When I graduated from nursing school, my best friends showed up with their support and this sign.
I remember there was no better feeling than seeing a group of women I loved standing up for me.
Girls in their twenties get a bad rap. Dare I say this was the time in my life I felt the most supported by my same gender.
Because somewhere along the line women are introduced to the wrong side of competition called scarcity. Meaning that if one of us succeeds, another doesn’t. I see this a lot in the writing world. If one author gets a hit, the others start scrambling, analyzing their numbers, and pushing out inauthentic content to keep up.
But honestly, it’s everywhere. We compare bodies, businesses, even our own mothering.
This idea of scarcity is sad, and also completely unfounded. We are not on survivor island. There’s not a limited amount of words and awards to go around.
Someone else’s star can shine just as bright as yours because the universe is vast and allows for it.
The reason the women in that picture still cheer me on today is because we’ve always been satisfied in our own lives and lanes. Some of us went on to be stay-at-home moms, some chose to work. Some married, others pursued masters degrees. There’s a difference between friendly competition and fierce competition. Don’t let envy turn you toward the latter.
Cheer from the front row or cheer from the cheap seats, but just remember:
If one woman wins, we all do.
To more love,
Stephanie
