Women Power: We #choosetochallenge !

As a fully women-owned and women-run business, as well as an integrative team of women’s wellness providers, celebrating the accomplishments of women both past and present is an absolute joy. This month, however, has been an extra special time in the year for us as we celebrate International Women’s Day and Month – a season which is meant to inspirit the voices and contributions of women all over the world and those women we encounter every day.

We at Women Rise voice our shared responsibility in shining the light on the continuous work of advocacy, justice, and needed change in relation to gender-bias and inequality. For this month’s blog, we are sharing how we #choosetochallenge gender-based stereotypes and assumptions. Read on below for some helpful ideas on how you may #choosetochallenge these frequently-found women-based stereotypes and assumptions:

1. Your value and worth are based upon your age, sex, race, weight, size, physical appearance, relationship status, or motherhood status.

As women, we have so many different choices and paths. No matter which one you choose, you are valuable and worthy.

We #choosetochallenge: You are worthy and valuable just by simply existing. No matter what age you are, your contributions, thoughts, emotions, and dreams matter. Every race is beautiful. All bodies are good bodies. Resisting and detoxifying yourself from toxic messages regarding standards of beauty is an ongoing process. Whether you are single, married, partnered, a mother, or not, your life matters. As women, we have so many different choices and paths. No matter which one you choose, you are valuable and worthy.

2. Good Mom’s Don’t Fail and They Should Always Know What Their Children Need

Judgment for being a “bad mom” is so real and so is “mom guilt“. Everyday, many women may feel inclined to judge themselves or receive judgment from others regarding their role as a mother and what they may or not be doing.

We #choosetochallenge: As a mother, you will fail, learn, and keep going. There is no rulebook for every mother or parent on how to raise your children or support your adult children. As a human, expect to fail sometimes, and, recognize that in your failure, you can still be a good enough mom. Your children do not need you to be perfect, they need you. Give yourself permission to learn and grow in your role as a mother or parent.

3. Women are too “emotional” or “dramatic”

In a world and culture that tends to overvalue the rational-brain, recognizing that our emotional brains are informative and necessary tends on the wayside.

We #choosetochallenge: Our emotions can help us better understand ourselves, our relationships, our needs, and our values. If you are someone, in general, that has difficulty regulating your emotions, you can learn skills and tools to help you better manage distress and improve overall well-being and sense of connectedness with others. Feeling and giving yourself space to feel your emotions is not a sign of weakness, but of strength.

4. Taking Up Space and Using Your Voice makes you “Too Intense”, “Masculine”, or a”Bitch”.

Women deserve to show-up as fully themselves in politics, education, faith communities, healthcare, government, leadership, work settings, home settings, etc.

We #choosetochallenge: Your place is where you desire it to be and you deserve to take up space. Your voice matters. You’re lived experience matters. Using assertive communication allows you to express yourself without disrespecting others. Give yourself permission to take up space…

5. Menstrual, Cyclical, Menopausal, and Hormone-related struggles are not valid, real, or significant.

Hormonal Imbalance, Perimenopausal and Menopausal Mood Symptoms, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are very real experiences that can strongly impact one’s life and functioning.

We #choosetochallenge: Discrediting and minimizing your experience if you deal with these struggles on a daily basis can be unhelpful and invalidating. No, this is not something that is “just in your head”. In addition to physical symptoms, emotional and psychological symptoms can include anxiety, depression, irritability, and increased sensitivity. It’s more than OK to be gentle with yourself.

As unique as each of our struggles as women are, the reality is, none of us are immune from receiving these types of messages from our society that are often reverberated within the many interlocking intersections of our lives. While we as a society have come far over the decades, we still have further to go. In our work at Women Rise, we find it is important to identify these messages, call them out, and challenge them. In identifying these women-based stereotypes and assumptions, we hope to reaffirm the empowering truth of who we are as women, and to celebrate this season together. We hope you #choosetochallenge with us not just today, but every day.

*Please Note: The information provided on or through this website or blog is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. Engaging with this material does not constitute a client/therapist relationship*