Do you deserve it all? Do we have the right to want more and go after more and then after we do so how will we walk in the worthiness of accepting our place? It’s a lot. I find women question this often. This inner battle is a constant up and down struggle. One that fellow Blogger Lauren knows all so well.
As strong of a wife/mother and woman I feel I am, often I question my worth. Do I really deserve to have it all? Or should I take a step back, stop pushing myself towards bigger and better things and just accept my life right where it is? I’ve been working hard on growing my blog, investing several hours every day for the last two years. It’s something I’m very passionate about and love to do. But I struggle to decide that, yes, I do deserve for this passion to succeed and yes, I do deserve this to provide for my family. It’s a mental struggle every day!
People who don’t blog make these assumptions that you have a desire to blog and that you wake up in the morning with all these great ideas and passions and bam you start off successful. That’s the furthest from the truth. It takes time to build a blog, establish your voice, and find others who you build a tribe with. You need thick skin and a big heart to not fizzle out and Lauren is working behind the scenes to make that happen.
Cross Country
Could you pack up and leave and make a new life in a new country? Lauren and her family are doing just that. It takes a lot of inner strength to move your entire family.
So, I’m an American Expat which means my family (husband and three young kids) have left home and moved overseas for one’s career. We now live in Barcelona. This experience has been remarkable and life changing. It’s taught me so much about my own personal strength as a wife, mother and individual. After conquering a foreign city, learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture and doing it all with three toddlers – well, I feel like I can lasso the moon!
My hat goes off to you because it takes a lot for me to wrangle my 3 kids to go across town to Target let alone to another country. So, you are doing it!
As we continue to talk about strong women which Lauren is one of, I wanted to know about who she sees as someone who is also strong, and she stated that she looks out towards other women who surround her.
Although many of these women I don’t personally know, I look for inspiration and strength from other women bloggers/expats who are right in the same boat of life that I am. When I experience a challenging day, these are the women that I see growing and achieving what I know I am capable of.
When I hear women say who they don’t get along with other women its a red flag. I have been blessed to be around women like Lauren and other bloggers who embrace other women. They don’t think it makes them small to do so. I tell people how you treat and uphold others around you even if you haven’t met them. I can’t tell you how much navigating as a blogger, creator, or influencer is about having great work ethic and about how you treat others around you.
A word that Attributes to Women
I asked Lauren about what is the one word that she attributes to women. This means beyond what they do and the title that they carry.
Ohhh I think the word “resilient” says it all. The strength of a woman comes from the core of who she is and what she believes she can accomplish! Without resilience and grit, the world isn’t a forgiving place. She must be tough as nails, determined as a bull and unwavering in her own self-belief.
So, what are you working on from the inside out that we all can learn from? You do know that women who work from the inside out are the most beautiful. Nothing worse than seeing a beautiful woman who are ugly in how they treat those around them.
It would be to be more detailed. I am a highly motivated person who isn’t afraid of hard work but sometimes I lack the details to see projects through the way they should. Inside out: (inner strength) To grow my confidence as a person so I know what I deserve to get out of life! Outside in: To take care of myself every day and not get lazy with my appearance. That means hair, makeup, clothes – looking good and feeling good on the outside. That has a huge impact on what you put out into the world!
Lauren on Second Guessing Herself
Lauren, I know you will get there. I know when I would first start I would second guess myself on what to write, how detailed to be etc. There is a finesse to be detailed and now I would rather go above and beyond than leave anything out. I rather have people take details out than to be found not having enough.
Lauren Covino-Smith is a freelance writer and the creator of The Expat Chronicle, a lifestyle blog about her American family’s experience living abroad in Barcelona. Her blog features articles about Parenting Third Culture Kids, Travel Tips, Expat Advice and Barcelona Life. When Lauren isn’t writing, she’s browsing interior design stores. You can find her with a cappuccino in one hand and her notebook in the other.
You can find Lauren at the following social media handles: (follow and support)
Social Media for Lauren
