The Superwoman Complex

Superwoman complex: A woman's wish to be excellent at all her roles (leader, professional, mother, wife etc.), that very often leads to psychological stress and feeling guilty toward family members or an expectation of being a superwoman that can and should do everything (cbmw.org, 2012).

It's 9:30am in Aurora Colorado, my 6 month son and I have been up for 3 hours thus far.  Laundry is in the works, dishes are done,and the  trash is taken out. Daddy is asleep in the bedroom with all three dogs.  I am trying to get Blake, my son, to nap as he is desperately tired.  Such is the life of a stay at home mom, right...? Just one problem, I am not a stay at home mom.

I am due to work in 30 minutes, which is not going to happen.  On today's agenda is an audit of a restaurant, followed by certifying 20+ restaurant trainers, and finishing off with a busy night at the restaurant. All in all a good 12 hour work day.  When I get home I will be signing into my school website to begin my orientation for my doctoral program.  I will also try to book tickets for our first family vacation to California next month, put all of the laundry away, feed 3 dogs......oh and spend some time with my little man before he goes to bed.

It  sounds as if I am complaining, which couldn't be farther from the truth.  I love my life.  I love my husband and my child.  I am grateful to my Aunt who lives with us and allows me to have a career to better care for my family.  I do think that the pressure for us to be Superwomen is fierce, and that is what this blog is about.

I am hoping to discover myself a little more through the process of writing this blog.  I hope to  establish more balance, and to adjust my priorities as necessary.  I hope to help other women to see that the Superwoman Complex is a common occurrence.  Whether you are a mother or not, we all wear many hats and we are expected to excel in everything we do.  We are expected to be everything to everyone, and to do so with a smile on our face. Most of us strive to be that perfect woman without taking the time to learn about ourselves. My goal is to find what makes me happy while simultaneously making my family happy.

I am all of these things in this order:  I am
1. a mother to my son Blake
2. a wife to my husband Eric
3. a daughter, niece, sister, etc....to my family
4. a friend to some amazing people
5. a career woman and doctoral student on my way to success
6. a member of my community

If I can keep things into perspective, perhaps one day I will earn the cape, and the tiara ;)

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