Women are the backbone of the family, the country, the world! We were reminded when I shared the information from the International Women’s Day site, that women continue to break barriers and make a difference…we are GETTING THINGS DONE.
I wanted to highlight outstanding women in this blog, but there are so many, the blog would have been pages and pages long. There are so many phenomenal women who have chosen to follow their passion; defy the odds, who faced challenges, even death yet they persisted. They changed lives. They changed their neighborhoods, cities, countries even the world. Many are unknown sheroes. Many are noted in history yet people don’t know about them.
According to the LA Times, “The pandemic has disproportionately affected women, with significant numbers laid off, leaving their jobs or reducing work hours to care for children being schooled at home or to care for other family members.” “It had another effect too: Women, especially those who had never before started a business, took up entrepreneurship, spurring a wave of first-time business ventures that experts say is a pandemic silver lining worth investing in.” “This virtual presence has also opened a plethora of doors for people to connect with people around the world but also see how they can share ideas, start businesses, meet new friends, begin new relationships,” “It’s like no other time.”
What can we do to engage with other women not only during Women’s History month but year around?
- Define success for yourself: What is your definition of success or what does success look like to you? It is different for everyone. Yet, you need to have a clear picture of what it is for you.
- Support and encourage other women: Globally, women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to both basic and higher education, greater health and safety risks, and less political representation. Women still face bias, stereotypes and lack of opportunity. Yet, we are getting things done. Support women owned businesses. Encourage women to dream and go for their dreams. Age doesn’t matter. Women in their 20’s through their 60’s and 70’s started businesses last year. One woman said, “Life is not easy. Doing what you love, that’s what makes life.”
- Collaborate: Ebony Speakers is a good example of support, encouragement and collaboration. We live in different states, have different experiences and we’ve been together over 10 years.
- Share Resources: Resources include information, educational opportunities, connections and ideas.
- Celebrate YOU: Encourage yourself. Love yourself. Believe in yourself. You are wonderfully made. Women have a reputation for putting everyone else first and then when it comes to taking time for them, they’ll get “around to it”. Often times they don’t take time for themselves and at the same time, they don’t feel they are making a difference. YOU are making a difference.
You are successful women speaking up and speaking out. You are successful women who have spoken love, life and lessons into others. You have been selfless. I applaud you. I salute you. I also challenge you to take time for you. That is not selfish, it is selfless. Love yourself. Pamper yourself. Take care of yourself and continue to SPEAK up and speak out against bias. Remember also to CHOOSE YOU while YOU ARE GETTING THINGS DONE. #BreakTheBias
