Supporting, Celebrating, and the Lifting Up of Women – Practising Freudenfreude!
Today we celebrate women everywhere!
International Women’s Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. Personally, I am grateful to have so many courageous women as role models in my own life. When I look back at my life, it has been women who have deeply impacted me and been there to support, encourage, lift me up and celebrate my successes. Women amaze me and I passionately stand for women. We celebrate today, and there is much to celebrate, but yet there is so much more to be done. We still live in a world of inequality and we still live in a world where women hurt each other.
Today I challenge us all to begin needed changed right here in our community and in our work places, in our social circles, and in our families. Let us consciously and deliberately lift women up. Let’s learn about each other’s story and honour those stories. Let’s support other women by giving them encouragement and compliments. They are not our competition but our strength. We know from neuroscience research that when we fan the flame of someone else, it makes us happier. Fan the flame of every woman who crosses your path. Allow her to make mistakes, be tired, be anxious, be happy, and be whatever she is in that moment. Recognize her beauty, her struggles, her successes, and see her as part of our team, not the opponent. We are all in this together. I challenge all of us to reach out today to women who may be hurting who need some words of encouragement but often never ask for them. I challenge you to support and promote businesses that are run by women and to celebrate their success. Their success is your success and those of our daughters and granddaughters.
Brené Brown speaks of schadenfreude which is the enjoyment and pleasure we can feel when someone else fails or suffers. Today, I ask myself and others how often we have quietly rejoiced at another woman’s misfortune, both small and large…. With those we know personally and those we see in the media. Let us practice freudenfreude which is the enjoyment of another’s success. Today, and every day, practice freudenfreude and in it we will also experience more happiness and feel-good emotions. On this international Women’s Day let us sincerely stand for women and let us start with those in our own lives. Go tell your friend or co-worker or family member or Facebook friend all that you appreciate and admire about her. Send off some texts, some direct messages or make some phone calls… or say it in person. Lift up the women that you know! Offer empathy and kindness when a woman is struggling and honour her story. Women can be the hardest on women and today let us change that. Help each other to live authentically and mindfully. Help each other to succeed in their careers and businesses and celebrate that success. Help each other in our battles with anxiety, depression, and perfectionism. Be an advocate for women today and every day and reflect on your personal contributions to the women you know. Cheers to women everywhere! You amaze and humble me!
