Episode 5 - Embracing Discomfort As a Path to Peace with Meghan Locklair
By Jessica Garrison
The talking points used in the podcast are a staple to what it means to F.E.E.L, and our guest this week has been an inspiration to the talking points we feature here, particularly “coming back to your ‘why.’” Meghan Locklair is very intentional with what she does, living her life as a learner who is always open to new ideas.
Her technique to handle self care is very different from others that we’ve heard from in the past: by embracing discomfort. Meghan understands the world is not always kind, and she wants to pursue ways to cope with the hardships that life may bring. She recognizes that confronting discomfort isn’t for everyone, but for her, it helps to put things into perspective and take care of herself better.
Boundaries are something that evolve with time, and Meghan understands how they have to shift with your needs as you evolve over the years. She said she had to figure herself out, what God thinks of the boundaries she’s setting, and how they can affect what she values the most. Her boundaries are “not the same as ten years ago” because they’ve actually increased with her age, but she’s also gotten better at setting them as guardrails rather than setting them up as brick walls. It’s nice to see the contrast between Meghan’s boundaries when she was younger versus how she sets them now, especially since she is such a well rounded individual.
Meghan has two main goals personally, and they are her keeping her mind and body healthy. She knows there’s a deep connection between the two and tries to be conscious of truly feeling her emotions. If she’s angry, she wants to be able to express that just as she wants to for a happy emotion. Hormones are a difficult thing to navigate for women, and we see this become more difficult in a world of misogyny that is never pleased with how women react to any given situation. Meghan says, “you’re not more emotional, you’re more intuitive.” I wish someone had said this to me when I was younger because I always got told I was “too emotional,” but that shouldn’t be referred to as something negative. Meghan and everyone at F.E.E.L are here to tell you your emotions are valid and you shouldn’t feel ashamed to have them.
Her advice for supporting women is to own your life and own your values; if something is important to you, then don’t be afraid of it. Life can present peer pressure to you, but there’s always more than one option, and you should be pursuing whatever means the most to you despite what others may say about it. Meghan says we all need each other, so we should be respecting one another, helping one another, and inviting others to join the journey. Melissa also gives notable advice that it’s great for women to be independent, but that doesn’t mean you need to take everything on yourself, so don’t be afraid to allow help from others. Accepting help from others when you need it is a strength, not a weakness.
Sometimes it’s difficult for Meghan to put into actual words what her values are, but she knows what they are in her core, and that’s the most important thing. When it comes to making decisions, the “why” has to be involved and it should be clear if it’s part of your master plan. Otherwise, you should reevaluate either your “why” or your master plan. It’s evident that Meghan knows what she wants out of life and goes after it, but she does so in a way that she doesn’t lose who she truly is on the inside.
Melissa shares with us that Meghan is a twin, so she’s had to work to find her own identity and sense of self. Meghan says that people have more ownership over their life than they like to think; she wants to change the idea of “why is this happening to me” and turn it into a positive. She feels that “God brings us into different seasons,” but she doesn’t want to have a victim mindset that decisions are being made for people and there’s nothing they can do about it. Learn to recognize different seasons, learn from them, and become the person you want to be, even if circumstances are not ideal.
Hearing from Meghan has been so wonderful, especially after learning that she inadvertently inspired so much for this podcast. I think we can all agree with Melissa that Meghan has a glow about her, and it shines through every time she speaks about her family, her life, and her values.