Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Friedlander.
Valerie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Nothing can really prepare you for Motherhood. There is no training class and, for better or worse, all we really have is the example the people around us set, particularly our parents. That said, I had all the pieces you are “supposed to” have for a fulfilling and successful life – husband, house, high-powered and lucrative career, and finally a baby. Motherhood, however, magnified everything I was tolerating in my life a million times.
I felt like everything I’d built was falling apart. My husband and I kept bickering, I was falling behind where I wanted to be at work, and I was certainly not being the Mom I wanted to be. In time, I managed better but my stress was still high and I’d seen the toll survival mode had taken on my Mother.
Through my journey to set a different example for my kids and create a more truly fulfilling life for myself, I discovered coaching. The certification process not only gave me skills and tools to compliment my natural intuitive gifts but also the self-awareness and confidence to reclaim my energy and redesign my life in a more authentic and harmonious way. It was clear that this was more than a new career, it was the support I was looking for since I became a Mom. I knew I wasn’t alone in my experience and that I had to bring this modality of support to other Moms like me.
It’s been my mission ever since to empower both myself and other Moms to take off their limits, reconnect to themselves, and take ownership of their life experience, so they can be the example they want to be for their kids and live a vibrant, fulfilling life.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being an entrepreneur has definitely not been easy. It’s been like becoming a Mom all over again, with lots of shoulds, stress, and insecurity. My training gave me the confidence and faith to follow my calling but it was still scary to step out on my own, especially having never even considered doing so.
I knew fear and a lack mindset could not create success. Unfortunately, ignoring it doesn’t make it go away and its influence led me to seek out someone to show me the “right” way, instead of helping me develop MY way.
Though I did a lot during that initial period, I wasn’t truly putting myself out there and BEING me as an entrepreneur and very little came of all that effort.
I’ve since hired my own life coach, made several breakthroughs, and realized that, while there are certainly business strategies to learn, success in business, as in life, is rooted in mindset, authenticity, and taking action. That shift has made yet another world of difference personally and professionally!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the The Unlimited Mom story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a Mom, Certified Professional Coach and Core Energy Practitioner. I founded The Unlimited Mom to empower Moms to take the limits off what we believe possible in Motherhood and beyond, both for ourselves and as an example for our children.
I specialize in helping high achieving Moms whose frustration and stress are affecting their health, family relationships, and business success to create a harmonious and fulfilling life balance.
Work with my clients focuses on developing the clarity and confidence to take action, optimizing energy to increase productivity, and enhancing self-awareness to transform obstacles into opportunities. I primarily meet with clients virtually in private sessions and offer local and virtual group coaching and workshops.
I’m known for creating a guilt-free, judgment-free bubble allowing my clients the space, support, and encouragement to break through blocks and take charge of their experience of life.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t really believe in luck. I believe that everything that comes into my life has a purpose, ultimately defined by what I choose to do with it.
My son has a book called Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth that illustrates this very well. In it there is a story of a farmer whose neighbors shake their head when something negative happens and say “What bad luck.” The farmer simply answers “maybe”. Later the result of the negative situation produces a positive result and the neighbors say “What good luck!” The farmer simply answers “maybe”. The good luck then turns to bad luck and then to incredibly good luck. The farmer accepts the events as happening and makes the most of them.
This reminds me that what truly matters is my perspective and how I respond to events, not the events themselves. The less I label, the more options are available to me in any given situation, which in turn allows me to always be at the cause of my life, rather than the effect of it.
Pricing:
- Free 20 minute clarity call
- $197 Energy Leadership Assessment – Shows you the perception patterns working both for and against you as you lead your life and those around you. (Reference this article and receive a 50% discount.)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theunlimitedmom.com
- Phone: 773-257-3867
- Email: valerie@theunlimitedmom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunlimitedmom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunlimitedmom
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/theunlimitedmom
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-unlimited-mom-chicago-3
Image Credit:
Professional photos by Jessica Lee Thomas Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
