#MyStoryMatters

Did you know that your story matters? That your story can make a difference for others? That sharing your story can change everything?

How we look, our education, our opportunities, our choices, the circumstances outside of our control, our people, our life status,  all of this and more is a part of our stories. Stories we bring to the table of life, in our relationships, in our careers, in our communities. But those aspects aren’t who we are, they’re just a part of our story and they don’t define us. You may be a mother or a father or childless but that isn’t all of who you are. You may be a lawyer or a trash collector but that isn’t all of who you are. You may be from Houston, TX or New York City, but that isn’t all of who you are. Married, single, divorced, dating, that isn’t all of who you are.

You are so much more than what you do, where you live or lived, your education, and your life stage. And so am I.

Bring your story to the table. Our Stable Table isn’t just for certain people with certain stories, it is for all of us. All of us are welcome to pull up a chair, fill up their plate, and share. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The true. The honest. The real.

Maybe you feel your story isn’t happy enough, dramatic enough, perfect enough, difficult enough, strong enough, smart enough, right enough, important enough, painful enough, humble enough, promising enough, advocate enough, bold enough.

Enough.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

You aren’t perfect and you never will be, whatever perfect means.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Your highs, your lows.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

The flab, the stretch marks, the skin and bones, or the extra padding.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

The moments of pride, the moments of shame.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Your hurt and your joy.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Your vagina, your penis, your breasts, your scars.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

And #YourStoryMatters.

#MyStoryMatters too.

The next generation is watching, long before you will realize they are aware, they are watching. Every criticism you bestow upon yourself eats away at your confidence and how you view yourself. Which, if you have children, eats away at your child. How they will grow to see you, how they will grow to believe you see them, and how they will grow to see themselves. Are you treating yourself as well as you want your child to be treated by themselves and others some day? We are their models, is this what we want for them? And are we treating others, our friends and peers, how we want our children to treat others and how we want others to treat our children?

Will your child look at you and see that you are enough?

Will your child look at themselves and see that they are enough?

Join us at the table, we say it is stable but sometimes that’s only because we shoved a piece of cardboard under that wobbly leg. There’s room for you and your wobbly bits too.

Our parent site, TheLeakyBoob.com is celebrating it’s 5th birthday this month and we’re joining in the fun with the #MyStoryMatters campaign. We want to share your story now and regularly going forward. How you share your story is up to you, poetry, essay style, photographs, and even recipes (yes, recipes tell stories). We can’t promise we’ll feature every story that is submitted but we would love to. And if a guest post isn’t for you, you can participate by sharing why your story matters using the hashtag #MyStoryMatters:

What we’re looking for in guest post submissions:

• Honesty, share what you feel you need to share.
• Humor is great but if that doesn’t help you share your story then don’t use it.
• Invites conversation.
• Respect for other perspectives.
• 700-1,200 word count.

It’s pretty simple. We believe #YourStoryMatters no matter what it entails. By sharing our stories together, we can all better appreciate that who we are, exactly as we are even with all our growing and changing, is enough. #IAmEnough. To submit, please email carrie @ ourstabletable.com with the subject #MyStoryMatters Guest Post Submission.