Lately, I watch the Today Show and think I am having a conversation directly with the producers behind all of these “secret” segments!!! *Hint Hint, even I still Dream Big- Today Show, are you listening?  I want to contribute!!! My Inner Most Dream Revealed!* I was so moved by this piece on work-life balance… and it’s not just for moms reinventing their worlds by turning their passions into digital media success stories.  If you are trying to “do it all” -this “How to Rock the Work-Life Balance” is more than a statement to try and master daily, it’s a way of life.

I want to add a little color from my driver’s seat here at Choice Fashion & Media.  I speak to people all day long as they search for their perfect next step. I personally can relate specifically to working moms or new moms… or moms returning to the work force trying to figure “it” out.   The women in this piece are doing what they love.  And they speak truth.  When you do what you love, work is not work.

LET’S BE CLEAR…

*Dream Jobs that actually compensate and pay your bills are always hard work.  No one is coasting.  I am sure that the incredibly talented women featured here (and the newscasters discussing them) can attest – it takes a village to balance it all. 

 *And ageless advise… Sometimes you can find unexpected joy and reward in a job that is not an “on paper” Dream Job.

So whether you are sitting at a desk and feeling a little dried out… or you are at home, trying to figure out your next big step, I say this – be inspired by Catherine McCord and Joy Cho – and anyone in your life that is making magic happen, take their hard work, and channel it!

Set your own intentions, put your “inner” bar at an “attainably high” reach, and simply: never quit. When it all feels hard or cumbersome or too much, take a moment to remember why you are doing it in the first place.

So – to the featured women, Catherine and Joy, thanks for that amazing reminder.  You are refreshing!!!  And – eek, even I need a dose of your inspirational juju sometimes! 

Marissa Klein

Marissa Klein knows a little something about dreaming big… After building her career in beauty and fashion sales in NYC, she finally embraced her inner entrepreneur, left the corporate world behind, and started a successful handmade and custom gift company, Rissy Lyn. Throughout her travels, Marissa was always the “matchmaker”-constantly connecting people, helping people, talking to people, changing people. So, while promoting her namesake brand at one of the many trunk shows at Henri Bendel, she had an epiphany: why not bring these skills together and help others dream the way she always had? For the past decade, she has managed Choice Fashion/Media, the creative division of her family’s boutique staffing firm. Everyday, she helps people find their dream jobs. She believes that while inherently we may have more “grown-up” realities, at the end of the day, we all just want to be able to do what we love and be genuinely happy doing it. Marissa is also the author of the children’s book series, The Dream Big Academy. With the second installment on the way, she loves how she can marry her career and love of writing to teach children why we work and to always dream big! Marissa is originally from Harrington Park, NJ, and graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in business. She currently resides in Hoboken, NJ, with her husband David, her two beautiful dreamers, Sienna and Summer, and her poodle, Simba.

Connect with Marissa… Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Dream Big Academy