If you’re hoping I’m going to criticize Hillary Clinton, you may as well stop reading now. I couldn’t admire a woman more. So I suggest moving on if you don’t want a positive perspective.
Why could I never be like her? I can hardly compare myself, but a few years ago, I was working for a company and had to run a couple of big events. I took a completely different approach to what had been done before, and for the first one, I had colleagues get so shitty with me, they didn’t talk to me for weeks afterwards. It was very upsetting, especially as I was just asking people to step up and deliver the best possible content for the audience.
After the first one, I wanted to quit. It got ugly and I got confused. Asking for the best of everyone shouldn’t have attracted such ugliness, but it did.
However, the feedback from the first one demonstrated that I was on the right path, and so a few months later, I did the second one – and it was much bigger and considerably more high profile. The feedback spoke again. “Best ever” and “thank you so much for giving us such a valuable experience.” I’ve always believed that the worst thing I could ever do is waste people’s time. Knowing I didn’t means a lot to me.
A few months after both were over, I was on holiday with the family, trying to switch off from work. I’m not very good at that, but every night I had nightmares about doing this event again the next year and the dreams were brutal.
More than that, the stress I put myself through with both events had physical ramifications. I ground my teeth so much in the night, I cracked three of my back molars, resulting in two root canals and one tooth extraction.
It made me wonder, why the hell would I put myself through that again? Yeah I helped to create change. I steered the ship in a new direction. I built my credibility. I delivered something that was valued and I changed perceptions. But is that what life is about?
Well yes, but it has to be for something you really believe in too right? Not just work, which is ultimately about making other people richer – which is fine too, as I have no issue with people making money.
I’m definitely a fighter, always have been, but this experience showed me how ugly being a fighter can be. It also made me think about what is worth fighting for – because it creates distance from the family too. It has to. If I’m going to spend less time with my boys, lose teeth and face massive dentist bills, wouldn’t I prefer to do it on something more meaningful? Or is it just who I am? What I’m made of?
I still think about that experience often, and while it will never take the fight out of me, it’s definitely made me wiser, because I learnt the biggest lesson of them all – people really do not like change, despite all the talk about being dynamic and agile.
I love change. Always have and always will. I don’t understand fear of change, because change makes the world a better place, and right now, our world is changing at its fastest pace in all of human history. Bring it on I say.
So then I look to Hillary Clinton. For 30 years this woman has been a fighter and right now, she’s fighting for the right to rule her country. And yet at every single step of the way she has been ripped apart. She is the one who has copped the flack for Bill’s philandering, as well as Monica Lewisnky of course. That is bloody shameful. Women are responsible for a man not being able to keep his cock in his pants? That’s a familiar discourse, yes?
Every speech she comes out most truthful and Trump is opposite in the extreme, and yet she is the one who isn’t trusted? Her emails, Benghazi, she’s manipulative, she’s on death’s door, her dodgy philanthropy, and on it goes. She didn’t get a life-sized painting of herself done, and then paid for it through her charity! I mean, who gets a life-sized painting done of themselves these days anyway?
I don’t get why anyone thinks Trump is a better option. I just don’t. You want something different – I get that. You’ve had enough of typical politics. I get that too. This next Presidential cycle has to be about changing the system, but you can’t do it with Trump at the helm.
He is nothing but an ugly-hearted, narcissistic, lying, sensationalist, moron. And if you think your lot in life is bad now – it’s going to get a whole lot worse if he gets in. Basically the whole world will be fucked. Trust me. That’s the only outcome if he wins in November.
Getting back to Hillary. I sit here and think bloody hell woman. Is it worth it? Do you love America and its promise so much you’ll endure all of that vitriol? Do you really want to lead a country that is so judgmental of you personally? Do you think you can ever be successful with that attitude constantly swirling around you? Man, you’re tough, so bloody tough!
I would’ve stepped out long ago. I would’ve said screw you to every asshole who ever said a bad word about me. I would’ve said no way, nothing is worth this shit.
But you never have. You’re standing strong. You’re fighting. You believe this is important. You don’t want to win for yourself. You want to win because you know you’ve got what it takes for this time in our world’s history. And I reckon you do too.
I know we’ll look back on your presidency and say it was the best ever. Many don’t agree with me. I don’t care. I see this in you, and I know I’ll cry the day, you, a woman, takes on the US Presidency for the first time. But with you, it’s not about being a woman. It’s just about being you.
I salute you woman. I really do. You amaze me. #Imwithher.
Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea
Hillary Clinton photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
