You know you’re starving for a recharge when you drink it in like it’s a $5 Pulp Fiction milkshake.

I had so much work to do on my flight from San Diego to Houston but as a working mother doing double duty, I’d been jumping from one deadline to the next for weeks.  When I saw the in-flight movie preview, I felt a strong, undeniable pull to watch.  It seemed the best thing I could do for my sanity (and that of everyone around me) was pay some respect to work life balance, buy a headset, sit back and unwind.  After all, this is precious time on a plane, alone, no internet access, no cell phones allowed, no twitter (sorry friend).

So, I watched the movie, “The Women” with Annette Benning and Meg Ryan* and loads of other high profile female stars.  I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed, I drank hot tea (2 cups) I related to the struggles, I found inspiration and then I started writing.

That’s what happens for me when I get overloaded. I can’t write.  But then when I feed my soul a bit, words start pouring out and I want to stay up all night writing.  I guess maybe that’s how writers function.  It’s a great barometer for me.  I know I’ve written about this before.   I’m bringing it up again because I know this so well about myself but still I don’t always pay attention.  How about you?  Do you pay attention to your barometers better than me?

Back to the movie.  In “The Women”, there were a few themes that were in direct parallel with the themes I like to write about here at Six Figure Moms Club.

• Putting Yourself First:  Bette Midler’s character says to Meg Ryan’s character something like this  “Girl, You’ve got to get selfish.  Unless you know what you want and need.  Nobody else can see the best you.” (Forgive me, I’m sure I’m misquoting a little).
• Being a Role Model to our Children:  Meg Ryan’s character is having trouble relating to her teenage daughter.  It’s not until she finds her true self and follows her dreams that her daughter gains respect and looks up to her mother as a role model.
• Work Life Balance:  Meg Ryan’s character has an opportunity to grow a really large company but she discusses how balance and family are important to her and that the cost of having that might be more than she’s willing to give.

Sure this is a movie and some of the scenes are a bit Pollyanna-like and a bit unbelievable, but overall I’m happy I invested the time to watch the movie instead of work on the plane and to get myself writing again.  Amazing what a two hour film can do for me.  Why is it that I don’t do that more often?   If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s definitely worth renting.

*I’m reading the description and it seems funny to me that it doesn’t even list Meg Ryan.  It says, Annette Benning and Debra Messing.  Interesting given Meg Ryan is the main character.