Don’t Worry, It’ll Be Fine: The Power of Peers
Hearing those five (or five and a half, depending on how you look at it) words brings a feeling of “Ahh” and a sense of calmness over most of us. With reassurance, our shoulders drop, our jaws loosen, and our minds are put at ease. This is not CBS’s “Survivor”; no one wants to be left on the island alone. In real reality, we want to be surrounded by others who are also fighting the elements, trekking through the same terrain, and battling the same villains. Fellow soldiers on the field make the foxhole a lot less scary.
Oprah made the “Aha” moment famous; we want to make the Ahh moment famous. While we certainly want you to have your Eureka moments (they’re great!), our primary goal is to help you find that moment of peace—that moment when you realize you are not alone, you’re amongst millions of other women facing similar struggles, and you realize their strength can help you achieve your goal. No matter what we look like, what clothes we wear, or where we live, we ladies are all trying to make it as far as we can in those horrible high heels (Why do we do that to ourselves? They hurt so badly!). And while we can’t help you find ones that are cute and comfortable (trust us, we’ve searched everywhere), we can help you find and build a community of fierce women.
We talk a lot, not only to our patients but also to each other (you would be amazed at how many text messages we send to each other a day!). We are very open about our own experiences, struggles, and failures. Our personal and professional goals have not only centered on helping couples make families but also creating a community of openness, honesty, and empowerment. Admitting our weaknesses and advertising our fallibilities is never fun; it takes a ton of courage. But it makes us human. And when you take it back to the basics, we are all people trying to survive, find joy, and make our footprint on the world.
While we recommend you letting stuff out and finding your Ahh moment, we don’t recommend turning your life into a Bravo reality TV show (although we do love those Bravo-lebrities!). Sharing your experiences will not only help you but also your fellow femme fatales. Believe it or not, even the most soft spoken amongst us can scream—our voices can empower someone else to make a change, seek support and conquer her fears. We are stronger together than alone. Collectively, we can make a difference.
We are often asked about the obsession with group fitness studios like Soul Cycle and Flywheel. Why do they hit it out of the park repeatedly? In many ways, their popularity is a direct result of the community, camaraderie, and unity their classes create. I mean, why else would you sit in a dark and sweaty room at all hours of the day spinning your legs? It’s because riding next to you are a group of kickass women (and some men) who struggle with the same problems. Their energy and strength will help elevate you to another level. They will inspire you to not be scared about what’s over the next hill. They will motivate you to not hold back because you think you can’t do it. They will encourage you to not limit yourself to only try what you know you can achieve. The fact is that we push harder together, we push longer together, and we break barriers together. Next time you see someone struggling, tell them, “Don’t worry; it’ll be fine.” And then add our three favorite words: “I got you.”