“Empowered women, empower women.” —Unknown

 

If we focus on the challenges of being a woman, it can be easy to feel discouraged.

And yet we’re at a point in history where the tide is turning…where women are raising their voices, reclaiming their power, and taking the lead in shaping humanity’s future.

There is so much potential for women to fundamentally change the world in a positive way…and to do this, we must leverage our advantages and strengths and collaborate for the good of all.

After serving thousands of women over the past 10 years, I’ve been reflecting recently on the common themes that keep coming up in the stories women share, the struggles we face, and the successes we achieve despite tremendous challenges.

So in this two-part series, I’m sharing my top 10 insights from working with women.

Last week, my first 5 insights addressed the challenges of being a woman. This week, let’s look at the 5 tremendous advantages we have!

1. We are incredibly strong, brave and resilient

“Fearlessness is not the absence of fear. It’s the mastery of fear. It’s about getting up one more time than we fall down.” —Arianna Huffington

 

The stories I hear every day of what women have had to overcome often bring tears to my eyes – horrific neglect by caregivers, abuse of all kinds by parents and lovers, unfairness in schools and workplaces, racism, disrespect, cruelty.

But what warms my heart and inspires me to do this work is the tremendous strength and resilience women have…to keep going even when it’s hard, to be strong for our children, to do what needs to be done to keep moving forward…to never give up (even when we might want to).

What I have witnessed time and time again in working with women of all ages, races and cultures is that a woman’s determination and courage are the key to not only surviving but thriving despite seemingly insurmountable circumstances. What would break most people makes the women I work with even more determined to succeed.

Tap into this inner power, and there’s nothing a woman can’t do.

2. We are magicians

“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.”
—Diane Mariechild

 

Women are true magicians…we can take very little and — presto! — turn it into something amazing.

Think about it…

We take a tiny apartment and turn it into a warm, cozy home.

We take scraps in the kitchen and turn it into a delicious home-cooked meal.

We take yarn and create a blanket, scarf or sweater.

We take wildflowers and make a beautiful bouquet.

We take pinecones and turn it into a wreath for a friend.

We take scraps of paper and turn it into origami for our kids.

We take over-ripe tomatoes and turn them into spaghetti sauce.

We take a sperm and make it into a baby! (I mean come on, that’s truly amazing!)

(And guys will no doubt joke that we can also turn a molehill into a mountain lol!)

With women, very little is wasted. Because we’ve often had to get by with very little, we’ve learned to be creative and turn what others might consider garbage into works of art.

Now consider what more would be possible if women had more raw material to work with…what could women create if we had access to the knowledge, wealth and power that has traditionally been held by men?

We could create a whole new world, one where there is more than enough for everyone!

3. We are intuitive

“Trust your instincts. Your inner voice, your woman’s intuition — use it. It’s real and it’s there for a reason.” —Oprah Winfrey

 

It’s called “women’s intuition” for a reason…we are usually more attuned to our bodies and feelings, so women are better equipped to pick up on subtle information coming from others, our environment, and source energy.

Your intuitive knowing, “inner voice” or “gut instinct” as it’s sometimes called is a real and valid source of wisdom and guidance. It allows you to perceive and interpret the world in a way that goes beyond just logic and reason. You know something because you can feel it, even if you don’t yet have the evidence to prove it.

By now, we’ve probably all had the experience of having our intuition tell us something, and ignoring that advice at our peril, with great regret later. Higher consciousness communicates through the body, so if you ignore your body’s signals, you’re cutting yourself off from guidance that can save you a lot of time, effort and suffering.

By trusting and honoring your intuition, you can make better decisions and navigate life in an easier way…it’s like following your inner GPS instead of just winging it! 😊

4. We are great at connecting, sharing and communicating

“The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.” —Charles Malik

 

Back in our hunter-gatherer days, while men went off by themselves to hunt, women congregated in community to nurture children, make meals and take care of the village.

So women are wired for talking, sharing and connecting in a way that men typically aren’t. There is a huge advantage in this, as we can turn to each other for comfort, advice and support. We can swap knowledge, resources and time-saving tips. We can collaborate instead of compete.

If women around the world (4 billion!) joined forces to support and uplift each other, imagine what we could do…

We could eliminate the gender gap in a much shorter timeframe. We could wipe out poverty and injustice. We could revolutionize our schools, governments and communities.

We could create a kinder, safer, more collaborative world.

5. We are far more powerful than we realize!

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” —Alice Walker

 

I believe that part of why women have been oppressed throughout recent history is because some men were afraid of our power.

It isn’t because we are weak that we’ve been held down…it’s because we are tremendously powerful.

And it’s time for us to reclaim our power as individuals and as a collective…to show up in our relationships, families, workplaces, communities as the strong, empowered leaders that we are. We can prove that love is stronger than hate; that kindness is mightier than cruelty.

What I know for sure after working with women for 10 years is that your past and current circumstances do not define you. Your belief about yourself does.

It’s time to embody your inner Wonder Woman / Captain Marvel and go after your goals and dreams. It’s time to give yourself permission to follow your heart and prioritize your happiness and wellbeing.

It’s time to live the life you came here to live.

I believe in you!

xo Karen

Resources

Other articles you may find helpful:

• Top 10 insights from working with women – Part 1: Our challenges
• The 5 keys to making your dream a reality
• 5 magic questions to improve your life

Share your ideas

What do you feel is a key advantage of being a woman? Let us know…