What does "being strong" mean to you? When I think of the word “strong,” the word “unwavering” is the first word that comes to mind. The image that comes to mind is a post or maybe a tree that stands its ground in the middle of a huge storm. The wind may be blowing the branches from side to side, but the trunk is centered and sturdy in the ground. That is how I view strength within myself. Centered, grounded. Unwavering in my beliefs, morals, and how I want to show up in the world no matter what is going on around me.
Who is a female role model in your life and why? I feel so lucky to have multiple women in my life that I consider to be a role model. This spans from people at work, to family, friends, peers, activists, even a few celebrities. It’s hard to name just one, but when I think of why they are role models for me, a few characteristics come to mind:
- Strong in their beliefs
- Immense space for empathy and patience
- Not afraid to speak up
- Kind
- Maintain clear boundaries
- Brings others along as they move up/forward
What’s one thing someone could do today to make them stronger? I would encourage them to look at everything they have to do over the next few days or week. Is there anything that you said yes to that you really don’t want to do? This could be for any reason – because you literally don’t have the time, or perhaps because it really doesn’t fit into what is important to you in this moment in your life or aligned with how you want to show up for the people that are important to you. If so, say no. Creating, and arguably more importantly, maintaining boundaries is one of the strongest and hardest things one can do. Many times, women just automatically say yes for various reasons... much of this is rooted in cultural and societal expectations. Sometimes we need a reminder that we can simply say “no” without explanation.
Blaire’s Intentional Act of Kindness
How did you use the $100? I decided to give the $100 to my older sister. She has been immensely stressed about a wedding for one her best friends, whom she is actually doing the bridal make up for. She wanted to get her hair done in a special way for the wedding, and it ended up being more costly than she had anticipated. The $100 went to offset that cost.
We couldn't be more opposite, but my sister is my best friend. She moved to NYC in 2017 to pursue her dream of musical theater. She was doing ok, but the hit that covid took on NYC as a city and also the performance space hit her very hard. She is working both a day job and still booking gigs here and there, but finances are still tough. She is one of the kindest and hardworking people I know. When she told me about the price of the appointment, I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do with the $100.
What as the ‘Intentional Act of Kindness’ process like for you? I loved this process. It took me weeks to figure out how I wanted to use the money. I had thought and thought, and planned, and planned, so it is a bit ironic that me giving the $100 was a bit "spur of the moment". I just decided to do what felt right in that moment. This is a great reminder for me to stay present - don't try to control every detail. The universe brings you exactly what you need!