Write Side of Her

Have you ever found it hard to relate to those amazing influential women, the ones glamorously represented in the media? Very successful and slightly unreachable, up there on top of that pedestal. We are glad to see them, we aspire to be them and we are happy for their success. But after the video ends, or the social feed gets boring, you come back down to rejoin your own life and left wondering, what am I doing? Have I made a difference? Do I empower women?  Personally my immediate thoughts are: "No. I do not. I am me and not the next Michelle Obama, oh well."  But if I left my thoughts there, this blog would come to an abrupt end. It wouldn't serve it's purpose, to explain why you've been empowering women all along and you hadn't even noticed. Take Away the Glamour and Press First let's start with a couple of definitions. To empower someone means to give them the means to achieve something, for example to become stronger or more successful. To inspire so

So if you hadn't guessed by the title of this blog, yes I am turning 40 this year. No, this will not be another cliché blog trying to convince its readers and the author creating it, that life is great at 40. Cynicism aside, there are some truths to be told and as I contemplate the coming of a new decade of my life, it's not going to be all bad, it's going to be one hell of a ride. I confess that I am a person who likes making lists. It's no surprise that when I approached this topic, I had already subconsciously created a pros and cons list about my upcoming birthday. I had also reached into my mental draw, where I keep my notes I made about my friends and family, who also reached this milestone. I am a witness to the effect this number has had on women, as it steadily approaches and then engulfs them like a wave, moving them around, forcing them to find their way again. Though change can be good, what if it's too hard to find yourself again? Let's go back to t

What is a "strong woman"? Is it the 'Wonder Woman' ideology, glamoured by Hollywood that puts female actors in leading heroic roles - Hollywood's attempt at building a bridge in the gap between what is seen as masculine and feminine? Or is it a woman carving out a slice of life that allows her to be successful in a career, and raise a family at the same time? What if you are not the status quo and something else all together?  As a member of a female household; my dad was totally outnumbered, a strong woman was not an alien idea. But one small birthday gift with the words, "Stronger Than The Storm" etched into a bracelet, made that idea very real. My first thought was, "cool" followed by "why", what makes me so strong? Her Strength Was Her Love Fortunately for millennial women, if you are described as a "strong woman" it's more than less a compliment, but historically a strong woman was someone too independent or too stu

As an ethnic millennial woman today; the oldest of us turning 40, I am privileged to be at the head of a generation that picked up the torch and ignited a new wave of social and economic change. We embraced the rise of social media and conversations became movements. With an oppressive backdrop of recession, global warming and a pandemic, its actually never been a better time to embrace diversity. Empowered by those voices, my ethnicity is not my prom dress, its my favourite pair of skinny jeans. Growing up in a small rural market town, there was never a time that any member of my family felt that they comfortably "fit" in. Since I am using clothes as an analogy in this blog, the best way to describe our place in the community, was like trying to put on an old pair of jeans you've air dried. Those fibers have shrunk and you know you've got to get your bum in them. You pull them on anyway, but you only get it up to your thighs and then the trouble starts. It's too