“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
History - our window to the past, revealing stories and events, facts and perceptions. Oh, the knowledge and insight we would gain by reading History and Herstory, learning about heroes and sheroes! Do you have a heroine? Within the sanctity of our dreams we are able to masquerade as our heroine, that special someone we feel a connection to, whose qualities and achievements we aspire. We can believe, if for just those moments, we are as smart, courageous, and brave.
How would you write your own story? Take your experiences and adventures, emotions and thoughts, and translate them into words whereby readers can grasp who you truly are. Let’s call your first storybook My Herstory. As you reminisce, be prepared. Certain memories will surely bring joy to your soul, or tears to your pillow. Devote a chapter to each character in your life’s story whose impact you feel today. Allow enough time or space to describe the relationship you shared. Did this person believe in me? Encourage me? Challenge me? Defeat me? Tear me down or build me up? Intertwined with your characters are your experiences and adventures. Revisit your home life, school years, lessons learned, travel adventures, sports involvement, work experiences. All you have experienced and believed create your self-definition. You have persevered. Do you see how complex, yet remarkable, you are?
Your second storybook title might be Becoming Me. I marvel at trailblazing women, and hold great respect for those who acted with the courage of their convictions. Women like Clara Barton, the Civil War nurse who founded the Red Cross; Harriet Tubman, who led slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad; Sacagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman who is known for her contributions to Lewis and Clark’s expeditions; Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the first women appointed to the U. S. Supreme Court; and countless others. Our early years may have found us pretending to be Calamity Jane or Wonder Woman, or thinking that Glinda, the good witch in the Wizard of Oz, was the most magical woman of all. “You are capable of more than you know,” she said.
Developing a clearer picture of who you are requires tenderness and grace. As you define the people with whom you share a relationship, you risk finding one, {hopefully no more} who created negativity in your life. Do you believe this person created self-doubt in your capabilities? Or inhibited your growth? Do their words or actions still resound in your mind, limiting your courage to trust in your strengths and decisions? Children hear phrases like “Children should be seen and not heard” and translate it to “My voice doesn’t matter.” “Bite your tongue and swallow it” taught children not to converse nor debate a topic. Children know when others are being rude, mean, or abusive, yet are naturally confused when that negativity comes from primary relationships. This sets the stage for victimhood, setting internal limits on what we believe we are capable of. Some children have grown into adulthood chained to those lies, still believing them as truth. Set yourself free, sweet child. It is time to be released from those chains.
Our world in real-time is nurtured, loved, and enriched by prominent women. Our Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts, and Mentors create a community from which we seek advice and approval. They have taught us so much. Bring to mind those women who exemplify positivity and empowerment. Perhaps it was by their resilience in meeting adversity, the gentleness of their teaching, the surety of their words, or their capacity of unselfish love for you and others. Who else could join your community? You may have Daughters or Granddaughters who have refreshed your outlook and renewed your passion. Consider your friends, coworkers, employers, and coaches.
Generations of women have walked before us, with generations of wisdom passed on. Their character and virtues can be seen in the demeanor and qualities of the women in our community. Our ancestors experienced loves and sorrows, joys and pain, and learned survival skills.
“We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within us this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise.” - Edward Sellner
Through your gifts of inheritance and intimacy within your community, you own powerful tools to become all you are capable of. Intuitively you can sense your ancestors through your wisdom. How can you fully realize and extract those gifts?
“Withdraw to the untroubled quietude deep within the soul, and refresh yourself.” - Marcus Aurelius, Philosopher, Roman Emperor from 161 – 180.
Meditation and prayer can lead you into your stillness and quietude. Silence offers answers. It is in this quiet, meditative state that connection can be made to the wisdom and skills of your ancestral women. Focus on the lessons of courage and bravery they generously provide. Absorb their wisdom into your knowledge. Confidently release the negative messages you held as truth. Let go of self-doubt and envy, and all self-limiting beliefs. Rise above the victimhood mentality. Your gifts will empower you to foster healthy relationships, and find peace within your soul. You are capable of more than you know.
Your third storybook is yet to be written. At Samanta Designs, I offer pathways to the unique strength, resilience, and creativity woven into the fabric of womanhood. I would be honored to help you become your heroine.
You are beautiful and remarkable. #woman #shero #herstory #becomingme #becoming #becomingness #greatness #girlpower #girlboss #bossbabe #womeninbiz