Adrienne Rich, was an American poet, essayist and feminist. She was called "one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century," whose work brought the oppression of women and lesbians to the forefront of poetic discourse and kept it there for nearly a half-century. (Wikipedia) Widely read, widely anthologized, widely interviewed and widely taught, Ms. Rich was for decades among the most influential writers of the feminist movement and one of the best known American public intellectuals. (Margaret Fox, The New York Times, 2012) With that said, I think she was really on to something with the above quote. LOL. I love it. Simple. Poignant. Beautiful. TRUTH. Reading this quote stirred many thoughts of the original reason Tiffany and I created the platform of Married Working Mothers. We decided, if we told/shared our truth of our experiences and situations, we could create an environment for others to not only speak their truth but to first SEEK it. It has not been easy. However, I am using this post as a reminder to not only Tiffany and I but to all of us women, let's create more truth by sharing ours! Married Working Mothers will continue to encourage and support YOU to be your bravest, most courageous, and authentic self. As Ms. Rich also wrote...
"There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep and still be counted as warriors."
#ThoughtfulThursday Signed, It's been a long time... Candilaria
Agreed? Agreed!!! Now what? How do I make the rest of my life the best of my life?
How I ask?
My Pinterest account has boards full of pins. I have pins to convince me I deserve a better life. I have pins imploring me to go after my best life now because a life with regrets is no life at all. Pins demanding not to quit, pins to leave the haters, pins to tell me how to dress, look and act on days when I feel the worst, pins, pins and more pins.
Do you need to get off of Pinterest and live?
Do you even know what your dream is, the dream your pinterest quotes inspire you to follow?
Yes? No?
This month at Married Working Mothers we inspire you to act no A.C.T.....Accomplish Change Today! We encourage you to act through Life Coaching.
What is life coaching?
'Coaching will sift through the mess and equip you with tools to clean it up'. Translation... if you have a dream or goals to accomplish but you feel as though there is a lot of sh%t getting in your way, coaching will guide you through a process of moving that sh&t out of the way.
Enough said!
Do you need to move some stuff, shift stuff, discard stuff, prioritize stuff? If so MWM's February Giveaway is specifically for you. We are giving away a life coaching session with Kaylus Adams, our resident Life Coach. The winner will receive a sixty minute coaching session. The runner up will receive a thirty minute coaching session.
Who is Kaylus Adams? What does she do? More importantly, what can she help you do?
If you believe Mark Twain's quote to the left, you can be a sixty minute session away from the second most important day of your life.
To win, write a 25-50 word paragraph explaining why you are deserving but more importantly ready for a coaching session.
Wanting a session is different from being ready for a session. Do you belief you are deserving? Are you prepared to shift some stuff to achieve goals?
As women especially mothers we are best at putting ourselves after husbands, children, family, church, work etc. Have you decided you should put on your gas mask first (think of airline instructions if the cabin loses air pressure)?
What if you can be a better wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, colleague and person if you intentionally pursue you first? What if?
Click on this link below to hear what you can expect as the winner of February's MWM's Giveaway!
Email your 25-50 word paragraph at marriedworkingmothers@gmail.com by February 24, 2016. We will select a winner and a runner up as a bonus.
Please know MWM's will issue a gift certificate for your sessions. We will not be involved in any sessions, follow ups or discussions with Kaylus Adams concerning your session.
You will only be required to take a photo with MWM's as we issue the gift certificate.
Ladies, if you must take a moment to compose your thoughts or if not run to your keyboard now...
Write to us! Write to you! Write to your future!
We look forward to hearing from all of you! Until we blog again, Candi and Tiffany
Raise your hand if you had a diary when you were a teenager? Remember the diaries with keys and combination locks? Sigh... the secrets I shared with my friend Diary.
As an adult my friendship is still alive but with Diary's cousin Journal. I am a journal junkie.
I wonder why? Hmmm...
Well it has to do something with the fact I can be quite the loner through no fault of my own. I don't have any sisters. I grew up with an entourage of boys. The only women in my family are my grandmother, mother and aunts and one distant female cousin, but once again through no fault of my own was too far away with miles of factors hindering our relationship. This means I clocked many hours in my bedroom alone with my own little girl thoughts.
What does a girl do? Thank goodness my mother had the wisdom to gift me with a diary. As a teenager I giggled with Diary. I cried with Diary. I grew up with Diary.
At 43 years of age I am all grown up allegedly. Diary is gone but Journal is my new friend. I have pretty girlie girl journals fashioned with shiny and ambient colours and beautiful graphics. (I know some of you recognize that gratitude journal!)
While on the other hand I also have journals which are raw and basic. What you see is what you get journals as shown below. These 'salt and pepper' journals have been my friends for the last few years. No lock, no key! Enter at your own risk...
What do I write about you may be wondering? Ha! What don't I write about? My journals are my thoughts, feelings, questions, issues, celebrations, memories and joys.
My journal reveals me! Just like a best friend who knows everything about you, my journals know everything about Tiffany.
I celebrate me in my journal. I celebrate my girlfriends by saving tidbits about them. I celebrate my daughter as she writes me notes. My journal is the ultimate safe for cards, photos, wrappers, ticket stubs. I can document my entire relationship with my husband with the contents in these journals. If it is meaningful I keep it.
A note from my daughter Channing, a photo from a friend's housewarming!
This airline ticket from 2002 was monumental! Why do I have the wrapper from the last Deprovera Birth Control Shot? ( Did anyone else get fat from this?) Kaylus do you recognize anything in this photo?
My Wisconsin Driver's License. Why do I still have this? Got to have Milwaukee Memories in the house!
Truth be told my journals also get me through the rough times. On New Year's Eve night my husband stopped abruptly at our bedroom door. He froze. I was sitting on my bed with my journal after a year and a half hiatus. His face was sullen, oh no, Tiffany has her journal! Eric knows when he has seen this in the past it has always been a clear indication I was processing something.
Below are my somber somewhat thought provoking journal entries. One time ago before children when I had endless time and energy I recycled my magazines. A great journaling session was a pair of scissors, a magazine, a gluestick, my journal and a glass of wine. It was therapeutic to browse through a magazine until I came across an image which touched my soul. I'd adhere them to my blank pages and write my thoughts. Catharsis!
As you can see I have lots of words within me. Lots, lots and lots!!!!
I guess these days many people express their thoughts on Social Media. Me, not so much.
'Men have feelings about there (oops I spelled their incorrectly) marriage.' YUP! I wrote this after my first marriage.
Sigh... My first husband appeared to be emotionless but I later learned not so much. He had them all bottled inside.
He should have had a journal!
Look
closely at this last image. Not sure why I have these flowers but that is a
piece of aluminum foil glued into my journal. Look even closer. Inside are
ashes from a burnt piece of paper.
Damn!
I can recall sitting in my guest bedroom feeling heavy. I had an intense writing session then tore out the paper and burnt my words. Watching
the paper crumble did wonders that day. Tell Elsa from the Disney movie Frozen this is how you truly 'Let It Go'!
Well folks, this was my last journal entry for 2015. A dear friend (wink wink maid of honor) gave me this card. The words are so fitting. 'She laughed and said to her dear friend...'
I have been on a hiatus from my dear friend Journal. In 2016 I am reuniting with my friend. At 43 years of age, I don't write Dear Diary as I did when I was a teenager. My journal entries are my prayers to yet another dear friend.
Dear Lord...
Bless Candi's heart, she has heard the brunt of my thoughts from 2015, well 2016 too. Before she labels me melodramatic, negative, miserable and an overall sad bitch, it is time for me to upload to my Lord. He can handle it! (Psst. Candi loves me too much to call me any of those names!)
Do you keep a journal or a scrapbook? Cool beans. I encourage all of you to foster your habits which aid to the healing of your soul.
Channing's godmother bought my daughter Channing her very first journal (thank you Goddie Antja). As I return to my friend this year my goal is to encourage Channing to develop her friendship with her journal. It just may be her bff too!
I will give Channing my journals one day. I pray she reads them. There will be no better way for her to get to know her mother, Tiffany the woman, than for her to read my words written in my bff!
