Dr Cle-Anne Gabriel has been told she makes it all look ‘so easy’, having worked in sustainability for the past 16 years, holding multiple high-level leadership roles and being a mum.
Nevertheless, she wants people– especially young women– to know that her reality isn’t as easy as it might immediately look.
What most people don’t see, Dr Gabriel says, is “the constant juggling, the sleepless nights, the second guessing, all the failures, all the missed deadlines, and the mum guilt.”
“In some ways, I am sorry I have made it all look easy.”
She says “the truth” is that she doesn’t “have it all”.
“By perpetuating the myth that success can be easy, we give young women false expectations of the hard work and sacrifices most will require on their life’s journey,” she says. “And by not giving voice to our struggles, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to celebrate our own wins in the face of adversity.”
Dr Gabriel shared this advice during her keynote session for Women’s Agenda’s new video app series, The Keynotes.
As the Managing Director of ThinkZero, she is also a sustainability specialist, consultant, author and public speaker.
In order to balance these professional responsibilities alongside being a mum, Dr Gabriel says the only way she’s recommends to “schedule everything”. This includes childcare, exercise, working time, break time, etc.
And even after scheduling, Dr Gabriel keeps herself grounded in reality by admitting that some days she’s a “good mum”, while other days she’s a “good professional” or a “good daughter, sister, partner or friend”.
“I am not good at all of the above, all the time,” she says, adding that “accepting this rhythm of life is what ultimately, cumulatively – and perhaps only retrospectively – defines the quality of our relationships.”
An Australian citizen born in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Gabriel was raised by a single mum, along with three siblings. Growing up, the family moved a lot, and when Dr Gabriel left Trinidad and Tobago to study in Japan, she didn’t have much money or connections.
She’s used to having to “start over” in new countries, which required her to build up the mental, physical and emotional capacity to withstand change.
“I’ve had to learn, relearn and unlearn as new trends and agendas emerge. I’ve had to hustle to grow a business and make a living,” she says.
There’s a hierarchy of decisions in life, and Dr Gabriel says it’s important to make time for “strategic decisions”.
“These decisions bring us closer to fulfilment of purpose, they are time and energy intensive, and once made, they are difficult to undo,” she says.
“Most importantly, these decisions drive, influence and infect the endless stream of daily, much more frequent decisions you make every day. So, make them wisely, and make them count. Those big, life decisions are worth the time and effort, simply because they influence WHAT you are forced to juggle every day.
“And once you decide, show up. Remember that life is cumulative and the only thing that matters is the overall result. Forget about doing it perfectly all the time. Sometimes it’s enough to just get it done.”
Cle-Anne Gabriel shares more on this learning process in The Keynotes, the new Women’s Agenda app sharing “Mini Keynote” sessions and insights on leadership, equity, current affairs, climate and so much more. Learn more here.