“The women whom I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because shit worked out."
On IWD - join words across the world in the Daisy Chain Flower Crown.
On International Women’s Day, I would like to honour some women and their words who have been with me throughout the years.
Whether sitting on my bedside table on a dark night of the soul, or in my backpack on long - real and metaphorical - arduous journeys or even just chatting to me on audiobook on the stereo in my car on the way to an important interview.
Throughout my life, these writers have offered me comfort, inspiration and straight-talking in my hours of need.
They have shown me the way, usually encouraging me to follow my heart versus my head, they have lifted me out of pits of self pity, they have modelled extreme self-compassion and courage in their own lives, which invited me to do the same.
They have taught me when to keep going and when to surrender, when to look up versus down, when to hold on and how to let go.
Life is not easy and these women have not lived easy lives but they have spun their challenges into wisdom.
And crucially for me, they have written about it.
And their words have invited me to hold on, to keep believing, to keep the faith.
Their words have been a hand to hold as I waited in the darkest part of the night for the sun to rise again.
Their words have been a balm when everything seemed to hurt.
Their words have challenged me, made me laugh, made me sit up straighter and listen.
To their wisdom and to mine.
Women’s words matter.
Women’s stories matter.
Create a daisy chain
That’s why I’m so delighted to be part of this DaisyChain of words created by
and “To sit together in virtual circle and share hurts, healing and dreams. To talk more of our soul whispers as we make daisy chains for the girls and women who walk behind us, beyond us and alongside us.This is International Women’s Day, we invite you to join words across the world in your own post with us.
To pass on the whole hearted formula of holding the door open. We always have a choice to do that.
To know that if there is a party online, you’re all invited, we’re all invited and we can keep inviting more women to speak, to create, to show up in every way they choose,” writes Claire, one of the most generous, kind, brilliant women showing up on Substack today.
Let us keep beaming out our words, you never know how your words or voice may connect to another woman out there who needs to hear your wisdom.
Here are some words to pass around our circle, to thread into your own daisy chain and give us all something to hold on in our hour of need or celebration.
What’s your favourite quote that offers comfort or inspiration?
What’s yours?Here are a few of mine:
“The women whom I love and admire for their strength and grace did not get that way because shit worked out. They got that way because shit went wrong, and they handled it. They handled it in a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes.”
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.” Maya Angelou
"Self-pity is a dead-end road. You make the choice to drive down it. It's up to you to decide to stay parked there or to turn around and drive out.”
“Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that.The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” Pema Chödrön
“There's power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there's grace in being willing to know and hear others.” Michelle Obama
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?” Marianne Williamson
“People with self-respect exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of moral nerve; they display what was once called *character,* a quality which, although approved in the abstract, sometimes loses ground to the other, more instantly negotiable virtues.... character--the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life--is the source from which self-respect springs.” Joan Didion.
“It is easier by far just to go with the system, because this world values women who do: women who stick to the rules, women who do not rock the boat, women who do not push for more. In becoming what we are not, in colluding with the patriarchy, we are cut off from the source of our own creativity, from the wild mystery and freedom which makes our hearts sing.”
“When you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Get quiet so you can hear the still, small voice—your inner GPS guiding you to true north.” Oprah
So many women I also admire!
Liz Gilbert and Marianne Williamson all the way! 🔥