Today is International Women’s Day. This event is a “global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.”
International Women’s Day reminds us that we can do so much more to make our workplaces equitable for women. According to McKinsey & Company:
For every 100 men who receive a promotion to manager, only 86 women do.
More than 40% of women surveyed say they often or almost always feel burned out.
Women are more likely to experience microaggressions than men are.
But, as we work for parity, let’s also remember to honor and appreciate what women are accomplishing every day. We’ve taken on so much over the past couple of years. We’ve worked hard for our teams, our families and for causes we care about. Sometimes that work feels invisible and thankless.
Today, let’s change that. How can you express gratitude to the creative, resilient and caring women in your world? Don’t forget to include yourself! Honor all you have accomplished, even in the face of great odds, and all that you do.
Get the Support You Need
But don’t stop there. What’s one thing you can do to support the women you know as these uncertain times continue? Again, this includes supporting yourself, too.
Sometimes the best support is just connecting with someone else. We’re all working so hard that it’s easy to put relationships on the back burner. And that means a lot of us are feeling lonely right now. So, it’s a good time to reach out and make some plans with the women in your network. Even better, make some recurring plans. Taking a walk with a friend this weekend might lift your spirits. But then if you immediately fall back out of touch again, you’re right back where you started. Making your weekend walk a regular date ensures that you can give each other ongoing support.
It’s also important to allow others to help you. This can make you feel vulnerable, but it’s so worth it. As I’ve talked about before, you can even get very specific about how others can best help you in times of stress. For example, tell a friend, “If you see that I am doing X, it would really help me if you say Y.”
Before you dive back into your day, take a moment to check in with yourself: Are you getting the support you need? What kind of support could you really use in your life right now? And what is one thing you could do to start moving things in that direction?
When you think about your sources of support, please remember that I am always in your corner. You can follow me on social media for more content about Women’s History Month, consider executive coaching with me or explore my self-paced tools, including the award-winning New Lens app.