MADEFEATURES
older I realize having connections with other women is so powerful and I think it helps give me strength and helps remind me that all things are possible .
Write Down Your Goals I had a lot of fear about writing . [ For my first book ], I think limiting the subject matter to simply kids and situations with them was helpful and I think it was a great place to start . I talked to Kenya years ago and we had just had our fifth kid and I felt like I should be doing more . I felt I wasn ’ t doing enough . I hadn ’ t really taken time off from work and he asked what did I want to do . I talked about writing a book and trying to reach other young women and just sharing my story because I think that it is a place where people can find strength . We talked about it at that one time and I kind of forgot about it . We were in the process of moving and my sister was helping me clean some things and she found some notes and I wrote down the exact date in 2009 and I wrote down exactly what I am putting out in this book about sharing my story and about the kids and I wrote it on some random scratch sheet of paper . I found it four days ago and I ’ m so excited that I found that because it did help me to see that if I want to , I can bring things to life in a very real way .
Remember Where You Started [ Sometimes ] Kenya will say he ’ s not where he wants to be . I tell him to think back to where you were 5 years ago . If you would have seen yourself where you are now , you would say you made it . Having the consciousness to think about bettering yourself and bettering your life , I really think that you ’ ve already made it when you ’ re even able to do that . I think having plans and having goals aspiring to do more or aspiring to be a better person , friend , mother , wife — I think all of those things represent a part of me that have made it a long time ago . I think more people should appreciate where they are every single day and knowing that things could be better , but the greatness of wherever you are in any moment is a reflection of you already making it .
“ Having the consciousness to think about bettering yourself and bettering your life , I really think that you ’ ve already made it when you ’ re even able to do that .”
The Advice She ’ d Give To The 21-Year Old Rainbow This too shall pass . I say that because we often think that whatever situation we ’ re in is the hardest of the most difficult , the most important or the worst and it ’ s very hard to see life outside of the moment that we ’ re in and that ’ s even for the good moments . It all passes and it all changes and that ’ s a very beautiful thing that time helps .
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Rainbow Barris ' upcoming book , Keeping Up With The Johnsons : Bow ’ s Guide to Black-ish
Parenting here .
# mademaven 57