What does "being strong" mean to you? To me, "being strong" means being resilient, open, empathetic, and honest. Instead of always having the right answers or feeling like you need to hide your emotions, strength is believing in yourself, what you can do, and being able to connect with others authentically through that. When I was younger, I would often be ashamed of my emotions, but as I've gotten older, I've come to realize that my empathy is a strength that should be celebrated.
How does family shape your perception of strength? When I was growing up, my family didn't say "I love you" very often, which was something that my parents learned from their parents. Love was always more an assumption. With my children, I voice my love to them often. I smother them with hugs, and make it clear how much they mean to me. Strength for my family has shone through in the ways that I have chosen to shift behaviors from generation to generation for the better.
What keeps you strong in times of trial? My family is my anchor when things are hard. The ability for the ebb and flow of leaning on them and having them lean on me just makes our connections stronger. I am also an advocate of journaling. Especially when things get hard, writing down my frustrations takes them out of my head so I can fully process what has happened, and I can start to move forward.
How can you be strong and vulnerable? I firmly believe that vulnerability *is* a strength. The willingness to be open and human is a superpower, and while it's important to be careful who you fully trust with all of yourself (the good, bad, ugly), the ability to open up to someone else and connect is such a gift, and vulnerability is the key to that deeper connection.
What advice would you give to the next generation of strong women? Be yourself: it may sound cliche, but diversity and uniqueness make the world a better place, and you bring something special to this world. Don't take life too seriously. Laughter is important. Try new things. Take a moment to do one thing that brings you joy each day - even if it's something small. Take time for yourself. Learn about what motivates you, and what kinds of things bring you peace.
Pam’s Intentional Act of Kindness
How did you use the $100? There are so many incredible causes that deserve support, which made this exercise particularly difficult. In lieu of donating online, I decided to put the $100 in my purse to see if anything presented itself. A few days later, my 12-year-old daughter and I decided to go to Redmond High School Drama's "Miscast Cabaret" which is a one-night event featuring RHS students performing songs from roles they are unlikely to ever be cast in (due to gender, race, age, voice type, or other variable). My daughter and I are both self-declared "theater kids", but this was so much more! As we walked into the show, we saw that they were raising money for the Trevor Project. I mentioned having some money that I could donate and asked her what she thought. She was ecstatic - I handed her the $100 and she put it in the donation box with the biggest smile on her face. Not only was the show in June (and we were celebrating Pride Month!) but knowing that The Trevor Project does so much for so many vulnerable people made the choice easy. They provide crisis services, are advocates for young LGBTQ+ individuals, provide public education, peer support, advocacy, and also run a suicide hotline. These services are so important for so many people who need support.
What was the 'Intentional Act of Kindness' process like for you? It was so moving! When my daughter put the $100 in, my eyes welled up with tears. I am so grateful to have been able to donate that amount to such an incredible cause and also able to share that moment with her. <3