Happy International Women’s day!

We reflect on how far we have come as a society in creating an equitable and equal society for all – irrespective of gender, ability, race etc.

We have come a long way since women first got the right to vote but we still have a long way to go in achieving equality at work and at home! In order to keep pressing forward for progress, I feel it is very important that we take the time to reflect on our lives personally – how far we have come as individuals and how much further we have to go, but most importantly how we set ourselves up to thrive whilst empowering others to do the same.

For me as a working mum, business owner and community leader,  it is all about self-care and self-love. As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup. I feel the message of self-care and self-love is an empowering message that we all need to focus on today. Especially here in England where women are more likely than men to have a common mental health problem and are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders. This is not great.

We, women, are great at caring for others, our families, friends, work colleagues, teams and everyone one else who asks for our help! One area where we struggle collectively as a gender is when it comes to caring for ourselves.

You cannot lean in, pay it forward, support others and press for progress when you are running on empty. The more women out there doing great things because they feel they can,  the more impact we can collectively make.

The good news is that we can do all these things when we value and prioritize our wellbeing and take the time to take care of ourselves.

There is nothing more inspiring and empowering than well rested, confident women.  Be kind to yourself ladies. We have work to do.