Liberating the mothers of humanity

Patience is also a form of action”  ~ Auguste Rodin

It’s tricky being a woman.  We tend to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders and believe we’re responsible for everything around us.

Our children make bad decisions and we question our parenting skills.

A business deal falls through and we wonder how we could have saved it.

A partner is acting strange and we assume it’s somehow our fault.

As women and mothers, we have the power to influence the emotional wellness of those around us, especially our loved ones. Yet, we often take on this responsibility at our own expense.

I took  an unexpected and unwelcome hiatus from this blog due to a series of events and circumstances which have shaken my emotional foundation and left me temporarily at a loss for words.  Over the last several months two beloved family members have passed away and, as if that isn’t enough to manage,  I’ve been named in an ugly, costly and time-consuming lawsuit. As a result, any sense of “normalcy” seems to be lost for the moment.

Despite the physical, emotional and financial trauma surrounding my present circumstances, there are still bills to pay,  deadlines to meet, meals to prepare, and a never-ending pile of laundry calling my name.  And there is a hard truth to face: It’s time to truly accept that life sometimes brings circumstances beyond my control.

I realize it’s time to stop trying to control my circumstances, and return to the care of the ONE THING over which I have some control… myself.

To me, caring for myself means the occasional, unapologetic soak in the tub with a gin and tonic and a trashy gossip magazine.  It means sleeping in ‘til noon from time to time, adding a line item for massage to my monthly budget, and giving myself  permission to walk away from the computer in favor of back-to-back episodes of Glee with my son.   As a mother, business owner, and the sole bread-winner in my family, these are guilty pleasures I rarely allow myself and I’m realizing… maybe it’s time I should!

What guilty pleasure can you allow yourself today?  Choose a good one and please, share it in the comment section below for other Wize Mamas to see.

Life can come at us pretty fast and, as women, we feel it deeply when things aren’t going as planned.  Here’s to liberating ourselves from the need to be the mothers of humanity. And here’s to nurturing ourselves with what we need to be and feel our best.

It’s good to be back.

Much love until next time,

Delila

Wize Woman of the Month: Erin Donley

MamaWize is about connecting women by sharing wisdom and building community.  Our newest feature, Wize Woman of the Month, will spotlight strong women  juggling many responsibilities and leading extraordinary lives. I am pleased to feature Erin Donley as the first Wize Woman of the Month.

Erin Donley is an inspired writer, speaker, communications and marketing consultant, and the owner of Marketing Your Truth. She’s known as the “eyes and ears” of New Renaissance Bookshop, where she’s a manager and the author of their popular email newsletter about modern-day spirituality. Erin has a tremendous ability to connect strong people, find words for the intangible, and lead as an example to those who want to communicate with personality, originality, and power. The following interview will give you a glimpse of what makes Erin tick; to learn more visit MarketingYourTruth.com.

What makes you feel most alive? Being able to talk about things most people don’t want to talk about or don’t have the language (or guts) to express… topics like death, shame, vulnerability, and especially, how to communicate more effectively. I like giving a voice to the unseen, unspoken, and the “unheard of” things in life.

My mom always told me… It’s important to have your own money. She’d probably love for me to marry a rich man, but she insisted that I learn how to earn my own income and support myself.

This always takes priority in my life: Going for a jog in my neighborhood, taking warm salt baths, and spending time alone when I need it.

Who inspires you? People who are unapologetic about who they are, open about their issues and willing to show up, laugh, and move through whatever is going on in their life with as much grace as possible.

What’s the one thing you’ve accepted about yourself with age? I have a pretty strong need to be different. Sometimes my drive to do things in a non-traditional and extraordinary fashion makes it hard for me to live up to my own standards. I’m getting softer with myself and others… finally.

Who are you a mom to? I’m a mom to a beautiful brown dog named Banjo. I waiver in the desire to have kids and find it to be a hard decision. For now, I’m focused on creating a lifestyle that could support a child. So that if I chose to have kids, it would be safe for me to try.

What advice would you give to other Wize Women? Many of us are too emotionally invested in our outcomes to see where and how we need to grow. Find a mentor who can help you to see yourself, your business, or your style of communication from an objective point of view. Gift yourself with good help and pay for it gladly.

Visit www.MarketingYourTruth.com to learn more about Erin and her work.

If you know of a Wize Woman you would like to see featured on MamaWize, contact me.

Until next time,

Delila