On Celebrating Women…

One of my friends told me one day, “Why can’t we just be happy for each other’s accomplishments?”

It was a hypothetical question. The “we” she was referring to is people in general, but more specifically women. And, I think of this all the time. We should celebrate each other and not cut each other down.

I challenge myself to celebrate my friends’ accomplishments every day, and since I’m being honest, it’s hard. Sometimes jealousy creeps in, frustration with my own life comes out on top, anger boils over just the slightest.

Being 20-something is a roller coaster ride of learning how to adult, whether or not you are married or single or in a committed relationship… it’s still learning how to adult. For instance: I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Haha (but really). It’s hard for me not to compare myself to the picture of perfection that someone posts on social media. As I’m sure you’ve heard: people usually (not always) post their best selves on the internet. But, that doesn’t mean their life is perfect. It’s just a sliver of their life. If you take a sliver of a tree, you may not be able to tell whether it’s happy and thriving or barely surviving, but either way that sliver is a part of the tree.

I strive to not let social media give me a lopsided view of the world, and sometimes I find it’s better to eliminate social media all together. And, then the weirdest thing happens: I feel more free without it. I don’t stay gone forever, however (clearly as I am writing this post). But, breaks help me. But, that doesn’t mean they would work for you.

There is no one size fits all. I have more ways I’ve developed to eliminate any negative thoughts from my life: running (I may have mentioned this 😉), thinking about how I could phrase my life in a happy light in any moment (And usually this does help me be happier), finding happy news articles (this makes me smile), running (more… yes), and yoga.

Finding the positives in my life, helps me find genuine happiness for others. And, I consciously remind myself and challenge myself to be happy for other people (my dog would attest that I talk to myself 😬😉).

It’s not easy. But, it can be a challenge that is conquered. Standing together women are marvelous, beautiful inside and out, smart, giving, loving, and simply amazing. My goal is to not let the world tear that down, not let jealousy creep in.

Just this week, one of my favorite runners posted about celebrating in each other’s victories! Check it out here.

In a race we ran together, Amy and I crossed this finish line together! We celebrated the victory of each getting our own 10K PR. And, when my life is hard, she listens. When my life is happy, she celebrates with me. Her friendship is such a blessing.

I hope everyone reading this has a friend to celebrate with and cry with, and if you don’t, there are women out there who will. You are more than welcome to direct message me (us)! But, also, don’t stop looking, or settle for someone who cuts you down to make themself feel better. (Also, I recommend trying BumbleBFF, it has really helped me with building some great friendships in Atlanta.)

And, if I had wine in hand (Sauvignon Blanc this summer), maybe later tonight, I would toast women. Together we can accomplish so much, let’s celebrate each other!

Claire