I once read a sign that said, "If Mama Ain't Happy Ain't Nobody Happy". That's pretty much how it is in my house. And if Mama ain't balanced, Mama ain't happy.

I was raised by two working parents in a time when working moms were not commonplace. I wanted to be a working mom, just like mine. Of course, I had no idea how hard it would be to build a successful career and be a "super mom".

Now the mother of two young children, I have been able to experience, first-hand, the challenges my mom must have been faced with -- the challenges of being a working mom.

I work part time in Communications for a Fortune 500 company. But this was not always the case. After the birth of both of my children, I returned to work full time. And for more than three years, I struggled - to find balance, to find peace, to find me.

Back then, I had never really considered working a part time schedule. But at the same time, I was somewhat unaware of just how lost I was becoming. Looking back, I see it. My marriage was suffering. I was always flustered. I yelled at my kids way more than was necessary. And worst of all, I didn't like myself.

Then two years ago, I caught a break. My company went through massive lay-offs, and I was a casualty. While I was devastated when it happened, I now believe that it happened for a reason - to bring sanity back into my life.

I took six months to regroup and find myself. And just when the time was right, I got a phone call from my former employer (yes, the one who had just laid me off) asking me to come back to work three days a week. I jumped on it.

Since then, I've been working three full days per week and spending the other two weekdays with my boys. And while my family makes financial sacrifices because of it, my mental health has benefited tremendously. And as a result, I now feel like a better wife and mother, and I have grown somewhat fond of myself in the process.

I know many full time working moms, my mom included, and I have so much respect for them. And when I first went part time, I was feeling a little disappointed in myself for not being able to hack "doing it all", like so many of the other women in my life. But seeing the cascading impact my working schedule has had on my family makes it all worthwhile. This is me. This is what I need out of my life. And I am happy with it.

I choose to work part time. I don't live in a big house. I don't wear expensive clothes. I don't drive a fancy car. But I do okay. And most importantly, I am happy. This schedule makes me feel like a mom, first and foremost - something that had been missing those years before.