Five provocative questions answered by an inspiring and fabulous woman – a woman with something to say.
Meet Trista Hendren
Trista Hendren is a Certified Coach with Imagine a Woman International and author of The Girl God series. You can read more about her projects at www.thegirlgod.com
People would be surprised to know that: I am a Muslim – because we have a very definite stereotype of Muslim women in the western world.
Other shocking facts: I don’t own a car or a phone. I get (nearly) everywhere by foot.
The WomanTalk Live 5:
What’s the conversation that changed your life?
The conversation I had with my daughter about God when she was five. She couldn’t relate to the idea of God at all as a girl because of the male language used for God. When I suggested that perhaps she had the girl God inside her – she lit up. That conversation was the spark for my work with women and girls as well as my own personal healing around the divine after growing up in a fundamentalist Christian home.
What are you most conscious of today?
Right now I am most conscious of children because I believe they are the hope for our future. I don’t want women to spend most of their life unlearning harmful patterns and trying to heal. I want all children to have the luxuries of laughter, joy and peace.
I think a great deal about what is harmful in our world and work collectively with other women to change these things. I also think about the lessons I have learned that I can teach my younger sisters – and that’s where my writing is focused.
What part of you have you yet to give voice to?
Right now I am most active in my mother role, which has included raising two fairly young children of my own and helping with two step-sons. It has also meant nurturing my wounded child and giving birth to my authentic self. It has been a very non-stop busy time in my life. I am really looking forward to my crone years – and whatever lies in between—mostly, some rest (I hope!)
What’s the conversation women need to be having collectively?
Women have been individually and collectively hurt for thousands of years by patriarchy. We need to come together and figure out how to support each other better. I see a lot of wonderful work happening among women online. Sadly, I also still see a lot of arguing and wounding. We don’t have to agree on things 100% to support each other. I’d like to see us ask each other – How can I support you better? What do you need in order to thrive?
What needs to be said bigger, louder, stronger?
I love you. You can never say that loud enough. No one ever hears that too much. Saying I love you is a commitment to the well-being of the other person. When we tell someone we love them, we are also invested in that person and want to see them do well.
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Thank you, Trista, for sharing your powerful voice
with WomanTalk Live.