One of my mentors and teachers, Brooke Castillo, the founder of the Life Coach School, once said, “I am all for changing the world in the way the world needs to be changed.” This thought keeps coming up for me as we celebrate Women’s History Month and mark International Women’s Day.
The theme of this year’s event is #BreaktheBias, a rally cry reminding and inspiring us to confront and challenge the conscious and subconscious biases that hold women back. #BreakTheBias is also a call to action for each of us to create change that promotes and fosters equity and equality for women around the world.
I am ALL IN for breaking the bias. I am all in for changing political, social, and cultural constructs that disempower women or leave us behind. I am all in for equal pay, equal rights, and equal representation. I believe that women not only belong at the table, but we should have an equal number of seats at the table.
I am thinking about Brooke’s words today because while I want to change the world, I also want to change the beliefs that we as women have about ourselves that hold us back.
So many of our beliefs are engrained and were passed down from generations of women who would be in absolute AWE of what is possible today. So many of us don’t even realize we have these beliefs and what they are costing us. How they are keeping us small. How they are keeping us stuck.
Do you?
Do you ever hear a voice telling you why you can't do something? Why you shouldn't even try? Why it's impossible. Do you acknowledge these as beliefs or accept them as fact?
To overcome these limiting beliefs, you must first identify them and then actively challenge them daily. Once you do, you can start taking action to live a life beyond your wildest dreams. Whatever that might look like for you.
For me – helping others, supporting women, cheering on teens, being a small part of their growth and evolution – this is the life of my dreams. I could not live that life without, challenging my beliefs, facing my fears, shifting my focus from the obstacles to what’s possible, and acknowledging how lucky I am to be able to pursue this dream.
The fact that I could set up my own LLC and open a bank account for my business is no small fete. As a woman, this would not have been possible before 1974 – I would’ve had to get my husband or father’s permission to do so.
This realization reminds me of my grandmother who was a working woman long before that was a respected and admired choice or even the norm. No doubt she faced many more biases, obstacles, and fears than I can ever imagine. But she never let that stop her. She paved the way for me and countless other women without even knowing it.
With her in mind, I recognize that if my limiting beliefs are truly the only hurdle in my way, then I owe it to her, my daughter, and thousands of women and teenage girls I hope to help with my coaching business to move through the fear and to continue believing in my possibility.
Like Brooke, I am all for changing the world in the way the world needs to be changed – and there are MILLIONS of ways it needs to be – but I am also ready and willing to change my beliefs. For so many of us, the greatest obstacles we face are ones we have put up for ourselves and it’s up to us to break them down.
(photo of my incredible grandmother who is an endless source of inspiration to me today and always)