Consider Your Sister

The first friends I ever had are my sisters, they are my biggest champions, my most enthusiastic fans when it comes to my writing and my life, they are my trusted advisors and they tell me the truth - even if its not pretty.
But even when the truth hurts, their love and support for me makes me feel very blessed and I know that whatever happens, they will be by my side.

The love of a kind sister is one of the greatest treasures I hold in my life and luckily, I have two such sisters.

When we were growing up it was love and war. One minute we were bonding over Home & Away, the next minute we were bickering over clothes and who would use the dial-up internet or land-line (thank God Wifi came and saved us all!) our Mum never allowed us to talk smack about each other because she wanted us to grow up and have strong bonds that is like steel encased in three layers of concrete.

Over the years, my sisters have saved me many times. When I was a toddler, *Victoria saved me from drowning.
When I was 15, *Cassandra helped me get help to talk about things that I had kept bottled up inside.

So with this foundation of sisterhood, I have been inspired to be the best person I can be because I know that *Victoria and *Cassandra love me for all my qualities and quirks.

I also have the blessing of working alongside women who come from different cultures and backgrounds. Knowing them has also helped me grow into a better person.

I am also fortunate to have a small group of friends that I chat to on a daily basis, whether we have heart-to-hearts around a firepit or GIF the hell out of each others Facebook inbox or laze around on the couch, I always feel happy and uplifted when I am around them.

Being the second of three sisters, I have always believed in the power of three. These three groups that I belong to have inspired this blog and there are things I have learnt from each one.

Support Each Other

No matter how strong someone may appear to be, we all have sore spots where we are vulnerable.
When somebody else can come into that space with the wisdom and strength to turn that sore spot into a healing one, not only do two people grow together - it also strengthens a trusting bond.

Appreciate Each Other

We all have special gifts that only we can bring into the lives of others, whether its know-how, a talent or a helping hand; everything that is contributed enriches our lives and what we do in life. Whether its at home, in our friendships, the workplace or the community.
We need to use our powers for good things that bring joy and meaning to others and know when to step aside to allow someone else to use their gifts so we can learn from them, regardless of whether they are older or younger or what their highest academic education is.

When You Cannot Always Agree...

You do not always have to agree on everything, as long as you have a common interest or goal that you are striving towards with the same desired outcome. You may not like the way someone chooses to be but you can still have empathy for them and appreciate what they bring to the table.

Be A Cheerleader

Praise someone for a thought well spoken and a task well done.
Encourage someone if you can see they are struggling and if it is within your power, help them.
It could be as simple as a few kind words and a hug to make someone want to keep going even if the road is rough.

Appreciate What Someone Stands For...

Everyone has their quirks and sometimes in the moment we may feel frustrated when somebody's quirk has caused us inconvenience or stress. In this scenario I have learnt three things that have helped me deal when other people's quirks annoy me.

1) What is this person's true intention? Will it benefit others and is it something I can support?
2) This time tomorrow, will I still be frustrated with this incident?
3) How can I help so things will flow and both of us have a satisfying and successful outcome?

Honesty Is The Best Policy...

This is a mantra that *Victoria swears by. Its good to be truthful about how you feel, whether or not something is for you. Because when we are being honest with ourselves and others, we feel peaceful and content.  If we agree to things that do not resonate with our heart and we get that yucky, sludgy feeling in our gut - its an indication that something is not right for us and our intuition urges us to make amends where neccesary. How you feel about something the first time you hear it is your heart guiding you to the right decision.
Be honest with those you love and encourage them to be honest with you too.

Ask For Help.
It's What Sisters Are For...

Asking for help is something that I have struggled with because I like to prove to myself that I can do things on my own. That can be an awesome or a frustrating thing for my loved ones because if they get wind of it, they worry and stress more...and then I feel bad because they were worried about me. I learnt that I can't do everything on my own, that if I am unsure of something that needs another pair of eyes or another set of hands, that I reach out to people who I know would love to help me. For instance, I do not post a blog without one of my sisters proof-reading it to make sure that my message is being delivered in a way that people can relate to.
Yes, this is something I could do on my own but they are my biggest fans - they love reading my raw material and I am happy knowing that when my blog posts launch, they will fly like shooting arrows and find their mark.

One more thing about asking for help, people know that you are human and they will feel comfortable talking to you about things they need help with that may lie in your skill-set.

Forgiving Your Sister

We're all human. We've let people we love down and they have let us down too, whether its in word or deed. Sometimes we wish other people came with a guidebook so misunderstandings and unsaid words could be easily resolved with less conflict and pain.
There are things that are forgiveable and others that are a little less, but if someone is genuinely sorry and is pulling out all the stops to make amends, try to be gracious and compasssionate towards them even if you need distance. Because for all you know, you will need that grace and compassion from others one day.

Keep Your Sisters Close

Keep an eye on your sisters, let them know without a doubt how much they mean to you and how much you love them.
When your sisters aren't around - brag about their accomplishments and acheivements.
And when you're with them - tell them you're proud to know them.

Who Are Our Sisters?

Our sisters are those who we can count on to stand with us, love us, encourage and challenge us to be the best version of ourselves no matter what battles we are fighting emotionally and spiritually.
If we have a bad day they tell us to stand strong, when we want to give up they give us five reasons to keep going and pour us a glass of wine.

So to all of my sisters, whether you are my flesh and blood or if you are just on the same level of crazy as me and we call each other family, I love you. Thank you for the blessing your presence brings to my life every day and for the inspiration for me to write Consider Your Sister.

- Sarah x