Most of my blogger friends are women. I firmly believe that it is better to build someone up than to tear them down. Women can be catty, snarky, body shaming; the list goes on and on.
Yet women can also lift other women up by sharing their knowledge and helping to empower one another, today’s ย Wednesday Word.
Recently I was talking with some friends — one online, one in real life — about running. One is definitely a runner, but she was struggling. The other runs occasinally, but wishes she were running more consistently.
Both of my friends were struggling with their running. It felt too ย hard and tired them out too much.
I made the same suggestion to both women: try run/walk intervals.
I know one tried it and found it helpful. The other I just talked to and I don’t know if she tried it..
Knowledge is power.
–Francis Bacon
I firmly believe that knowledge, is, indeed, power. I enjoy learning new things — although I don’t think I’d enjoy going back to school at this point — which my mother did, by the way; she graduated from college when I graduated from high school. She hadn’t had the opportunity to go to college as a young woman (another freedom we just assume we have these days — just think how much has changed in a very short time).
We empower other people by sharing our knowledge.
The higher the better. It’s more about an attitude. High heels empower women in a way.
–Christian Louboutin
Ok Christian, I do think your shoes are beautiful, but oddly enough, the more serious I became about running, the less I wear high heels. Yes, they are sexy, and in a way they’re a bit empowering for this petite girl.
High heels are not empowering for runners, though. They leave us open to more injuries and put a lot of tension on the ball of our feet, a place that already gets a lot of pounding through running.
I’m not giving up my high heels totally, but I do find that I wear them less and less.
Finally, of course, learning to run is empowering. It definitely doesn’t feel that way at first. That feeling of freedom on a run, a new PR, tackling a new distance, getting back at it after an injury: every single phase of running ultimately helps us to realize our own strength and abilities; i.e., empowers us.
It’s extremely difficult to convince someone that has never run, or is a new runner, that running will empower you. You’ll just have to trust me on that.
What fears have you overcome?
What you accomplished despite your fears?
I totally agree about running being empowering, even if it’s ‘just’ being able to do something that you never thought possible. I remember the pride and amazement the first time I ran 5k I love learning too. Apparently it keeps you young so fingers crossed for the next few decades!
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Running is definitely empowering and the self confidence you can get from the sport is huge. I laughed about the high heels comment….I am also height challenged, and heels are pretty much a no go for me. Honestly, that is one of the good things about being older, you don’t really care about stuff like that as much!
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I actually still do like heels . . . but now it’s more an occasional thing — not that it was ever every day, but I did used to like sky high wedges. A lot!
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LOL on the Louboutin quote! I think running is humbling first, then empowering — maybe like all hard things?
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You are so right and I have never thought about it that way.
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I love looking at running as a series of opportunities for new empowerment — particularly because it’s empowerment we can give ourselves (unlike high heels)!
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HAha! I don’t find high heels empowering, but some of them are so pretty (to look at!! not necessarily to wear).
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What a fabulous description of empower, in all forms! Love the quote by Louboutin, too funny, but I think if he had to wear the shoes he designs for any length of time, he’d be crying in a corner after an hour, lol.
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Although you never know what he does in the privacy of his own home. ๐
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As an “older” runner, I like to think that I empower other women to push their limits. I hope so.
And no, I don’t find high heels empowering at all. I find them painful!
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Not all high heels are painful, but then again, I don’t have PF. Knocking on wood.
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I’m too tired to think of any answers to your questions. I rarely wear high heels but every once in a while it’s nice.
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Unfortunately I’m with you on the tired thing. Although after a couple of extra rest days, I think I’m feeling better today.
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LOVE the Louboutin quote!!! I love me some high heels! My knee not so much but I will rock them when I can. My highest are about 5 inches and I feel so EMPOWERED when I wear them ;).
I have overcome my fear of being an adult learner to swimming.
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Finally! I thought I was the last woman to like high heels. ๐
5″ is high. Really high. I don’t have many over 3″, unless they’re wedges; a few of my wedges are sky high.
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The high wedge is so nice too ๐
My knee is never happy but for the moment and the pictures, I look fab!
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It’s really weird how sometimes I think I’ve hurt something and then I’m like, oh yeah, I was wearing a higher heel (and some don’t bother me).
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I agree that is is tought o try to convince someone who has never run before to go for a run…that’s a tough one!
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Love the Louboutin quote ! I like to think I empower my teenager girls and many of the women I work with. Building each other up is so important.
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Well, I don’t wear high heels any more. I guess I never really did. Taking care of these feet are top priority now. I agree with Coco. Running is humbling AND then empowering. And yes, sometimes back to humbling again… I think this virtual community of strong running women are very empowering. ๐
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I think it’s easier to hate heels when you’re taller, and almost everyone is taller than me!
But yes, I’m much more likely to be in more comfortable shoes. Although I do strive for cute AND comfy.
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So many people just don’t get why we run, and wouldn’t understand that running empowers us.
I love the Louboutin quote! I rarely wear high heels anymore, but love the way they look (not feel) when I do!
Thanks for linking up!
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I do still love my heels, but in small doses. Kind of like fattening food, I guess!
I certainly didn’t get why anyone would run for fun — or race! — before I started to run. Neither did Darlene, and look what happened to her, LOL!
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