On March 8, the world celebrates International Women’s Day, a lesser known “holiday” in the United States but very important nonetheless.
Being a girl or a woman in today’s world is not easy, as it never was. History repeats itself over and over again. The United Nations’ website reports that:
- Women globally hold just 64 percent of the legal rights of men, exposing them to discrimination, violence, and exclusion at every stage of their lives.
- In over half of the world’s countries – 54 percent – rape is still not defined on the basis of consent, meaning a woman can be raped and the law may not recognize it as a crime. A girl can still be forced to marry, by national law, in nearly 3 out of 4 countries. And in 44 percent of countries, the law does not mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value, meaning women can still legally be paid less for the same work.
- In 37 countries, married women are not allowed to apply for a passport.
- In some countries, women lack the same rights as men to initiate a divorce or may lose custody of their children if they do, which can lock them into unhappy or abusive marriages.
- At least 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital mutilation.
- 650 million women and girls in the world today were married before age 18 ( in forced marriages). (https://www.unwomen.org/en)
If you read this far and feel sad, thank you. With this much suffering around us.. who wouldn’t feel sad?! But that’s exactly why I invite YOU to celebrate your life today and every day. As it is.
I don’t care much for the occasional grand gestures although they have utility, like a spa day, a facial, a trip… What I hope, though, is that you cherish yourself in the way you talk about yourself in your own head and to others, how well you sleep, how you ask for help, and how you give birth to your dreams.
You make a difference if you live your life fully and unapologetically.
For that reason, I recommend that you read BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert.
“She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.” (https://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp/1594634718)
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