I’m a (Fill in the Blank) Girl

Like many people around the world, January was a very difficult month and the beginning of February continued the negative momentum.  Overall, we are very fortunate at FIERCE but want to acknowledge the times we are living in both globally and very close to home.  One thing we’ve found ourselves relying on in addition to our normal tools to stay positive, focused and moving forward is a mantra.  For me, it’s one that is over forty years old:   

I am a Maines Girl.  I am a Maines Girl.  I am a Maines Girl. 

A Maines Girl is difficult to describe in words.  It is what my Dad told my sister Sophia, and me thousands of times during his life.  When I heard it, I immediately stood up taller, squared my shoulders and focused on the critical things I needed to do in that moment to survive that moment. 

When I was super little it was summoning the strength to ask for extra ketchup at McDonalds as I grew older it was standing up to bullies who picked on my rather odd shaped thumbs.  The time I had to dig deepest to summon my Maines girl energy was sitting in oncologist’s offices getting worse and worse news monthly for five years.  I’m not going to profess that it always stopped the tears or the sleepless nights but it 100% kept me and keeps me moving forward every minute, hour and day.   

Lately, I’ve added to the mantra a bit in my mind with something along the lines of – A Maines Girl isn’t meant to be treated this way.  A Maines Girl isn’t meant to be spoken to like this.  A Maines Girl doesn’t treat people that way.  Maines Girls take care of others.  Maines Girls stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.  I’m sure you get the idea.  I have found this inner mantra is centering in that it is so familiar, comfortable and authentic. I can even close my eyes and still see him and hear him say it.  My sister still says it too and you’re damn right our girls will know they have Maines Girl energy in them.   

We would love to hear what kind of girl, woman, person you are and the why behind it.   

Stay FIERCE 

xo - Abigail