In preparation for this years International Day of Girl Child (last month), I was asked to share a picture of myself as a girl, and a story of my journey. I’ve learned over the years, perhaps still learning, that if my story can help others, then I need to share it. The response on social media stunned me, and reminded me that when we step out of our comfort zone, it can be a great encouragement to others. So if you missed it there – here it is:
This little girl …
This little girl was so happy growing up on a farm, helping Dad, working with the animals, or climbing a big tree. She was blissfully unaware that the next decade would be devastated by bullying, betrayal, abuse, trauma and grief. This little girl is me.
This little girl was unable to complete her schooling, something that added to her sense of inadequacy for decades. She ran away from home a week after her 16th birthday, unaware it was the safest place in the world, or that your inner pain doesn’t vanish when you simply change locations.
This Little Girl Is Me
This little girl returned a month later to her loving family, enrolled in, and almost completed, an Office Admin certificate. When her teacher saw her poor decisions to fit in socially, said she’d “be the last person in the class to get a job” – so, determined to prove her wrong, skipped classes and went looking for work, returning to class the next day to announce an upcoming job as a dental nurse. This became a 5 year career filled with leadership lessons from hiring, firing, training, and holding hands with strangers.
This little girl began learning in her 20’s that she didn’t need to carry the weight of her past, discovering the power of forgiveness to move on and find joy. She opened her heart again, which led to finding her best friend for life, who cared and accepted her more than she’d known besides her own loving family. She gave endless hours to teenagers in distress, abuse and humiliation, finding support with them, holding them as they sobbed through stories of trauma and drug withdrawal.
Loves to help others
Her love of serving led to a weight of expectations, 7 years under toxic leadership, pushing herself to chronic burnout, depression and chronic fatigue. Doctors told her ‘you won’t work for 5 to 10 years’.
Again, determination arose to find solutions; within 6 months she was on the road to recovery, working with a brilliant Coach then training to become a Coach. Within 10 months her first paying clients were on board, she studied intensely, gained credentials and experience as a coach and mentor internationally via Skype/phone from home.
Fast forward 16 years, with determination, SO much encouragement and challenge by peers, friends, a husband and parents who believed in her more than she did, a son who inspired her to explore and think bigger, she’s published multiple books, coached small business owners from 16-65 to write their books, exhibit their art, launch their business, expand their farm, and grow their confidence in countless ways. She’s inspired audiences from 5 – 5000+ in multiple countries from farms to stadiums, managing the inner conversation of inadequacy by focusing on the joy of giving, serving and encouraging others.
Why am I telling you this? Because 70% of girls feel more confident about their futures after hearing from women role models. I encourage all the fabulous women in my network to participate in this campaign by Inspiring Girls International led by Miriam Gonzalez Durantez.
#ThisLittleGirlisMe
#Confidence #Encouragement
And that was the post I shared.
Then Andrea Edwards gathered some friends to discuss it – so here’s the podcast/conversation of open hearts. Andrea Edwards, Lavinia Thanapathy, Sally Foley-Lewis and me. Enjoy!
For more lessons on leadership check out this blog – Leadership Lessons From the Front Line
