by Janet Brown

Society often dictates how and where women fit in; often designed from a male’s perspective and sometimes a women's idea of what women should and shouldn't do, how many children they should have and even the highest positions they should hold in organizations. There are boxes that are ticked along the way which quantify our success, but what the boxes don’t tell, is the character of the individual and how they want to be recognised and valued. 

Women on a whole have been the primary nurturers and home makers.  Life for women in the 21st century has presented many more opportunities that our great-grandmothers may not have had, readily available to them. Having more choices requires making more hard-hitting decisions, such as what college/university to attend, earning power, getting on the property ladder, committing to a relationship, having children, breaking and returning to work.  With all of this, most women still remain in the position of main nurturers and home makers, balancing career and home life.

Society's Expectations

We are expected to stay on top of everything by appearing youthful and vibrant. When you add it up, is someone else other than you, responsible for the type of woman you are by dictating - family status, career title, living location, economic stability.

I know as women we get a little jittery about aging, as I said to a friend of mine, this may only apply to those of us whose age can’t be found on the calendar. I can say physical changes do happen to  the body, but the great maturity and wisdom that I feel now, wasn't present when I was younger. I personally feel that we should embrace all of our years and see the evolution that has taken place in our personal life.  

You Have the Power

Ladies, you have the power to be the director in your life. There is no doubt in my mind that we constantly bombarded with messages depicting how to show in life – look, weigh and act, what we should have and so on. Just like a good menu in a restaurant, you have the option to choose what you want.  Life operates in the same the manner when you are tuned in from the heart.

I am a great advocate of self-love, I am work in progress and can state there are out of these world moments, on the flip side challenges of old gremlins do show up when at a low ebb. Ideally, self-love should be an intricate part of growing up. This will be the making of women being confident, glow of healthy self-esteem, acceptance of her body image, and one who shows gratitude for life and knows how to navigate it. Childhood circumstances may not always permit this. This doesn't mean that you stay, where life began.

The Struggle With Body Image

Self and body image has been a major concern among not only women but young girls not yet in their teens. Media is a great churner of marketing this, multi-million industry that works every time. We have to recognise that images of particular types of woman are used. We are then asked to fit our being into these images. We all have got swept up with the motions of tapping into what we see, many will continue and others will go so far and get tired.

My advice

• Accept yourself fully – by deprogramming the mind, this includes learnt behaviour, limiting beliefs, negative people and places. Channel what you want and new replacements will be found. The journey will not be a walk over but I encourage you to go for what you want.
• Go skin deep – start exploring your personal make up, the core of what drives you and your abounding unique talents and skills.

                                Right here and now state I am enough as I am.

Updated September 2016