Dear Lisa . . .

Dear Lisa - I’m not altogether sure where to begin, other than the prompt said to write an open letter to the strongest woman I can think of, and you were the first face to spring to my mind.

It caused me to slow down and ask myself why you were that first face. Obviously the world is teeming with amazing, strong, wonderful women who are changing the world in ways both immense and small.

Your face is not famous, even though it’s well-known and loved within your circle. You do not have a show that millions tune into, or an internationally best selling book, or a TV program everybody has heard of.

But there are other, much more important things to me.

Your wide smile, so seemingly easy to find whenever someone needs to see it. You’re almost always down to crack a joke (often an irreverent one, which is the best kind) when someone is feeling off.

There’s also that set you get to your jaw when someone has a problem. You’re ready to throw down with your energy and words because someone has DARED to hurt one of your friends.

And yet - you set us up for doing things ourselves, our own way. You ask if we need help, how you can support us, and you encourage us to stand up for ourselves. Above anything else, you encourage sovereignty over our lives, and self love no matter who we believe ourselves to be.

There are so many women my brain could have chosen in this moment, but really, you are the one woman who has unwaveringly encouraged me to move forward in my life every day for the years that I’ve known you.

I know that wasn’t always easy. I am my own worst enemy when it comes to healing, trusting, and rewarding myself. But you’ve been there cheerleading me. You’ve taught me to celebrate my wins, whether that’s a new client, another page written in a book, or (on my worst days) just doing a load of laundry.

At the same time you are a champion for me and the rest of your circle, you are always real. There is no bullshit. There is no glamour hiding who you are and when you have a bad day. You’re always open to expressing how you really are in the moment, and to say “Hey, look how awesome I am, and I’m still in a shit mood right now.”

Which is always, ALWAYS a reminder that even if I’m in a funk right now, awesome is waiting on the other side of it, somewhere. Because if someone as amazing and glowing as you has shit moments, I’m allowed to have them too.

But I think more than anything else, the reason your face comes to my mind when I am prompted to think of the strongest woman I know, is because you have actually made me believe that I am one of the strongest women I know.

Yes, your face came first. Mine came second. Years ago that would not have been the case. I wouldn’t even have made my own list.

I can see my strength now, clearly. I can count the things that make me strong, and why I appreciate myself. I am no longer afraid to trust myself, and to acknowledge where my strengths lie, and how I can use them to balance out the not-so-strong points.

You are the strongest woman I know - not because you are perfect, or an athlete, or can single-handedly solve the world’s problems.

But because you are a shining, unique soul, who encompasses a lot of what I wish more women were like. Compassionate, brave, joyful, and supportive.

The world would be a lot different if more women were comfortable being those things, and you’re blazing a trail of waking those traits up in other women one at a time.

That’s a big calling that you handle with a lot of grace, and that makes you the strongest woman I know.

(Inspired by my personal friend and mentor, Lisa Friedt. Lisa, please do not strangle me for not asking you about this first.)