Stories That Inspire

Community is built through conversation. Common interests bring us together. There are a variety of ways ranging from simple events like potlucks, to small book clubs or larger scale venues such as, engaging in Women’s Marches for social justice. The one thing that brings people together is the telling of their stories.

I have a terrific community of women whose stories inspire me; women who push past the ideas of conventional stereotypes. Community is the space where everyone is included in the conversation and where their stories are celebrated. I envision a community that cultivates sisterhood where we build one another up, not tear each other down.

We are from all walks of life: real-world moms, entrepreneurs and business women, young or in our “prime”, single or married. We are strong, independent big-picture thinkers, have strong convictions and rely on intuition for decision-making. We balance the four most important aspects of life: work, home, community and self.

An important part of our stories are the choices we make. My belief is that these choices can lead to great things. I want to give women a platform to share their stories of personal triumph. In providing this space, they are given voice to their wins and show others that we are all becoming and coming into our own.

Some of the women showcased here will be those that have had a hand in my personal development. It is because they have taught me life lessons simply by living life the way they do. There are so many stories of women that have come through difficult struggles such as illnesses, broken relationships and addiction. Women that have made change and have seen such dramatic transformation in their lives. Though some may remain in their struggle, they get up everyday seeing it through to its end. Whatever may come.

I’ve heard it said, “Blessings are more of a blessing because of the challenges we go through, because they make us stronger.” I’m inspired by these types of stories where weaknesses, even more than strengths, often determine whether or not someone succeeds. Angela Duckworth is the Author of “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” and in her TEDtalks she tells of her research in determining how a child/teen succeeds. The results produced something she calls a “Grit Scale”. She states “....no matter the domain, the highly successful (people) had a kind of ferocious determination that played out in two ways. First, these exemplars were unusually resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a very, very deep way what it was they wanted. They not only had determination, they had direction. It was this combination of passion and perseverance that made high achievers special. In a word, they had grit.”

I’ve come to the conclusion what propels us forward can actually be what holds us back. In other words, use the difficulties in life as a stepping stone to advance you into the purposes for your life. Be a person that has “grit”.

One of the ways that I pay homage to these amazing women is by telling their stories here, because it’s in community that we learn from one another. Let their stories inspire you as they have me. Stay tuned for this section to tell their stories. Submit your story idea in the comments section or message me to be showcased as well.

My friends and I will be encouraging others as we meet in our “Coffee Shop Conversations” upcoming free book club. Click the video below for more info to join in the fun!!