Raising a Future Leader: A Mother's Hope, Fear, and Resolve in a Challenging World
“Kim, your daughter doesn’t know how lucky she is.”
A friend said this to me when I found out I was pregnant last year.
And the words stuck with me.
Because of the meaning behind those words.
The weight and the pressure of them.
I wasn’t expecting to raise a daughter.
I thought I was done with two boys.
More comments came when Billie was born…
– “You’re a boss and you’re going to raise a boss” – “She’s going to have a badass for a mom” – “She’ll follow in your footsteps”
The words were intimidating and scary.
And I experienced self-doubt.
I wasn’t always prepared for challenges I experienced as a woman in the workplace.
– “Be nice, don’t be too aggressive.” – “Emotions don’t belong in the workplace.” – “You got the promotion because you’re a woman” – “You come across as a b*tch and intimidate people.”
I know and fear that my daughter will experience these and other challenges as she becomes an adult.
And I feel a mix of responsibility, opportunity, and hope.
– I’ll continue to lead by example – Talk about my experiences – And help others how I can
I hope that through my work I live up to expectations.
I hope that my daughter has the confidence to be herself.
I hope that my influence will help her when she faces inevitable challenges.
This post was an emotional one to write for me. It took me hours.
Speaking up about things like this is a challenge for me.
I have some STRONG women in my life that have encouraged me to do so.
Thank you to those women ❤️
