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We find, we read, we get pumped/stoked/inspired/SO into it, and we share.  It’s the Monday Menagerie.

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The Motherhood Days we Don’t Talk About That Much but we Should

Powerful piece about letting go of the “perfect” vision of Motherhood.  After reading it I looked at the comments and one jumped out at me.  It says a lot, and makes me wonder, how many women out there feel the same way towards having children?

I don’t have kids yet and from my perspective it’s other parents that perpetuate this pressure and fear. It terrifies me to join the ranks of peers that use harsh judgment and one track thinking to cope. Definitely one of the scariest part of becoming a parent for me is the aggressive harshness of other parents who don’t know how to use empathy. I feel for you all and the constant barrage of hordes of judgmental friends and online forums disguised as “helpful” and “caring”. Ack!”

(shared by Jamie Bullock)

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This Guy Called For His Male Classmates To Bring Tampons And Pads For Their Lady Friends

Pretty spectacular thing for a young guy to do.  Or, really, for any guy to do.   (shared by Kristin Tona)

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Soul Searching – Interview with Angela Lindvall

Angela talks about awareness, self-love, sustainability, and how to look at the “bigger picture” to make a difference.  It’s a short interview and a good read.

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“I Try To Look At Myself As If I Were A Man Who Was Really Hot For Me”

Jemima Kirke talks body.

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M.I.A. music video – The New International Sound (Part II)

Yes, I love M.I.A., and yes this video is kick-ass.

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Elle’s 2015 Women in Tech

Women to know now.  (this list is like a highly concentrated form of female-powerhouse-inspiration!)

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WOW – Women of the World Festival

This is awesome!  Hope I get to go to this next year, just missed the one in Harlem, NY.  Check out their blog, it’s pretty great.

“Jude Kelly launched WOW London in 2011 to mark the centenary of International Women’s Day, as a major global festival that celebrates women and girls and looks at the obstacles they face, where hundreds of women’s stories could be shared, feelings vented, fun had, minds influenced and hearts expanded.”

(shared by Elizabeth Davis)

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Rebecca Rebouche interviewed on TGD

Interview with a cool girl on one of my favorite websites, The Great Discontent.

Rebecca Rebouché is a Louisiana-based artist who makes allegorical paintings of the natural world and is best known for her exclusive collaborations with Anthropologie.

I loved this interview mostly for this:

“My best advice comes in two parts: First, bold delusion. It all boils down to that. You have to believe in yourself in an almost crazy way. You have to be bold enough to make something from nothing over and over again. And you have to be delusional enough to think that your ideas are valuable, which is, of course, not delusional at all.”

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Harlem Students Cultivate Emotional Intelligence, Lead Each Other in Meditation

Wow… I wish they had this in EVERY school in EVERY grade in the world.  “Meditation Hour”.  It should be part of the curriculum!

“Principal Dawn Decosta says students need to be taught how to control their emotions. ‘It’s just something that we don’t learn as a skill, but it is a skill to be aware of yourself and to be emotionally intelligent,'”

(shared by Brittany Wilkerson)

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How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Body

Cute and lovely advice.

“Teach your daughter how to cook kale.  Teach your daughter how to bake chocolate cake made with six sticks of butter.”

(shared by Brittany Wilkerson)

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I Am A Real Woman & So Is Every Other Woman

Kathryn Budig talks with energy and passion about body confidence, and how people should really keep their non-positive body commentary to themselves.  I love what she had to say! (shared by Brittany Wilkerson)

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The Internet responds to #TheNew10: “Let’s put a woman on the 78¢”

We fought to put a woman on the $20, but we’re getting the $10.  Well, kind of.

“A woman will appear on U.S. paper currency for the first time — but she’ll have to share the spot with Hamilton”

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This Year, Women (And Girls) Rule The Big Screen

Woot, woot!  Women are “ruling” the big screen, but we still need to see way more female directors and screenwriters!

“In 13 of the past 30 years, not a single top 10 box-office hit was centered on a female character.”

(shared by Brittany Wilkerson)

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Julie Blackmon – photographer

Unwind with some pretty pictures.

“These images are both fictional and auto-biographical, and reflect not only our lives today and as children growing up in a large family, but also move beyond the documentary to explore the fantastic elements of our everyday lives, both imagined and real… “

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Featured image (at top) by: Julie Blackmon

All reviews written and opinions expressed are the author’s own. “Shared by [name]” – Refers to the person who shared the link to the original piece featured here.

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