4 Reasons Women Can Do Anything They Set Their Minds To!
By just doing YOU, your own way and in your element, you are a force to be reckoned with! There is something unstoppable about…
March is Women’s History Month!
Before I get into it, let me share some about the significance of this month from History.com. It is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to U.S. history. We often hear about the same few powerhouse women in history, but there are so many other noteworthy women out making waves! You may actually be one of them yourself… we’ll get into that down below!
The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.
A few years later, the idea caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.
How awesome is that?!!!
Now… on to why women can do anything they set their minds to!
Reason #1 - The stage has been set just for you!
Like we were reminded up above, you are capable, and you matter. Your contributions and accomplishments are important. Historical powerhouses like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Mother Teresa, and Daisy Bates leave a huge legacy for us to strive for. Are we doing our part? Are we talking risks? Are we stepping out on faith like they did to make a difference in their communities, big and small?
Reason #2 - You have the capability of being just as strong as men!
Now, while I am a personal trainer and have my own opinions about this, I’m not talking about physical strength in this conversation, lol! I’m referring to GRIT, DEDICATION, and COMMITMENT to set goals and achieve them on a personal and/or professional level. In my humble opinion, one of the main differences is simply that women just seem to make things happen, we’re not always looking for acknowledgments or fanfare. We just want to get $#!T done! Why? Because there’s usually quite a bit on our plates and to-lists that keep us from spending too much time chasing accolades, we MUST keep moving on to the NEXT! That is where that strength comes in!
Reason #3 - You deserve it!
You work hard. Whether it’s at home, work, school, or in the community, you work hard and you deserve it. What’s “it”, you might ask. Well, it is whatever your heart may desire. The list of skills we can excel in is infinite…. think about the following:
Climbing the corporate ladder
Being the best stay at home mom that you can be
Finally taking control of your health
Picking up a new hobby (painting, roller-skating, blogging, vlogging, journaling, etc.… you get the picture!)
Whatever your pleasure, do YOU and make it happen, for YOU!
Reason #4 - You have so much to offer!
By just doing YOU, your own way and in your element, you are a force to be reckoned with! There is something unstoppable about a woman who knows what she wants and has the confidence to figure out HOW to make it happen! Sure, there’s work to be done on your part, but you already know that nothing worth having will come without some hard work, risk, discomfort, possible rejection, and a little fear. What sets you apart is that, even with all of that, you will choose to pick up and keep going! WOW! You go, girl! Literally, GO! Go and be amazing at whatever you decide to do.
Whichever reason suits you best (or, even if you have another reason), just remember your power to be great and do great!
Oh, and Happy Women’s History Month!
The Ongoing Journey of Self-Improvement
Truly, there is no greater work to be done than figuring out how to be our absolute best as human beings. Think about it…
Did you know that September is National Self-Improvement Month?! I had a general knowledge of the occasion, but had never taken the time to be intentional about sharing with others what that may look like for us. Of course, we all would like to improve within certain areas of our own lives… maybe we have even set routines or habits into place to achieve a particular level of improvement.
There are several self-improvement “gurus”/experts around the world holding seminars and webinars on the topic. You cannot walk into your local bookstore without finding a display table full of the latest and greatest techniques to put into action. And while those are all well and good, what really matters the most is what you do with all of that information. Just like anything in this life we are living, we have to put in the work! Truly, there is no greater work to be done than figuring out how to be our absolute best as human beings. Think about it… whether you are functioning in the role of a parent, spouse, employee, friend, employer, etc., you should operate from some level of knowledge, expertise, willingness to learn, and love for what you are doing. And that’s just on a base level. If you want any advanced level of success, it will take ongoing effort on your behalf to grow and keep up with increased demand and advancements in any particular field you happen to engage in.
I should share, in case you didn’t know (*wink), I’m no expert in self-improvement! Shocker, right?! Ha! I’m a work in progress! Also, I just so happen to be a continuous life-long learner looking for ways in which to improve myself, FOR myself and FOR others. So, that’s where we will start! I just want to share four ways that I strive to achieve ongoing self-improvement. Prayerfully, you learn something from me and will then also share what currently works for you.
Get enough rest - Proper rest could mean the amount of sleep you get at bedtime, but also taking rest breaks during your daily activities. Rest allows your body and mind to reset and refresh, preparing for the next task/activity. Imagine what you could achieve if you were able to get your ideal amount of sleep each night. I cannot tell you what the proper number of hours you need, but the Sleep Foundation recommends that most healthy adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Study to become an expert - Whether it be your career, your passion, or your role in your family or friend circle, put in the work to be your best. I say “work”, but when you are doing something that you love, it really doesn’t feel like work. And when you do it well (whatever “it” may be), there' is a sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with learning new skills and elevating yourself to a new level. This also includes surrounding yourself with like-minded people who have similar goals and aspirations. They are sometimes able to provide that forward momentum needed to assist on our journey.
Build your confidence - With the gaining of new skills, the increase in personal confidence often comes. However, we shouldn’t rely solely on whether or not we are able to achieve an expertise level. There are a ton of factors that come into play when studying to become an expert, specifically the fact that it can take TIME… possibly an undeterminable amount of time. So, instead of waiting, we’ve got to find other ways to improve confidence. Let’s explore how….
Pay attention to your appearance - Presenting yourself in a clean and neat manner can make a huge difference in how you feel and how others receive you.
Practice positive self-talk - Remind yourself of your strengths and your goals through the reciting of, and journaling of, positive affirmations.
Stop comparing yourself to others - Remember: comparison is the thief of joy! We want ALL the joy! Your journey is yours, and yours alone. When we look at others, we are often only seeing a snippet of their full life’s story. Therefore, we should keep our focus on ourselves… there is plenty of work to be done within that requires our time and attention.
Pray and try meditation - For me, prayer allows me to remember that I’m not alone, and it also requires me to be accountable outside of myself. I find answers, insight, guidance, and love in my relationship with Jesus. Meditation can also play a helpful role in grounding ourselves. I prefer guided meditation, because sometimes my mind is moving so fast with the day’s tasks and responsibilities, that I’m unable to slow down enough for it to be beneficial. With guided meditation, clear direction is provided with oral instructions about body posture, breathwork, imagery, and visualization. It’s very helpful to take 3-15 minutes to focus before continuing your day, hopefully with an improved mindset and calmer disposition.
My wish is that these four insights aid in your journey to self-improvement. And while September is designated as a time for this focus, don’t let the work you do for yourself stop on September 30! Keep moving forward, keep doing your individual best. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but it’s definitely a start. Take what you need and add what currently works for you. So many forces in this world have the potential to negatively affect our wellbeing, so we must stay consistently focused on improving ourselves so that we can pour positivity into our environment… locally and beyond!