“As women, we must stand up for ourselves… as women, we must stand up for each other… as women, we must stand up for justice for all.”- Michelle Obama

Women Make History

“Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they’ve never seen it before.”- Kamala Harris

From March 1 to March 31 of this year, we have commemorated, celebrated, and highlighted contributions that women have made and continue to make in our communities and societies throughout history. Women’s History Month started in 1981 as a national celebration, and then in 1982, Women’s History Week was proclaimed. In March 1987, “Women’s History Month” was designated. We continue to recognize achievements that women have made throughout U.S. history.

Women have made history throughout history. We are the backbone of communities, societies, and nations. We’re providers, affirmers, investors, and owners. We’re nurturers, healers, lovers, and warriors. We’re strong, courageous, quick-thinking, and mighty. We’re intelligent, passionate, disciplined, and artistic. We’re mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, Godmothers, pet-moms, and friends. We. Are. Queens. We make history!

We Have Inward Strength

“I know what I want, I have a goal, an opinion, I have a religion and love. Let me be myself and then I am satisfied. I know that I’m a woman, a woman with inward strength and plenty of courage.” -Anne Frank

When you think of inward strength, what comes to mind? What do you ask yourself? Inward strength is that deep and unstoppable belief in yourself. It doesn’t rely on outward circumstances. It doesn’t rely on the actions of others. We ask ourselves ‘why’ and then put ourselves first. We make ourselves a priority. With inward strength, we make a decision, commit, and execute. We don’t allow fears to impact our choices. In contrast, we embrace our fears. Will there be times that we act and fail? Absolutely! Yet we are resilient. We pick ourselves up, and we press on. Resiliency comes from inward strength, and we have it.

We are Limitless

“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.” -Michelle Obama

The definition of ‘limit’ is ‘something that bounds, restrains or confines.’ As we women, we are often told that we have limits. We are told that we need to stay in our place, that we can’t go somewhere, that we can’t do something, or that we don’t need something. We’ve been told that because of our shape, size, weight, race, culture, ethnicity, disability, gender, religion, and sex, we are, in essence, not good enough or are too much. Society has dictated our limits simply because of how we were born.

What if we embraced our actual makeup? What if we embraced our true intrinsic nature and quality and operated as the limitless beings we are! We are creatives and can identify innovative ways to accomplish our tasks. We are masterminds and can execute deliverables ahead of deadlines. We are bosses and can hire staff to fulfill our well-thought missions. We are limitless and seize the day before others have even woken up!

We Know How to Rise

There is no greater threat to the critics, cynics, and fearmongers than a woman who is willing to fall because she has learned how to rise.”- Brene Brown

As women, we deal with the daily struggle of oppression, prejudice, and injustice. As a black woman living in the United States, I deal with the daily battle of oppression, discrimination, injustice, and racism. Although we encounter numerous defeats, we are not defeated. We respond to our oppressors by thriving. We overcome persecution, pain, and burdens triumphantly. Still, we rise!

We Go Where We Will

“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself.”- Maya Angelou

Authenticity aligns with who we are, what we feel, and what we do. It is a healthy alignment of our values and behaviors and is a decisive factor in our lives. Living our lives strongly connected to our belief system promotes learning, growth, and psychological well-being. We can live with intention at work and home. When we are our authentic selves, we can consciously design our lives according to our priorities and values. When we are our authentic selves, we are in harmony with our spirit.

As the nation’s observance of Women’s History Month comes to a close, what are some ways that you will continue to honor yourself and other women? We’ve made significant strides in advancing women’s rights and activism. However, we know that there is still much work to do all too well.

“There was a time when women activists asked men to stand up for their rights,. But this time we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking up for women’s rights, but I am focusing on women to be independent and fight for themselves.”- Malala Yousafzai