As heart-filling as it is to hear women talking about their dreams and aspirations - I always sense an undertone of pressure to constantly be seeking out ways to make ourselves better. To be better employees, better managers, better businessowners, better mothers, better partners, and better friends.
The pandemic may be behind us, but the lessons learned during that almost unreal time should stay with us. Many people learned to work from home, prioritize mental and physical health, embrace the perks of a remote or hybrid workspace, and generally spend more time participating in their lives.
Many years ago, I was recruited away from a cushy “big company” job to my first dream job at my dream company. I was tired of talking about things, making powerpoints, using theory words, producing products that are really just paper and thoughts, and pitching projects to fund.
When you meet with as many women as I do on a daily basis, it’s inevitable that you’ll end up having a lot of the same conversations. What has been the most enlightening insight I’ve gotten from these conversations is just how much our own negative self-perceptions impact our ability to expand our power and influence.
This has been a big year for our family. After years of searching for a place to put down roots, last summer we purchased a dream property in North Carolina. The renovated farmhouse, heirloom apple trees, ample garden and chicken coop spoke to me from the moment I saw them.
The act of letting go is an act of self-care but more than that, it is one of survival. Conserving negative emotions like hatred, bitterness & resentment related to past trauma or unforgivable betrayals not only prevents you from thriving in the lifestyle you deserve, but it can actually manifest into life-threatening health issues.
Whether you are just now discovering Let Her Speak or you’ve been with us on this journey since the beginning, chances are you’ve only heard snippets of the whole story - the story of Let Her Speak. And that is 100% on me. As a self-proclaimed introvert, I’ve struggled with talking about myself, my work, my passion, and my vision for this organization.
I wrote 'Good Thoughts for Bad Times' for Mental Health Awareness Month. Even the smallest flicker of a good memory can bring a bit of hope to some of my darkest days. In my songs there are recurring themes of loving others, loving yourself, and mental health.
Since starting Let Her Speak a little over 5 years ago, one question I get asked over and over is what prompted me to start a movement. The background and explanation for my “why” is too complex to answer in a short sound bite. So a few years ago I started telling people that I founded the organization for six reasons and would then proceed to only provide one of those reasons in my answer.
I created Loveliest because I wanted brides to have a uniquely memorable experience during one of the most important seasons in their lives. I wanted each bride to have an oasis where she could intentionally find “the dress” worthy enough for her wedding, one that made her feel not just lovely, but her Loveliest.
