2008: The Year of the Woman

In a recent interview, the host asked me to reflect on this benchmark year for women in power. Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin nearly made it to the White House, Michelle Obama is the first African American First Lady, and Caroline Kennedy is a potential U.S. Senator representing New York.

Woman are accomplishing more than ever. We’re running companies, we’re leading the nation, and many of us are making lots of money. At the same time, we’re still required to be mothers, wives, and daughters.

Information is traveling at the speed of light. Literally. My clients have comparables, real estate legal matters, and information about me available to them a mouse click away or with a few taps on their iPhones.

For professionals moms the pressure is immense. We have both the demands of a competitive and ever changing workplace, combined with our duty as life givers to our children.

We women are being stretched farther than ever before.

So yes, it’s an amazing time for women. In fact, I’m awestruck at the collective accomplishments we've made just this year. In my own family, I’m proud of my daughter’s success as a doctor, wife, and mother, and I see a bright future for my young granddaughter.

At the same time, the increase in opportunity doesn’t translate into a decrease in obligation in regards to the roles we’ve maintained for generations. We still bare children, nurture them, and are called mommy—a 24-hour, year 'round job whose requirements I don’t see diminishing any time soon.

As a motivated moms, we’re asking ourselves the following question: How do we advance our careers while maintaining our commitment to family?

With each opportunity that opens up to us, with each glass ceiling that is shattered, the question becomes more challenging to answer. And it’s one that I shall explore in the coming months.

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