March is Women’s History Month and rolling out would like to recognize Nurse Alice for the amazing work she does educating the masses on how to live healthier lives, especially within the black community. She is also a spokesperson for American Heart Association, as well as the youngest person to be part of AARP’s National Volunteer Leadership Program. Congratulations to Nurse Alice Benjamin for all her accomplishments.
How do you define success?
I define success not by money or tangible things but by the positive impact I’m able to make on the lives of others. I’m a mother and a nurse. While some go to work … I go to care, and I care to make a difference. I’ve learned the hard way that although it’snice to have money, titles and cute, inanimate objects — i.e., purses, shoes, cars — cannot make or keep you happy; and without being happy there is no true success. And quite frankly its the ability to bring comfort, healing or happiness to someone else — i.e., my patients and their families — that makes me feel successful.
In your empowerment sessions with women, what are three keys tools or tips you suggest they embrace in terms of balancing family and career?
Balancing family and career are a conscious and constant effort that we professional women beat ourselves up over all the time. Three important tips that I share when I speak to other women are … (1) reminding myself that to desire a career does not make me a bad mother, nor does a desire for work/life balance make me a bad employee. It is possible to have the best of both worlds (2) Raising children only happens once so to enjoy the moment. When I’m home … I’m home. I commit to uninterrupted family time. I put down both cellphones, the laptop, the iPad and refrain from checking email during certain times of the day when I’m with my family. And I let my peers and agencies know that my family is a priority. Although I know other people need me, my family needs me first. (3) In the pursuit of work-life balance, I also like to remind women that they need me time — time away from work and family to renew your own spirit and to prevent the lose of your identify as an individual woman beyond being a mom, a wife or a worker.
