ust a thought for today real quick before we move into the weekend.

It hit me this week that our society is obsessed with shaming others and making them feel like they aren’t valuable or worthy of praise. Moms are shamed if they work, if they stay home, if they breastfeed in public, if they bottle feed, if they breastfeed too long, if their kids have a new outfit every day, if their kids are wearing old shoes… it goes on and on.

Women in general are shamed for speaking out, not speaking up, being overweight, being on a diet, being muscularly toned, wearing a swim suit when “oh my gaaaawsh how is she wearing that” is whispered all around her. Women are shamed for wearing make up and heels, wearing a mom bun and sweat pants, being too “christian,” and then of course… being too “salty”…. again…the list goes on.

Then…if you want to better yourself, you’re shamed for being an overachiever, if you are happy where you are… you’re shamed for settling or being lazy.

There seems to be no “middle” ground. People will shame others… why? I’m convinced that while some of it may be “not meant that way” I think many people do it just to make themselves feel better about the choices they’ve made in their life.

Now… what really hit me hard this week is… crafter shaming.

Mean. Ole. Craft shaming bullies.

I’ve watched posts where someone is brand new to crafting and posts their creation and in the comments you’ll see everything from, “it’s off centered, but it’s still cute” to “Eh *I* would have done it this way” to “you spelled that wrong” to “are you really trying to sell this?” and then thankfully I’ll see “great job! You’ll get the hang of it! Just have fun!”

That last comment is made by Emma The Encourager. We like Emma.

GUYS! WE HAVE TO STOP SHAMING AND START ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER!!!!

We don’t know the life on the other side of the screen. We don’t know their pains. We don’t know their challenges. We don’t know if they just lost a loved one, or are fighting a disability, or suffer from depression. We just don’t know!

YOU have the power in your words to completely destroy someone… or radically uplift them and change their mood, outlook… or even their life! YES, even through a computer screen, you have that power LITERALLY at your fingertips.

I challenge you to think twice before pushing “send.”

Words are powerful, powerful, powerful things. Please choose them wisely.