International Women's Day... Everyday

Photo Credit: Paul Buceta, Valeria Nova

In many ways it seems ridiculous to have to name a day and celebrate it just to recognize Women.  We take up 50% of the planet for goodness sake!  Didn't anyone notice?  I suppose we must name such a day so that we can recognize just how far we have come as human beings on this planet and I do celebrate this fact but we still also have a long way to go, don't we?  The numbers today suggest that minority women are still barely visible in corporate America/Canada.  We must never give up on our steady progress to be the strong individuals we already know we are.  The time is now. 

In the meantime never forget the power of the role of exercise and nutrition plays in your journey.  Every one of us must appear every day in our lives in our most powerful way.  We cannot be powerful if nutrition is based on nutrient devoid foods.  We cannot be powerful if we are unable to run, walk or play.  We cannot be powerful if our minds are depressed and our hearts are full of sadness.  Nutrient rich, whole foods prepare us best for the roles we should be playing in our lives - that of powerful, strong, purposeful, female leaders.  What we do our children also do.  It begins there.  Then we have other powerful women like Annie Lennox, lead singer of the Eurythmics, who have pushed celebrity aside and is using her woman power for help so called invisible women in Africa.  She is an AIDS activist giving women infected with AIDS a place when they have otherwise been shunned in their own villages by their own families.  I also have and always will admire Princess Diana who through her fame and struggles with all that meant in her short life, found the power within herself to fight for the abolition of land mines and the victims thereof.  Helen Keller taught us how to be strong and hopeful even when faced with the greatest of adversities.  Through her personal fortitude we now have the lessons of determination, persistence, faith and hope.  She became a world wide renowned advocate for those with disabilities. 

I also find great inspiration in the lives of Margaret Thatcher, recently captured by Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep in the movie Iron Lady.  Margaret came from a humble background to lead the UK in three successive terms as the prime minister.  She believed in the ethic of hard work and did just that to bring her country to a time of relative prosperity.  She took no short cuts, rolled up her sleeves and proved herself to be a formidable leader.  I like that kind of Iron Lady.  I would consider her a "Sister in Iron." 

Finally I admire Queen Noor not only because she is a stunning woman who puts her family first but because she is an international public servant and an outspoken voice on issues of world peace and justice. She plays an active role in promoting international exchange and understanding of Arab and Muslim culture and politics, Arab-Western relations, as well as conflict prevention and recovery.  This may sound cliche but couldn't we use some peace these days?

Let's all of us as women partner together and carry ourselves as a community to higher levels of health, power, peace and prosperity.  I am reaching out to you all and would like you to tell me what your goals for International Women's Day are. What will you do today to make it a better world for just one woman?  And what about tomorrow?

I plan to tap the shoulder of someone who is under-appreciated in the workplace and give her new responsibilities so that she can discover her power.



I look forward to hearing your plans ........ And if you're on Pinterest share photos of women who inspire you on my board "Women Who Inspire", if you want to participate leave a comment and we'll make you a contributor!



"I will not just live my life. I will not just spend my life. I will invest my life." Helen Keller