Success!

The Successful Single Mom Book on Fox 5 Vegas

The BOOK is Set to Print!

Meals in Minutes

The Worst Day to Feel Crappy

Manners Make a Mom Proud (and Successful)

What's Your Big Dream ... and the Corresponding Story?

Throwing Up Must Happen at Midnight

Happy Monday!

Creating a Great Support Team

The Most Important Thing

The Successful Single Mom

Fifteen Minutes to CLEAN