It’s not every day you stumble upon a quote or a phrase that really sticks with you, but this one gave me pause:
“Girls compete with each other, women empower one another.”
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Have you ever felt like you’re in competition with your friends, but you wish you could lift one another up instead? It happens everyday and often without even realizing it – as women, we size one another up, we evaluate each other to understand the competition and before we know it, we feel threatened and defensive. It happens in a competitive world – from the boardroom to the classroom – when in fact, it’s counterproductive. Imagine what the world would be like for women if we always had each other’s backs, if we helped one another achieve great things – working as a team rather than competitors. Here’s the thing: we can.
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We all have it in us to live this quote, to empower one another to achieve great things. Here’s how:
Listen and learn. Being a genuine listening ear is an easy way to learn about the other women in your life, so why not really be a sounding board. Sometimes, you can learn a whole bunch when you open your mind, ears and heart and many women can teach one another exactly how to navigate the business world and life and general. From mom life to the conference room, learning from each other’s experiences is the best way to make positive strides toward success.
Support each other. Being there for one another is the name of the game when it comes to operating as a team and functioning with a mindset of empowerment. When it comes down to it, it’s so easy to be supportive – you simply offer positive words of encouragement and a pat on the back when needed. When we’re all supporting each other, we all win – making strides from all women.
Give genuine compliments. How hard is it, really? We all admire one another and offering genuine compliments is one of the easiest ways to lift each other up. When someone on your team does a great job on a project, put the envy aside and let her know how impressed you are and how much you appreciate her efforts. When one mom handles a situation with her children really well just let her know how great you think that is. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop and it will turn many a negative situation around, quickly becoming positive.
Be authentic. There’s nothing like the real you and showing that above all else is the way to make friends and build a support system. Let true self shine through and good things will follow – it’s true.
From friends to coworkers, competitors and the like, it’s high time women stand together in support of one another, taking the lessons of this quote and applying them to everyday life. What do you think, can you make it happen?