The Successful Single Mom

I first met Honoree Corpron about 15 years ago when I was in the Navy and she was engaged to my Chief. She's an amazing woman with a beautiful heart and I knew then that she was destined for great things. As often happens with people in the military, we lost touch after a couple of years. I was shocked a few months ago when I stumbled across a post she made in a Single Parenting discussion forum that I frequent. Of course, I was sad to find out that she and Chief were no longer together, but that sadness quickly subsided when I found out what she's doing with her life these days.

Honoree is a successful author, speaker, and professional coach. Seven years ago, she found herself a single mother to a two-year-old in a city where she knew noone so she decided to use her skills as a coach to help herself and other single mothers “get your life back and your game on.” She selected seven single mothers in the Las Vegas area and set out to create a step by step guide for single parents to transform their lives. The result is The Successful Single Mom book.

What is a successful single mom?

According to Honoree, "you don't become a 'successful single mom' - you already are one!" Success is how you define it, whatever success means to you. You're a success just for being in pursuit of your version of success.

The Successful Single Mom book

When I received the book in the mail, I was a little bit surprised because the envelope was smaller than I had expected. Let me tell you, there is a lot of content packed into those 104 pages!

The first couple of chapters give readers some background information about Honoree and the mothers who went through the first Successful Single Mom Transformation program with her. She discusses where they were when they started, where they wanted to go, and where they ended up. The stories are pleasantly upbeat but they are very real. As a single mom, I found something that I could relate to in each of the participants.

The remainder of the book discusses the details of the transformation program. Honoree chose 100 days because that is enough time to make some real changes but not so long that you lose focus. She gives the reader some pre-work assignments to get her started, help her figure out where she is and where she wants to go, and get her mind ready to make some changes. Then Honoree outlines the steps necessary to achieve the goals the reader has set forth within 14 weeks. She also discusses some of the things that her group learned during their time together, some of their revelations, and some of their challenges.

The Successful Single Mom is not a feel-good book that you read and then put away; it is definitely a workbook! Honoree recommends that a reader go through the entire book once to get an overview of the program, then go back through completing each assignment and working on the steps to make her goals a reality.

I have to say, I've never cared for the self-help, power of positive thinking genre. This book is not like that! The tips in this book are very down-to-earth and it is easy to see how the exercises and suggestions will make a real difference.

Honoree outlines eight principles that successful single moms follow:

Discover the real truth
Envision your exciting future
Assemble a support team and ask for help
Expect and create magic and miracles
Prioritize your priorities
Say hello to inner peace
Make a plan and set goals for your amazing future
Give back

She then gives you tips for setting goals for the next 14 weeks and following through to acheive those goals. In addition to her own story and the stories of the seven women who completed the first Successful Single Mom transformation program, Honoree includes experiences and tips from other single moms who would be considered successful by anyone's standards.

This book is just as relevant to the mother who is considering going out on her own as it is to the mom who has been parenting solo for years. It is relevant whether you share joint custody or are completely alone. Whatever your situation or mindset, it is difficult to put this book down and not feel hopeful and empowered about your future!

More great news

Since The Successful Single Mom has been so well received, Honoree is currently working on her next project: The Successful Single Mom Cooks! This cookbook should be available in Fall 2009 and promises recipes that require 7 ingredients or less and can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. I'll be previewing the book and testing the recipes soon. Watch for more information!

Honoree is currently touring the country signing books and touching lives. She's in Atlanta this week, check her schedule at www.successfulsinglemombook.com to find out when she'll be in your city.

Watch Honoree on Everyday with Marcus & Lisa on the Family Network on 4/24/09.

Watch Honoree on Atlanta & Company on 4/24/09

Subscribe to the Successful Single Moms blog to hear from Honoree and the moms in the original Successful Single Moms transformation program. She also has some great giveaways going and plans for many more!