We had the good fortune of connecting with Daphne Anderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daphne, how do you think about risk?
I think about risk in a unique way; I consider it to be a planned inevitable. Because I accept risk as part of life and a necessity for success, I’ve taken it upon myself to get comfortable with the idea of risk and have my circle of trusted people with who I consult. Getting comfortable with the idea of risk is something I do daily, more like maintenance, so I do not get stuck in my comfort zone. I think back to critical decisions in my life, even if I did not think about risk the way I do now, I still took it and it changed my life for the better. Becoming a mom is usually my go to memory because motherhood is always a gamble. You never know what kind of kids you will get, but you’re committed to loving them anyway. I consider my circle of trusted loved ones to be the first line of defense between me and bad decisions. Of course, I take time to think things through myself, but it would be very arrogant of me to think that I could consider every viewpoint, possibility, and consideration by myself. My circle consists of my husband, my mother, a few close friends, and a mentor or two. They help me see things through eyes I do not possess. The eyes of a man, the eyes of someone older, someone younger, someone single, someone from a different background. I value their opinions greatly in my risk deciding process. If I can look through the eyes of all these different people and still see that it is a risk worth taking, well then, it’s a decision to really consider! Risk has had a mostly positive impact on my life. There has been motherhood, like I mentioned, moving, and career changes, but the most personal risk I’ve taken has been starting my non-profit, A Motivating Love (AML). To make AML what it is, a connection network for women struggling with everyday issues, it has cost me a lot. It has cost me pieces of my privacy. It has subjected me to near-naked vulnerability. It has cost my tears leaking from wounds I had sworn to never reopen. But from these risks, I have gained. I have gained the trust of the women who have come to me for help. I have gained the satisfaction of seeing other women grow and heal from my help. I have sisters in arms as we commit to battling struggles together. I see others gain from what I have risked. The risk of letting my walls down was worth mentoring a single mother and watching her finish her education. The risk of being honest and rejected was worth seeing another women triumph through a difficult time in her marriage. The risk of admitting my own struggles was worth seeing another mother get back to her children. These women were worth it, helping them was worth it, their success was worth it. And to me, the risk was worth it. – Daphne Anderson 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We are not like other support groups where you go to monthly or weekly meetings. What makes us different is we do our type of support in fun ways that allow the women to get out of the house to unwind, unplug and recharge themselves. By doing this, they can return home refreshed and able to continue to give back to the family and friends they love. A Motivating Love offers life changing support and skills for women to heal from their past experiences and to change their lives for the better. Our organization delivers true friendships through thick and thin; and values every stage of life. We take risks by exposing our past to teach valuable life lessons to others. We are most excited about the impact we are making on other women’s lives. We’ve learned through observation just how much our annual event (luncheon) means to so many by the emotions displayed. The tears, hugs, smiles and laughter of the women that look forward to this event every year. Our programs bring women of different ages and backgrounds together as one. We have built friendships from those we have partnered with and the ladies that have attended our events. Most of all we are proud of how far we have come in building the non-profit organization. We must admit A Motivating Love over the last few years has been a struggle to find and keep the right staff. Trying to find people that understand what a nonprofit is about and understanding our mission and goals. By having a “can do” attitude and pushing forward with our 2021 theme of growth, we are finding others who share our feelings and want to be part of something different and fun. We have learned to have patience knowing that if someone or something is meant to be, God will make it happen in his time frame, not ours. The one thing we want women of all ages and stages to know is that #YouAreNotAlone in this thing called life. A Motivating Love supports not just one, but all women. Together we can impact and build strength in the lives of women.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who deserve credit and recognition because without them my story would not even be possible! There is the author of my story, God! There is my mother, Jeanette, who has supported me from day one. There is Dianne, my spiritual mother and mentor, who helped me discover my path. There is my husband, who always comes through with straightforward honesty, even in difficult situations. My children who all are crazy creative characters who give me feedback and ever increasingly interesting dialogue. And finally, there is my non-profit team, who work hard to make A Motivating Love all it can be. All these people have been driving forces in my life story, and I cannot wait to see what the next chapters hold!

Website: AMotivatingLove.org
Instagram: instagram.com/AMotivatingLove
Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/AlwaysMothersLuncheon2018
Twitter: twitter.com/alwaysluncheon
Facebook: facebook.com/AMotivatingLove

Image Credits
Willie & Kim Photography Troy Foster Photography ElanBlu Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.