Life is a Journey, Not a Competition

April is upon us! And, no April Fool’s, Mother Nature is putting on a huge display of reminders of how in life there are constant cycles and rebirths, renewals and growth. In the Northeast, USA, tiny white snowdrop flowers have been poking through shallow snow cover since late February and the clusters of vibrant green daffodil shoots are welcome sights of Spring to come. I noticed this year given the unusually mild winter we had, that those daffodils are just a bit confused and are further along in the budding process than typical. A little twist in their typical growth trajectory, yet I anticipate full glorious blooms regardless. So it is with our human lived experience as well. Which brings me to this month’s topic about empowering others rather than competing.

Recently, I have found myself engaged in several conversations related to the impact our “work” lives have on our identity and concept of Self. In some of these dialogues, there was a recurring theme of competition as a driving force for choices and career direction. As I consider the context of these conversations, and the character of the people sharing their experiences with me, I am struck by just how far our modern-day culture has gone to promote “power” rather than “progress” and to celebrate “status” over “growth.” As this relates to women specifically, it is dismaying to hear so many variations of using competition as a motivation rather than empowerment.

This unfortunate mentality is found not only in career endeavors but also in relationships. I will touch on this briefly, but to have multiple friendships – some perhaps overlapping with each other – is a glorious gift and should not be a source of competition! My philosophy is that each relationship stands separate and has beautiful attributes of its own; and having several of these does not diminish the value and beauty of any one relationship. Remember we each have something unique to share within our connections with others

Women, recapture the strength of our collective sisterhood. It is ancient and runs deep. Set aside notions of better-than or less-than and embrace the essence of our existence. Celebrate our experiences – mighty and mundane – so that others may blossom and grow in their pursuits. Be an inspiration and a force of empowerment and encouragement in all arenas of life.

This month, as we marvel in the blooms and sounds of Spring’s arrival, pause to appreciate the order of the natural world. The tiny white snowdrops bring a joy no less inspiring than a cluster of daffodils or a grove of tall tulips. Each stands lovely on its own and none compete with the other; all have their part in the collective essence of Springtime. Life is a journey, not a competition.