My Wish for you on International Women’s Day!

My darling daughters, when I write this letter, you are but the mere age of 8 and 3. 

I often lay awake at night and think of your futures, of all my hopes and dreams for you both. And I hope I am raising you well enough, instilling in you the values I believe will genuinely make you good human beings, with a good work ethic and the ability to see the big picture and not just what the world means to you. I hope I raise you with humility and empathy for others and their journey. 

Until you are a little older and able to comprehend these words entirely, I wanted to write down some of the wisdom I have found along the journey of life in the hopes it will help make your journeys a little brighter and be your North Star when you don’t know which way to turn.

I hope you keep this letter close and read the messages often especially when you are a little uncertain as to which path to take. 

There are so many things I wish for you and could easily write you a book however below are just a few.

• Follow your heart; the money will follow. In life, we often do best at what we are passionate about. If you can find your passion early and work out how to monetize it, you will have a life full of happiness. Most of our lives are spent at work, so if your work is your passion, you will be fulfilled and happy. Do not choose a career because of the money. If you do what you love, the money will often follow.

• Expand your view through travel. You will see things you cannot hope to see from the vantage of your own little bubble. It will make you appreciate how lucky you are and how fortunate we are to live in such a lucky country that is safe, has clean water and air, and where you have ready access to food, all with no war to contend with. Others are not so lucky!

• Mistakes Happen – Be kind to yourself. You are going to make mistakes, but as long as you try and learn through these, take the lessons and keep on going, you will be ok.

• Know your worth – Don’t settle for less than you can be. Don’t let others dictate what you achieve and how you go through life. It is your life, and you are worth it. Continue the push for equal pay; know you are every bit as worth the same rate as your male contemporaries. Learn to say no, when you need to. If saying yes will compromise your health, happiness, or time away from your main priorities, it’s ok to say NO! 

• Be accountable to yourself only – know you will always be judged by others no matter which path you travel or what decision you make. So make sure you travel the path you know is right in your heart. People will always judge, but it is your life and yours to live. So you alone need to be happy with your decisions. This will always ensure you live a life of no regret!

• Stand up for what you believe. Stand up for the environment, stand up for animals, stand up for humanity, stand up for your rights and the rights of others. The way this world is left can have a little bit or a lot to do with you. However, you choose to impact the world! You don’t need to save the entire world, but life will present many scenarios where you can be accountable, even in little part, to making the world a better place. Be the change you want to see in the world!

• Let your Light Shine. There will be many that may want to dull your light along the path of life, often in an effort to make their light shine brighter. Always shine bright, show your true self. Protect your light; make sure you associate with only those that keep your light burning and thriving, fanning you and encouraging you to grow your light, bigger and better. 

• Cherish your body, nourish it, fuel it, and support it. The media portray our bodies as objects of desire, belonging to men. If you watch too many video clips or read too many magazines or even movies, this is what you will believe. Our bodies are so much more than mere objects of desire; they are the vessel that will take us through our lives till the end, so they need fuelling and calibrating; otherwise, they may not make it through to the age we wish. They are loving nurturing bodies that fuel future life; should you want to, this is also your choice. 

Do not give in to peer pressure. There are many along the way that will try to seduce you. However, make sure things happen only when and where you want them to. I give you permission to get out of any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable; you always have the choice to opt-out. 

Please don’t give in to the temptation to conform, to go with fad diets or any other fad, to deny your body the nourishment it needs. Fuel it, calibrate it, make it strong, make it agile, and it will reward you generously. 

• Find a good partner (man or woman). One that will treat you right, doing their share of the housework and child-rearing. This is important and will dictate how successfully and vigorously you will be able to go after your own dreams!

• Know it’s ok to pivot, to change your life at any time. I am not saying give up when things get complicated. But if you feel you are genuinely not on the path you are supposed to tread, then take some time, reconnect with yourself and work out a plan with actionable steps to get yourself on the path you prefer to lead!

• Know I am always here for you. There will never be a decision so bad, a circumstance so horrible, or an act so despicable that I will not be there for you! If you need me to come to your aid at 2 am, so you don’t go home with a drunk driver, I will be there!

My Wish for you is that you take these pearls of wisdom, born from real-life experiences and observations, and apply them as best as you can to ensure you live a life full of joy, wonder, and appreciation for life itself, as part of this wondrous world. My daughters, I love you to the infinite corners of the universe and back, and I promise always to be your ear to listen to you, your shoulder to cry on, your arms to hug you, and the song to soothe you. May you go into this world as an adult with your light shining bright!  

My enduring and everlasting love xoxo