More than an Inventor for Mothers

January 20, 2021January 19, 2021 Lynette M Burrows

Today we celebrate a woman who invented a practical and helpful device for moms and babies, the Boater. But Marion Donovan was more than an inventor for mothers. Born with the Right Genes Her father and uncle were inventors, so it’s no surprise that Marion Donovan also becomes an inventor. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1917, Marion’s first invention was a tooth powder to improve dental hygiene. She created it while in elementary school. She attended Rosemont College in Pennsylvania and in 1939 received her B.A. In English. A Frustrated Mother A post-World War II homemaker, Marion Donovan was frustrated. Her youngest was still in diapers. Cloth diapers required frequent changing and bathing of the baby and laundry sheets and other clothing. Rubber baby pants were available. Yes, rubber. They were supposed to keep the moisture of wastes contained inside the diaper and the pants. Seepage was common. And the rubber and elastic legs pinched the baby’s skin. And, well, the rubber didn’t allow the baby’s bottom to dry. Chafing and diaper rashes caused terrible discomfort for the baby. The problem was so severe, doctors urged parents not to use rubber pants. Marion sewed something different for her baby. Legend […]

Creativity and You Don’t Have to be Perfect

January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 Lynette M Burrows

Are you paralyzed by the idea of using your creativity? At some point, everyone is…the blank page, the first stroke of the brush, the first cut of the paper, the first taste…afraid. Maybe you’re afraid to start. Could be you’re afraid to finish. Take a deep breath and remember, creativity, and you don’t have to be perfect. It’s about more than creating a perfect product, to paraphrase a Miley Cyrus song, it’s about the ride. Perfectionism Leads to Poor Self-Esteem “Perfectionism is a self-destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: “If I look perfect, live perfectly, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.” Brene Brown Fear drives a perfectionist by the fear of shame and judgment and blame. Yet, it’s a self-fulling destiny. Perfect is unattainable. So when you cannot reach perfection, you berate yourself before someone else can. Shaming yourself is easy. See, I knew I couldn’t do it. I knew it; I don’t deserve this. Look at how bad that looks. Why did I ever think I could do this? I can’t do anything. Self-shaming is contagious. Once we start, we find fault in everything […]

You Can Be Resilient

November 18, 2020November 18, 2020 Lynette M Burrows

“Resilience is the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress.” (from Merriam-Webster Dictionary.) We’ve all been under compressive stress. COVID-19, political tensions and upheaval, racial tensions, economic and personal issues have created a pressure cooker that will not go away with a wave of a hand on January 20th or any other date. So you need to know how to be resilient. When you feel you’ve been stretched to the breaking point, you have to bend with the wind, be resilient. What Resilience Isn’t Being resilient doesn’t mean you won’t have stress or trauma or emotional pain. It’s not something you’re born with or that you lack due to genes. And it’s not something only certain people can have. What Resilience Is Resilience is like a muscle. It must be exercised, practiced. It takes time and intention. But it can and will get stronger. Psychology Today says there are factors that can help make you more resilient. A positive attitude, the ability to regulate your emotions, and the ability to see failure as a form of helpful feedback allow you to adapt, to be resilient. And according to the […]