I found an excellent article called “The Guilty Mom Entrepreneur,”on the struggles that entrepreneur moms face (or any working mother) with trying to balance work, life and some type of career or job. The article mentnons the book: Mommy Guilt: Learn to Worry Less, Focus on What Matters Most and Raise Happier Kids, which highlights seven points for “guilt-free mommy-living”:

1. You must be willing to let some things go.
2. Parenting is not a competitive sport.
3. Look toward the future and at the big picture.
4. Learn when and how to live in the moment.
5. Get used to saying “yes” more often and being able to defend your “no.”
6. Laugh a lot, especially with your children.
7. Set aside a specific time to have fun as a family.

Kind of matches a post I read the other day, “Live Like a Toddler: Six Ways to Change Your Life,” from the “Catch Your Breath Blog.” Karen Murphy outlines six key concepts that toddlers do instinctively that we can all do in our daily lives to make things a bit easier. One of my favorite pieces of toddler advice is number 5 on her list: “let someone help you.” Most Moms I know try to do it all and we need to stop and ask for help when we need it. Read all of Karen’s post here.

I have a love/hate relationship with the ever-popular bunny book, “Guess How Much I Love You?”

The first time I read it, I have no clue what I am in for. I am thinking it’s just some cute book about bunnies. I have no idea the tear-inducing effect it will have on me or how it will close up my throat as if I am having an allergic reaction. Hand over the Benadryl, please.

But, read it I must.

Tear up I do.

Swallow hard.

Keep reading.

Enjoy every minute of the it.

He’ll never know how much I really do love him.

Can you believe it’s here already? You either love February 14 or hate it. I really don’t think there’s much of an in between.

However you feel about Valentine’s Day, I’m sure we’d agree that it comes with pressure. When you’re single, it’s the pressure to have a date on or around the 14th. When you’re a couple it’s the pressure of a gift, the card (funny or serious?), and what to do today (dinner out or dinner in?). It’s enough to drive you crazy.

If you want to guarantee a great Valentine’s Day, however, you have to do something for yourself. The one thing I don’t like about Valentine’s day (besides the pressure) is the fact that we are waiting for someone to do something for us. Don’t wait, do something you love today. Something for you. Get a pedicure on your lunch break. Buy yourself one long stem red rose and display it in a place of honor. Buy a new piece of art for your bedroom or sacred space, something that will remind you to always be who you are on the inside. Order that magazine subscription that you’ve been eyeing, and enjoy the benefits for an entire year.

Above all, remember Valentine’s Day is about love. Loving yourself. Loving your spouse or partner. Loving your children. Loving others. It’s a day to be reminded of who we care about, which should always start with ourselves.

FREE BOOK — TODAY ONLY

If you do only one thing today, do this: download Suze Orman’s newest book about women and finances, “Women & Money.” It’s a FREE, yes FREE, download from Oprah.com. The deal is only good until 5:00 p.m. today so do it now. Orman’s publisher agreed to give it away online for free as part of Orpah’s recent show about how a mother of 5 is left with zero money and a truckload of debt after her husband commits suicide. Suze develops a plan for the woman to get her life on track. Do yourself a favor today and get this book so you don’t fall into a situation like this woman is in.

Related:

• Read my post “10 Reasons Suze Orman Rocks”

I absolutely love, love, love this wonderfully illustrated children’s book: “I Love You Through and Through,” by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak.

It’s charming, cute and best of all my son loves it. The illustrations are just like the book cover, large, whimsical, colorful. Each page talks about something you love about your child,

“I love your happy side,

your sad side,

your silly side,

your mad side (which, admittedly, is sometimes hard to read!)

I love your fingers

and toes,

your ears

and nose.”

It goes on, each page with something else we love.

It’s the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. Go out and buy it today so you can read it to your son or daughter on Feb. 14. You’ll both love it, through and through.

Related:
Product information about “I Love You Through and Through” from Amazon.com.

Oprah announced yesterday that she is offering a free 10-week online class starting in March, based on her new book club selection, “A New Earth.” When I went to the site last night, I got this message:

Due to high traffic demands, this Oprah.com feature is temporarily unavailable.”

Yep, offer something for free and everyone comes in droves. Oprah offers something for free and everyone and her mother comes in droves.

It’s exciting that so many people are interested in discussing a book and learning more, so much so that it crashed the server.

I love learning and jump at the chance for any type of training so I am sure I will join in on this weekly class. She’s said to be teaching it along with the author, Eckhart Tolle. Each week will be based on a chapter in the book. And, there are discussion boars and interactive features for users to upload his/her thoughts — I’m assuming good or bad.

Online education is a new realm for some and I’m glad that Oprah is embracing a new technology in a way that will surely include more people than she ever imagined. I have reservations about if I will like the book, but I’m good about taking new age topics and altering them to my own belief system so I’ll give it a shot. It’s the book’s subtitle that has my interest: “Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.”

And, since it’s Oprah, the time is right: 9:00 p.m. once a week. Many women are home at that hour and most of the kids are tucked in bed by 9:00 (let’s hope so anyway) so there’s no excuse to join in if you are interested.

Related:

• Buy “A New Earth”
• Sign up to take Oprah’s free class
• Another book by Tolle, “The Power of Now”
• Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life”