Project 31 Day 12: Mean Girls

Day 12.  Write about what wears you out as a woman.

This is such a big question and I'm going to stay away from the obvious things that wear me out like having aunt flow visit every month and the fact that I have to blow up like a balloon when I get pregnant.  No, there is one thing that wears me out as a woman and that is other women.  Crazy as it sounds, other women wear me out.  The drama, the need to fit in, the general lack of self-respect in the world, the need to belittle others to lift yourself up.  Now, I know that not all women are like this, but there is a general theme throughout life I have noticed and it is the sheer fact that women can be mean.  

It wears me out that women are so mean to one another some times.  I see it every single day in my job.  Little girls saying things just to be mean, to make themselves feel better, to put someone else in the line of fire, so that they don't have to face their own insecurities.  Throughout my life I have seen girls be so ruthless in their words.  The passive aggressive game is exhausting and I frankly choose not to play it and this means that I often become the target.  

The sad thing is that this need to bring others down isn't just a characteristic of middle and high school girls.  No, it continues into adulthood and boy have I seen it first hand.  Sometimes I think women get cattier and more petty the older we get.  The jealousy, the selfishness, the rudeness, and the ultimate lack of respect for each other only brings me down.  I think this is why I have always had an easier time being friends with guys.  

This is why I am so thankful for each of the strong women in my life like my mom, my sister, and women in my church.  These are the ones who have shown me how to be a strong woman, who help me deal with others who aren't so strong.  I am thankful for each of you ladies who read my blog.  I see what a true woman of Christ is supposed to look like.  I see that each of us go through similar struggles and this is encouraging.  These are the women who lift me up, who don't wear me out.  I am encouraged and empowered by each of you and thankful for this influence in my life, which overcomes all else.