Be Brave

I have been reading momastery.com for a long time now – following Glennon from blogger mom in her yoga pants at home with a small following to super duper star on the Today show out promoting her fancy new book.  I’m so happy for her and excited for her! Not only because I’m a blogger in my yoga pants at home who would love to be on the Today show but because she is BRAVE.

I like to celebrate brave women. So I went to meet her to tell her “thank you” for being brave and for helping me to be brave too. It was fun.  It made me feel more courageous.  It made me want to write more and laugh more and mostly, it made me want to “be me” more.

I couldn’t help but think of the hundreds of women in the room, every single one of them has a story.  Their story is beautiful and scary and sad and funny and hopeful.  Every woman has something to teach and something to write and something to share.  And the beautiful thing is that when we (if we) open up and actually share as our true selves…we make other women braver.  Words and women are so powerful.

The book is Carry On, Warrior Thoughts on Life Unarmed and I have an extra copy.  I’m hoping to share this copy with all of you.  I mentioned this to her, I told her I wanted to give the copy to someone and then that someone passes to someone else, etc.  She loved this and her sister (love sister!) said “Oh, like the sisterhood of the traveling pants!” and I said, “Yes but not… because pants can be dirty and stinky and that’s kind of gross”.  We all laughed.  Glennon signed it for us.  For you.  Who wants it?  Comment if you want it and I will send it to the first person.  After you read it, you can put your name on the page opposite of where Glennon signed.  Then you pass it on (to a friend, mom, sister, neighbor) and the next person does that same thing.  Also, whoever reads it can email me or comment on blog or facebook me that you are reading it maybe with a comment about it.  Does this sound fun?  We can instagram pictures too…like this:

But you don’t have to stand on chairs.  You don’t even have to take a picture.  There is no pressure… do whatever brings you joy.  This book will bring you joy.  And tears.  And it will inspire you to be brave.

Because I think the world needs more brave women.  Mothers and sisters and daughters and friends who are living authentic lives.  Women who can listen and “get it” and maybe even offer up a “me too”.  Because to hear “you are not alone”, “it’s okay”, “I get it”…those words are life lines.  Those words can save.  Those words are like salve for weary souls.

Thank you Glennon for being brave.  And thanks to all those other women out there being brave too – telling their stories and holding space for all of us to tell ours. This is important because it’s true…women and words are so powerful.