As women, we often feel obligated to do everything, be everything, save everyone, and smile the entire time. I’m a wife, mother, counselor, blogger, personal chef, carpool driver, nurse, housekeeper, volunteer, hairstylist, and professional “boo boo” kisser… and that’s the short list. We’re just so busy that we neglect ourselves and oftentimes, our passion and purpose.
Not long ago, I decided that it is absolutely possible for my purpose and my role as a wife and mother to coexist. And it most certainly has NOT been a smooth road. There have been just as many bumps and lumps in this journey as there are in Jiffy cornbread when you don't stir that batter enough!
But not everything needs to be complicated. So many things in life today are unnecessarily difficult, and they cause us to feel stuck. In full transparency, for years I felt stuck, anxious, and weighed down with a heaviness I couldn’t explain. I began to use blogging and helping others as my own therapy, and that’s how Fleur de Lis Speaks was born.
Listen to me. YOU are responsible for your own happiness. You and no one else. You alone are the author of your story, so stop handing the pen off to other people. That pen is your voice and how you choose to use it is up to you. Speak up, be bold, and project that voice of yours even if it trembles a little bit. Because sharing your story and allowing your voice to be heard is what you were meant to do. Your authentic self is God’s greatest gift to the world and if you allow fear to silence that voice, the world will never experience the beauty of your narrative.
So be brave, put your big girl panties on, and take FULL responsibility for who you are and what you do. Decide today that whatever it is you want, YOU must rely on YOURSELF to make it a reality. It won’t be easy. It might actually feel quite miserable and near impossible sometimes. But you’ll never get to the good stuff if you don’t push through the yucky stuff.
I’m pushing through some pretty hard stuff every single day. A brain injury is no joke, y’all. Ooohweeee… there are days when I question my own sanity. Days when nerve pain pulses throughout my entire body and it hurts to touch my own skin. Days when I’m a zombie because the insomnia is out of control and I haven’t slept in 72+ hours straight. Days when I don’t take my meds because I can’t remember if I’ve already taken my meds and I don’t want to overdose but then I worry all day about not being able to remember if I’ve taken them and will my memory ever be what it used to and will I still have to set a reminder to pick up Bean from school when she starts kindergarten in the fall and crap, did I remember to blow out that Yankee Candle before we left the house… blah blah blah.
Y’all, there are days when I can think of every excuse not to show up…for ANYTHING. Bean can reach everything she needs in the pantry and the fridge. The internet bill is paid and her iPad is fully charged. We have enough clean laundry to last us a few days. My phone is on do not disturb…not that I would answer any calls anyway. #textme But the second I decide that it’ll be too hard to show up today, too hard to write and post that note, too hard to write that blog post, too hard to work on the next book… one of y’all come sliding in my DMs gently reminding me that the day is almost over and I haven’t given y’all your daily dose of inspiration yet, lol. Or you send me a message about your personal victories overcoming mental health challenges and bring me to tears. And I realize that I can’t not show up. I can’t not do this work. This work heals and changes lives. And I don’t get to choose to not show up for myself and for all of you. And quite honestly, having a reason to show up has changed and saved my life. Showing up for each of you has saved my life.
So find your reason to show up. And make your first appearance TODAY. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you realize the person you've always wanted to be and the person you're becoming have been inside of you the entire time. Just waiting for you to ditch the facades and the pretenses and the masks. You have everything you've ever needed inside of you. Commit today to uncover it, to appreciate it, and to LIVE IN IT. You'll be so happy you did.
Love Y'all a whole bunch,
Faith
I am SUPER excited to share that my next appearance will be on June 29th in Atlanta with Ciji Townsend, Chief Motivator at Balanced Not Busy, and y'all are invited to attend! It's gonna be AWESOME and I can't wait to meet all of you!
Don't miss a conversation about busyness, being balanced, and what it means to be still! Just imagine a chat with your girlfriends with wine and light nibbles. #girlsnight
Purchase your ticket here! And check out the event on Facebook here! Space is limited, so get yours TODAY!
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