Evolve Like a Butterfly, Don't Sting Like a Bee
During a late-night waking, I found myself really pondering the famous Muhammad Ali phrase “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
A day or two later, I found myself watching Bee Movie with my son, where I casually heard, “everybody knows you die after a sting…”
I suddenly found myself reading more about bees than I ever needed to know, but of course, it also made me think about you.
As women, we’re often seen (or proclaim ourselves) as the worker bees. Interestingly enough, in my research, I found that the female worker (actual) bees are the only ones that sting, and then for the most part, they die.
I found that bees vary, in both species and ability, so in this instance, I’m going to be talking about honey bees, and specifically the worker honey bees.
The world needs bees…specifically worker bees. They literally keep a hive functioning. Depending on the worker bees’ age, she may have a different role in her hive. A young worker bee will serve as a nurse bee, nurturing and feeding the babies, among processing incoming nectar, feeding the queen, as well as making the honey. I’m already tired.
A bee of a particular age, will then leave the hive to collect all the necessary resources (your translation: her coins) the entire colony needs to survive. On top of all that, she is the smallest of the honey bees, a more compact version of the queen and the drone (male bee).
When a honey bee stings, it’s because she’s trying to protect something, but it comes at a cost. In most cases, her stinger get’s stuck in the skin and tears loose from her abdomen, also leaving behind part of her digestive tract, muscles and nerves...This is what kills her.
She has sacrificed her life to protect the hive...in a bee's life, this may or may not be a noble act. But for you, it may not be worth it, protecting fears by not actively tackling them or protecting your ego by not getting the support you desire.
How many women do you know that are living this exact life?
Are you this woman?
Listen Sis, an actual bee hive will continue to thrive with the loss of one worker bee, but your people cannot continue to survive without you. The people that you were created to serve with your purpose are in need of you. You can’t waste your sting (your translation: time, energy, money, etc.) on the things that don’t serve your purpose, because that will kill you.
There’s nothing wrong with you being a worker, because you have to work to serve, but I believe it’s more important to evolve, grow, pay attention, and align. As this too, is part of the work when you walk in your purpose.
Stephanie Womack is an author and speaker that specializes in PR strategies for hearts, minds and souls, helping women take their personal responsibility to the next level. Her latest book, Standing on Sinking Sand, is a personal development book with over 25 practical life lessons to make the rest of your time the best, and achieve any goal. You can download the Rebrand Your Fear Workbook, as a FREE gift from Stephanie to learn her 4- step process to shift your mindset and start building your personal brand. Get Stephanie's weekly newsletter, First Things First, in your inbox for an exclusive first look at the blog and additional resources.
