United We Stand

I am writing this the day after Election Day, and certainly everyone feels something about the results. Yesterday, before I turned on the news, I hosted a call for Alcohol-Free Mastermind business owners. You can join us for the next one on December 3rd and even start with a 7 Day Free Trial. 

Did you know that 1988 was the year when a woman could own her own business without a man? Progress is never as fast as you want it to be. This is true for your sober journey too.

Black women were given the right to vote in 1965. We witnessed a competitive presidential race, and this in itself is progress for a nation, no matter which way you lean. No matter if you were a fan of Kamala Harris or not.

Today, I am sending thank-you notes to two of my female family members who I want to recognize. One is a childless woman high up the ladder in politics. The other is a childless woman who takes care of the family elders. Both are doing women's work. One's work is recognized and paid. The other is not. Both are important and valuable. Both demand a lot of time, skill, and talent. 

I am a woman, a mother of two daughters, a business owner, and a coach for women. My interests will always be for women. I love women who vote the same and different than me. I coach women who vote the same and different than me. 

This is not to say I don't have my own opinions on politics; of course I do. This is not to say I don't stand up for what I believe. I do. 

"The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion." - Paul Coelho

What I have been seeing on both sides of the race is language that further alienates, blames, polarizes, and divides us (which is likely the goal). I do not want to add to this division. I think our greatest power as women is in our coming together.

We can do more good by working to understand each other than by proving ourselves right. We can do more good by asking better questions than shoving our beliefs down one another's throats. We can do more good by being open to new information versus digging in our heels.

You don't have to agree with someone to practice love. You don't have to agree with someone to show compassion. You can add to the peace in your own heart no matter what is going on in the world around you. If you struggle with alcohol, like I have, the best act of power, unity, and peace is sobriety. 

You cannot do meaningful work in the world when you are drowning in alcohol yourself. That's it and that's that. You don't have to drink today. 

I had had a wonderful project to distract me this week from some of the political stress, which honestly I have handled quite gracefully. Thankyouverymuch! I have the ability to manage my emotions in sobriety and not get pulled into the charge that is begging for me with every email, every text, every social media post, and every conversation. 

One way of taking care of myself is by putting my efforts into beautifying my environment. This is one of my clients' favorite lessons in my Digital Jumpstart Course. I am turning my closet, a bonus room off my bedroom, into a glamorous dressing room (on a budget). It has become a bit of a dumping ground for stuff I didn't know what to do with.

I started by removing things that didn't belong in there. Next, I repainted some beautiful vintage dressers that once belonged to my husband's grandma. They were in desperate need of some love. Years ago, I painted one of them with chalk paint and used it as a changing table for my babies. It no longer matched the other chippy dresser.

I did a sloppy job in the past. I was totally clueless. Young, dumb, and drunk. I was shocked at my own half-assness of it all way back then. This time I tried to do a good job with my restoration, and it worked. I also ordered pink and green-colored wallpaper called "Lounging Ladies," which I am pretty excited about. I will be putting it all together this weekend with my friend, who is starting her own organization business. I am her practice client. This is something all coaches need to have, and I teach this in my Launch Your Alcohol-Free Business Course.

Between my coach mentees and myself, we've offered over 30 free 1x1 coaching sessions this year for my Insider Community Members. Another great perk of joining my Insider Community, is low or no cost 1x1 Coaching.

Like the dressers, I tried to do sobriety sloppy so many times before. This time around, I tried to do a good job with my crafts(wo)manship. This meant giving myself the time, space, education, tools, attention, direction, and tender loving care. Please re-read that sentence and use it as a metaphor for sobriety. That's a coaching tool, by the way. 🧰 Using metaphors. I felt so powerful buying myself a hand sander! (Insert Rosie the Riveter picture here. 💪 )

I thought I didn't have much to say today, but then wow I came up with something. No surprise. LOL.

Join us for a LIVE Workshop Honoring Grief During the Holiday Season hosted by me on Monday 11/11, 6 pm CST.  Join here.

Also a group connection call hosted by me on Thursday 11/13, 2 pm CST.

I hope to see you there. In the meantime, be gentle with yourself. And also, always, be gentle with yourself. 💕