When I was a young girl, I was a huge tomboy. All my friends were guys and this was, for me, an awesome thing. I had the protection of a few tall guys who would go to bat for me…literally.
My thing was baseball. I’m not talking softball. I was on an ALL boys baseball team. It was known to everyone that I was one of the best on the team because I could play so many different positions. Really the only thing I couldn’t do was pitch. I could bat home runs every time I stepped up to the plate and I was a fast runner (thanks to my PE teachers). I was amazing at outfield and could play any field or base position and catch the ball nearly every time.
I was good. It was plain and simple, and I still am. I shred it at the batting cages so much that guys stop and stare at my technique and watch me play! Now, running is a different story. I don’t run anymore. 😂 But it sure is fun beating the guys at a game that is seemingly made for them.
Anytime we’d have a tournament or play other teams that didn’t know me, the other team would underestimate me.
I’d audibly hear them purposely say, “Move up” to the outfield. “She’s a girl.” Enough said, right?! We all knew I was a girl. But what they DIDN’T know is that I wasn’t your average girl.
At first, I admit, it offended me. But over time, I started using it to my advantage. I’d say, “How do you swing this thing?” I’d play dumb. Not a full-on dumb, but just a comment and it would be enough. Then, I’d blow it out of the park and we’d win the baseball game.
I was a secret weapon and it was SO much fun!
I kind of feel like that today too. So many times I’m judged, “She’s JUST a single mom.” “She’s just a girl.” Now, I’m not about to get started on the whole feminism thing, because I’ll be honest, it’s not Biblical and I don’t buy into it and you shouldn’t either. Yes, women and men are created equal, but…why do we have anything to prove? Why should we work outside the home just to prove we can make as much money as men, really? It’s dumb.
Anyway, what I AM saying is that everyone is underestimated at some point in their life. Me on the baseball field…me as a single mom….me when I was a new blogger…if you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure you are underestimated as well.
It happens to everyone, but you don’t have to play into their games. You don’t have to think less of yourself just because they do.
When they would tell me I’m just a girl in baseball, it didn’t change the fact that I was one of the best players on the team. It didn’t negate that I could hit home runs like every time I stepped up to plate. It just made them a little less wise.
Yeah, so what, I’m just a mom. That doesn’t mean that I can’t ROCK making a living from home, provide for my family, and still clean house because yeah, I’m a girl.
Mom’s do it all. We do so much every single day and a lot of what we do goes unnoticed.
That doesn’t change the fact that YOU ROCK! It doesn’t mean that you’re stupid or not well-educated because you are a homemaker (I got that one a lot too). The fact is that I went to college for 2 years after high school and I’ve had jobs that many people would kill for. I CHOSE to be a homemaker. I CHOSE to work from home. Does it make me any better or worse, no, and it doesn’t make you any worse either WHATEVER you do.
There will ALWAYS be people out there that TRY to drag you down on purpose. There will always be the nay-sayers and the people that want to see you fail. I guarantee you that I will get a boatload of nasty comments for this post (usually they like to hide in OTHER forums and diss you from afar), a post in which I put my heart on the line to tell you that you’re awesome. It’s just how it is. I don’t really care about those people. Spending time listening to what they have to say is a waste of time. And I admit, I used to listen. But I stopped. I stopped reading what they have to say because IT DOES NOT MATTER!
Why? Because it doesn’t change WHO I AM.
You can’t listen to them.
Let them underestimate you. They are going to anyway. You can’t change that. What you CAN change is your attitude toward the situation. Let their comments roll right off your back and know that you are awesome. You can’t change them, dear friend, but they can’t change you either…not unless you let them!
Don’t let them.
Has there ever been a time in your life where you were greatly misunderstood or underestimated? Did you let their words get to you or did you keep going strong, knowing you are who you are, beautifully and wonderfully created?!
Want to encourage your heart every single day? Grab my 31 day devotional, the Hope Binder here!
