Home Town Girl Perseveres Through Hardships Now Working With Others to Beat the Odds and Care for Themselves First
May 17, 2005 -- By the time Margaret Briem graduated from Rancho Alamitos high school in 1980 in Garden Grove, California, she had been married, gave birth to two babies, and then became divorced. Being a high school mother at such a young age, life seemed to pass by too quickly. The days when summer break was the highlight of being a teenager were gone for Margaret. She had to grow up quickly to take care of her young family. There wasn't much time to take care of her own needs with two young children needing her full attention.
Life did not get easier for Margaret as she moved through the years, but she always seemed to see the silver lining in every situation. At twenty-five years old, she decided to join the Army- to "Be All You Can Be." She served in the Military Intelligence Unit at Fort Lewis in Washington State for two years. All the while, she took care of everyone else and some even referred to her style as "reeking of maternal instincts." In a male dominated environment, Margaret's nurturing ways were seen as weaknesses, not strengths.
As the years progressed and Margaret left the Army, she learned to cherish her maternal instincts and capitalize on this strength. These characteristics turned into a highly regarded advantage in the Foster Care system. With four children of her own, Margaret still craved the need to help others-not just others, but babies and children who needed a nurturing mother. This led her to the Foster Care system where she fostered eleven children over a three year period. The greatest need in the system is for emergency placement. This spoke to Margaret's heart the most and that is why each child that ended up in her care was the direct result of these emergency placements. Two of these placements were adopted by Margaret. Falling in love with each child isn't hard to do. Margaret did fall in love-with two babies, two brothers. So, with six children it might seem like chaos, but her three oldest children are grown and have left the nest. Some wonder how she does it all and still take time for herself.
As a lifelong learner and her bright outlook on life, Margaret has pursued many different careers; however, the most recent and fulfilling has been as a personal coach. As coach and founder of Live the Life You Love, helping people "Be All You Can Be" is Margaret's mission. She will be presenting the topic of "Extreme Self Care" at the National Foster Parent Association's 35th Annual Education Conference at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, California on May 11, 2005.
About Margaret Briem
Margaret Briem, Personal Coach has been assisting others to chart a course to their maximum potential for years. She believes that achievement is one of the keys to happiness and that through accomplishment we can all increase self-esteem and continue to grow as healthy individuals. Margaret is affiliated with and trained by Coach U, the grandfather of coaching schools as we know coaching today, and is a member of the International Coach Federation.