It’s Off Limits, Or Is It?
* if you are new to this space, welcome my brave friend. Subscribe to my bi-monthly newsletter on courage, boldness and living a ridiculously amazing life
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day (March 8, 2021). Before I lean on the history of the publicly awarded and popular women and those with cemented handprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I have to praise another historical female figure.
As a girl, she bruised her fingers in cotton fields and as a woman, she refused the scars of confinement and discontentment.
Ora, my great-grandmother carved out a choice when there wasn’t one. The instructions from her husband were simple, “you will never work or have a drivers license.” In a time where martial obedience was a thing, she obeyed…sort of.
My great-grandfather (whom I loved dearly) was adamant about providing for his family. He desired opportunity and his hometown in Alabama wasn’t offering it to a black man with a fourth grade education. He heard about promise in Ohio, packed up the wife and four, big personality kids (nope, not a shy one in the bunch). Soon, a job at a steel mill and dual home ownership led to a new life.
Feisty Ora wanted a new life too, only her goals were slightly out of alignment with his.
Ora patiently waited for her husband’s car to turn the corner for work, she opened her back door to business. Women in the neighborhood had a skilled, unlicensed hair stylist. Ora made hair ointments from herbs in her garden, she washed, dried and hot combed clients tresses.
I was five years old and can remember looking through the crack of the kitchen door, spying on my grandmothers ability to help women look and feel beautiful. She transformed too. I couldn’t articulate it then, but she was beaming. She was prideful and was contributing to something bigger than household chores and nosy grandkids.
Patron’s paid for the service and I do not know what grandma did with that cash but it didn’t go into the family stash. :) Ora didn’t buy into the limitations, she went against the grain.
Perhaps someone told you what you can not do/have/be. Somebody set an unsolicited mandate, expecting you to buy in, believe it and settle your simmer. Fall in line.
Frack the line. TEAR. THE. WHOLE. THING. DOWN. Down. Break the barrier.
This week’s video has three courageous questions to help build beliefs and dismantle myths.
P.S. As for the drivers license, Ora followed his command, she did not get a license but she sure as hell drove…a lot. When police pulled her over for speeding, they stopped asking for a license and instead begged her to “please just go home.”
How to Be Brave Right Now?
Answer these three questions in the video
Use this link to share the video with a friend: https://youtu.be/RcjH5z5hUIk
Why Change Beliefs and Break Barriers?
Why abandon your dreams, hopes and ideals in for someone else’s insecurity? Do it to kick in doors that are long overdue for demolishment. Do it to progress in your life, your relationships, your work. Set a new tone for the next generation.
Email me your story, I want to know your WHY: raqueleatmon@gmail.com
A RISKY Quote on Being Limitless
“If you always out limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work, and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must go beyond them.” – Bruce Lee
Thank you for sharing in this limitless space with me. Please connect with me on Linked, Twitter and Instagram.
I’ll be back March 21, 2021!
Be Brave,
Raquel Eatmon
Raquel Eatmon is a Be Bold Accomplice, Keynote Speaker and Author of Beyond Enough How to Lead with Your Whole Self. For over a decade she has produced the Woman of Power Leadership Conference for high potentials. She is challenging audiences to live and lead bolder lives through strategic risk taking rituals. Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn
Subscribe to her Be Bolder newsletter
This blog is complimentary. Please support it and share with a friend, or buy a book or make a donation to my company, Rising Media LLC. Thank you, in advance.