Dear Working Daughter,

If you ever talk to me the way you talk to yourself, we will not be friends. If you ever judge me as harshly as you judge yourself, we will not be friends. I deserve better than that.

I mean c’mon! I do my best. Sure I take time for me sometimes, but most of the time I put my family’s needs ahead of my own. And sure, I complain about how exhausted I am, how I can’t answer the same question over and over, and how I’d just like to run away sometimes. But even though I vent to my friends, I always do the right thing for my family. And sure, sometimes I fantasize about what it would be like to have no responsibility, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love the people in my life.

What’s that, you say? You don’t judge me?  You think I should cut myself a break? You think I’m pretty amazing? What did you just say? I shouldn’t be so hard on myself? Hmm, interesting. Well I’ve got something to say to you.

Look in the mirror, working daughter. Takes one to know one. You’re pretty amazing yourself. I know you wear a cape, I can see a bit of that shiny fabric sticking out. You can’t hide it from me. So let me ask you something…

Why the heck do you cut me slack, but you don’t cut yourself any? If you talked to me the way you talk to yourself, we would never be friends. So why the heck do you talk to yourself that way?

C’mon, working daughter! You’re pretty freaking amazing, so no more criticism. No more self-doubt. No more guilt. You’re doing just fine. Hell, you’re doing better than fine. So go find yourself a mirror, take a long hard look, and be a friend to the person staring back at you. Tell her thank you. Tell her good job. Tell her you appreciate her and that you know she is doing her best. Treat her like a friend. Doesn’t she deserve that?

And if you need a little push, I’ve got just the mirror for you. Click here to buy.