Join the Love Warrior Movement.
What movement?
A movement of people who are sick of exclusion, who are taking responsibility for their personal life and who are ready to see how they can help shift the current reality our situation.
What situation?
A multi-faceted one. One where women are chastised for having an opinion. One where it is acceptable to publicly comment on a woman’s appearance and her sexuality. One where being emotional is tagged as a negative thing.
No more. Not here. Not without action by me.
I tattooed WARRIOR on my left wrist on my Independence Day, July 4, 2014. Independence from my limiting beliefs. Independence from my marriage. Independence from my family of origin.
I am passionate about using my past and my story to empower women (and men) to speak their truths.
My past is not pretty but it was exactly what it was meant to be to make me the warrior that I am today.
Being a warrior means I accept myself as I am today with the understanding that I will spend my lifetime learning. I accept my flaws, imperfections, and ugly moments; my human-ness. I awake each day with the intent to be the best me that I can be. I practice to give up perfectionism, people pleasing, and criticizing myself. Some days I struggle more than others but I take responsibility for my life and my choices.
I have opinions.
I express them.
I had an eating disorder.
I left a 25-year relationship.
I was in codependent relationships.
I have been attacked.
I over-blamed others.
I am no different or better than anyone out there. We are all unique and are each a piece of the human experience and this world.
I am not alone. You are not alone. Let us rise together.
Each time one of us shares our story, we open the door for others to start on their path of self-acceptance.
Loving myself and caring for myself have made me a better mother, a better lover, a better friend, a better citizen.
Showing up in this world as the vulnerable, fallible, and real woman I am is my life’s work.
This election has been divisive, horrific, and degrading.
Let’s use it as a catalyst for change.
For the first time ever our children have a lower life expectancy than us.
Our neighbors face joblessness, violence, and danger because of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs, or their sexual affiliation.
Technology has made it so goldfish have longer attention spans than the average human.
It is becoming more and more difficult to produce food because of climate change.
It is time for us to unite.
To stand up.
To speak out.
Glennon Doyle Melton writes a widely popular blog and is the author of the best selling book Love Warrior. She speaks of the three choices we have when in times of turmoil:
1) Silence
2) Rage
3) Standing With Love
I stand with Glennon in urging us to not be silent nor to add negativity by raging. Instead, let’s listen, share, and learn in an effort to unite. We don’t have to agree but we don’t have to fight and be nasty either.
Where can you be courageous? Stand up? Speak up? Being a leader doesn’t mean running for office or even starting some sort of movement. It can be as simple as calmly saying no in front of your children. It can be setting a boundary with a manipulative relative. It can be prioritizing acts of kindness in your community.
A love warrior listens to that little voice inside and trusts it. Through the fear. Through the doubt. She stands up.
One person can make a difference.
I beg you to try.
