So who and what is Stand Up, Mama!?

Thank you for stopping by.  I’m Sally Robertson, the founder of Stand Up, Mama! and I’m thrilled that you’ve found my virtual home.

I’m a mother of three amazing children.  At least, that’s how they describe themselves.  I have two daughters, Eva 11 and Francesca 9, and a son, Leo 4, or as my Spanish mother-in-law likes to call him “our only child”.

Once upon a time, I was a lawyer.  Which was the closest I came to a passion in my life as I hated it with a passion.

I’m a stand up comic.  I pursued this half-heartedly for a decade and this year decided to put my heart and soul into it (your 40′s will do that to you). I get to perform at Caroline’s Comedy Club on Broadway in New York 1-2 times a month which makes me very very happy and a much nicer mother to my children. 

My mission with Stand Up, Mama! is to help mothers become more of who they really are so that they can be amazing role models for their children.

As a mother, you have two choices:

1. you can tell your children how to live their best life, or
2. you can show them.

Here at Stand Up, Mama!, we’re all about “show AND tell”.  If you want your children to live exciting, satisfying, fun-filled lives then show them how to by example!

I look forward to getting to know you!

Take care,

Sally

Monday Mama Muse: The Two Most Important Questions in the Universe

I’ve mentioned Chris Guillebeau, founder of the Art of Nonconformity before in relation to his advice on writing. 

I just signed up for his Travel Hacking Cartel program as part of my mission for my husband, kids and I to travel more this year and beyond.

I also signed up again for his newsletter at the Art of NonConformity website and received the following newsletter from him. 

“The Two Most Important Questions in the Universe

Hi Sally,

I hope you’re enjoying the introduction to AONC. In this episode: the two most important questions in the universe, and where we’re going next.

***

I wrote a short report in the summer of 2008 that was downloaded by more than 100,000 people in 60+ countries. The report has a  basic-but-important message: live your life the way you want and help other people at the same time.

It’s called A Brief Guide to World Domination, and if you haven’t read it, you can get your own free copy here:

http://chrisguillebeau.com/manifesto

Among other things, the report includes what I like to call the two most important questions in the universe:

1) What do you really want to get out of life?

2) What can you offer the world that no one else can?These questions are deceptively simple. It takes some people 10 minutes to get their own answers, and other people take years to figure it out.

Regardless of how long it takes you, getting your own answers is critically important. Once you know what you really want to get out of life, it’s not usually that hard to get it — as long as you’re willing to work hard and make some sacrifices. This is why you need to make sure it’s what you really want, more than anything else.

Similarly, many people like the idea of helping others, but they don’t really know how to go about it. They write a check at the end of the year, they buy cookies from the kids who knock on their door, but they can’t get rid of the persistent feeling that they could probably do more.

As I said, finding your own answers takes a while, but it’s worth it. If you’ve read the report and spent some time creating your two answers, you’re welcome to share them with other readers at the bottom of the download page:

http://chrisguillebeau.com/manifesto

You can also send in a postcard with your answers and we’ll post it online for others to see. But you don’t have to do either of those things. It’s more important to make sure that you know the answers. If you know what you want and know how you can help the world, nothing can stop you.

Over the next few updates, I’ll show you how to get what you really want (the answer to the first question) and how to make the world a better place for the rest of us (the second question). Until then, make sure you have your own two answers!

Keep rocking the universe,

“

I highly recommend Chris’ newsletters so please do take a moment and go to the Art of NonConformity website and sign up for his email series “6 Ways to Change the World”  if this resonates with you.

I’m going to post my answers to these two questions as my Monday Mama Muse post next Monday so look out for them then.  If you care to share your answers, that would be fabulous!

For entrepreneurial mamas – Growing with your business

I have the utmost respect for Pam Slim, founder of Escape from Cubicle Nation, especially for the way in which she combines being an extraordinary entrepreneur with being an amazing mother.

I love her blog post today where she talks about the stages of business growth from the heart and soul perspective of motherhood.

In Pam’s words, “While I do not believe in the myth of work-life balance, I do believe it is possible to design a business to meet life and family goals.”

Click here to read Pam’s post and enjoy!

Monday Mama Muse: Would you belittle your child’s dreams?

I coached two wonderful women this weekend.  Smart, articulate, accomplished, funny, creative women.  Who happen also to be mothers. 

During the time we spent together, they belittled their dreams.  They made comments like “it makes no sense whatsoever.  Except that I really want to do it.”  Or they laughed dismissively as they articulated something that is incredibly meaningful to them.

When I recited some of the language they had used to undermine or belittle themselves, they were quick to recognize it.  They both agreed that it’s something that women do constantly. 

Yet we would NEVER do it to our children.   We would never treat their dreams and goals and passions with the disdain that we do our own.  We would champion them, encourage them, support them and constantly reassure them that they can do the things they set their mind to do.

So why do we treat our children’s mothers so shabbily?  If you are a mother, don’t you think that YOUR child’s mother deserves to be treated with the same unconditional love, respect and support that you instinctively give to your child.

It’s time to listen closely to our language.  To catch ourselves when we belittle ourselves and our dreams and goals.  To recognize our way out of the pattern of dismissive behavior rather than repeating it.

If you are the mother of a daughter, this is especially vital.  Your daughter will listen to the way you talk about yourself and will internalize it.  It will become a part of her inner dialogue.  It will shape the woman she grows up to be.

Let’s break this cycle.  Once and for all. 

Speak about yourself the way you speak about those you most love in the world.   You deserve it and so do they.

Great question: If your legacy was based only on today, what would you do?

I loved the question Jonathan Fields posted on Facebook today:

“If your legacy was based only on today, what would you do?”

This past year, I thought a lot about legacy.   How do I want to be remembered?  Equally important, how do I not want to be remembered?  Sometimes this version of the same question was more compelling for me.  I don’t want to be remembered as the mother who was always too tired or too busy to read a bedtime story, for example.

What do you want to leave behind?  How do you want the world to be different because you were here? 

Are you living an irresistible obituary?

It is the moment by moment decisions you make and the day to day actions you take that will create your legacy.

Did you do something today that would support the legacy you want to leave behind?

Monday Mama Muse: J.K. Rowling on Failure and Imagination

I loved Jonathan Field’s blog post today highlighting J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard commencement address where she talks about Failure and Imagination. 

I was so happy to open the email from Jonathan today and see this.  I saw the interview J.K. Rowling did with Oprah and in the interview she mentioned this commencement address.  I had kept meaning to find it on YouTube and never got round to it.  Thanks to Jonathan for bringing it to me.  What a great way to start the first Monday of the New Year.  A perfect Monday Mama Muse, methinks.

Click here to read Jonathan’s post.

As you watch her speak, keep in mind all the excuses she could have made to NOT write.   She was a divorced mother raising her child by herself.  She was on the verge of poverty.  She didn’t have the perfect writing space.  I was in Edinburgh last August and walked past the cafe where she used to write.   Lack of time.  Lack of money.  Lack of space.   So many reasons to NOT write.  And yet she did.

What do you think when your head hits the pillow at night?

  Click here to read a beautiful and brilliant blog post by the wonderful Pam Slim.

  Pam is a fellow Martha Beck Master Coach, the founder of Escape from Cubicle Nation and author of the award-winning book of the same name.

 More than that, she is a woman, mother, daughter and friend whom I admire enormously.

 I think that this is a beautiful post for those of us who have crafted lives that are multi-layered and that defy work-life balance in it’s traditional sense.

I love how Pam concludes her post:

“When I lay my head on my pillow tonight, I will not reflect on all the things I am not, and all the things that I did not do.

I enjoyed living my life today while I lived it.

That is enough.”

I highly recommend Pam’s blog (at www.EscapeFromCubicleNation.com) even if you’re not looking to escape from a cubicle.   She is a wise old soul in a beautiful 40-something body.   Her blog posts are wise, funny and inspirational.   A perfect cocktail for the mind.

See Stand Up Mama at Caroline’s Comedy Club

Having spent the past month or so writing a lot of new material, I’m very excited to have two shows coming up at Caroline’s Comedy Club.  I’d absolutely love to see you if you can make it to either show.

Here are the details for reservations for each show:

Monday October 18th at 7.00pm at Caroline’s Comedy Club, 1626 Broadway - call 212.757.4100 and mention that you’re coming to see Sally Robertson to get a discounted $5/person cover charge plus 2 drink minimum.  Please e-mail me at Sally@StandUpMama.com to let me know if you’re coming to see this show.

Monday November 1st at 7pm at Caroline’s Comedy Club, 1626 Broadway – Caroline’s Best of New Talent Show to kick off the New York Comedy Festival.  I am so excited to have been asked to take part in this show.   Please call 212.757.4100 to make reservations for this show and mention that you’re coming to see Sally Robertson to get a discounted cover charge. 

I so appreciate your support!

Take care,

Sally

Come and see Mama do Stand Up in NYC in August!

Thank you so much to those of you who are coming to see me perform in NYC in August.  I’m so excited to see and HEAR you in the audience!

Here are the details for reservations for each show:

Monday August 2nd at 7.30pm at Caroline’s Comedy Club, 1626 Broadway - call 212.757.4100 and mention that you’re coming to see Sally Robertson to get a discounted $5/person cover charge plus 2 drink minimum.  If you can make your reservation by Monday July 26th, that would be great!  Please e-mail me at Sally@StandUpMama.com to let me know if you’re coming to see this show.

Wednesday August 4th at 8.00pm (seating at 7.15pm) at Stand Up NY, 236 West 78th Street at Broadway - call 212.595.8560 to make reservations.  This show is $15/person cover charge plus the 2 drink minimum.  Reservations should be made by Monday August 2nd as these shows do sell out apparently!

I really appreciate your support as I start to take my comedy more seriously!

Take care,

Sally

Performing at Stand Up NY on Wednesday August 4th at 8pm

A little over 11 years ago, I performed stand up comedy on stage for the first time.  I was heavily pregnant at the time with my first daughter, Eva.  I had been taking a weekly stand up comedy writing class and the show was our graduation performance.  It took place at Stand Up NY.

I often wonder if Eva is the confident, articulate, funny girl that she is after making her comedy debut while in the womb.

Anywho, I’m going to be taking the stage at Stand Up NY again and I’m not even a little bit pregnant.

On Wednesday August 4th at 8pm, I’m going to be performing in Bob DiBuono’s All Star Show at Stand Up NY.

To make reservations, please call Stand Up NY at 212.595.0850.  It’s a $15 cover charge and two drink minimum.