Shermin Kruse is a mom of four kids ages 6 to 11, a negotiation consultant specializing in weaponizing empathy and stoicism training; a law professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law (teaching complex negotiation, global transactions, and leadership); a TED and TEDx talk producer (producing nearly 50 TEDx talks and several performances and music videos in the last two years), and a thought leader with a long history of civic engagement. She’s also the author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novel “Butterfly Stitching,” inspired by the true experiences of herself and the women in her family before and after the Iranian revolution. Shermin’s biggest passion besides her family and work is the study of human nature, but she also dabbles in painting, traveling, taking photographs, and street fighting!
My biggest inspiration, besides those I love the most, comes from creating. Anything that didn't exist before but now exists because of my work, counts. A new enterprise or company, sure, but also a meal, poem, or drawing. These are the ways in which professional growth and artistic pursuits intersect - the extent to which they are both acts of creation. Every time I'm professionally stuck or have that dreadful thing known as "imposter syndrome", or feel stressed or spread thin as a mom, I shift gears into creative mode. Often, the kids join in! The trick here is to not always expect big forms of creation. A new merchandising line for your company counts, but so does a Haiku you wrote with your 8-year-old's help. You're making something out of nothing, and that's a small kind of miracle. I promise it'll inspire you to bring your A-Game to your work and your mom life!
8-year-old's help. You're making something out of nothing, and that's a small kind of miracle. I promise it'll inspire you to bring your A-Game to your work and your mom life!
Every mom-figure who loves her dependents (whether they are biological kids, nieces and nephews, or others in their lives for whom they care) while living a full internal life, in my book, is a Power Mom. We live for purpose, and for so many of us that purpose comes from our relationships and particularly our parenting roles. And there's no profession in the world more important than parenting (which can take many forms). But to guide our dependents best, we must also remember to enrich our own inner lives. This can be done through intellectual pursuits, spiritual fulfillment, professional endeavors, artistic expression, and athletic accomplishments among other means.