Choose to Challenge

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March 8 is International Women’s Day. Additionally, the entire month is devoted to National Women’s History.

I typically celebrate the day with social media posts that feature the year’s theme. This time, with 2021 my Year of the Wild Woman, a longer post feels more appropriate.

Discover the origins of this day that celebrates women around the world. And join me in recognizing some amazing women.

Origins of International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a globally recognized day, celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s also a day to join together to promote women’s equality.

International Women’s Day has occurred annually for more than 100 years. The first official honoring of the day took place simultaneously in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19, 1911. More than one million women and men attended rallies campaigning for women’s right to work, vote, and hold public office and to end discrimination. In 1913 the date moved to March 8.

The International Women’s Day website launched in 2001, re-energizing the day. The website offers helpful resources and guidance and issues a theme for each year.

This year’s theme, Choose to Challenge, highlights personal responsibility and choice.

Choose to Challenge

“A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions, all day, every day.” IWD website

From challenge, comes change.

All of us, men and women, can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. Together we can create an inclusive world.

And we can choose to celebrate women’s achievements and accomplishments.

That’s the focus of my post.

Celebrate Women’s Accomplishments

Today…and every day…it’s important to recognize women for the incredible contributions that they bring to the world even while we continue to strive for greater gender equality and opportunities.

Women are making a difference in so many areas of life including science, art, education, technology, music, medicine, sports, journalism, relationships, government and creativity.

I am choosing to feature women in four categories in this post: books, films, businesses and charities. And I challenge you to check out these remarkable women and share the accomplishments of women in other fields.

Amazing Women Authors

I recognize the accomplishments of these female authors and heartily recommend their books:

Glennon Doyle – Untamed

In her powerful memoir, Glennon shares the joys and deep peace we find when we stop trying to live up to the expectations of others and start listening to the still voice within.

“There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves.”

Click image to order book.

Amanda Gorman – The Hill We Climb

This gift edition book features Amanda’s memorable poem, read during the presidential inauguration. Amanda is the first ever national youth poet laureate of the United States and the youngest presidential inaugural poet in US history.

“For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it.”

Click on photo to order book.

Inspiring Women Centric Films

Check out these inspiring movies about women in history:

Hidden Figures (2016)

The true story of a team of female African American mathematicians who played a key role in NASA during the early years of the US space program.

Click photo to rent Hidden Figures on Prime.

Suffragette (2015)

This drama tracks the working women in 1912 London who become foot soldiers in the early feminist movement, willing to lose everything in their fight for equality.

Click photo to rent Suffragette on Prime.

Women Run Businesses

These innovative women birthed companies that meet a need, especially for other women:

Tia Mowry – Anser

You may know Tia from the series Sister, Sister. Tia now runs Anser, a company that provides supplements for women. The supplements feature clean ingredients, essential vitamins and high quality nutrients that fuel the body. Her purpose for the company is to encourage and inspire women to be proactive about wellness.

Alina Morse – Zolli Candy

This amazing teen invented a candy that cleans teeth, providing moms with an alternative to sugary treats. Alina is the youngest INC 5000 CEO and also the youngest person to ever appear on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine. Stores like Walmart and Amazon carry Alina’s candies. Her desire is to help mothers keep their families smiling and healthy.

Click photo to order zollipops.

Charities That Help Women

There are so many wonderful charities run by women to benefit women and children. Check out these two:

BlinkNow

BlinkNow operates a globally recognized children’s home and school in Nepal.

The mission: to change the world by empowering Nepal’s children. BlinkNow does this by providing quality education and a safe environment for children and women, and through inspiring others.

 

Womankind

Womankind is a mental health charity run by women, for women.

The mission: to work with survivors of gender-based violence, to rise above trauma and build a path to healing. They bring critical resources and deep cultural competency to help Asian communities find refuge, recovery, and renewal.

How We As Women Help

I love the theme for International Women’s Day this year. Although I may wish it otherwise, challenges do help me grow and change. When I look back at the most challenging situations in my life, I see the massive growth that accompanied those times. And change happens as a result.

So what does it mean to choose to challenge?

We choose to use our voices, our words, our actions, our influence to challenge what we see happening in our communities. And we challenge ourselves to live as our most authentic selves. Because only as we live as those powerful versions of ourselves can we create change.

For me that’s releasing my inner wild woman this year. For you that might be tapping into your creative side or working through old fears or stepping outside your comfort zone. Finding your voice, speaking your truth and following your passionate heart are all ways of challenging yourself to live as the person you are created to be.

Strike a Pose

Show your support of women and the commitment to call out inequality by raising your hand high. Choose to challenge. Strike a pose and share your photo on social media. Use the hashtags #choosetochallenge and #IWD2021 to encourage others to help create an inclusive world.

It doesn’t just matter today. It matters everyday.

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.”

One of my contributions for encouraging and supporting women:

Fix Her Crown Award

 

 

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