What keeps women from advancing and living a happy life? Can we place all the blame on corporations and companies who don’t pay women as much as men in the same positions? Why do we listen to those old voices in our head? Why do we care so much about satisfying others more than ourselves? What does it take to turn our fears into positive action?
I have personally interviewed nearly 100 businesswomen on camera and met with 100’s more over coffee. The most successful women who were the happiest had a few things in common.
1. They are doing what they love
They stopped living the life their husbands wanted for them to live, or that their parents expected of them. They no longer “role played”, they simply started living the life they dreamt of living no matter what other people thought. They did some real soul searching and took their talents and gifts and combined them with their individual passion and purpose. Did people call them crazy? Of course, but that didn’t stop them. These women are no longer look outwardly for answers or approval; they have learned the art of listening to their own inner voice that guides them.
2. They found their voice
Most of us at one point in time or another were told to keep quiet or not to be rude as young girls. Even as adults some of us may have been told to keep silent due to shame or other circumstances that made us feel as though our feelings or opinions didn’t matter. These women vowed not to be silent any longer and share their voices with others to lift up, encourage, and to stand up for themselves and others. Mentoring women and girls is a way for them to give back and pay it forward, in hopes that others will find their own voices.
3. They believe they are worthy
This was one of the hardest things to wrap my head around for myself as a woman who has had to overcome major traumatic events in my life which have made me feel so unworthy. Maybe you can relate? I think for most of us this is what holds us back the most in our personal and professional lives. We listen to the voices in our head that highlight our weaknesses, but find it hard to hear the things that are our strengths. Why don’t we ask for equal pay in our jobs? Why do we keep settling for people in your personal relationships who make you feel less than? If you want a promotion, why is it so hard to tell people why you deserve it? These women learned how to believe they were worthy in every area of their lives, and they love the person they have become. They are thriving because of it!
One of the talks I give to women is entitled “Change Your Mind, Change Your Life”. I explain how the story we tell ourselves is critical to how we see it play out in our lives. We discuss how to go from a negative narrative to a positive one for better outcomes. It sounds easy but it’s hard work. It takes time and dedication, but with every passing day you get closer to breaking through those old ways of thinking and creating new ways that support you and the desires you have for your life.
Which area of your life would you like a breakthrough? Can you identify with any of these? Don’t let fear or anything else hold you back, you deserve everything you desire!
