With so much of our interpersonal communication happening online, it's easy to base our popularity on the number of followers we have on social media. Follows go up and so does our mood. Someone unfriends and we wonder why they hate us. We start to compare our lives with the Readers Digest Condensed Version that others are posting online. Only seeing what they want us to see, we begin to do the same thing. Suddenly, everyone's lives are seemingly perfect or constantly unravelling, depending on their mood.
Judging ourselves and others by "the numbers" sets us up for failure, because relationships were never meant to be quantified.
I was talking to the incomparable Mama Leisha about this very topic. Just how easy it is to fall into the pit of comparison and how doing so disables us from having real relationships. And this is heartbreaking, because women need women.
I asked a few members of my own village how women have raised them up. Here are a few of their answers…
I've been inspired by women that have shared their talents and abilities with me. When women are willing to give of themselves to help others learn, it lifts everyone up. — Myrna, 77
Knowing there are women I can rely on when I need something is reassuring. They're there for me whenever I need a favor or support. In addition, I've been blessed by random acts of kindness when I've needed them. I'll never forget the women who blessed me with their service. — Shari, 52
Women raise me up every day. I'm lucky enough to work with over 20 women who prove to me that you can balance family, work, and personal development. That just because culture or society say you should or shouldn't doesn't mean you have to live your life that way. Instead, these women pave their own paths and are bold and brave in doing so and give me permission to do the same. — Courtney, 33
Being in Filipino culture, women value our friendship to each other. I have great influence from these women and their traditions. — Marivel, 58
Women can relate to each other in so many different ways. Hearing others' stories of situations they've been in and how they dealt with it and got through it gives me hope and confidence that I will be able to too. — Melanie, 34
We Mormons live in a culture where sometimes going against the norm is discouraged. But I had a Young Women leader let me know that adventure and seeing the world is totally okay, because Heavenly Father is a part of everything and every people in the world, so if I feel adventurous, I should go for it. Ever since I heard that I haven't held back. I've gone and done whenever my heart desired as far as seeing the world. — Sarah, 36
We need each other for support, education, inspiration, and love. Let's make a conscience choice to focus on raising one another, because women need women.
