Let's Share, Woman to Woman
It’s a Saturday morning and every seat at my kitchen table is filled with a small, lively body. My boys are teaching the girls from down the street how to play UNO. While they are kind in their instruction, there’s no confusion over their primary aim, which unequivocally is to win. The girls ask clarifying questions, and as each of them grows in understanding, they begin sharing their insight, helping each other to play the best card, even at the demise of their own hand. The boys grow increasingly frustrated by the girls’ collaborative effort. And as I mosey about, doing idle chores and piddling around nearby, I am fascinated.
Whether it’s a social construct or it’s in our nature, women share with one another. We share our stories, our experiences, and our thoughts. We share our fears, our dreams, our feelings. We share what we’re learning, how we’re struggling, and what we’re loving. And in all this sharing, we are strengthened. Your courage emboldens me. My struggle bolsters empathy in you. Her triumph sparks creativity in us. A young girl’s understanding helps her sister advance. One woman’s vulnerability in sharing gives another woman the encouragement, the perspective, and even the tools to move forward well.
I wish I could remember the exact study so I could cite it, but I’ll never forget something I learned in a Child Development class in grad school. After observing boys and girls playing, researchers noted that while boys tend to relate through competition, girls are more inclined to relate through connection. As a mother of boys, this study comes to mind often – reassuring me that my boys’ compulsion to create competition is their innate way of seeking connection. Because, according to that study, it seems that, at some level, how we relate to one another is built into us. And as we become women contributing to the world through our work, our intuitive desire for connection becomes our superpower.
At Polished, we are on a mission to embolden women in their work and faith. We are committed to giving women the connection they crave, the professional development they deserve, and the gospel they need. But the truth is, our organization is only as impactful as the women who participate in it. We are dedicated to providing the platform for women to share and cultivating the space for women to connect. But it takes each one of us as unique individuals to step onto the platform and into the space where sharing and connection can happen. And in our sharing, we embolden one another in our faith and work.
So — we launched a blog. You’re reading it now. But it’s not just our (Polished) blog. It’s ALL of our blog. Because we know that we are strengthened when everyone gets to share their stories, experiences, and insight. Each week, you’ll hear from a different woman who is eager to huddle up and share with all of us who desire to grow in our faith and work. As part of that, we invite YOU to share your voice too. We all need to hear it. And maybe the sharing will do something powerful for you, too. We can’t wait to hear from you.
Lindsey has been a writer since she began to read — always threading words together to find meaning and communicate creatively. She got lucky when she married Mr. Wright and got the title stamped to her name. Before writing for Polished, she got her MA in Counseling and worked as the Director of Spiritual Formation for a church in San Antonio.
A perpetual coffee sipper, when she’s not writing, she’s likely reading, DIYing a house project, or cooking up a comforting pasta dish. She and her husband of 11 years, Travis, live in Chattanooga, TN, with their three kids — Sawyer (9), Jude (7), and Ruthie (4).
In addition to Polished, she works as a freelance content and copywriter for mental health and coaching businesses (offering a side of strategic marketing). Finding and offering comfort and connection are at the core of her heart, which drives how she leads her life both personally and professionally.