One-Handed

My daughter, Adeline, got a gymnastics bar from Santa this year. I have written before about how she came into this world: rip roaring and practically doing flips on the delivery table. The girl is bouncy and full of energy.

Thus, it was no surprise that she loved her gymnastics bar that she received from Santa and was a natural on it. In only a couple of days, she was pulling herself up completely by hanging on it and pulling both of her feet up to the bar. Soon after, she started performing a more daring task – doing it with one hand.

One night as we watched a movie together, er I mean sat in the living room together because Adeline does not sit still enough to watch movies, Adeline was on her bar. She pulled up and did her one-handed hang trick and confidently shouted, “One hand! See! Only one hand!” My mouth literally opened and I almost told her something to make her stop or be quiet until I caught myself. My initial reaction was that she was rubbing it in to LJ, who I am not sure even 4 months later can perform this trick. I almost told her not to brag so as not to make LJ feel badly. BUT I stopped myself. At the time, I actually don’t know why I stopped myself. I just let her talk about her accomplishment of her one-handed trick.

It just so happens; motherhood is one big, long course in self-development. I’ve consistently written and posted about how I have learned and continue to learn so much from my children. This lesson from Adeline was HUGE for me. I am tired of girls and women playing down their accomplishments so as not to make anyone else feel inferior. I am tired of girls and women not shouting their accomplishments from the roof tops and rejoicing with each other. I am tired of girls and women thinking that if they talk about their wins and accomplishments that they are boastful and arrogant. I am tired of girls and women thinking they need to be humble and nice. (As an aside, boys and men also do this, but in my experience and as is backed by research, girls and women tend to do this more.)

Celebrating our wins and sharing our successes encourages others to rise up! The world is not limited to having only one person who can do a one-handed bar hang! When she celebrates her abilities and accomplishments, she inspires us all to do the same. When you let your light and your energy shine, you attract others to it. Please. Stop playing small to prevent others from feeling inferior. Take up room, be loud about your accomplishments and pull others up with you. Love.