"Do not indulge or tolerate anyone who throws cold water in your direction." -- Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way
Imagine entering a room, home or event space, and being greeted by sneers and screeches to move away from you. And, once you make your way fully to the central hub, it is clear you have been discussed and disparaged. Having done nothing to deserve this, you begin to wonder what it feels like to be well received OR you may be too flustered to feel anything. And, you may feel alone.
Women not supporting each other enough is reflected heavily in society, TV, film, magazines, families, friendships, schools and businesses. Oftentimes, the picture depicted of a group of women is rife with tension, jealousy, pettiness and hatred where the reciprocal exchange of genuine love, respect, and collaboration is the exception.
Well, guess what? THIS post is NOT about that.
Now, imagine entering a room, etc., and being greeted with thunderous screams of excitement and sprints to see you. And, once together, everyone sets out to share, listen, help, celebrate, and create wonder. This is not rare. It is routine among you and your circle of sisterhood. Each of you has rallied around the other during life, love, and loss, and perhaps, a bit of lunacy. Surely, there were (and are) occasional miscommunications and misunderstandings, but these are not bond-breakers. Rather, they are success-strengthening opportunities to reset the beauty of the circle.
Collectively, to experience, expand, and reinforce the richness of the circle of sisterhood and within society, each woman:
- Gives responsibly of her time, energy, and know-how without making someone in need have to ask.
- Builds trust among her sisters by trusting herself (and them) to be honest and live accordingly without sacrificing her own integrity.
- Brings her excellence because that is what she expects of others and has received it from them.
- Respects herself and others. Period.
- Connects to those who love her enough to respectfully challenge her to soar to her unfathomable best, cherish her unselfishly, check her when she's obviously lost all sense of reality, cheer her on unconditionally, envelop her when she needs it, and represents the best reflection of who she is or aspires to be.
- Collaborates to create home and global goodness because she knows our families and the world needs them.
- Welcomes new women with a sincere curiosity to get to know them.
- Loves by her words, but more so by her actions and the example she sets.
- Equips herself with knowledge that lifts and nourishes her, and broadens her view, then enlightens her sisters to powerfully cultivate the world footprint.
- Conducts herself with the awareness that she might influence a younger version of herself who observes every nuance and secretly (or not nearly so) seeks to emulate her.
- Finds time to provide and pay forward assistance in child care, running errands, extending a hand, or just listening.
- Organizes a sisterhood of lifestyle wellness with focus on traveling the journey together, holding each other accountable, making a commitment to optimal health with better rest, healthier food choices, stress reducers, a (remember this? ->) front burner promotion, and relationship boosters.
- Pictures the accomplishment, then travels its journey to fulfillment.
- Stands at every part, where possible, of a rough patch, job loss, reinvention, and transformation.
- Listens respectfully with her full attention to spot ways to be supportive.
- Celebrates each other in wellness, relationships, and wonderment.
Imagination can trump certain realities and the work expressed in bringing that vision to life can make you want to leave your efforts at their imaginary status. However, true success with the greatest impact, as well as the best in relationship-cohesion, begins with the elements listed above. They strengthen our sororal connectivity, our society, our world, and our future.
So whether we are entrepreneurs, employees, stay-at-home mothers, students, relatives, friends, or business associates, as women, our genuine affinity to one another need not be the exception. It should serve as the inspiration everyone else uses to reset their beautiful circles.
The richness of the world's expansion, and the numerous younger yous, relies on your powerful contribution. Throw your warmth in every direction deserving it while contributing your gifts. And, be sure to #BringYourExcellence. We all need it.