The View From Here – International Women’s Day

Not sure what the proper protocol is on this – but Happy International Women’s Day.  All day long, we are celebrating women.   We are playing some of the many amazing and incredibly talented women artists – like P!nk, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and others.  And we are sharing stories of women right here in Sarnia Lambton who inspire others in the community.

March 8, International Women’s Day, is celebrated all over the world.  It celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while highlighting the problems they face in day-to-day life as well as in the professional environment.  It celebrates womanhood.  Recognizing and celebrating achievements.  It’s a day to acknowledge and make people aware of women’s rights and gender equality, parity and call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

It’s actually a national holiday in several countries.  In others it is completely ignored or even protested.  Proof that we need it, I guess.

Choose to Challenge is the theme this year.  To show your support on social media, organizers are asking supporters to “strike the Choose To Challenge pose and share on social media using #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021.”  The pose is simply raising your hand high to “show your commitment to choose to challenge inequality, call out bias, question stereotypes, and help forge an inclusive world,”

Who are you celebrating today?  Who do you think of when you think of inspirational women?  Do you see yourself as inspirational to someone else?  You probably are and don’t even realize it.

I think of my mother.  She taught me to never back down and to stand up for myself.  To have fun.   To live life and not be ashamed to be who you are.  To laugh at yourself and do what you love to do.

I think of the women in my life who have cared for me like a mother.  Who taught me to embrace my strengths and weaknesses.  Who taught me so much about who I wanted to be.

I think of the women in my workplace.  An industry that used to be dominated by men.  I see women in all areas of this industry now. In leadership roles. Management positions.  When I started working in radio, we weren’t “allowed” or encouraged to play more than two women back to back.  Today our playlist is dominated by powerful, incredibly talented women.

I think of women I have met who have inspired me in so many ways.  You don’t have to be on a world stage to make a difference or influence others.

Inspiration can be found in a smile. A compliment.  It can be in someone you meet who has overcome huge life challenges and still shows kindness and compassion to others.  A business owner who never quits.  A single mom who always makes time for others.

I never doubted myself growing up.  I never felt that anything was out of reach.  I’m thankful for that.  It doesn’t mean I wanted to do anything.  I don’t mind sitting it out when it comes to a baseball game.  I don’t mind asking my husband to kill the spider in the bathroom or putting air in my tire.  I’m sure I’m capable.  Some things I don’t mind giving up. (lol)

Here’s to the women in our lives who always show up for each other.  Who encourage and support and lift each other up.  The women that remind us we are in this together, we’re stronger together, nothing is impossible, and we got each others backs.

Keep listening all day as we celebrate those inspirational women in our lives.

And if you want to keep the conversation going – email me anytime

cbuchanan@blackburnradio.com 

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan