Sometimes I simply need to feel validated...
for others to hear my frustrations and absorb them.

Not to solve them.
Not to roll their eyes and wonder why this is a problem.
Not to judge the importance of the matter.

But simply validate the frustration, the hurt or the sadness.

Not to say, “well, it’s better than...”
Or, “It could be worse.”

And please, PLEASE don’t look at me with a quizzical look on your face and act baffled by my frustration.

My frustrations are real, whether you can relate or not.
My frustrations mean something, even if in your world, they are meaningless.

We all have our inner thoughts.
We all have our bad days.

We all need support and someone to just say, “hang in there, mama”.

And maybe for me, today was one of those days...

It wasn’t anything in particular...
No argument with one of the girls.
No rush or stress to accomplish something.
No major issues at hand.

But something was festering.
Something felt off.
A piece of inner turmoil or frustration, needed to be shared, vented out and heard.

So please, when I lean in for validation, hear me out.

When I lean in for support, please don’t have your eyeballs bulge out of your eye sockets.

When I lean in for encouragement, please don’t act as if what is tugging at my heart is not a big deal.

And with that thought, I started to reflect...

I began to think of all of the times I didn’t lean in and support the girls as much as they needed.

Maybe I only offered them a quick response, as I was preparing dinner, and they felt I wasn’t truly engaged or listening.

Maybe it was while driving and they were sharing frustrations, about a certain teacher or coach, and I blew their concerns off to have peace and quiet in the car.

Or maybe it was a time they needed to vent a frustration and I was wrapped up in entertaining the other girls and didn’t carve out the individual time for them.

So today, I promise to my girls, my biggest blessings and daily God winks to lean in more...

Lean in and listen...truly listen.

We all need to feel valued.
We all need to feel validated.
We all need to feel loved.

Friends, as our day begins, maybe your heart needs to hear this too...

You are valued.
You are validated.
You are loved.

Xo