By Tia Cristy
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I think it’s important to say that being a woman can be pretty challenging. We have hormonal changes, health changes, and physical changes much more rapidly and sporadic than our other human counterparts. A lot is expected from a woman, as well as things that aren’t expected from a woman. Women are expected to be caregivers, nurturing, pretty, soft, put-together, domesticated, sexy, submissive, and the list can go on, …and on. Women have also been NOT expected to rise, conquer, and defeat.
However, with all that said, I find that we are an incredible breed because we are resilient and can shatter that glass ceiling while encompassing and accomplishing all that we really want in this world if we put our minds to it. For a woman today, you can ask her, “Do you want to be a mom, or do you want to be a CEO?” and she will answer “Yes,” if that’s what she really wants.
I’m sure you are familiar with the quote by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” It’s been assumed that the quote came from Marilyn Monroe, but in fact, the quote came out of an article on a Puritan funeral service in 1976. And I’m confident that many incredible women, including Marilyn, inspired such a quote to hold fast. Because, love or hate her, that blonde bombshell broke a lot of glass on her rise by showing other women there are ways to be business savvy while in stilettos.
The point is that women have a fantastic opportunity to be everything they want to be. And for women who want it all, they can get it all. But the truth is, we all need some help and guidance along the way. And that’s not because we’re women. We need help because we’re human, just like a man who needs help and guidance along the way too.
So here are a few tips when it comes to leveling up as a woman while living in a world that’s half-full of men.
Never Be Afraid to Ask
No woman wants to be thought of as the stereotypical damsel in distress. Somewhere along the way, society made a foolish assumption that asking for help was a sure sign of weakness. How wrong society was. Today, thanks to AI and search engines, we can ask a device for help and get some decent answers relatively quickly. However, spending time on the wrong things can be a colossal waste of time when you have someone who already knows the answer standing near you.
I’m not going to lie; asking for help is a tightrope walk. After all, you can’t become reliant on others to answer your every whim, like your phone, because you could be labeled incompetent. However, when you need guidance, or even better, to know that you’re asking the right questions to reach a successful outcome, please don’t be too proud to ask for a helping hand.
Know There Is Enough for Us All
One of the most significant flaws many women have is thinking there isn’t enough to go around. That is why, for decades, women have put down other women or ended up in squabbles or that stereotypical cat-fighting bashing with one another. This type of behavior could easily be seen, especially in the entertainment world for many years. You see, many women didn’t compete with men back in the day because they didn’t know they could. Unfortunately, though, they competed with other women over who’s better, over men, over appearance, over briskets, and who knows what else. Still, I’m here to say to anyone who hasn’t heard this yet: there is plenty to go around. No one can take something away from you that isn’t meant to be yours in the first place. And just because someone else is making big money doesn’t mean there isn’t enough money for you out there in the world. So, get out there and get yours! There is no need to think of anyone else as your competition besides yourself. The largest battle we face every day is ourselves. So get out of your own way and shatter some ceilings.
Oh, and while you’re off getting yours, ladies, don’t forget to straighten each other’s crowns or pull toilet paper off each other’s shoes. It’s a tough enough world out there to navigate. Let’s be kind to each other.
You’re Being Hormonal
Have you ever heard this statement, “You’re being hormonal”? The truth is, …you probably are, and there is nothing wrong with that. Hormones are crazy, so it is super important to keep them in balance. Certain foods carry different hormones, so it is essential to eat a well-balanced diet. I recommend asking your OB/GYN to check your hormone levels at least every other year. This is not a routine blood test, so you must ask for it. Knowing your levels can help you understand what you might be lacking or the best things you need to add to your diet.
For example, vitamin E is a great source to boost estrogen. Stem cell patches like X39 can help your body activate new stem cells needed to balance your overall system. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplements or changing your dietary habits. Staying balanced is the key to your mental, physical, and emotional health.
Monthly periods can be the enemy for most women. Some days, you might just wish you could wear a blanket around your waist as you motor through your workday. Heavy periods can wreak havoc on your plans for the day, so keep extra essentials on hand or nearby. On heavy days, you should have pads or tampons in your bag or desk. I also recommend a spare pair of pants in the car or in a bag. An overflow can happen in an instant and leave you and your pants feeling red. Please note that if you are going through a pad or tampon in an hour for a few hours, go seek emergency. You shouldn’t be losing too much blood too fast.
Bleeding heavily can be associated with many things, including menopause, so make an appointment if you’ve had changes in your period. Every woman on the planet will inevitably go through the ‘CHANGE,’ but you can talk with your doctor about going through it gracefully.
Practice Self-Care First
Self-care has finally made it to the center stage after many years of being shunned and labeled selfish or conceited. I give a standing ovation to self-care because we will never achieve being our best selves without it. I have said many times that we must resupply ourselves so we can be kinder to others and that resupplying comes from taking time for ourselves.
Take time to rejuvenate how you know you need to, whether that be a spa day, a fresh haircut, or walking in nature. Taking time to meditate daily can change your mindset and reduce stress. Some women choose to do yoga. Some take a long bath with music and wine. Some ladies that I had talked to decided to get their nails done as their self-care priority. They’ve told me it’s time for them to pamper themselves while getting in ‘girl’ time and eliminating something that would annoy them if they had to do it on their own. They also felt like it was part of their business wardrobe because it continues to make them feel more confident and put-together.
That’s great!
Find things that really fill you to your soul. By resupplying your energy with time and activities that fulfill you on a regular basis, you will find you have much more to give others.
As a woman, you should be able to accomplish all that you want in this world. There are so many inspiring women to look up to who have been able to balance their lives and have everything they want. It would take a million pages to list them all, and it would be too difficult to list a quantifiable handful, so I think it’s best to advise you to look in the mirror because it all starts with you.
