This Year the theme is the Year of the Woman. This is not a theme that I made up but is the theme of Woman’s Month all around the world. We have celebrity women who are speaking up and this is so awesome to have. Now I feel like I need to give the voice of the everyday woman. The single mother trying to make ends meet, the married woman trying to balance it all, the career woman trying to make it up the ladder without having to drop her panties along the way, and all of the women in between. Women are beautiful and strong beings. Like Beyoncé says, we have the kids and get back to business. Women can do it all, have it all, and this year and beyond are looking out for the next generation so our daughters and granddaughters don’t have to say #METOO!
In addition to that we have to showcase regular women because we have a voice and power too. We are women who have been married, some divorce, some single, some moms who are all making their marks in this world. They are giving back to their communities, keeping families together, raising families with and sometimes on their own, completing college, making their and other people around them better.
Erica M.is the oldest of 3 siblings, a single mom of two daughters ages 16 and 13, raising their 19-year-old sister which she considers her my own (oh yes the headaches :). She currently works for a financial institution going on 23 years and attends college a few months shy of earning her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in hospitality. Erica is a social bean and loves to spend time with family, friends and herself. Yes she enjoys time with herself including scheduling days off to do some of the things she enjoys.
Some times as we get wiser we often think back on the times of our younger days. We wonder what lessons could we go back and tell our younger selves. I asked Erica what her lesson would be to a young Erica back in her day:
I would tell my younger self not to rush through life, marriage and family. All these things will come in perfect timing. Enjoy your childhood go play in the park instead of worrying why your parents are fighting. Enjoy being a teenager and do teenager things like hang out with your friends, focus in school and don’t worry about adult things and in your young adult years explore and venture out don’t worry about putting your life on hold for others.
Being a mom myself I often ask myself during times when I am with them what lessons I want them to get. My daughters are young so of course I try to keep it in perspective but I asked Erica what she wanted her daughters to know in life, love and career.
Life – It flies by very quickly and has many stages so take hold of the present and worry about tomorrow when it gets here.
Love – Don’t rush, force or look for it because it can lead to failure. Love is natural and will happen when you least expect it.
Career – Let your heart and passion lead you to career of choice not money. Go hard to be the best in that field regardless of what it is.
So what has Erica accomplished so far:
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Purchased her home at the age of 19
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When back to school during a separation with my then husband
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Bouncing back from having to file for bankruptcy
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Having the means to support my daughters alone
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Working for the same company for 23 years and I am only 40 years old
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Instilling in my daughters the meaning of faith
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Working my way up to a Co-lead for a team at church
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Stayed focused on my weight loss. About a little over a year ago I was a size 24 (extremely tight) and now I am wearing a 18 -20.
First of all congrats on all of your accomplishments Erica! Let me just add from this list, there was failure. You have had to made bad credit decisions to have to file for bankruptcy but…..she now owns a home. She now can financially support her girls on her own. Did you catch that? Sometimes we fail but if we KEEP on going, we will come out of top. So if you are a woman who is struggling with any failed relationship, bad credit or anything that you DEEM negative, the only way it stays that way is if you allow it. Kudos to you Erica!!
Even with all of the great accomplishments that Erica has already done, I wanted to know where she sees herself in 5 years:
This is always a difficult question to answer because our vision changes over time but as of right now. I want to see myself in 5 years living for me and not others, in a position of choice with work and not must, and enjoying life with my girls, family, friends and maybe with a new-found love.
Now the #METOO movement is something that didn’t start on the internet. It started from women getting tired of being sexually abused, harassed or assaulted. The Internet made it easier for women to band together. Women have been seen as accessories in times past. This is why often times they are not believed or if they are to be believed they are seen as the one who agitated their aggressor. I do NOT want myself or other women and God help me, my daughters to have to say METOO!
I asked Erica what the #METOO movement meant to her:
The Me Too movement is a great organization that helps those that were or are being sexually assault or harassed. They provide support, ways to speak up and remind you that you are not alone. Finally and hopefully people can start feeling more comfortable in speaking up because they are not alone. I plan on using this movement to reassure my daughters that if they are ever made to feel uncomfortable to please speak up. It is not their fault of someone else’s actions.
Finally I wanted to know about what the future holds for Erica:
Things that are on my heart that I look forward to crushing is
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Continue losing weight and getting fit for myself. There are things that I want to do but have weight restrictions. I don’t want to be restricted of nothing I want to do.
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Work on my bucket list which would lead to enjoying my life
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Be in a position in my career were there is still passion and have it not be just work
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Utilizing my event planning skills to plan family trips as family time is so important to me
Anyone who has been reading my blogs knows I am a huge pusher of self-care. I want everyone especially my ladies to work from a full cup instead of this notion that they must work until there’s no working in them left. To keep giving from empty cups and stop caring of what others think about them taking time for themselves. So Erica, what do you do for self-care:
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I read a lot of inspirational books such as a Woman’s daily prayer, Too blessed to be stressed, and a moment for your soul. There are many days that I feel down and out, wondering why me, or when will my prince charming come. These books remind me of my purpose now and to remain focus on today.
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I have a journal that I am writing to my future self. In the book I write things that I want to do but afraid to do, mistakes I did today that may affect tomorrow or areas that I want to change that will benefit the future me, Honestly it helps me stay focus on doing things for me today because I don’t want to let down the future me.
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I try to exercise daily and make conscious decisions when eating because the more weight I lose the more I feel good about myself.
Thank you to Erica for pushing through when life knocked you down many times, raising your daughters with respect and love, and making sure that while you are there for others that you keep yourself your priority. Good luck on your continued blessed journey!
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