Various contributors share… SISTER STORIES

One of the greatest lessons an individual can learn is how to turn accountability into a growth process. Once you have accepted accountability for unfavorable actions, you have opened the door to the evolution of your life. It’s essential that we as women do this in our relationships with one another. The bonds we form and how we establish them teach those we interact with how we are to be treated. More than we realize, we inadvertently lead others by example. Every word, action, and decision matters when we form connections with our sisters. Why do these things matter? Our relationships with others, particularly women determine our self-doubt. Uncertainties we carry about the lives we lead are mirrored in our interactions with our fellow sisters.

Analyze the most “catty”, hateful, and messy woman you interact with, I guarantee you’ll find her insecurities match those things you are most confident about. It’s important that we pinpoint competitive areas in our relationships with our sisters. Once we have done this we must evaluate our insecurities in that area and work to eliminate them. This will in turn breed healthier relationships with other women.

We have a responsibility to generations that follow us to set examples and lay the foundation for success. The unwarranted dissentions we create between women hinder our personal and professional growth. We cannot teach young women how to carry the torch if we are tearing the sister down walking with us. We have to embody what we want our young sisters to emulate. What example are you setting?

I see so many women who have broken bonds and they blame the other woman, past experiences, or even a man. We are responsible for our own actions. So when you find yourself with broken friendships you have to ask yourself, “What part did I play in the disintegration of the relationship? What unresolved issue do I have that I continue to leave unaddressed, and allow to destroy my relationships? Why have I given a man so much power that he determines how I operate within other relationships? Questioning yourself and answering truthfully helps you develop the accountability you need to lead a healthy and drama- free life.

While it feels natural to look at the roles others play in our lives. We have to realize the difficult truth: that we alone are the determining factor for the direction of our lives. The path to our destiny lies in our own hands. Life is only as difficult as the lessons you don’t learn.

Often women negatively interact with one another because we envy the situation that the other woman is in.  We have to understand there are things we simply are not designed to handle. Though we aren’t ordained to experience certain things, some of our sisters will live them and we must remember to uplift and not crucify them. We must teach instead of preach in these instances to create the positive karma that will be the lifeline in our individual struggles. The ties that bind or separate us in our quest of sisterhood are the keys to the path of our destiny.

By @Court8311