Lets talk about acceptance – no more light dimming

This week’s Mindset, I was inspired by some incredible conversations last week. The first one is Sandy Golder and her incredibly honest post, Sandy recently shared on Facebook. Sandy realised that she was dimming her light, suppressing or editing herself when she explained what she was about, or the company herself and her husband Richie works within. Sandy & Richie have an Isagenix business, a social selling or direct selling business. They have created great change in their lives and now work to contribute to creating change in others. I am so proud of Sandy, and I love the thought of Sandy letting all of her passion, light, enthusiasm – or whatever you want to call it, shining at full beam.

There are many direct selling businesses out there, and we have a scattering of members in our community who are part of these companies such as Arbonne, Send out Cards, Partylite, etc. Last week we had a roundtable business discussion about the challenge and judgement felt by some of these businesses. Firstly they are in fact businesses and it is important that this is respected. Just because the business structure is different, doesn’t diminish in any way the fact that these are businesses face the challenges and issues of all of us who do not have this particular model face.

Sure there is ‘scorched earth’ with some of us who were hammered by the dreaded A…..y – I was one of those take out for coffee many times in my twenties, only to find out 30 minutes in that I was a target as a potential recruit, but times have changed! There are some excellent products and companies out there now. They offer incentives and hours that suit many mums, and I want to be the type of community that accepts everyone, all businesses no matter their style and shape.

Could it be time (in my humble opinion) that we motivate ourselves to find more acceptance? Why are we, as women or anyone for that matter dimming our lights? I have a friend who promotes herself joyfully and the different places she is going and appearing. It is her dream and doors are opening for her, and yet sometimes there are apologies or explaining about why she is sharing so much. I wish that we could just shine when we want to without repercussions

Last week Tara Moss presented a doco on cyber bullying, and I was shocked not shocked to discover the producer of QandA sharing that there are 3-4 women who she would dearly love to have on the show, but they won’t come because they get trolled so badly if they do.

For me, I want to work on making sure that I am someone who supports, uses words of encouragement and check my judgment. It’s not enough to write a few words on a page for a website or a quick tweet of positivity. You too can do something active when you see people out of acceptance or being judgmental. You can be courageous and call it. You can defend or speak your acceptance or positivity.
This is something we need of men when gender inequality, ‘Locker’ room talk or plain sexist behaviour is on display, call it, let people know there is another side or way to look at it.

Bring on the different, the loud, the quiet, the colourful, the people who don’t conform, They are welcome on my space – There are plenty that is out there shining their light bright, but this is for all of the above who are holding their lights back,
be dimmers no more!

Until next week
Much Love

Andy xxx