There are so many women out there who I admire. Whether I look up to them for their business accomplishments, personal style, parenting skills or even fitness progress, there are countless women who provide inspiration to me every day. I don’t always tell these women — some of whom I know well, others I admire from afar — that they inspire me. Usually, I feel way too busy to go out of my way to compliment a stranger. I might tell a woman in an elevator that I like her outfit or that their hairstyle looks good, but I rarely go beyond that. Why not? It’s not that I don’t want to lift up other women, but I suppose sometimes I don’t always take the time to share with them how I feel because I am busy doing a million other things.
I bring this topic up because I recently got a note in my mailbox from a neighbor that I know, but don’t know well. I see her around the neighborhood occasionally, but we’ve only talked a handful of times. The other night, my neighbor dropped off a note with a picture of my family that she saw I posted on Facebook. The note read: “Some pictures are too good not to print,” and she went on to talk about how she had been admiring me and my business accomplishments from afar.
I was so flattered by her, and then I thought: ‘Why are you thanking ME? You’re the one going out of your way to lift up other women!’
My neighbor’s name is Sally, and Sally wanted nothing in return from me, she just felt led to make the kind gesture. It made my day and made me reflect on how I could do a better job of uplifting other women who I admire. I decided then that I would talk to the women — working moms, business owners, philanthropists — in my community who inspire me on my podcast. That way, I could celebrate them and my listeners could learn from them as well. I know so many women entrepreneurs who juggle way more than I do. Some are single moms, some are trying to work from home while juggling homeschooling and other household responsibilities, and some are raising children with special needs. These women need to hear how amazing they are and how much they’re admired.
I want to thank Sally for opening my eyes and sharing that heartfelt note with me. Something that probably didn’t take much time on her end has made a big difference in my life and helps me feel better when I’m having a bad day. You may look at other people and think they have it all figured out, but that’s not true — we all have hard days, and sometimes, something as simple as a handwritten note can totally change the trajectory of your day.
As working moms, it takes a village to raise our children. I think back to all of the countless times my mom dropped whatever she was doing to pick up my kids or get them something they needed because I was busy working. Rarely was there a day when I wasn’t juggling multiple things at once. Were there hundreds of women who crossed my path during those days who I admired or needed to thank? Yes. Did I stop to write them a quick note or tell them how I looked up to them? Not that I can remember.
Who in your life do you need to show gratitude to?
Having an attitude of gratitude is so rewarding and keeps you feeling grounded. Yes, there are people in our everyday lives (our mom, friends, co-workers) who deserve a thank you every week, but what about the people that you looked up to in business, modeled what they did to be successful, and were mentored by from afar? Have you ever shared your gratitude with them?
I think of a couple of women entrepreneurs that are marketing powerhouses that I have admired for years, listening to their podcasts, reading their books and yet I’ve never reached out. I assume it’s because I think they are so big they will never get my message any way, but I can tell you from experience hearing positive affirmations on what you work so hard for is so rewarding!
If you admire something about someone, let them know! We’ve all had bad days, and when someone gives us a compliment, even a small one, it can make everything feel a little bit better.
You can create a tribe of women who are trying to start businesses or are navigating entrepreneurship and link arms with them to cheer each other on. Think about it — we all do better when we have a cheering section supporting us. You can share your list of goals with each other, and then when someone accomplishes a goal, celebrate them! It can often be lonely as an entrepreneur, so a tribe of like-minded, goal-oriented women holding each other accountable and lifting each other up can be so powerful.
When Melanie Henry and I were starting 918moms.com, we had a tribe of other women who were starting businesses at the same time. None of us were competitors and we banded together and cheered each other on, engaged with each other’s social media posts and overall, provided support.
Celebrating a woman that you look up to can lead to her becoming your mentor in real life, or just a good friend that you can trust. Everyone has their own lane — you don’t need to be in theirs and they don’t need to be in yours. Celebrate all the good things they have going on in their life and they will do the same for you!
Here’s my challenge to you:
- The next time you see a stranger with a cute outfit on, tell them!
- If someone you know on Facebook launches a new business, congratulate them!
- Let’s make it a point to celebrate other women’s accomplishments and you will see that by the law of reciprocity, positive things will start coming your way.
