Freedom means finally getting to be our unapologetic, messy, multifaced selves—cracks and all—without worrying if we’ll still be loved or belong.
It’s relieving ourselves from the endless hustling to stay young, relevant, "on trend."
But let's be real, the playing field still isn't level. Regardless of how hard we grind, the fact is opportunities are limited for women compared to the dudes around us.
Rather than stew on the injustice, many of us cope by staying busy-busy-busy. Hustling harder at careers, families, hobbies...anything to avoid facing the hard truth:
This is simply the world we live in.
But here’s the secret: the only thing we have agency over is choosing our response. Everything else is wasted energy better directed to building the life we want rather than complaining or comparing.
Which brings me to this truth:
Lasting freedom comes from within.
It starts by doing the inner work to get radically honest with ourselves. To name and feel the parts of womanhood that sting so we stop numbing.
From this place of self-understanding, we gain the power to write our own rules.
The same applies to friendships. We’ve got to model the level of authenticity we want mirrored back.
To let go of needing to prove our shine to each other. As women who’ve travelled long roads, we know masks grow heavy.
Freedom means welcoming each other’s realness, messiness and all. From that place of mutual empathy, the true connections we crave begin to unfold.
