Society has created certain standards for us that dictate the way we live, dress, who we are and what we believe in. These standards have led many women to stay in situations they weren’t meant to be in, and remain silent when abused.
In the society we live in, a woman is supposed to get an education, get married, have children and take care of her family. This is how you earn respect from the people around you. And if a woman has a child before getting married, it brings shame to the family, so they say. So much so that many women are forced to live with men who fathered their children whether he loves her or not, which is one of the factors that causes abuse in marriages. But if she doesn’t get married, she is labelled.
Many women are abused in their homes but will never speak out because of what people will say. A divorced woman is believed to be a weak woman who wasn’t tough enough to “stick it out”. In many circumstances, when a woman has had enough and seeks advice, she is told that a real woman stands and fights for her marriage no matter what. So, to fit that definition of a “strong woman”, she stays and slowly dies inside.
There comes a point when we should stand up and face our fears, pretend we don’t know what people are saying about us and do what we know is good for us. Personal happiness and peace of mind are far more important, and when we put societal expectations ahead of what we want, we risk going to the grave earlier than we should have.
Take some time to think deeply about your life. Is this how you really want to live?
[ctt template=”5″ link=”5b9YU” via=”no” ] A life of pretense may garner a stamp of approval from others, but at the end of the day, you face the pain alone.[/ctt]
No one should ever tell you to endure the pain of an abusive relationship. The only person who will ever know what you are going through is you. If you feel you’ve had enough, leave. People will always talk behind your back, whether you’ve done good or bad. It’s better to let them talk while your mind is at peace than to have them sing your praises when deep inside you are hurting. God did not create you to live in misery.
And if you did have a child out of wedlock, you don’t have to wear a ring on your ring finger just to appear married to the world. Never mind about being labelled. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. If it was a mistake, then that mistake brought you a blessing of a child. Embrace your blessing. Be proud to be a mother. It doesn’t matter how you became one, thank God for the blessing.
Take time to appreciate the life that God gave you and remember, we can’t all be the same. Society will always set expectations but it’s up to you to choose what you really want to do with your life.
Learn from your mistakes and from other people’s mistakes as well. Walk away from things and people that make you sad and focus on who and what brings you joy. Smile woman, you deserve to be happy.
