Maybe you’d like to start your own business, but you’re not willing to scale back on your lifestyle to invest more money into creative endeavors. Or perhaps you’re allowing fear to prevent you from taking more risks. Regardless of what’s holding you back the question remains: Are you willing to do what it takes to have a more successful and fulfilling career?

Defining Success on Your Own Terms
As professional women, we’ve all experienced times when we want to throw up our hands in frustration. We become stuck and are uncertain as to how to proceed because we have either have lost our passion for work or never had it to begin with. Oftentimes, we lose sight of the “why” and focus on the wrong things in attempt to fit in with the mainstream view of success, and we find ourselves in a career that fails to satisfy us emotionally or creatively.

In order to escape your career rut, it’s important to determine what success means to you. For some, it might mean building a media empire with thousands of employees, while for others it might simply be working for a small non-profit organization that serves the local community. Knowing what you want out of life and remaining focused on why you’re in your chosen industry will motivate you to take consistent action,  despite how scary it might feel.

Breaking through the Psychological Glass Ceiling 
We settle for less than we deserve because of our self-limiting beliefs. For instance, we get a new idea and immediately talk ourselves out of it by thinking of all the ways it can’t work. “I don’t have enough time” or “I don’t have the money” are among the top excuses people have for not aiming higher and going after their dreams. Sound familiar? Rather than put ourselves out there and stretch beyond our comfort zone, we sit by the sidelines and then wonder why we’re not achieving our desired level of success.

We say we’re willing to “do everything” to ensure our professional success, but let’s be honest: Are you really taking all the necessary steps to create your dream career?

If not, make a list of all the things that are standing in your way. Then write down all the possible solutions you can think of for overcoming them and take one action within the next hour – whether it’s making a phone call to a mentor for advice, scheduling an appointment to meet with a career coach, or introducing yourself to a new business in the area.

The Need for Action
How many times have you invested in books, business courses and seminars only to discover you’re no further in your career than when you began? You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you’re not implementing the ideas, it’s useless. What separates the success stories from the stories of disappointment is our willingness to take action. When we allow fear and a negative mindset to dictate our actions, we set ourselves up for failure. Despite our best intentions, we slip back into “bad behavior” and keep doing the same things because it’s comfortable.

So what’s really holding you back from the career of your dreams? Is it money? Time? The economy? Whatever you “think” it is, it’s time to confront your demons. Create a list of all the things you’ve been afraid to do in business and in life. What immediate thoughts surface as you review your list? Acknowledge what they have to say, and then write out all those self-sabotaging beliefs that tell you how you’ll never make but a certain amount of income or achieve a certain amount of success. When you really think about it, is it true? There are others who have overcome great odds to achieve professional bliss. Why not you?

Woodland student runs for good cause 

Sending emails to family, friends and neighbors, Rachel assembled a team of more than 80 participants to join her in the fight against sudden cardiac arrest. Robbie’s Run is an annual 5K race hosted by the foundation to create awareness of the importance of furnishing youth sports facilities with automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. Its participants solicit donations, and the proceeds have been used to provide youth sports organizations throughout the New York area with defibrillators.

Dr. Craig and Jill Levine founded the organization in honor of their 9-year-old son, Robbie, who died suddenly when his heart stopped during a baseball practice in 2005.

“It feels good that I can make a difference in saving a life,” said Rachel. “What happened to Robbie can happen to anyone. If he had a defibrillator, he might have lived.”

Rachel used the event as her bat mitzvah project.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death among youth athletes, and claims nearly 340,000 lives each year. According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, close to half of the deaths caused by sports-related injuries are attributable to sudden cardiac arrest. It is estimated that one case of cardiac arrest occurs every three days in organized sports. Without immediate access to defibrillators, the chances of survival are extremely low.

For Rachel, Robbie’s Run was an opportunity to use her athleticism to contribute to a cause that has influenced the lives of multiple generations of her family. Her cousins were schoolmates of Robbie Levine’s. A few years after Robbie’s death, she learned firsthand about the importance of defibrillators when her grandfather died after suffering a massive heart attack.

“I am so proud that she was able to put together a team of 83 people and raise so much money for something that is near and dear to us,” said Rachel’s mother, Lori Polansky. “It’s a very rewarding experience as a parent.”

The annual event allows blind and visually impaired students to practice their literacy skills while interacting with peers, an opportunity that does not happen often. Before Clarke began hosting the Challenge in 2007, teachers administered tests individually, without the support or camaraderie of fellow students.

“We have a longstanding tradition here in East Meadow of providing programs for children who have all kinds of diverse needs,” said East Meadow School District Superintendent Louis DeAngelo. “We are thrilled to be hosting the Braille Challenge for the fourth year in a row.”

Students from ages six to 18 competed in several categories ranging from speed and accuracy to spelling and reading comprehension. Participants with the top 12 scores nationally in each of the five age groups will advance to the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles, explained Barbara Taffet, a Braille transcriber and head scorer of the regional competition.

Representing the East Meadow School District were Alex Calderon, 16, a student at Clarke High School, National Braille Challenge 2007 finalist Michael Taylor, a sixth-grader at Clarke Middle School and Parkway Elementary School fourth-grader Daniel Castro.

As students tested in a nearby classroom, tenaciously running their fingers over raised dots, parents participated in their own day of learning and festivities.  Five panelists discussed knowledge and skills for independence in college. It is a rarely discussed topic, as nearly 50 percent of blind students drop out of high school, according to the National Federation for the Blind.

Speakers included: April Foley, a teacher for the visually impaired in Massapequa Park; Glenn Dausch, an assistant technology specialist at Stony Brook University; Megan Kelly, a quality insurance specialist for the Helen Keller Braille Library and adjunct English professor at Suffolk Community College; and Matthew Puvogel of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

It is important to help your child “verbalize their needs,” Kelly said. Self-advocacy, she continued, is an ongoing process so begin building decision-making skills at an early age through role-playing
activities.

Amid the celebration of learning and workshop presentations was a more important effort: a call to action for the preservation of Braille literacy.  For many students, Braille is more than a literacy tool — it is a ticket to opportunity.

“I couldn’t tell you where I’d be without Braille,” said Caitlin Lynch, a former National Braille Challenge competitor. “Braille has opened so many doors for me.  It allowed me to do everything my sighted peers did.”

Lynch, who attributes much of her success to Braille, boasts an impressive resume of bachelor’s degrees in English and Secondary Education from Manhattanville College.  She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Social Work, an opportunity, she said, that would not be possible without Braille.

Separate but equal. Echoed throughout the public education school system for decades, this philosophy has denied several students access to educational opportunities based on their perceived differences — from race to physical impairments.

At W. Tresper Clarke High School, the East Meadow School District is taking a unique approach to differences with an educational culture that reflects and accommodates diversity.

The schools provide an education to its blind and visually impaired population with a wide range of vision services including assistive technology assessments, orientation and mobility training and educational support with special education teachers. Blind and visually impaired students also have access to the same core curriculum as their sighted peers, but with modifications and accommodations. Tactile graphics, computer software and Braille materials are just a few of the adaptations that students receive.

The educational setting that Clarke offers vastly differs from public education 50 years ago. In previous generations, blind and visually impaired students were confined to special institutions, isolated from their sighted peers. Without the appropriate social and academic skills, visually impaired students were ill prepared for the adult world.

At Clarke, special education teachers work together with their general education colleagues in providing access to the curriculum for their students on areas such as transcribing materials, using a SMART board and even how to set up an environmentally friendly classroom. These practices help the students thrive in mainstream classroom settings.

“We provide what every child needs to be successful,” said Patrice Dobies, director of special education and pupil personnel services for the East Meadow School District. “Every child has something special to bring to the classroom and our job is to help our students access the curriculum to learn.”

As a way to celebrate the achievements of blind and visually impaired students, Clarke has hosted the Braille Challenge for the past three years. It is the only public high school in the nation to hold the event.

The Braille Challenge includes a series of exams that allow blind and visually impaired students to practice their skills in comprehension, speed and accuracy, proofreading, spelling and graph reading. More importantly, the contest strives to promote the importance of Braille literacy.

Braille instruction has become almost obsolete over the past few decades. Only 10 percent of legally blind children are learning Braille in school, according to the National Federation for the Blind (NFB). Advances in technology and special education teacher shortages are just a few of the rationales for its decrease in use.  The decline has resulted in a rising number of legally blind individuals who are illiterate and unable to function independently. NFB studies show that while only 30 percent of legally blind and visually impaired people are employed, 80 percent of those who have jobs are Braille readers.

“Braille literacy helps level the playing field,” said Dr. Sheila Amato, a national expert on Braille and a university teacher trainer. With Braille, Amato said, children with visual impairments can participate in state exams, gain independence, and achieve the same academic success as their sighted counterparts. Amato retired last year as a teacher for the blind and visually impaired for the East Meadow School District.

Residents, parents, teachers and students from the tri-state area will gather at Clarke on Saturday for the district’s fourth annual Braille Challenge. The competition began as a way for the district to pay it forward and has evolved into a community-wide learning movement for blind and visually impaired students.

Petra Tarrant, the district’s lead teacher for the blind and visually impaired, is coordinating this year’s Challenge.

Since its inception at Clarke, a student from the East Meadow School District Regional Competition has advanced to the national competition in Los Angeles. The Braille Challenge, the only reading and writing contest for students who are visually impaired, attracts hundreds of attendees, blind and sighted alike.

“The Braille Challenge is a celebration of literacy for Braille readers and writers,” Dobies said. “It’s a fun day to rejoice in learning, accept rigorous academic challenges and celebrate diversity of instruction.”

In addition to writing your business plan, deciding on the colors for your Web site, and designing your logo, you must also determine how you will live without the comfort of a steady paycheck and employee health benefits. The keys to making a successful transition from employee to entrepreneur are preparation, careful planning and most importantly, checking your corporate mindset at the door.  Before you commit to your business endeavor full-time, follow these three tips to create your own financial safety net.

Get over yourself
One of the biggest challenges women face when striking out on their own is the tendency to want to do everything themselves.  “No one cares what your title was, and it can be a culture shock when you realize there’s no one to delegate to,” says Susan Slovic, author of  The Girl’s Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business.  As an entrepreneur, you must have a willingness to be flexible and do things differently.  You may be tempted to handle everything yourself in an effort to avoid paying lofty overhead expenses, but in order to ensure longevity in your business, you must learn to relinquish control.  Make certain your business is systematized, so it can be easily taught and duplicated, adds Slovic, and start small.  While your ideas may be grandiose, resist the urge to expand beyond what your financial resources will allow.  Instead of opening your own boutique right away, start out selling jewelry at your local flea market or launching an Etsy store online.

Ditch the corporate mindset
One of the biggest mistakes women make when starting a business is failing to develop a sustainable business model, beyond trading dollars for hours, says Slovic.  If your business can’t run without you, you’ve only created another job for yourself.  When determining your business model, consider how you will transform your business idea into multiple sources of income.  For example, if you’re an event planner, in addition to hosting events you might also decide to write a book giving tips on how to select the appropriate decor, start a blog and solicit advertising from vendors, or offer workshops.  The idea is to channel your passions into various incomes, so you don’t have to rely on one source of income if your primary revenue stream suddenly wanes or becomes obsolete.

Build a stable financial foundation
No matter how passionate or talented you are, it won’t matter if you’re under financial strain.  Before you make the leap, it’s essential that you organize your finances: reduce any debt, save more than you earn, and build a cash reserve of at least 10 months.  Your business may take from six months to a year before you start breaking even or recouping your start up costs. Moreover, research low-cost insurance options and keep your overhead costs as low as possible. Then you can expand as your business grows.

Friendships end, marriages fail, and family members disappoint; and sometimes you’re the only one left standing.  When you rely on others for your happiness, you not only suffer the loss of the relationship, your self-esteem and sense of worth also become casualties.

“Whether it’s biological or societal, forming and maintaining relationships are a woman’s stomping ground,” says Marriage and Relationship Therapist Alisa Ruby Bash.  “As little girls, we learn to look to our peers and role models to determine how to look, act, feel and be in the world.  After so many years of trying to fit in, it can be a complete shock to the system to out yourself as a unique being with your own interests, talents, beliefs and desires, especially when they don’t reflect typical ideals, or what your parents always wanted you to be,” she says.

More and more women are taking control of their careers: running multimillion-dollar corporations and trading in their corner office to strike out on their own.  However, applying these same principles to matters of the heart and personal endeavors can be challenging.  We live in a culture inundated with messages that a woman’s success is determined by her job title, physical attractiveness, or marital status, causing even the most confident woman to question her worth at one time or another.

Here are three ways to strengthen your defense system when you’re faced with life’s difficulties:

Act Your Way into Feeling
The key to building inner strength and a strong sense of self is to “act your way into feeling,” says Bash.  It’s important to show yourself you can survive and even thrive in situations where you feel uncomfortable.  Doing things that require you to step outside of your comfort zone will make you feel empowered and courageous.  As a result, you’ll start to develop a greater appreciation of who you are and you become less occupied with what other people think and more concerned about pleasing yourself.

Just Say Yes
For women looking to find their passion, Bash suggests recording everything that appeals to you – from places that inspire you to images in a magazine that reflect your desires.  Think of the world as your visual playground, making note of what you love and what you would like to manifest in the near future.  Also, don’t be afraid to try new things, and make it a habit to do at least one new thing each month.  When tapping into your desires, consider those things you did as a little girl that kept you entertained for hours.  The idea is to identify and explore the things that make you happy, so you can learn how to satisfy your own needs instead of relying on others.

Live by Your Own Vision and Values
Dr. Robyn McKay, award-winning creativity coach walked out of a seven-year-marriage after suddenly realizing she was living a life meant for someone else.  It was only after uncovering her own purpose to help others connect to their creative spirit that she was able to find the courage to go back to school and get her degree in counseling psychology.  “I was more afraid of what I’d become if I stayed,” she says.

Oftentimes, the things we’re investing our time and energy in are not congruent to our values and what’s important to us.  To begin making the shift towards activities that nourish your soul, Dr. McKay recommends that women incorporate mindfulness into their daily routines.  Pay attention to your co-dependent patterns.  Ask yourself, “How much time am I spending trying to please others or doing things that don’t reflect my values?”

Many of us are living on autopilot, so when you notice your mind is beginning to shift away from your present experience you can refocus your attention by using the breath says Dr. McKay.  Inhale deeply and observe the cool patch of air against your nostrils as you exhale.  Cultivating presence in our everyday activities creates a container for self-awareness that allows us to develop trust in ourselves.  As a result, our self-esteem is no longer at the mercy of other people’s opinions.

Regardless of your relationship status, the source of your happiness lies within.  People may come and go, but the one thing that will remain constant in your life is the relationship you have with yourself, so make it your number one priority.

So why is individuality important in a relationship?  “Your partner doesn’t want just a piece of a woman, they want the whole package,” says VH1 personality and peak performance consultant, Alison Arnold, also known as “Doc Ali.”  ”There are times for compromising and times for voicing who you are loud and proud.  Remember, your new relationship was attracted to you, so don’t hesitate to introduce your new flame to things that excite you and make you special.”

The Complete Package
The key to maintaining your self-identity is to first assess your relationship readiness.   Be sure you have a sense of what you love to do, whom you love to do it with, and how a man can compliment that, rather than fill a void in your life, suggests Doc Ali.  She recommends that women assess their lives by asking themselves the following questions: “When do I feel the most rewarded and have the most fun?” and ”What is most important to me?”  Healthy men are attracted to confident women that have “got it going on.” 

Self-Preservation
New romances are beautiful: staring into each other’s eyes, butterflies in your stomach when you see their number on your caller ID, staying up until 4 AM and not caring that you’ll be exhausted the next day at work, says Doc Ali.  “I’m all for enjoying the magic of a new romance, but don’t get so lost in it that you’ve already planned the honeymoon, named the kids, and it’s only your fourth date,” she warns.

Doc Ali offers the following tips for staying balanced when you’re in the throes of a new love:

1.  Make and keep weekly dates with friends. Use it as a time to share stories and get feedback.

2. As much as you’re tempted, don’t cancel regularly scheduled activities. Keep going to the gym, playing softball on Wednesdays, or whatever you do that fuels you as an individual.

3. Keep reminding yourself that a little distance builds up a lot of longing and excitement. Staying busy sends the message that you are a confident, strong woman with a lot to offer.

Journey Back to You
Sometimes we lose ourselves unexpectedly. Our hobbies, interests and friends can fall by the wayside just as quickly as our new romance began. If you feel as if you’ve become lost in a relationship, begin to rebuild by reaching out and taking risks says Doc Ali.  Call old friends even if you think they’ll be mad at you; or do something you’ve always wanted to do but were afraid to such as surfing or skydiving.  Each time you step outside of your comfort zone, you’ll feel yourself getting stronger and stronger.

Becoming too dependent on a partner for all of your emotional, social, intellectual and sexual needs is a lot of weight to bear for even the healthiest of partnerships.  However, staying connected to friends and colleagues keep the scales balanced.  Your friends will always be your greatest mirrors, telling you when you are on and off target.  They also help you remember who you are and what you stand for when you begin to get lost.  Challenge yourself to remember who you are again, and come home to your true self.