March is Women's History Month… let's celebrate YOU! Celebrate Your HERstory!
Let's celebrate the many women who have influenced and inspired us: world leaders, distinguished scholars, educators, healers, accomplished artists, and those who share their gifts in countless other jobs serving humanity. I created this accompanying graphic with images of women who have influenced and mentored me. You won't recognize a single one of them because they are only famous to me. Make no mistake; they are all significantly important in molding the woman I am today.
And especially, I don’t want you to forget to honor the one who greets you in the mirror every morning – Yourself!
March is Women's History Month… let's celebrate YOU! Celebrate Your HERstory!
Yes, You. You are a leader in your corner of the world. No one can do exactly what you do with your every breath, from telling a Knock Knock joke quite like you to being the Go-To Gal professionally and personally! While you may not see yourself as making any grand gestures in the world (attending countless staff meetings, deftly fielding questions while researching information for clients, doing mountains of laundry, packing lunches, preparing dinners, sewing Halloween costumes, supervising craft projects, filling Christmas stockings, and driving the circumference of the earth to band practice, soccer, ballet, gymnastics, ice skating, hockey, and piano), I'm sure there are those in your life who would disagree with you.
Give yourself a pat on the back and a “You Go, Girl!” cheer.
What you do matters, and you deserve to be celebrated for every e-mail, status report, coaching session, dirty sock, meatloaf, meeting, report, and all of the other thousands of creative things you do!
Growing up a small-town girl in the Midwest, I had big dreams and wasn't sure how I'd accomplish them. My secret weapon and the tool that has always been a constant for me is what I continue to use and encourage you to access is something you already know how to do. You don't have to study with a Guru, travel to take a seminar, or buy any fancy equipment. Curious? Or do you know what I'm going to say? Yup, you guessed it – writing in your journal!
Developing a writing practice for yourself of spending 5-15 minutes every day with your journal can produce incredible results. I think of it as having a conversation with myself on paper. I set the time, turn on my favorite inspirational music, and let my hand move across the page. In that sacred time, I'm taking dictation from my soul.
Writing in my journal continues to be how I process what I think about things, how I want to proceed with a particular situation, celebrate victories, and express gratitude. Many journal entries have also been the foundation for articles that I’ve written, for the talks I’ve given to various groups, and the foundation for my contributions to numerous collaboration books. By the way, everything that I've been able to accomplish personally and professionally began in my journal.
I was not encouraged to be a writer. Just not considered practical for me to pursue. It would be better if I just became a secretary. That was a more realistic story. I heard voices of authority (and my own inner critic) challenging me with: Who do you think you are? What kind of story could you tell? Besides, who would want to read what a farm girl with average grades had to say? Sound familiar?
I did become a secretary. And those skills have served me well in my writing career. In fact, my duties as a secretary became the foundation of my editing skills. My writing journey continued wherever it could. Volunteering to write the church newsletter, writing articles for the women’s organizations I belonged to, and always in my journal.
The first time my family really validated my status as a writer was after my brother’s sudden death, his children requested I write his eulogy. I recounted a story about my older brother that demonstrated his quirky and laid-back personality. A story that painted a picture of a man who marched to his own drummer and didn’t care if anyone else was in step or not. I sent the congregation out of the church laughing through their tears.
After my second breast cancer experience, I used journal entries as the basis for my memoir, “The Secret Artist-Give Yourself Permission to Let Your 
Creativity Shine.” This series of essays gives you a glimpse into my breast cancer journey and offers writing prompts to empower you to discover stories of your own.
I've been able to see my dreams come true, and so can you!
Journaling is often the first thing I’ll suggest when helping someone determine which of their life experiences wants to be crafted into a story to share at this moment in time.
I’m blessed to be living my purpose of mentoring women in discovering their soul stories and crafting them into their message to the world through. We will be launching a second volume of this co-author book series, “Written in Her Own Words-Wise Woman Wisdom,” in July 2024.
The “Written in Her Own Words-Wise Woman” series distinguishes itself from other collaboration book projects in that our mission is to facilitate women to share their transformational stories. Using journalist skills I’ve honed over the past 40 years and my compassionate spirit, co-authors are guided to use their intuition to discern the story that wants to be shared within the collaboration book. Co-authors feel safe to share whatever the story. Co-authors feel they are heard and seen. The synchronicity of who is in the book defines the theme and essence of our stories. The first volume offers stories of motherhood and resilience. It is powerful in how all the women’s stories echo the strength they all found within themselves growing through a challenging experience. I can’t wait to see what our co-author community brings forth in the next volume.
While to the world, you may never be famous, never be written up in Who's Who, or interviewed by the likes of on Oprah, you are a very important person by being the person you came to this world to be…namely, yourself! Your story matters because it is Your Story. No one in this world can share your story from your perspective because no one else knows it the way you do. It’s your HerStory!
In honor of National Women's History Month, I celebrate YOU. If the story of your life thus far does not reflect who you want to be and where you want to go, rewrite the story! Change it.
If you want support to rewrite your story, I’m here to help. From books to blogs, workshops, and retreats, or a VIP session focusing on exactly what you want to accomplish, I’d love to have a chat with you to support you on your writing journey.
Make up your mind today that your story matters, and going forward, you have a new story!
I celebrate myself. I celebrate Us. Let's celebrate each other!
Celebrate HerStory!
Unleash the Writer in You!
BIO Mary E. Knippel, Soul Story Mentor at Your Writing Mentor
Mary E. Knippel, Soul Story Mentor, helps Coaches, Healers, and Creatives articulate their Soul's wisdom into the written word gleaned from their life lessons as a business asset to grow their business and attract clients as well as to leave a legacy beyond this lifetime.
Mary believes writing is a tremendous tool for self-development, and everyone has a soul story of hope the world needs to hear. Her company, YourWritingMentor, is an inspiration-driven education company supporting writers to become authors, grow their businesses, and leave a legacy beyond this lifetime.
YourWritingMentor supports writers through its online and in-person education programs. Because so many women have been told their stories don't matter, Mary is committed to helping women articulate the wisdom gleaned from their life experiences and their transformational stories. As a lifelong journal writer, Mary understands the vulnerability and the importance of showing up on the page. First, for yourself, and then for those who need the wisdom you are here to share.
As the Soul Story Mentor and a journalist for four decades, Mary uses her intuitive skills to ask thought-provoking questions to help writers discover and craft the stories longing to be revealed. Together, they craft these life-altering experiences into the messages the world is waiting to hear. She has written my memoir, The Secret Artist-Give Yourself Permission to Let Your Creativity Shine, which chronicles how she used writing as a healing tool throughout her first two breast cancer journeys. At the end of each essay, she encourages readers with engaging prompts so they can write their own stories.
Mary's writing has appeared in 14 co-author books. In 2022, she stepped into the role of publisher as the compiler of the Written In Her Own Words-Wise Woman Wisdom co-author book series so that aspiring authors may create a lasting legacy of their own. She is currently looking for writers who want to be supported to become authors in 2024 by participating in the second volume of this series. Learn more about how to become a co-author: https://maryeknippel.com/become-an-author.
As the host of the annual Wise Woman Wisdom Retreat, Mary facilitates an intimate gathering where women can step away from their day-to-day routine and explore what their hearts are waiting to share with them. The next retreat is taking place March 6-10, just steps away from the Pacific Ocean in Half Moon Bay. Learn about the Wise Woman Writing Retreat: https://www.maryeknippel.com/retreat.
Mary met her husband of 51 years on a blind date. They went to an outdoor movie. Only a few of those are around anymore. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism. Mary celebrated her 30th birthday as a college freshman. She earned her degree the same year she and her husband adopted a baby girl. To Mary's delight, that baby girl has welcomed her own baby. Now, Mary is blessed with the title of Nana.
Grab a spot on Mary's calendar for a chat: https://maryeknippel.com/contact.
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