Happy Women's Day!

This is my way of honouring the women whose paths I have crossed or haven't had the chance to yet. To all the women out there whose contributions tend to be overlooked, here’s a post to help you feel seen, heard and hopefully, appreciated.

Females are subjected to certain gender roles in the society. For example, they are expected to take on more caregiving and nurturing roles, by societal conventions.

There are those who struggle with these roles for various reasons. And others in between where they are still finding one that they truly align to. I would like to shout out to all of you regardless of where you are.

Women who work tirelessly and contributing to organisations. These women perform on par , if not higher, compared to their male counterparts in terms of capability, but who fail to get similar recognition as them.

Women who climbed the corporate level. However, while on their way up, they realised that the need to reconcile with trade-offs in other aspects of lives.

Women who take on nurturing roles at work in vocations that involve taking care of other lives in nurturing and enriching ways as in, teaching or childcare just to name several.

Women who take on nurturing roles at home either as parents, child (to elderly parents) or as loving aunts.

Women who are trying their best in what they are doing despite challenges that are in their way. And no matter how arduous this journey is, they are definitely not giving up.

Women who play mother roles (to human and fur kids) - we shall not dismiss the invisible roles that you take on as the family chauffeur, organiser of play dates, medical appointments and birthday parties, the meal planner, the emotional and first aid support and the list goes on and on. All these often end up going unnoticed...

Women who had to depart their lives back home to work in another country. You may struggle with adjustments to cultural and language differences in addition to other changes.

Women who have got the backs of other women and are simply supportive in their own ways. I know it may not be easy for you to hold the fort at work while colleagues go on maternity or child-care leave. You do it anyway and often with much grace.

Women who act in accordance to values and causes aligned to them..but who get frowned upon or misunderstood. Despite that, you press on with your cause as that makes you feel more alive and aligned.

Regardless which woman you are, in your own rights, you are all courageous, strong and enough the way you are!

Remember that you are integral to the world... well, your world at least.

For the rest of the world you may be one member of society. For your loved ones, you mean the world to them.

It is so important, as women, to show up for fellow women. Given our knowledge of our unique challenges that's tied to being woman and our womanhood, we can potentially be such great support system to one another. We seek to be supportive and life giving to one another.

Look around you, locate your tribe and village and stay close to these precious people.

Happy International Women’s Day! Perhaps this day can be celebrated with some self-care or meet-up with likeminded woman like yourself!

With love,

Jeanice

With love, for all women out there!