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You know the saying…we all do. April showers bring May flowers. Not only is this saying true in a literal sense, it is true figuratively as well.
We are all a work in progress, not for the purpose of reaching a certain plateau, but rather to live our journey authentically – to live in the truth of who we are, in our own uniqueness.
That means that we won’t put on a mask of pretension so that others will perceive us the way we want to be seen in the moment - when situations are challenging, or when we experience extreme lows in our lives. And yet the opposite situation is also true. If things are going well in our lives, if we feel accomplished as women, we won’t put on a mask of apology for our success and dumb-down our abilities.
I decided a long time ago to allow the rain to wash away the guilt of failing or the guilt of success, and allow my character to bloom. I decided that drawing outside of the color lines was my choice, and if I wanted to alleviate the lines altogether, that was my choice as well.
The same is true with you. Allowing yourself the freedom of being YOU removes the barrier of allowing others to control you. One effective control tactic is to dismiss your viewpoints and standards through badgering, criticism or by mocking. The questions are persistent and annoying... Why would you want to do that? What makes you think you know what you're doing? Have you considered other options? The statements are demeaning... That doesn't make any sense! Only a fool would do that! You have issues. I’ve been mocked for some of the silliest things – wearing black more often than color, wearing long skirts instead of short, keeping my home too clean, requiring no shoes be worn in my home, and this one always gets me…showing too much respect and kindness to my husband!!
I’ve come to appreciate that the seeds of conviction and positivity that I exhibit, to be kind and considerate to others, to honor my core values and to live in righteousness, fuel me with ultra self-respect. By living in my own truth, believing in myself and working in harmony with my skills and talents, gives others the impetus to live in their truth. Are others critical of you? If so, that's not your problem. The deeper meaning of the saying, April showers bring May flowers, is that "even after long periods of adversity, good times will flow." It’s not too late for you to pull the weeds of negativity from your inner garden and consider the flowers of self-respect and self-appreciation you’ve experienced in your growth personally and professionally this season. If you're in a position of authority in corporate or as an entrepreneur, think in terms of being a leader, not just a boss.
Bosses manage with fear and intimidation, but leaders lead with confidence and affirmation.
You will sprout with happiness and peace if you incorporate the following:
Your identity is your own. This is not a role that is pursued and it can’t be shared with others.
Understand that intellectual bullying is about CONTROL! You’re the driver on your journey. You control the wheel.
Positive growth is not about perfection, it’s about enhancement.
Purge ugly thoughts, comments or actions. Renew with positivity.
Your own success and the success of others can be both inspiring and intimidating at once. However, the fact is, we are all human, regardless of our failures or successes. And whether we fail or succeed, we are still multi-faceted and complex. Think of all that embodies our nature…the complexity of being both weak and strong, gentle and tough, assertive and aggressive - and the wisdom of knowing which characteristic is necessary in the moment to accomplish our purpose. Hold on to your truth and remember that you are authentic, original and extraordinary. Your identity is a gift from our Creator. Your originality is inherent. You are the calla lilies, tulips and sun flowers in all of your splendor and intricate detail gracing our planet. Grow your seeds and pass your extraordinary genetic imprint to the next generation! Blossom!
