It occurred to me as I was rushing this morning at 7 am to my BFF’s house, to provide emotional support for her during a heated financial “discussion” with her ex-husband, all the things we just “do” when asked. We cancel appointments;  take time off of work; slip into small, mirrored, badly lit dressing rooms to give honest critiques; loan our best clothes; tell the truth -  no matter what.

 When called upon we “just do it”, even when we don’t want to, because that’s just what women do for women.  We lie, fabricate, pretend, tread where other do not dare. We become warriors for each other – warning others “not to go there.” We share yucky secrets  (the one’s we can barely put into words), like that one-night stand we’ d really rather forget. We hold each other’s hands during scary biopsies, and sit for hours in divorce courts. We drive to colonoscopies, plastic surgeons, pediatricians, ex mother in laws — but mostly, we listen. We learn to recognize the small shifts in each other’s voices that tell us it’s time for a lunch or a drink or a long phone conversation, even if it’s the same conversation we’ve been having for years. We simply LISTEN – and we never, ever bring it up again, no matter what. We tell each other the hard stuff like “you’re drinking too much,” “you need to lose a few pounds,” “take my hair appointment, you need a trim,” “I ran into your boyfriend where he shouldn’t have been.”

 And we love each other fiercely, instinctively and often longer than many marriages.

 LONG LIVE GIRLFRIENDS!!!!!

BIO:  

Patti Hawn is author of GOOD GIRLS DON’T a deeply personal first-hand account of what it was like to be trapped in an unwanted pregnancy at the close of an era where home economics took precedence over sex education. I gave up my child for adoption —-found him 40 years later…but this is where the typical adoption story begins…and ends. My book is available on Amazon and www.goodgirlsdontbook.com.

Patti Hawn Patti Hawn has worked on over thirty major motion pictures including some of the most acclaimed films of the last decade.  Her credits include Ghost, Glory, Overboard, and most recently, August Rush and Bride Wars.

Patti makes her debut literary effort with her memoir, GOOD GIRLS DON’T, that tells the story of the last generation of young women to experience life on the eve of the sexual revolution of the sixties and the passing of legislation legalizing abortion. It is a unique time in history, foreign to an entire generation of women, that resulted in an incredible number of reunions between birth parents and their children — 20, 30 and 40 years after.

Patti is the sister of the acclaimed actress Goldie Hawn. She resides in Manhattan Beach, California with her husband and travels to India, Nepal and Thailand where she works in humanitarian efforts.

Patti Hawn friendships, Girlfriends, help, inspiration, women friendship

Hello Girlfriends – Many of us are under the impression that if we ask for help, then we may seem weak. 

On the contrary, asking for help allows us to reach out and receive.  This is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.  The strength in knowing our limitations and that it’s okay to say, “I NEED HELP.”  We can get overwhelmed with the lemons that life gives us when faced with things alone but to know that you have support makes the lemons of life taste much sweeter.  We need the support of beautiful women that can be there for us no matter what.  They are only a phone call away and they will listen to us and offer an ear, or even offer to help in any way they can.

Reach out and Ask for HELP.....!

We as women are always there to help others, but have such a hard time to help ourselves, or ask for any help.  We must start to reach out and ask for help, it’s perfectly okay!  This is the power of receiving my friend….

Not only to ask for help in material things – heavy workload, with ailing parents, with chores, but also to ask for emotional support; with issues of the heart and mind. 

Like everything else in life we must train ourselves to reach out and ask for the help.  No one will knock at your door and ask you if you need help today!  Reach out, be strong and know you are not in this ALONE!  This is the power of receiving….

Remember, may the possibilities of today excite us ALL!

encouragement, inspiration don't be afraid to ask for help, encouragement, help, inspiration, motivation

Hello Girlfriends – What is the J-Junk, you ask?  I came up with this term today when I was talking about being judged.  I discovered that as a child I was always pegged by my family as the quiet one, the one that would sit and not speak; sweet, angelic little girl.  How many of you also had this label?  To me the J-Junk stands for the “Judgment Junk” that we learn as children.  I learned this type of behavior as I observed my father judging and belittling my mother as I sat and watched my mother being victimized.  Looking back, I realized that I was a very smart little girl.  I learned to stay quiet, in order that I not be judged from my judgemental father.

I spent years fearing the idea of giving speeches in front of my classmates or talking in front of groups.  I didn’t want to be judged!
 
As I grew older, I didn’t feel comfortable stating how I felt, so I followed the crowd.  I hope you can see how much influence our parents have on us.  We carry tapes of their voices, and even if we move on in other areas of our lives – there can be parts that we don’t realize still have a hold on us.  As an adult, you come to a point where you must speak the truth and claim your truth.
 
How many of us are afraid to have our own voices in fear of being judged?  Because of fear we remain quiet – who wants to be judged?  Who are you hurting by being quiet, by not living in the truth?  I believe you know the answer – you hurt yourself and no one else.  You must remain true and authentic to self in order to truly live for your purpose in life.
 
We have to dig deep sometimes and find where those old tapes lie within us?  Who put those tapes there?  Our choice is to either keep them there or realize that these old tapes don’t serve us anymore. It’s time to put them in the trash once and for all and start living in your truth! 

“Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.” Stephen Covey, author and speaker.

Remember, may the possibilities of today excite us all!

Determination, encouragement, inspiration, motivation awakening, Determination, encouargement, help, insight, inspiration, judgement