| “We Don’t Want Or Need Teachers Like You.” Earlier this week on Instagram those were just one of the phrases hurled at me and my community by some random guy after being triggered and offended by this post. |
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| Not going to lie. Waking up to having someone challenge my thoughts or ideas wasn’t the best start of my day. While I’m not above reproach and welcome constructive criticism, as the day wore on I just felt more and more grounded and validated in what I SAID and what I TEACH. Women: YOU CAN DO WHATEVER THE F*CK YOU WANT. No matter what that guy over there tells you or calls you. No matter if you feel like doing something in a way that’s different than how it “should” be done. No matter if it makes others uncomfortable. You get to move through this world in the way that is best for you. You know why? Because at the end of the day you are GOOD. You can trust yourself to make decisions that make you and those around you better. Because when women operate from a place of authenticity, we leave the world better than we found it. We uphold our communities. And we model for our children how to do the same. The entire exchange with him was a prime example of the tone policing, gas-lighting, and manipulation that Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color have faced for centuries. Told that we’re vulgar, rude, selfish, narcissistic, dumb, and stupid. (Yes, those were all things he said to me and those who dared to call him out on it.) I had a lot more thoughts about it, so shared them here. I don’t share this with you to have anyone attempt to defend me or even engage with him (he seems to enjoy trolling). I share this with you because chances are you WILL encounter people in your life who will make you second guess yourself the moment you show up exactly as you are. You’ll find yourself wondering if you’d said or did something wrong. They will try to make you feel LESS THAN because you had the AUDACITY to prioritize yourself. And the next time they do it, I want you to remember this post it and have the courage to say, “I CAN DO WHATEVER THE F*CK I WANT.” and keep it moving. Nobody gets to dim your light. N- P.S. While this type of shit happens everyday on the internet, what gets me most riled up are the instances that are harder to step away from, like at work, in business, or in our personal relationships. If reading this shed light on situations that you may need support creating boundaries around or creating a more powerful reality around, feel free to Clarity Coaching Call with me. |