Tonight, as I sit and reflect on the last 24 months of my life, I am amazed at the women that have crossed my path. I have hung out with a United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and have been mentored by the former publisher of Working Mother and Working Woman magazines, Delia Passi.

I would be remiss not to mention my amazing girlfriends prior to Project 19. I have known for a couple of years, I would write a book about the Project 19 Mission, the 19-city tour and all of experiences Robin and I shared along the way.

I have now decided that I am going to write about other women’s successes and struggles called the “Pink Diaries.” My heart is to share these women with you to encourage you to reach for the stars. The one thing I know for sure is that each one of these women puts their pantyhose on one leg at a time.  If they can do it, so can we!

I want to start with the story of my business partner and dear friend Robin Ford.

This woman inspires me at every level. She is a single mother of four children, works for Dell, Inc. as a Global Alliance Manager and the Project 19 co-founder.

She’s an overachiever, that is passionate about advancing women/girls in Leadership roles. When she was in high school, she thought her path would take her down a political road. She has been tremendously successful in corporate America. That is impressive considering she juggles working in Washington DC 3 days a week, attends ALL of her THREE son’s basketball and baseball games, and cooks dinner every evening she is home!  However, we can chalk all of that up to being extremely organized and driven. (Still I am exhausted just writing about it!)

I want to share with you about the Robin I love and adore. I love her unbridled passion and determination to make this world a better place. Several years ago she started a birthday party business My Party Palace. She was 6 months pregnant with child number three. She had a vision that she would host parties for young girls that would teach self- esteem. She wrote an oath that each girl would recite before each birthday party about being worthy of love and respect. Typical Robin style, she turned it into a successful franchise.  I have seen her when she is exhausted and beat down go that extra mile to help someone else. She is always the first to “donate” her time, talent, and treasures. That is what makes her amazing! She is one of the most loyal friends I have ever had. In fact, if I was at war I could not think of another person I would want to “cover my back.” Robin’s all time favorite saying is “As women, more unites us than divides us.”

The things we can all learn from Robin:

1)    Passion - You have to do what you love and love what you do. Never give up and nothing is impossible.

2)    Patience - Image a single Mom with 4 children (two of them being under two.) We must be patient not only with others but also with ourselves. As women, we are our own worst enemy’s. We must step back and breathe.

3)    Persistence – Robin NEVER gives up! She has survived abuse, and poverty, divorce and Corporate America. She has never used any of it as a crutch or an excuse. What is holding you back? What is it that is keeping you from persisting in life?

4)    Polish - Doesn’t matter were I see Robin, she has her act together. As women, we are SO judgmental of each other. We must learn to come together to encourage each other to be the best we can be.

My favorite Chinese proverb sums it up:

“Those who say it can’t be done should not interrupt the person doing it”

If Robin was 2000 plus years old, I would say Confucius wrote this one with her in mind!