Raising Women Up on International Women’s Day

The theme for this years International Women’s Day is balance for better. The slogan “Better the Balance. Better the World” got me thinking about how, as women, we can support each other and create a deeper emotional connections and balance between women. Growing up, it always seemed like I had a lot of girl friends, and one could argue that I did. However, the truth was that I never felt like I truly fit in. There was a part inside of myself that was craving the acceptance of those around me (It wasn’t until years later that I would realize that what I was actually craving was my own acceptance). I was a bit of a teenage nomad, bouncing from group to group spending all week connecting, laughing, and sharing. Then the weekend would come and I’d sit by the phone hoping and praying that one of my new friends would call me. Then as a defense mechanism, I would tear myself or other women around me down (this all happened internally). It was the way that I learned to protect my heart. Anyone else familiar with this experience?

Fast forward to now, I’ve done the healing work and am consistently working my process and while I don’t experience this feeling much today, I do still see and hear about other women having this experience (especially in the workplace). The thing is that if we want to continue to push forward to “Better the Balance”, we must first start with supporting each other.

Here are a few ways we can start to do that today:    

Practice Self-Acceptance: by practicing self-acceptance we automatically give permission to those around us to do the same. Self-acceptance leads to increased self-confidence and studies have shown that confidence is one of the leading factors that contribute to our success.

Support Other Women: rather than compare ourselves to each other, support each other. We must continue to build each other up because we are stronger together. Look for the good in the women around you (especially the ones that you find yourself judging the most). If you find yourself judging other women, try asking yourself “Is there an area in my life that I might be showing up in the same way that I am judging them for showing up as?” Own the projection and express your gratitude and appreciation for being shown a way to deepen in your own understanding of yourself.

“We stand on the shoulders of giants”: acknowledge and say “Thank you” to the women who have helped shape who you are today and then just as they have paved the way for you, extend your hand out to the younger generation of women to help them rise as well. Try mentoring a younger colleague.

Take Action: Don’t wait for people to create a life for you, start taking action now. Whether you want to foster deeper connections with women in your life or be a champion for women’s equality on a more macro level, start by taking a tiny next step today. Remember that lasting change comes from taking small consistent action today.

I feel passionate about women supporting women, so please share in the comments the ways in which you support women around you.

Big Love! Xx