Inspirational Woman

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Today is International Women’s Day 2015.  Today is the day that the world celebrates the spectacular history of inspirational women around the world.  The problem that I have with this is that the women who are celebrated are, more times than not, famous women – people like Maya Angelou, Vivienne Westwood, Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Emmeline Pankhurst etc. etc. just to name a few.  These women are indeed spectacularly inspirational, but I thought it would be good to just look around us and notice the spectacularly inspirational women that we see and sometimes take for granted daily.

Now my list are not just people who are online, so in order to protect privacy I’m going to use alternate names – but these women, in one way or another, have been kind enough to share their stories with me and maintain a friendship with me through the years – and I admire them in so many ways I cannot even count.  If I’m seen as being a brave, put together and spectacular as these women on my list, then I will be happy.  To you ladies who recognize yourself, I love you and please do continue to do what you do because you are truly inspirational.

I am lucky enough to have been surrounded with spectacular women throughout my life – my Mom being the first and foremost.  Of course, everyone’s Mom is their first and foremost inspiration, but my Mom is extremely inspirational, even though she does not admit it and would probably argue otherwise.  Mom, (I am now speaking directly to you).  Let’s count your achievements and blessings:  Grew up as the second daughter in a family of ten kids and survived (!!); studied abroad’ experienced life in four (?) different countries to date; had three children all of whom I believe to be strong, fairly independent and intelligent; had a career that you revamped after almost 20 years of being a housewife and did both brillliantly; chose to be fiercely devoted to your religion and God; has the ability to cook any cuisine whenever she wants and has become an inspirational force not just to me, but to every woman I know that has met her.  That alone means that she takes spot number one on my list.  Love you Mom.

Please forgive me, but I’m going to lump a lot of other females into this one other paragraph (or I’ll never finish).  As I’ve gotten older and gotten the opportunity to talk to my Aunts, my grandparents’ sisters and older cousins, I’ve realized that everyone has their story – and the stories … the ones behind the quiet smiles and silent facades.  And they are amazing stories – I have aunts who got married when they were 16 years old or younger and had to work in the fields while being on the brink of labor.  I’ve had aunts who have been beaten (physically and/or mentally) and have continued to persevere and are still struggling with surviving and thriving daily.  I have women, who I’m proud to say I’m related to, who have been through unimaginable life experiences – and whenever I’m in those tough situations…well, I think about what these aunts and cousins and family members have been through and am inspired to keep going.

You see, to me, inspirational women are those who have been through so many issues in live and still continue to choose to thrive.  Those women who give their all to life and choose to celebrate life at every opportunity they can.  Those who have admitted that they’ve failed, but then, in the next breath shout to the universe that they can still succeed and that they refuse to give up.  My Mom and the ladies I was thinking of in the last paragraph are all perfect of examples of this, but the ladies I am mentioning below are ladies who don’t hold a “maternal” position in my life.  I consider them to be inspirational because although they are spectacular women, they’ve all chosen to share their friendship with me – and I’m amazed that people that I probably would have just walked past on the street, were it not for  – and they deserve a shout out.

Inspirational Woman #1:  Sober Julie

Julie enjoying herself

When I first started my blogging journey, Julie was one of the first people I met – and I thought to myself – what an eccentric looking woman.  She came across as ridiculously confident and strode into the room with  big smile and multicoloured hair.  When I got to know her, then I realized that she was as vulnerable as I was under it all, but that she chose to survive and chose to thrive – and even more inspirationally, she chose to share her methods and strategies on how to do so.  After struggling with alcoholism, she is now a public inspiration to many, many, MANY people, including her beautiful two daughters, her husband, and of course, me.  I don’t have to tell you about it because she has this amazing website that says it all (not literally – just figuratively…and maybe literally if you’re looking for her full story).  Go check out Sober Julie Doing Life Straight Up! for more details and just to be inspired by this hugely inspirational woman.  Thank you Julie for being there for me and for inspiring me to go on by sharing your story with me and by just being there for me and please keep reminding me – “Be where your hands are“.

Inspirational Woman #2:  Simone from Trinidad Weddings

The amazing Simone

I cannot remember the first time I met Simone, but I believe that it was while I was planning my wedding way back in 2008.  The friendship that has developed is special to me because every time I blink, Simone, the ultimate female entrepreneur, has yet another notch that she’s cut into her entrepreneurial belt.  She started off by starting her website, Trinidad Weddings – an online community to help anyone organize their dream wedding on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  Since then, she’s become THE premier person to ask anything wedding related in the country.  She has a column in one of the top newspapers in the country, now produces the ever popular and international Trinidad Wed-zine, has thrown some of the most successful wedding conventions in Trinidad to date, as well as several successful wedding “get-togethers” and events throughout the country….and has even become a name to know in the wedding game throughout the world, rubbing shoulders with wedding dress designers and famous faces alike.  Simone is someone I want to be – someone I strive to be like – put together, impossibly beautiful, hardworking and ridiculously successful because she does what she loves and she does it well.  And to make it even better – she’s always willing to meet up for lunch or a coffee when I’m in the country (that’s always a plus – give me food and I stay happy).  Love you Simone and you will always be an inspiration to me and I will always keep you in my heart regardless of where I am.

Inspirational Woman #3:  Ms. Maths

I grew up with this amazing lady. She went to high school with me in Trinidad – and although we weren’t close friends then, she was my seatmate in Form 6 (last year) and I cannot stop connecting her with her love of Buckley’s cough medicine back then.  She used to have a bottle on her desk and just sip from it throughout the day – and she just seemed to love the taste of it.  Anyway – that’s not why she’s inspirational.  She’s inspirational because of who she is TODAY.  When I moved to the UK, Ms. Maths was one of the first ladies who made the effort to help me feel comfortable here.  She has a really strong conviction in what she believes in – God, family, hard work, love, and has been there for me, and for others, WITHOUT FAIL, through so many of our issues.  I consider Ms. Maths to be someone so inspirational because as someone who has emigrated here into this country and has made herself a spectacular life regardless of the challenges.  I have to tell you it’s not easy.  London is not easy.  It’s a hard city to make, keep and strengthen relationships and it’s so expensive just to go from Point A to B that you tend to live a very lonely life, especially if you are on a tight budget like me.  Natalya has not only made a home here, had her family and created a community around her, but she’s also become known in London for her hard work and ability in the Maths field – to the point where she is considered one of the first people that comes to mind when looking for a Math genius in London.  I’m so proud of you, Ms Maths, and you will continue to forever be an inspiration to me!

Inspirational Woman #4:  Sarah from the Laughing Medusa

Sarah embracing happiness

Last but not least, I met Sarah from the Laughing Medusa at a blogging event in London recently.  I could not take my eyes off her – she was just exuding beauty and calm and confindence and I just remember thinking – 1) I LOVE her style and 2) I want to be her.  In fact, like the idiot I am, one of the first things I said to her in person was “I wish I could pull this off”.   You know what she said to me?  “To pull this off you just got to do it really” – and shrugged.  And that was it – I was intrigued.   This lady is definitely one who does not realize how amazing she is.  Since then, her absolutely inspirational blog, The Laughing Medusa, has become one of the only blogs I actually read (Seriously I know and love and interact with so many bloggers, but I just don’t have the time).   Why?  Because the blog, and Sarah, and her ability to be so peaceful and full of love is really attractive and inspirational to me.  AND – she’s a Canadian who moved to London, just like me :).  She is also the organizer of Liberation and Love Urban Retreats in London (see her blog for details) and the Self-love book club which has you reading some seriously positive books if you are looking for that one little thing you feel as if you’re missing.  Thank you for being such an inspirational soul Sarah, you have changed my life forever!

Obviously there are so many others that I could go on forever about ladies that I find and have found inspirational, after all people  like my good friend Carolyn who has re-made her life over and over and continues to do so into her 80s is a perfect other example, but the fact is on this platform, I have a time and space limit.  I chose these four who I think are great examples of what I find inspirational – positivity, strength, love, hard work, drive, sassiness and an overwhelming refusal to give up.  Who do you find inspirational in your everyday and why?  I would love to hear from you!

- ...just trying to navigate through this obstacle course called life...