Every Friday I am going to feature a woman that I adore. They exude all the qualities of an Alpha Female and I want to dig into their lives to get some nuggets of knowledge to help us all live happier, healthier lives balancing life & work.
Definition of an Alpha Female
An Alpha Female is a powerful and assertive woman. Her confidence is due to being an intelligent and intellectual problem-solver. Being an Alpha Female is a State of Mind based on choosing ambition and being proud of it. She strives for a happy and healthy work/life harmony.
She is the brightest star in her constellation. When an Alpha Female stays true to their authentic selves and their missions they shine. An Alpha Female puts herself first. She knows that work/life harmony is found by staying true to your priorities and what makes you happy. She is never complacent about striving for better and nurtures relationships with all the people in her life.
Meet Tara Thorne!
Tara Thorne is a Clinical Nutritionist, has training from the Institute for Functional Medicine, specifically in hormones and is currently studying to become a Certified Functional Nutrition Coach in 2017. Tara’s practice focuses on helping busy mums navigate the overwhelm and confusion surrounding how to live healthfully in a hectic world by providing evidenced-based functional nutrition and lifestyle strategies. She runs her business online in order to help as many women as possible live the lives they deserve, not one fraught with hormonal imbalances and all the problems that come along with them. Her own struggles with hormone imbalance were what lead her on this path and are why she’s able to understand and empathize with the struggles of the modern day mum.
What do you think of the definition and how are you an Alpha Female?
It’s definitely important to be powerful and assertive as a female. We only have one life to lead and we should do that to our best ability and ensure we stand by our decisions and philosophies. I recently posted to Facebook and Instagram about the fact that I’m a working mother – by choice. Some have judged me for this, but I think it’s an excellent example I’m setting to my daughters as to how to be a powerful, assertive, independent woman. Having said this, there’s nothing more important in my opinion than striving for work/life balance. It’s not always easy when you have kids but it’s crucially important – even more so when you have kids because juggling work, life, and kids is not an easy feat. Self-care is so underrated by many but so, SO important. When I don’t have balance and I’ve forgotten self-care I definitely do not feel happy, and this can negatively impact everyone around me. Self-care is a must for everyone in this busy digital age. If you’re not doing self-care then cracks will start to show and things will start to suffer. Putting self-care and yourself first is – I think – the key to a successful life and business.
What does work/life harmony look like for you?
I’m still trying to figure that out! Pulling back when I get too excited about my work is something I have to become better at. Family time is huge. I love going on road trips or family holidays as this is the time we all really connect and bond. But I think being able to stop work and being strict about that is super important as an entrepreneur.
Share with us a time when work/life balance was out of whack? What was your aha moment that taught you it was ok to take care of yourself first?
I’m still working on it but I do recall an “aha moment” when I lost it at my eldest daughter one night at bath time when she was misbehaving. It was a horrible time for me but it definitely made me realize that I needed to make some positive changes. And I did just that. Things have only been getting better and easier with work/life balance since this aha moment. However, it’s something I have to be very conscious about and stop myself from slipping back into the Type A “go go go” trap that I can sometimes fall into. I’ve always thought it’s important to take care of myself but this really made me realize that I wasn’t doing that, which then was negatively impacting my relationship with my family, and so I started to implement things such as more meditation, less work, less screen time, earlier bedtime, and more walks outside, (sometimes I can spend way too long inside, working away, which isn’t healthy).
What are you most passionate about?
I’m most passionate about my family. Watching my children grow up is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once! I didn’t come from a cohesive family unit and my biggest passion is ensuring my children do have a cohesive family and grow up knowing that family is important and something they can always rely on. But second to that it would be my business. I absolutely love serving women to help them lead healthy and fulfilling lives. I can’t think of anything more important than our health and wellness. If we don’t have our health, what do we have?!
How do you nourish yourself?
Obviously, I try to eat healthfully as much as possible. I probably achieve this 90 – 95% of the time, (except when I’m on vacation or during holidays – I let things slide a little then). Functional foods are a big part of mine and my family’s diet as they really give you extra nutritional bang for your buck. I also enjoy herbal teas, which can be very therapeutic. Meditation is important to nourish my soul, as well as a gratitude journal that has really changed my mindset and made me so much more positive. Vacations are a big one – I’m a traveler and always have been, (but nothing can top vacations with my family). Walks with a good friend, time at the beach – these are all the things that nourish me physically as well as emotionally.
What is your weekly fitness routine like?
I have such limited time but I try to do walks weekly with a good friend, which is a double whammy: not only do I get the physical health benefits of walking, but I also get the mental health benefits of chatting to a friend. I also do yoga at home, sometimes hot yoga in a studio, and weights at night when kids are asleep.
What are your daily habits for winding down at night and reducing stress?
Meditation is huge for me. There’s nothing that makes me feel more relaxed than the meditation I do. It wasn’t always easy – it took me about 6 months to really fall in love with it. But now it’s enjoyable and something I look forward to. I also enjoy a good mindless book (nothing too heavy) and essential oils. I nebulize orange in my office every day because orange has been shown to significantly reduce stress and anxiety, and I use lavender at night by my bed. Sometimes I also do yoga nidra, (a powerful guided meditation – not physical yoga) and I always consume herbal teas at night once the kids are down, which can be a lovely way to unwind. My husband and I are both big fans of herbal tea at night.
What are some pain points of being an Alpha Female that you have to problem solve for?
I have definitely been judged for being a working mother, but I have become confident in my decision and I know I am setting a great example for my daughters. But when it comes to my business I know I take on too much sometimes. I am trying to figure out how to accomplish all that I want to but in a more patient less urgent manner. I can be very impatient at times and I have to learn how to pull back and realize that everything is happening as it should. Knowing that I don’t need to do it “all” yesterday is hard for me and something I am working on. Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed by all that I have to do but I have put some strategies in place to help with this such as buying my groceries online, having a cleaner come once a month, and I think it may be time to bite the bullet and hire an assistant. It’s important that as alpha females we don’t try to do it all and instead, we delegate where we can to make things easier on ourselves. It’s so important to help ourselves out wherever possible.
What is your definition of happiness?
Being at peace with where I am in life at this current moment. Not wanting for more, not feeling impatient, being calm, content, and being more present in the moment.