We are more than….
Recently, I attended a social occasion and witnessed a small group of women talking. As introductions were made, the usual question came up: what do you do for a living? Answers to this popular question were varied. “I’m a banker.” “I work at Target as a cashier.” The list went on; I’m self-employed, I’m an insurance agent, I work in real estate, I’m “just”a stay-at-home mom, I’m a housewife, I’m an attorney.
Overhearing these responses my body stiffened and contracted. I became withdrawn and lost in my own thoughts, bothered by these mundane responses from every day women just like me. I wasn’t even involved in the conversation, just a bystander who couldn’t understand why this exchange bothered me so much. I moved away from the group and took a chair by an open window, trying to breathe in fresh air and clear my thoughts. My mind was so jumbled I couldn’t even pinpoint why I was so deeply troubled by the conversation I had overheard. I did manage to regroup and mingle afterwards, but that unsettled feeling remained with me the rest of the evening.
It wasn’t until later that evening when I was alone and replaying the conversation in my mind that it became clear; I had responded to the energy in the group. In my mind’s eye, I pictured the women and I noticed their body postures were slumped. Standing next to them in my memory I recalled the question, “What do you do for a living?” and their simplistic, matter of fact answers. Why did the responses affect me so negatively?
And then, it became crystal clear.
How we present ourselves in public is an extension of how we feel about ourselves. Were the simple, flat and dead answers a direct insight on how little the women valued themselves?
This was a light bulb moment for me because I’ve been guilty of this, too. People ask me all the time what I do for a living and my normal short answer is “I’m a coach.” But wait, I am more than a coach, just as you are more than the any title you’ve adopted! We are women first and foremost! When did we decide to label ourselves by the standards set by some stuffy old men? Working in the corporate world for decades, people are defined by the title of the job they hold. That title is what makes them “important.”
News flash: titles or labels do not define a person. We are so much more than labels!
Ladies, let’s shake things up a bit. How about a different answer? You aren’t a waitress, you are a bringer of sustenance to hungry masses! You aren’t a stay-at-home mom, you are a woman who loves adventure and chooses to stay home and raise healthily, well-balanced mini- people. I’m not just a coach, I am “a woman who is passionate about assisting people identify and discover what is preventing them from achieving greater success, fulfillment and balance in their lives.
I have a friend who does not work outside of the home; but instead of saying she’s a housewife she refers to herself as a Domestic Goddess. That my friends, is a bold passionate response! She values herself and what she does. Taking care of her husband, home and pets brings her great joy.
Living in the Passion Zone as the vibrant, radiant women we are means owning and claiming the brilliance we create. Celebrate the deliciousness of being a woman!
What words will you use to define what you do for a living? I would love to hear what you come up with, let’s get the conversation started!
Overhearing these responses my body stiffened and contracted. I became withdrawn and lost in my own thoughts, bothered by these mundane responses from every day women just like me. I wasn’t even involved in the conversation, just a bystander who couldn’t understand why this exchange bothered me so much. I moved away from the group and took a chair by an open window, trying to breathe in fresh air and clear my thoughts. My mind was so jumbled I couldn’t even pinpoint why I was so deeply troubled by the conversation I had overheard. I did manage to regroup and mingle afterwards, but that unsettled feeling remained with me the rest of the evening.
It wasn’t until later that evening when I was alone and replaying the conversation in my mind that it became clear; I had responded to the energy in the group. In my mind’s eye, I pictured the women and I noticed their body postures were slumped. Standing next to them in my memory I recalled the question, “What do you do for a living?” and their simplistic, matter of fact answers. Why did the responses affect me so negatively?
And then, it became crystal clear.
How we present ourselves in public is an extension of how we feel about ourselves. Were the simple, flat and dead answers a direct insight on how little the women valued themselves?
This was a light bulb moment for me because I’ve been guilty of this, too. People ask me all the time what I do for a living and my normal short answer is “I’m a coach.” But wait, I am more than a coach, just as you are more than the any title you’ve adopted! We are women first and foremost! When did we decide to label ourselves by the standards set by some stuffy old men? Working in the corporate world for decades, people are defined by the title of the job they hold. That title is what makes them “important.”
News flash: titles or labels do not define a person. We are so much more than labels!
Ladies, let’s shake things up a bit. How about a different answer? You aren’t a waitress, you are a bringer of sustenance to hungry masses! You aren’t a stay-at-home mom, you are a woman who loves adventure and chooses to stay home and raise healthily, well-balanced mini- people. I’m not just a coach, I am “a woman who is passionate about assisting people identify and discover what is preventing them from achieving greater success, fulfillment and balance in their lives.
I have a friend who does not work outside of the home; but instead of saying she’s a housewife she refers to herself as a Domestic Goddess. That my friends, is a bold passionate response! She values herself and what she does. Taking care of her husband, home and pets brings her great joy.
Living in the Passion Zone as the vibrant, radiant women we are means owning and claiming the brilliance we create. Celebrate the deliciousness of being a woman!
What words will you use to define what you do for a living? I would love to hear what you come up with, let’s get the conversation started!
“Imagine in vibrant, wonderful detail your heart’s desire— a reality only you can envision, an adventure only you can direct. Then cradle your creation. Caress it. Mold it. Coddle it until it comes to life. And when your precious treasure grows so grand as to steal your breath away, set it free for all the world to experience. For that is how you live your dreams.”
~Richelle E. Goodrich
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