Honor International Women’s Day
Community of Coaching, Ethics & Professional Conduct, Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching, Organizational Wholeness, Human Wholeness,
What will you choose? I acknowledge the tremendous strides in our society since the United Nations established this celebration of achievement in 1909 for all people to encourage participation of women policitally, economically and socially. Persecution, disadvantge, barriers to entry and even rape and death persist in many parts of the world and, often operate invisibly, condoned by our silence and absence of protest. I invite this week long celebration to be a reminder to everyone of our individual and therefore collective responsibility to wholeness and thereby living in community with respect and acceptance. Awaken your internal activist!
I humbly remember myself saying to a close friend and long time colleague that I am not a social activist, I just don't feel called to protest, march, burn bras, or engage in a letter writing campaign. Many years have passed since I made that declaration and I realize now how blinded I was and I can continue to be by turning my cheek away from the reality of inequity that persists in the world for women. Perhaps it is being a woman that is at the root of my blindness. Growing up in the midwest I lived by core values of respect and acceptance. My parents and especially my mother encouraged me and instilled a belief that whatever I could dream for myself in the world was possible. I am an eternal optimist to this day.
What I didn't realize until the last few years is that I am a social activist as a result. It is my hope and attitude of possibility that activates others I engage regardless of setting, environment or activity. I found a way to generate a positive impact with people as a professional coach, as a mentor, as an instructor and as an entrepreneur or a women-owned company. As I allow myself to acknowledge and accept this contribution and therefore accountability I am able to look beyond myself to the importance of being a steward and an initiator or catalyst so that others too awaken their activist within.
Another midwestern value that is deeply instilled in me is to allow my actions to speak for me and as a result, I am quiet about my acheivements. I learned that silence is painful when salary surveys were introduced at the Fortune 1000 company I worked in and I discovered that my salary was 40% lower than my male counterparts and had been consistently for five years. The "system" fixed the inequity at that time and yet, I risked perpetuating inequity unless I learned to speak up for myself, to have honor and pride in my contribution and my generative capacity. Salary inequity is a tip of the iceberg issue and is preceded by access to opportunities to earn a salary, to contribute one's gifts, creativity and capacity in sustaining and meaningful work. And beyond that, when examined in a larger scheme of policital representation and physical safety in community the challenges to societal respect and acceptance, to wholeness anywhere in our world are tremendous.
Unfortunately, the pattern of silence is rampent. This United Nations celebration reminds us to break the silence. I invite you to open your curiosity, your hearts and your minds and discover all the ways that our voice makes a difference in brining all people to wholness. Here are some links to get you started. And, I invite you to our conversation regularly as we step into our generative leadership for wholeness in the world.
United Nations, International Women's Day: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Women Hold Up Half The Sky: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2009/September/women--hold-up-half-the-sky.html
And, a wonderful soiree and speakers panel on March 23rd in Seattle: http://www.chickchat.net/
