In the wake of a fairly difficult week, this post was born. What is on my heart today is the need for women to raise each other up. Kari and I were together this weekend (a rare event these days). We were talking about why there is a debate about everything that it means to be a woman. This is especially true when it comes to motherhood. SAHM vs. Working Moms. Parenting styles. Family culture. It seems that everything is up for grabs. I think we have figured it out.
Being a mom is hard! It is so hard that when you find something that works, you think it is the only way that it can be done. Every second of your day is accounted for. When, you see someone who is excelling in areas that maybe isn't your strong-suit, you think about what you would have to give up to make it work. "Her house is clean but I bet her kids hate living in a museum." "She's a fun mom but she is really disorganized." "She is the perfect mom but when her kids leave home, she won't have anything left to call her own." There is always that back-handed compliment to make us feel better about how we fall short.
I think there needs to be a movement in the feminine consciousness. A movement of lifting each other up. The catty comments need to go. "Wow, I am in awe of her clean house. What can I take from her that could work in my life?" "She is a fun mom. I am inspired to really get in there with my kids because I encountered her today." "I really appreciate how in touch she is with her kids. I hope I always approach my kids with such vigor and excitement about their lives and mine." It may seem like semantics but it really does make a difference.
I really believe that you are responsible for the energy that you bring to another person. I also believe in the law of attraction. You attract energy to you that will further your growth (spiritual, financial, career, etc.). You have to emit or be the result that you want. I want to have a happy and fulfilling life. Recently, I have been examining what I need to do to get that result. I am working harder to be positive and surround myself with positive forces.
So, are you with me? Can we start a movement today to change our consciousness? It is my hope that we can!
I completely agree with what you are saying here! If everyone lived their lives this way the world would be a much happier place :)
ReplyDeleteAmen! To change our thought-life can change our life! As iron sharpens iron, one woman sharpens another!!! :o)
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you! What a great post.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! On a similar note I've tried changing the way I talk about myself. If someone compliments my shirt I say thank you and try hard NOT to say how I got it on a great sale. If someone says my kids are great I smile and try NOT to say "you know, they have their moments." If someone says my house looks great today I try not to add on to my thank you by saying "you should have seen it three hours ago." In general, I try not to add disclaimers. I add them so people won't think I'm stuck up for agreeing with the original compliment, KWIM?
ReplyDeleteso so true. Often I have felt embarrassed when I do something well as if I were bad somehow for the skill set I have worked for so many many years to attain. I have so much to learn, I believe in shared knowledge open handed. I love about blogging that we can find so many who we learn from.
ReplyDeleteFunny side note often things in blog land are not even what they appear. For those of you like me who compare and put our self's down (not wise) a very bad habit too.
I find it fun to expose the sink full of dishes. Some say your so brave. Well I just think a dose of reality is so healing and friendly. My mounds of laundry might just make your task seem easier :)
Things like meme to prompt activity menu Monday now is habit to do a menu on Sunday night, these things have given rise to a better order. and order keep me pushing on. A habit to do Tackle it Tuesday reminds me that we all have thing to do and there is so much to learn from each other. Little helps and sweet humors.
This is so true and a wonderful idea! Being positive is so important, and almost just as important is surrounding yourself with others who are positive too! Hanging with others who share the same values has become a goal for me. I want my kids to grow up with the values that I instill in them, and I want their friends to have those same values. It's so hard too because I also want them to know that there are others out there who may not agree and how to deal with that too. But we definitely need to pull together as women so we are valued as moms, not working moms, stay-at-home moms, or work-at-home moms, but just MOMS! WOMEN! God gave us value as a female and it's really about time we come together and support each other on those.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Thank you for sharing this with me...gives me a lot to think about.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more. I would bet that almost every single mom could identify with these feelings, and you are absolutely on target with the idea that we need to change our perception. It truly does change our lives. Thank you so much for reminding me of this. Have an amazing day! :)
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