I'll be hosting a new Bible Study beginning this week! Our local group will be doing Joyce Meyer's Love Revolution for the next ten weeks. We have had such great success in doing these Bible Studies that I plan to offer one at least every quarter.
As we go through these popular studies, however; I am going to be finishing up a couple of studies that I've been writing. One is on self-esteem and the other is on journal writing. I would love to bring these to your women's group! If you're interested in hosting a study, contact me here.
Hope this evening finds you well. Remember to do all that you can to take care of your body, mind and spirit. The more you learn about how to build your relationship with God, the more successful you can be in the rest of your life.
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Showing posts with label self-esteem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-esteem. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Hormones, Headaches & Heartache...A sampling for you...
Here is a very short excerpt from my book, Hormones, Headaches & Heartache. In this book, I will be sharing with you my epiphanies about life, love, and letting go. I'm aiming to have this one finished by New Year's!
After working at the shelter, I moved on to a life-changing career experience at a local alcohol and drug treatment facility. This was an especially tough assignment for me since my background had been heavily entrenched in the addictions of one person or another. I had lots of issues that came up during the first few years I was there. I’m guessing that came from all of the literature and discussion I was privy to regarding addiction and the reasons why it exists. It helped to be there, though. I pretty much got my own addiction to alcohol under control and somehow, probably through osmosis, learned a little about how to cope with some of my other addictive tendencies.
During the time I worked at this job, I developed many relationships that taught me lessons I needed to learn. I began to understand that people can be devious when it comes to protecting their own best interest and that my naïveté in this regard would not serve me well if I intended to be a player on this field. I went into this job thinking it would be just another 9 to 5, show up and put your time in type of a gig. I didn’t realize that it was my chance to prove how capable I was of doing just about any damn thing that needed done. When that finally sank in, I ran with it. Ran myself right into a brick wall.
I'll be sharing more from Hormones, Headaches & Heartache, so stay tuned in to Higher Ground!
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After working at the shelter, I moved on to a life-changing career experience at a local alcohol and drug treatment facility. This was an especially tough assignment for me since my background had been heavily entrenched in the addictions of one person or another. I had lots of issues that came up during the first few years I was there. I’m guessing that came from all of the literature and discussion I was privy to regarding addiction and the reasons why it exists. It helped to be there, though. I pretty much got my own addiction to alcohol under control and somehow, probably through osmosis, learned a little about how to cope with some of my other addictive tendencies.
During the time I worked at this job, I developed many relationships that taught me lessons I needed to learn. I began to understand that people can be devious when it comes to protecting their own best interest and that my naïveté in this regard would not serve me well if I intended to be a player on this field. I went into this job thinking it would be just another 9 to 5, show up and put your time in type of a gig. I didn’t realize that it was my chance to prove how capable I was of doing just about any damn thing that needed done. When that finally sank in, I ran with it. Ran myself right into a brick wall.
I'll be sharing more from Hormones, Headaches & Heartache, so stay tuned in to Higher Ground!
Subscribe to 2 Higher Ground by Email
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Empowerment=Respect for other women as well as for yourself
Over the years, I've talked alot about empowerment. I believe that we should take every opportunity to try and help one another to be our best selves. I believe that women especially need to do the work on their self-esteem to keep them motivated and working toward personal goals. I also believe, however; that an empowered woman and a confident woman can sometimes be a dangerous thing. I unfortunately have seen evidence that some empowered women are very effective and successful, but to an end that is disempowering to others.
Let me explain this a bit further. When we get to a point where we are confident in our abilities, acknowledging of our strengths and feeling good about ourselves we shouldn't confuse our ability to attract things into our lives with having a right to all that comes into our line of sight. Some of us believe if something appears in our lives that it is meant to be there. Sometimes, however; it is a test. Of our moral fiber, our character and of our love for our fellow human being. Earlier today, I blogged about women who cannot seem to keep boundaries when it comes to dating or having affairs with married men. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Sadly, I wholeheartedly believe that even an empowered woman; one who has had to scratch and claw her way through obstacles her whole life, has the potential to make a bad decision where relationships are concerned.
Women tend to fly under the radar when it comes to infidelity. If a woman is sleeping with a married man, almost 100% of the time, the scrutiny for the offense is placed on the married man. Granted, he certainly has a cross to bear in that situation, but his cohort shouldn't walk away unscathed. It takes two to tango and while he has broken more than a piece of the moral code, she has also shown little regard for her fellow woman and for the family that this man may have created with his spouse. The man's responsibility in this situation is different, but he doesn't necessarily play a more significant role in the act than that of the woman who willingly participates.
I don't often turn on women like this, but I have to say that I just don't know how a woman can live with knowing that she is partaking of this type of "forbidden fruit." This is especially sad in situations where women who are trying to fix their marriages have husbands who still haven't quite committed to the idea of making it work. She may be trusting that he will change his ways, but the very fact that there are so many women out there who are willing to mess around lessens the seriousness of the offense in the eyes of the offender.
As women, we need to be very careful who we are willing to spend our time with. Is he really available or is he just playing around? The best policy is to look for a man who is not fresh out of a marriage or other long-term relationship. But if you absolutely insist, at least find out why the last relationship ended before you make yourself available to him. And for God's sake, make sure that the relationship really did end. Don't just take his word for it because he is paying attention to you and he seems like a nice guy. He probably seemed like a nice guy to his wife, too.
If you are lucky enough to be in a relationship with someone who isn't cheating or hasn't cheated on you, that's wonderful. Count your blessings. Lots of women aren't so fortunate. Ladies, let's keep reaching for Higher Ground.
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Let me explain this a bit further. When we get to a point where we are confident in our abilities, acknowledging of our strengths and feeling good about ourselves we shouldn't confuse our ability to attract things into our lives with having a right to all that comes into our line of sight. Some of us believe if something appears in our lives that it is meant to be there. Sometimes, however; it is a test. Of our moral fiber, our character and of our love for our fellow human being. Earlier today, I blogged about women who cannot seem to keep boundaries when it comes to dating or having affairs with married men. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Sadly, I wholeheartedly believe that even an empowered woman; one who has had to scratch and claw her way through obstacles her whole life, has the potential to make a bad decision where relationships are concerned.
Women tend to fly under the radar when it comes to infidelity. If a woman is sleeping with a married man, almost 100% of the time, the scrutiny for the offense is placed on the married man. Granted, he certainly has a cross to bear in that situation, but his cohort shouldn't walk away unscathed. It takes two to tango and while he has broken more than a piece of the moral code, she has also shown little regard for her fellow woman and for the family that this man may have created with his spouse. The man's responsibility in this situation is different, but he doesn't necessarily play a more significant role in the act than that of the woman who willingly participates.
I don't often turn on women like this, but I have to say that I just don't know how a woman can live with knowing that she is partaking of this type of "forbidden fruit." This is especially sad in situations where women who are trying to fix their marriages have husbands who still haven't quite committed to the idea of making it work. She may be trusting that he will change his ways, but the very fact that there are so many women out there who are willing to mess around lessens the seriousness of the offense in the eyes of the offender.
As women, we need to be very careful who we are willing to spend our time with. Is he really available or is he just playing around? The best policy is to look for a man who is not fresh out of a marriage or other long-term relationship. But if you absolutely insist, at least find out why the last relationship ended before you make yourself available to him. And for God's sake, make sure that the relationship really did end. Don't just take his word for it because he is paying attention to you and he seems like a nice guy. He probably seemed like a nice guy to his wife, too.
If you are lucky enough to be in a relationship with someone who isn't cheating or hasn't cheated on you, that's wonderful. Count your blessings. Lots of women aren't so fortunate. Ladies, let's keep reaching for Higher Ground.
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Friday, February 5, 2010
Better to go hungry...
"She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat."~Proverbs 31:27 (Amplified Bible)
This isn't a post about dieting. I'm meditating on this verse from Proverbs tonight. I heard it as I was watching Joyce Meyer and it really resonated. Sometimes I can get into a rut and feel as though things simply aren't worth my trouble. This often happens when I let myself fall into discontent or self-pity and I always know when I am allowing this to happen. Thankfully, on most occasions I have been able to turn it around and get back on track. Sometimes it takes a little longer than others, but usually I can get my head on straight when I take time to remember the blessings that I have experienced in my life.
My sister shared something with me recently that put it all in perspective. I am prone to anxiety and when I slip into these "ruts," it isn't unusual for me to start panicking. What if I slip all the way back into depression? What if I can't get back on track? What if I really am not able to be the person I want to be? These thoughts can attack when I'm feeling my lowest and if I don't put my foot down, I run the risk of losing a great deal of or maybe even all of the ground that I have covered to this point. My sister's advice to me was this; when you start feeling anxious about something that is happening in your life, you need to ask yourself these three questions:
1. Is this something you haven't been through before?
2. Is this something you didn't expect?
3. Is this worse than anything you've been through before?
As I thought about these questions, I realized that my answers to all of them were simply, "NO!" During the last few episodes of anxiety that I've experienced, none of it was anything I hadn't been through before. None of it was unexpected. I had really brought the situation on myself. And none of it was worse than anything I had been through before. And even if it had been, there was really no reason to let it overshadow all of the work I've done to build my self-confidence, my self-esteem and my desire to help others. And I will not let my emotional highs and lows dictate the distance that I will travel in this life to do what I am here to do.
And so, the quote above really speaks to me. I will not eat the bread of idleness, no matter how much it calls to me. Sometimes, it's just better to go hungry and go on.
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This isn't a post about dieting. I'm meditating on this verse from Proverbs tonight. I heard it as I was watching Joyce Meyer and it really resonated. Sometimes I can get into a rut and feel as though things simply aren't worth my trouble. This often happens when I let myself fall into discontent or self-pity and I always know when I am allowing this to happen. Thankfully, on most occasions I have been able to turn it around and get back on track. Sometimes it takes a little longer than others, but usually I can get my head on straight when I take time to remember the blessings that I have experienced in my life.
My sister shared something with me recently that put it all in perspective. I am prone to anxiety and when I slip into these "ruts," it isn't unusual for me to start panicking. What if I slip all the way back into depression? What if I can't get back on track? What if I really am not able to be the person I want to be? These thoughts can attack when I'm feeling my lowest and if I don't put my foot down, I run the risk of losing a great deal of or maybe even all of the ground that I have covered to this point. My sister's advice to me was this; when you start feeling anxious about something that is happening in your life, you need to ask yourself these three questions:
1. Is this something you haven't been through before?
2. Is this something you didn't expect?
3. Is this worse than anything you've been through before?
As I thought about these questions, I realized that my answers to all of them were simply, "NO!" During the last few episodes of anxiety that I've experienced, none of it was anything I hadn't been through before. None of it was unexpected. I had really brought the situation on myself. And none of it was worse than anything I had been through before. And even if it had been, there was really no reason to let it overshadow all of the work I've done to build my self-confidence, my self-esteem and my desire to help others. And I will not let my emotional highs and lows dictate the distance that I will travel in this life to do what I am here to do.
And so, the quote above really speaks to me. I will not eat the bread of idleness, no matter how much it calls to me. Sometimes, it's just better to go hungry and go on.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Body Image, Anyone?
I recently came across this story thanks to a Facebook friend. It's a wonderful article about a picture of a "normal" sized woman who was featured in an article in Glamour Magazine. Great story! Great message! Please take a moment to read this one.
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Subscribe to 2 Higher Ground by Email
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Reflecting on Women's History Month
As March comes to a close, we need to take a moment to think about the women in our lives. Our mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, friends, etc. are all people who influence us in ways that we may not even realize.
The mother whom you watched as you were growing up. The way she spoke to you, her messages to you helped you determine your worth and for better or worse, she helped shape you into the woman you are today. Even if we try all of our lives not to be like our mothers, chances are that we will often catch ourselves doing something just like our mothers would have done. It's human nature. As women, we reflect what we see in the important women in our lives.
What about the sister you watched grow up or the sister who took care of you as you grew up. Where do we learn our interactions with our friends or our boyfriends? Did you have a sister who always picked the wrong guy? The wrong job? Or even the wrong outfit? How is she doing today?
Your daughter, if you have one, will be looking to you in the same way you looked to your mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, etc. for guidance. What would you have her do? How would you direct her through these troubled times? What example would you want to set for her?
It is important that we never forget that other women need our help. Other women, even if they look like they have it all together, need each other to make it all make sense. Sometimes, in all of the struggle to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc. we get lost. This is the time to help the women in your life find themselves. If they are lost, help them get back on track. What will you do to empower a woman today?
Have a wonderful day!
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The mother whom you watched as you were growing up. The way she spoke to you, her messages to you helped you determine your worth and for better or worse, she helped shape you into the woman you are today. Even if we try all of our lives not to be like our mothers, chances are that we will often catch ourselves doing something just like our mothers would have done. It's human nature. As women, we reflect what we see in the important women in our lives.
What about the sister you watched grow up or the sister who took care of you as you grew up. Where do we learn our interactions with our friends or our boyfriends? Did you have a sister who always picked the wrong guy? The wrong job? Or even the wrong outfit? How is she doing today?
Your daughter, if you have one, will be looking to you in the same way you looked to your mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, etc. for guidance. What would you have her do? How would you direct her through these troubled times? What example would you want to set for her?
It is important that we never forget that other women need our help. Other women, even if they look like they have it all together, need each other to make it all make sense. Sometimes, in all of the struggle to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc. we get lost. This is the time to help the women in your life find themselves. If they are lost, help them get back on track. What will you do to empower a woman today?
Have a wonderful day!
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Sunday, May 4, 2008
Greetings!
Hello, I haven't forgotten about you all. I've just been taking some time off to recover from a few medical issues. I wanted to check in, however, to let you know that I am working diligently to put together the book, Reaching Higher Ground! I've collected a number of stories from women around the country and am finally ready to start putting everything together. I'm hoping to be finished with it by the end of the summer.
Additionally, I've made some changes to the blog! Updates were long overdue!
As always, if you have suggestions for interviews or other content you would like to see here, please e-mail me! I'd love to hear from you!
Until next time...
Additionally, I've made some changes to the blog! Updates were long overdue!
As always, if you have suggestions for interviews or other content you would like to see here, please e-mail me! I'd love to hear from you!
Until next time...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
An Interview with Author Tanya White!
I'm happy to have had the opportunity to interview Tanya White, author of How to Deal with a Difficult Woman. Tanya is the Communications Director for the Women’s Evangelical Network (W.E.N.) W.E.N. is a non-profit international organization that equips women to grow in their ministry by providing guidance through spiritual and intellectual development in their walk with Christ. Tanya also participates in other professional business organizations throughout her community. She is also a licensed minister.
Having many great influences and mentors such as her late parents, Joe and Erma White, Tanya attributes her birth as an author/writer to her life coach Valorie Burton who taught her to embrace vulnerability and to work on healing hurts of the past.
Tanya has a diverse educational background. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management-Human Resource concentration, Master of Arts Teaching-Learning and Behavior Disorders, Master of Science in Human Resource Training & Development. Some of Tanya’s life changing keynotes and interactive workshops address such relationship issues as Breaking The Happily Unhappy Cycle, Reject Rejection, Calmly Confronting Conflict and The Art Of Asking For What You Really Want. For full listing of keynotes and interactive workshops, please visit www.tanyawhite.com.
Bio information taken from www.tanyawhite.com.
And now, the interview:
1.What do you think are the most important skills for a woman to acquire? Self love, dedication and collaboration.
2. In what ways can women help one another overcome adversity? Be patient, compassionate, mentally put yourself in their predicament so that you can be more sensitive, tolerant, truthful and understanding.
3. In what ways do you see women impeding the progress of other women? Being jealous of one another. Jealousy provokes a domino affect other negative behaviors such as backbiting, sabotaging endeavors, malicious criticism, belittling, challenging your authority and professional knowledge, creating strife and chaos.
4. What has been your most important achievement as a woman? I have 3 important achievements-Discovering who I truly am despite others expectations or standards, loving the woman I am and am evolving into and pursing my purpose with passion.
5. Other than the obvious, what do you see as the biggest difference between men and women? Generally men are extremely focused on the end result of things. They have tunnel vision for executing a plan and usually the significance of the little things. Women are the complete opposite. We enjoy focusing in on the small details and are slower about getting to the end result. But men and women can find that happy medium of creating a “win-win” situation when both parties are willing to be patient with one another and adapt to the different personalities.
6. Who are your role models and why? Joe and Erma White, my late parents. My dad empowered his children before I even understood what empowerment was. My dad would always, “Listen to what I teach you because you have to learn to function when I am not here.” My siblings and I never wanted to hear him say that because we thought that he would be with us forever. But when he died in 1996, I understood exactly what he meant and appreciated his wisdom. My mother taught me and my sister what it truly meant to be a lady and carry ourselves with grace and genuine love for all people. Although growing up I thought they were strict and rebelled sometimes, there is nothing more that I cherish more than their wisdom and commitment to family. The strong foundation that I received from my parents during their short time on earth has had an everlasting affect on the way I live today.
7. What advice would you give to every young woman? First, I would encourage every young woman to invest the time to discover and love who they truly are. The more you know and love yourself the higher your self confidence and self esteem becomes. People will value you when you value yourself. Secondly, find out what your purpose is and pursue it daily with passion. Lastly, cherish the gift of goodbye. Do not hold on to dead situations or relationships because you are afraid of the unknown. When you do all these things you will live your life to the very fullest without shame or apology.
Be sure to visit Tanya's websites for more information about her book, How to Deal with a Difficult Woman!
www.tanyawhite.com
www.myspace.com/tanyawhiteky
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Reaching Higher Ground-Call for Submissions
If you are a woman and you have a story to tell, please send your submissions to me for the book, Reaching Higher Ground: Women's Stories of Struggle and Triumph. The book will include vignettes of women who have had a variety of experiences and found ways to overcome adversity. I'll also be including facts, resources and valuable information on how to deal with each type of circumstance. I'm looking for stories of about 2500 words or less detailing your experiences in the areas of:
Dating/Relationships
Marriage/Family
Career
Spirituality
Women's Health
Education
Divorce
Abuse
The deadline for submissions is May 30, 2008. There are no royalties available, however, participants will receive a free copy of the book when it is completed. You may submit anonymously or you can include a brief bio with your submission. Please e-mail them to me at lonestoryteller@yahoo.com.
I appreciate your participation!
Dating/Relationships
Marriage/Family
Career
Spirituality
Women's Health
Education
Divorce
Abuse
The deadline for submissions is May 30, 2008. There are no royalties available, however, participants will receive a free copy of the book when it is completed. You may submit anonymously or you can include a brief bio with your submission. Please e-mail them to me at lonestoryteller@yahoo.com.
I appreciate your participation!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Interesting tidbits from books I've been reading...
As always, I like to share the good stuff when I find it. Some of the books I have been reading include:
He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
It's Not You, It's Him by Dr. Georgia Witkin
10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Lest you think I'm the strangest married woman you've ever seen, I have to explain, I've been reading these for the Women's Group Meeting that is coming up in February. Our topic is Building Better Relationships and I wanted to gain a broader perspective about the subject by reading a broad range of opinions.
In any case, one thing I found that was pretty good was in the Greg Behrendt book. It's an easy-to-read digest that details many of the excuses or ploys used by men to get out of a relationship. Or at least that's how I read it. At the end of each chapter, Behrendt and co-author Liz Tuccillo include little nuggest like this one:
Regarding being too busy to call...
'100% of men polled said they've never been too busy to call a woman they were really into. As one fine man said, "A man has got to have his priorities."'
I like it! It rings true. I wish I had learned this lesson a long time ago. Granted, it's not something I have to worry about now, but it would have saved me so much heartache.
In Dr. Georgia Witkin's book, It's Not You, It's Him, she provides lots of great advice on learning to trust yourself and being comfortable with who you are. One of the best pieces of wisdom I picked up here was, "Don't apologize for being single." This, too, is great advice. When I was single, I never felt like I had to be part of a couple in order to matter. I did feel that something was missing, but not in terms of my self-worth. I think it is important that a woman feels like she's somebody, especially when she's single. Don't pin all of your worth on how "coupled up" you can get! I recommend this book to any woman who struggles with self-esteem issues and pressures from others to find a mate.
For those of you who haven't read or heard Dr. Laura Schlessinger, I have to tell you, you're missing out. She may seem to have a very stern demeanor and you might even think she's unbearably judgemental. But, if you take a few moments to digest some of what she is saying, you'll see that it's really just tough love. She truly understands what women need to be doing for themselves in order to overcome adversity. She's a huge proponent of "getting over it" and taking the right actions to fix problems in your life. Taking responsibility for the things we do is one of the first steps towards accepting who we are and growing our self-esteem. In the book 10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives, she says of depression, "In depression we simply come to accept a situation in a passive-submissive way. It is far healthier to rise up against the injustice and demand redress or change. It is far healthier to walk out in the face of prolonged lack of redress or change."
You tell 'em, doc. This is why I like her. She tells it like it is and she's not afraid to let you know when you are acting without backbone.
From these three books I gained insights into a common theme, "You must develop your sense of self-worth in order to find healthy relationships." If we learn nothing else, this one thing is crucial to our happiness. Our relationship choices have a long-standing impact on our self-esteem, on our children's self-esteem and so on and so on. When we are able to make choices from a place of strength instead of a place of desparation, we are doing the best possible thing for everyone involved.
Have you read any good books lately? We'd love to hear from you! As always, you can send your ideas and suggestions to us confidentially by clicking here. Or you can leave a comment at the end of the post.
Thanks for stopping by!
He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
It's Not You, It's Him by Dr. Georgia Witkin
10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Lest you think I'm the strangest married woman you've ever seen, I have to explain, I've been reading these for the Women's Group Meeting that is coming up in February. Our topic is Building Better Relationships and I wanted to gain a broader perspective about the subject by reading a broad range of opinions.
In any case, one thing I found that was pretty good was in the Greg Behrendt book. It's an easy-to-read digest that details many of the excuses or ploys used by men to get out of a relationship. Or at least that's how I read it. At the end of each chapter, Behrendt and co-author Liz Tuccillo include little nuggest like this one:
Regarding being too busy to call...
'100% of men polled said they've never been too busy to call a woman they were really into. As one fine man said, "A man has got to have his priorities."'
I like it! It rings true. I wish I had learned this lesson a long time ago. Granted, it's not something I have to worry about now, but it would have saved me so much heartache.
In Dr. Georgia Witkin's book, It's Not You, It's Him, she provides lots of great advice on learning to trust yourself and being comfortable with who you are. One of the best pieces of wisdom I picked up here was, "Don't apologize for being single." This, too, is great advice. When I was single, I never felt like I had to be part of a couple in order to matter. I did feel that something was missing, but not in terms of my self-worth. I think it is important that a woman feels like she's somebody, especially when she's single. Don't pin all of your worth on how "coupled up" you can get! I recommend this book to any woman who struggles with self-esteem issues and pressures from others to find a mate.
For those of you who haven't read or heard Dr. Laura Schlessinger, I have to tell you, you're missing out. She may seem to have a very stern demeanor and you might even think she's unbearably judgemental. But, if you take a few moments to digest some of what she is saying, you'll see that it's really just tough love. She truly understands what women need to be doing for themselves in order to overcome adversity. She's a huge proponent of "getting over it" and taking the right actions to fix problems in your life. Taking responsibility for the things we do is one of the first steps towards accepting who we are and growing our self-esteem. In the book 10 Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives, she says of depression, "In depression we simply come to accept a situation in a passive-submissive way. It is far healthier to rise up against the injustice and demand redress or change. It is far healthier to walk out in the face of prolonged lack of redress or change."
You tell 'em, doc. This is why I like her. She tells it like it is and she's not afraid to let you know when you are acting without backbone.
From these three books I gained insights into a common theme, "You must develop your sense of self-worth in order to find healthy relationships." If we learn nothing else, this one thing is crucial to our happiness. Our relationship choices have a long-standing impact on our self-esteem, on our children's self-esteem and so on and so on. When we are able to make choices from a place of strength instead of a place of desparation, we are doing the best possible thing for everyone involved.
Have you read any good books lately? We'd love to hear from you! As always, you can send your ideas and suggestions to us confidentially by clicking here. Or you can leave a comment at the end of the post.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
More than just a hatrack...
I wear lots of hats in a given week. For example, at the beginning of this week, I was trying to organize a women's group meeting. Mid-week, I was teaching 6th graders and at the end of the week, I was out promoting my mystery series. In between, I worked my regular hours at the local library and also found time to be a wife and mother.
It's alot to juggle and sometimes I'm overwhelmed. What gets me through is looking back at why I do each of these things. I'm a woman, which automatically means that I'm destined to spend much of my time worrying about or thinking about others.
For me, a big part of being a woman is looking for ways to help others, especially women, reach their full potential. The women's group is a project that I hold dear and I feel like time spent on getting it going is time well spent. Teaching gives me an opportunity to work with kids. This is not only something I enjoy, but something that I feel can help make a difference. Although I'm not with the students on a regular basis, I feel that I can make an impression on the kids I teach simply by being someone who listens and offers assistance when needed.
As far as writing goes, I love to write and am often plagued by having too many ideas that I can never get down on paper. Writing has finally become that "thing" that I do. The thing I'm comfortable with. The thing I would do if there was only one thing in the world I could choose. It has opened the door to new friendships, a new form of self-expression and a solid definition of who I am. And I believe it allows me to be a better woman, a better wife and a better mother. On this website, you'll see a graphic that says, "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." I believe this is one of the keys to happiness.
What kinds of things make you happy? What can you make time for in your life that will help you feel more like you? Feel free to share your thoughts here. Remember, the more we share, the better we serve one another. We can learn through the experiences of one another if we are willing to share our stories!
Have a great week!
It's alot to juggle and sometimes I'm overwhelmed. What gets me through is looking back at why I do each of these things. I'm a woman, which automatically means that I'm destined to spend much of my time worrying about or thinking about others.
For me, a big part of being a woman is looking for ways to help others, especially women, reach their full potential. The women's group is a project that I hold dear and I feel like time spent on getting it going is time well spent. Teaching gives me an opportunity to work with kids. This is not only something I enjoy, but something that I feel can help make a difference. Although I'm not with the students on a regular basis, I feel that I can make an impression on the kids I teach simply by being someone who listens and offers assistance when needed.
As far as writing goes, I love to write and am often plagued by having too many ideas that I can never get down on paper. Writing has finally become that "thing" that I do. The thing I'm comfortable with. The thing I would do if there was only one thing in the world I could choose. It has opened the door to new friendships, a new form of self-expression and a solid definition of who I am. And I believe it allows me to be a better woman, a better wife and a better mother. On this website, you'll see a graphic that says, "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." I believe this is one of the keys to happiness.
What kinds of things make you happy? What can you make time for in your life that will help you feel more like you? Feel free to share your thoughts here. Remember, the more we share, the better we serve one another. We can learn through the experiences of one another if we are willing to share our stories!
Have a great week!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Our first blog post!
Over the years, I've been struggling with what it means to be a woman in today's society. Are we truly expected to be everything to everyone or is this some crazy notion that we fall back on when we feel overwhelmed? In my own journey, I have found that there are really five big components to a woman's life. These are all encompassed in what I call the Five S's. And no, success isn't one of them. That's what comes after we have mastered the other five.
All five components have to do with self and how we work towards building the different facets of our lives into something we can manage, be proud of, and feel secure in. I'm providing a brief outline of these Five S's below and I'll be posting on each one of them individually throughout the year.
I will also be linking to other websites that can be of assistance to readers. I encourage you to send in any links which have been helpful to you so that I can add them to this website. If you are a woman and you wish to share your story about how you have perservered or overcome challenges, I urge you to send your story here so that others can benefit from the wisdom of your experiences. The more we share in our personal triumphs, the more we all benefit.
Thanks for stopping by!
All five components have to do with self and how we work towards building the different facets of our lives into something we can manage, be proud of, and feel secure in. I'm providing a brief outline of these Five S's below and I'll be posting on each one of them individually throughout the year.
I will also be linking to other websites that can be of assistance to readers. I encourage you to send in any links which have been helpful to you so that I can add them to this website. If you are a woman and you wish to share your story about how you have perservered or overcome challenges, I urge you to send your story here so that others can benefit from the wisdom of your experiences. The more we share in our personal triumphs, the more we all benefit.
Thanks for stopping by!
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