“I learned that I matter” – Francine! #31days31writers

Started our ‘post a day’ series brilliantly yesterday with a riveting piece by Chude, and today we kick with the ladies and my girl Francine! She’s featured on this blog before, I interviewed her and talked about the fabulous work she does with makeup! Then I hopped off  to Aberdeen sometime in October for her baby girl’s first birthday, and I had a wonderful time!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Fran!

My name is Fran, I am British and I am a makeup artist.

This year I learnt that I matter! That I am more important than anything else that surrounds my life. Some might be puzzled or put off by reading that but I stand by it. So be patient in dishing out judgement.

This year I did so much for everyone else and most times I forgot about me. I ran myself down mentally and physically. I hardly stopped to think about my needs or what was in my best interests. I put my dreams and most of my goals aside to be there for the everyone else. Yet deep down I was unhappy, pretty much empty. This went on for the whole year!

Unsatisfied, empty me wanting to fill everyone else up.

Then I watched an interview on tv. It was an interview with Sheryl Sandberg. She was being interviewed by Oprah. I was astonished to hear how much of her words were pointing back to me. That mere 40 minutes of TV changed me. I sat there with my mum and I was in floods of tears. I could barely speak. I realised how much damage I had done to my mind by my negligence.

I sat there, and my whole year ran through my head. You know how people say ‘my life flashed before my eyes’, well this was that moment for me.

I immediately went onto Amazon and ordered Sheryl’s book called ‘Lean In ‘. I am still reading it, and savouring every learning moment. I even sent a copy to my best friends and my sister.

My point is that only a few weeks ago I thought differently about me. I paid no attention to the source but I kept dishing out the products. And now I believe that I can serve better and be able to do much more because I recognised me again.

In the last year I was blessed with the experience of being a mum and that’s what I am most grateful for. I live everyday as best as I to teach and show my girl a good example of a woman. Not a flashy, ungrateful, spoilt brat celebrity but a real woman who will aim to better the world she lives in. I love this girl so much and I am so grateful that I get to wake up to her everyday. I am also extremely grateful for my best friend Lannie, she is one special girl, my husband and my family and friends.

I wouldn’t want to change my experiences in the past year. Mainly because I know that in that very moment, as I sat and watched that interview, that was what my life needed. And in that time, I was open to receive the information. I don’t know that any thing else could have made such an impact. But maybe that’s just me. I strongly believe that God brings about the tools to help us grow and the people to facilitate the change but we will only see and truly appreciate it when our minds are open to receive.

My girl channeling Boho chic!