Margery's Note....
(and please, read all the way down–good stuff below!!!!!)
Yes, we’re all a little (a lot!) unsettled with this being (finally!) election day….
No crystal ball available!
We don’t know the outcome….
So the only thing we have to pull from is past experience….
How have we handled difficulties in the past?
As we hear over and over lately: the only way to it is through it!
I have given myself the gift of handling horrible difficulties since I was 18 years old (59 years ago!)
- starting with a devastating car crash which left me with permanent injuries
- estrangement from my family because of choices I made
- energetic activism to change the world (back then it was the Viet Nam War and civil rights)
- 3 bad marriages (2 shorts and a long) by the time I was 42
- having a baby by myself at 24 and taking him to Meico
- thinking I knew how to run a business and walking a tightrope learning how to do it for 29 years
- setting boundaries with said son that resulted in various periods of extrangement (he’s 53 now and we’re doing great)
- losing friendships because of what now seem ridiculous misunderstandings
- allowing unscrupulous advisors to steal me blind before I realized it (I’m SO MUCH more creful now!)
- thinking I knew more than I really did….
And that is just a glimpse at my personal journey. The bigger picture is how hard it is for me to reconcile the policies and abuse of power by my own government and representatives over those same issues I cared about at 18: unnecessary wars, cruelty towards humanity through violating people’s civil rights and a false representation of what is supposed to be the American Dream which in actuality is a nightmare for too many people.
I am so grateful that I have traveled around the world and witnessed through media similar conditions in other countries so that I can see that the human condition is not any better anywhere else. So a fantasy of moving to another country isn’t something I dwell on.
What I do dwell on is making the most of what I am given. Taking time to be grateful for the good I do have, instead of bemoaning and gnashing teeth over what I don’t have.
Which brings us back to today. How could I reconcile myself to a political victory that I would be horrified by? If those who disagree with me win the election and spend enormous amounts of energy dismantling the few rights that we as women still have, what could I do?
My only answer is the same as I’ve done over all the years when faced with what seemed to be insurmountable difficulties: gather resources, find like minded people, start laying more groundwork for something to change. Because the good thing about being on this planet for 77 years is the certain knowledge that things WILL change. And within those changes, small and mighty victories can be won.
When I watch TV these days, I see a level of diversity and openness that was impossible to imagine in 1965. No matter how hard these reactionary mindsets try to suppress and silence the voices of difference, inclusion and transparency, they still surface and have an impact.
I refuse to give into doom and gloom. If things don’t go forward with the election of a woman to US President, WE will still move forward with our ideas of equality, human rights and decency. And if the pendulum swings the wrong way, we will do whatever it takes to swing it back again.
We’re women. We are strength.
Fall / Holiday Gathering!
Take a break from the “dailies” and join us for our Gathering….
This event is for all women, not just GGN Members….
If you’re a member, invite some friends to come learn more about us….
If you’re not a member, you can bring your friends and check us out!
And we are planning something special for us to experience together….
Yes, you probably have holiday networking things to attend, but this gathering is so different from those….
Our time together is all about being our authentic selves, talking about what we feel is important in our lives….
Best way to catch up on your perhaps much needed dose of oxytocin!
Nicole Garrison, certified Mindfulness & Sound Healer
Joins us for a special “mini sound bath”
She will briefly discuss the history and benefits of sound healing then play her crystal bowls and Koshe chime so we can have a taste of the sound experience.
She is certified in Sound Immersion Training thorough Breathe Meditation and Wellness here in Dallas.
What a great opportunity to truly take a breather from the dailies!!!
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
6:30 to 8:30 pm CT
At our favorite Gathering Place, the home of Toni Portmann!
Anastasia is doing the food!
Cost: Members – $10 and non Members – $15
Member Notes
GGN Member Laura Kopec shares some thoughts….
“I ask myself, are we (as women) pursuing excellence because it feels good to be our best self or are we pursuing perfection because secretly we believe we are not good enough?
In my recent non-fiction read Take Back Your Brain: How a Sexist Society Gets in Your Head and How to Get it Out author Kara Loewentheil explains how women inherently think of themselves as flawed. Her book is an exploration into how patriarchy isn’t just the way women are treated and the patriarchal culture but also how women think about themselves.
Basically a patriarchal subconsciousness.
In Ellen DeGeneres’ new farewell on Netflix she brings up gender inequality. Light hearted yet bittersweet she talks about how vulnerable she felt when she was “kicked out of show business for being mean” and points out she is a multi-faceted strong woman who is sometimes kind, sometimes silly, sometimes….mean.
In the movie Barbie, actor America Ferrara’s character’s monologue about how many demands are placed on women caused me to weep, only to see my 25 yr old daughter crying as well and I realized the next generation is still stuck in this place.
Ingrained in our psyche is this feeling that if we are not pleasing enough we might be a bitch. We are still struggling with our inner strength and our expression of that power as something we have to minimize for fear the patriarchy mindset might bubble up inside us reminding us we are not pleasing enough.
How many of us were impressed with the character Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones and her single pursuit of being a great soldier only to see her character slip into one dimension when she could not cope with the rejection of her male crush after they slept together. Heck, the whole show started as male debauchery then moved into the rise of women only for the last season to be about male domination triumphing.
I grew up watching Charlie’s Angels and could not understand how that show was minimized into sexualizing those women, when in reality it was a show about beautiful women in a male dominated profession not only holding their own but also never compromising themselves. Kate Jackson’s vision for the show was to break that glass ceiling and left the show when she became disillusioned with how critics and audience constantly misunderstood the show. Years later a modern version of the movie had a chance to vindicate the true meaning of the show, only to make a mockery of it.
How many glass ceilings do we have to break? And it starts early. Disney characters are subtly sexualized in appearance, ingraining into little girls how to be pleasing and how to make the male gaze or presence central in their lives.
Did you know thyroid imbalance is the most frequently diagnosed condition in women? Every physical imbalance has a “body keeps the score” psychological element. How many women with thyroid issues have had too many times in their lives where they have had to suppress their voice?
My youngest daughter is 15 years old and often says “I’m fine” when she is trying to suppress her feelings for fear the world around her might think they’re too ugly. And I call her out on it, but still….
While we might be seeing history in the making in this upcoming presidential election, I cannot help but wonder about the repercussions and the backlash.
Whether we see the election of our first female president, and even if we do not I call all of us into action inside ourselves to ask ourselves how pleasing do I think I have to be? And is there a version of me where I am strong, and vulnerable, and silly…. and downright mean when I need to be.
And I hope we surround ourselves with this new message in our television and film and will begin to overtake the previous messaging once and for all.”
GGN Member Amy Halman shares:
Don’t forget…
You are a better you when you take the time to focus on the joy in your life rather than the inevitable adversities. Try to create moments that help you feel full, inspired and cared for.
Let EcoBlend Therapies be a Gem in Your November!
- Amy has available slots for Sculptural Face Lifting and Signature Facials for the week of Thanksgiving! We are closed for the holiday on 11/28 but eager to support you the rest of the week. Make an appointment and encourage your bestie or special family member to do the same!
- Infrared Therapy sessions available Tuesday – Saturday throughout the month to keep your immune system strong, your metabolism revving, your nervous system calm and your sleep coming easily. With shifts in holiday eating and beverage choices, support your digestive and detox pathways as well!
Promotional Intro Package $99 – Highly recommended!
Single Infrared Session Option – $50
Package Options
1. Series of 4 – $184
2. Series of 8 – $360
- Nutritional Therapy Consultations now available at EcoBlend! Beverly Hartsfield, NTP has decades of experience with healing through food and nutritional supplementation. Get helpful insight and guidance on things like:
Keto / Carnivore tips
-
- Menopause
- Blood sugar issues
- Understanding cholesterol
- Weight Loss
- Digestive issues
Nutritional Therapy Consultation, 45 minute, $75
Nutritional Therapy Full Assessment and Plan, 90 minute, $175
Book here :https://ecoblendtherapies.com/(469) 836-3910 • [email protected]
Thank you to Toni Portmann for sharing this inspiring message….
Track Meetings
We still ask for $5 to cover costs. And yes, you can register at the last minute…. but it would be GREAT if you let us know a couple of days before so we can plan our refreshments!!!
Our Track meetings are designed to give us a sacred space to have meaningful, purposeful conversations without fear of being judged or competed with. Only Members can attend. They are amazing experiences, unlike any ‘networking meeting’ you have ever attended!
GGN members MUST REGISTER to attend these meetings, so just follow the links below! And if you want to learn about us, go ahead and join GGN~~if you decide it isn’t for you, we will refund your membership fee!
Currently we meet the 2nd Monday morning and 3rd Wednesday evening of each month (see below).
Each one is an event or happening in itself. Some members come frequently, some come only once in a while. Whenever you attend one, you will find out things you didn’t know, connect with women who will challenge and inspire you, and you will leave with some new perspectives.
Monday Morning Magic Track
- November 11, 2024
- 10 am to 12 noon CT
- A GGN meeting is a wonerful place to let go and let be!!!
Click here to join us for Monday Morning Magic!
Growth & Transitions
- Wednesday, November 20, 2024
- 7 to 9 pm CT
- We can talk about anything here, and some of us need some fuel to prepare for the holiday season!!!
Become a Member!
Great Girls Network is our way of being the opposite of the Good Ol’ Boys Network (which is still very much alive and well!). Even if you don’t participate in Track meetings, your membership gives you a way to support our existence and be a part of a growing group of women who really appreciate each other. And the Trii-Annual Gatherings are unlike any other “networking” event! We know women don’t network like men. We want to build relationships, we want deeper, more meaningful connections. That is exactly what GGN provides.
Our membership fee of $50 per year gives you access to our Track Meetings and also contributions to our Newsletter. The fee helps sustain our website, but it also ensures that when you participate in a Track meeting, you will honor the sacredness of the conversations because you are a member.
We created a digital card that helps people understand what they can get from joining GGN so click here to see the card.
Your membership helps give us that foundation, the strength to grow and have an impact on the lives of so many more women.
