Before we get much further, you might be wondering who I am to share my experience in this realm of work.run.mom. I’m certainly not a career, fitness, or parenting expert. That said, these are the realms I live in, so I am constantly learning and commit to bringing you along with me authentically and honestly.

You don’t need to share my values or vision, but they will help you understand me better.

Values

During an SIT semester abroad in the Northeast of Brazil, I was moved by the social justice concepts I learned and the inequities I saw. As a result, I got a tattoo on my foot that continues to guide my values to this day. My parents wished I had designed a necklace or something less permanent. In other words, don’t feel obligated to get a tattoo of your values in order to commit to them!

“Solidarity requires that one enter into the situation of those with whom one is in solidarity; it is a radical posture”

Paolo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

In practice, this means working alongside those who are underserved and historically disadvantaged, in order to lift us all as a result. I see this in the work I do in equity in STEM and in my strong belief that some of us get ahead in life due to the simple accident of where, to whom, and as what gender and race we were born. This video demonstrates this well.

“[this] must be forged with, not for, the oppressed”

Paolo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

It would be hypocritical if I stood on my high horse and told you all how and when to run and work, without diving into the training myself. For that reason, with is a critical word in my vocabulary and my values.

“At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.”

Che Guevara

“Do to others what you would have them do to you”

Bible, Matthew 7:12

Love is the third and maybe most important of my values. I see it as empathy, compassion, and a humanizing force. It appears in many major religions.

Vision

I believe we get to our vision through habits and change over time, not by temporary fixes, split-second decisions, and sporadic goals. I recommend The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business for more guidance on how to initiate and maintain life-long habits. I also recommend the Loop Habit Tracker app for reminders and metrics.

Thanks to some kick-ass inspiration by Rachel Hollis in Girl, Wash Your Face, I finally put together a basic version of a vision board and hung it in my closet. She mentions a few magazine clippings she is aiming for, and without her creativity (and Hollywood connections), mine come in the form of clipart.

My vision is to be active, healthy, intentional, generous, family-focused, and a leader. I remind myself of these lifelong intentions every time I get dressed for the day.

What are your values? What is your vision? Share in the comments!