Kimberly G: Profile of an Inspiring Softcup User

Kimberly G. is a 38 year old mom of 3 (one son and two daughters) and grandmother to a 2 year old grandson. Raised in west Texas and currently living in a small town outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kimberly became a single teenage mom but managed to graduate high school and attend college on her own, working 3 jobs to support her kids. These days she enjoys camping, hunting, fishing, and tennis. It may come as no surprise that she prides herself on "being able to overcome any obstacle."

Kimberly has used Softcup for several years. About Softcup she says, "One day I was trying to find a better feminine product and came across the box of Softcups on the shelf. I stood there for over 20 minutes reading the box and debating to try it or not. I am so glad I did. After all those years of using the same things my mother and her mother had used (the consistency of a diaper) I had found a product that made me forget about how unpleasant my period was."

About me:

• My favorite thing about myself is… my independence.
• The advice I would give to my younger self is… don't stress over the small stuff.
• My favorite book from childhood is… the Little House series.

• What I appreciate about my friends is… they accept me for me and do not want me to change for anything.
• The quality I most admire in others is… honesty.
• My idea of happiness is… spending time with my family and friends.
• If I could be one animal I’d be… a Raven because… they are the largest songbird and found in many myths written through history.
• The meaning of success is… being the best I can be and teaching my children to be the best they can be.

Mary: Can you give an example of how you teach your children to be the best they can be?

Kimberly: I have always instilled in my children that they can be anything they dream to be. I have made it a point to introduce my daughters to successful women who are in demanding work positions such as the local principal, whom my youngest looks up to greatly, a local Vet and Chief of Police. My son joined the Marine Corp and has done well for himself. My 17 year old daughter had always wanted to be a pilot in the military. She has been in Air Force ROTC for 4 years and will join the Air Force this year to follow that dream. My 14 year old daughter has a passion for animals. Her dream is to be a Vet and [she] has always brought home stray animals, especially ones that are injured. She volunteers at a local Vet hospital and animal shelter.

• I dream of… a stress free and less chaotic world.
• I am inspired by… strong woman who have struggled to get to where they are in life.
• Someone I admire is… my grandmother.

Mary: What is it about your grandmother that inspires you so much?

Kimberly: My Grandmother is the strongest woman I know. She was not educated but was very insistent on our education. She lived on a peanut farm in a small 4 room home (1 room was the kitchen, 1 for the family room and 2 for bedrooms). There was no bathroom until the late 1980's—we used an outhouse and took baths in a metal tub that was placed in the kitchen floor. There was never money to splurge. She could budget next to nothing to live on and feed all of us kids (there are 7 of us). She taught us not to envy what others had but to be thankful for what we had. She taught me never to be discouraged when things would get hard and there would seem to be light at the end. She always made it a point to find something good in everything. When our house burned down, I was frantic and crying since we had just lost everything. She told me not to cry and worry but to warm my hands by the fire and count my blessings.

• One word I hate is… hate.
• One word I love is… together.
• If someone wrote a book about my life, it would be called… Getting on with My Life
• If I could go anywhere in the world right now, I’d go to… Ireland.

Mary: What makes you want to go to Ireland over any other place?

Kimberly: My ancestors are from Ireland and I would like to take my children to see the Irish culture and learn about the ways of the people.

• My best woman-to-woman advice is… Stick together and try things that could make our lives more enjoyable and simpler.
• Right now I feel… content.

There's no doubt that we can all learn a few lessons from Kimberly. I feel as though our conversation was just the tip of an iceberg of amazing stories that she could tell. What I learned from her is that there is always a silver lining, no matter how tough the situation, you just have to look for it.

Finally, as Kimberly signs off all her emails, I'll sign off this blog post:
"Smile, it confuses people."

View a complete list of the women we've profiled so far.

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