Celtic Symbol of Friendship
Last night I walked up to my daughter Paris, who is ten and wrapped an aromatherapy neck wrap around her shoulders. “Throw this in the microwave for two minutes and then put it around your neck,” I told her, “My friend Angela makes these.”
About an hour later Paris was sharpening a pencil. As she walked back from the kitchen she said, “Mom, you have some pretty cool friends.”
This was a powerful moment and kind of took my breath away. I know I have really cool friends who make a huge impact on the world but never make a big deal of it. The fact that my daughter noticed and the tone that she used as she said, “You have some cool friends,” made me feel, for the first time- as a mom, that she understood who I was as a person.
Of course I’m her mommy, biggest cheerleaders, wife of her father, and will do anything for her. But I’m also an entrepreneur who has dedicated my life to changing the world. Because of my passions, I am surrounded my many similar people and having just returned from a master mind group in NYC, I had been talking about my friends, their inventions, and how they are shaping the world.
Being a role model for Paris, it meant so much that she was taking this in and seeing me as a woman, not just her mom. I often tell Paris, “Use your life for something great and make a difference in honor of those women who can’t” While some may call that pressure, I call it guidance, purpose, and a reminder of her power.
On with the story- I responded to Paris and said, “You know, birds of a feather flock together. I have a lot of cool friends because I’m in business and we all love to grow and build things.” I wanted her to know that she can pick her friends and that who she hangs out with matters. I’ve hung out with eagles and I’ve hung out with turkeys. Today, I eat turkeys and fly with the eagles (metaphorically of course). I have a group of people I can call on day or night, who will fight for me, encourage me, and push me to break through in the most difficult times. I can cry, get mad, or be vulnerable so yeah, my friends are pretty cool.
I cannot begin to tell you how important it is to evaluate who you spend your time with. If your gut tells you that someone is toxic in your life, then listen. If there is someone you admire and want to get to know, reach out. Pay attention to the energy of the people around you, it’s very real and you want to be around the good stuff! While you and I may not hang out together and never meet in person, I would love to support you. Join people from all over the world who get daily “notes from your girl,” a one sentence note created to move you to action in your life- http://gygb.com/#notes.
Written by Traci Bild
Author, Speaker, World Changer