My identity as a woman percolates all aspects of my existence – a mother, colleague, sister, wife, community member, leader, and so on.

And while it is glorious to be a woman, this identity also has a set of strongly ingrained societal expectations, a certain prototype of what it means to be a woman, and ways of behaving, acting and conforming. 

This stereotype often shackles us and leads to limiting beliefs furthering the feeling of being undermined and unsupported. We all witness this daily in small and big ways and find that this cuts across women in different socio-economic strata, education, and family backgrounds.

For real change to happen, there are a few things that we need to do as women, first for ourselves and then for others around us. We can create magical change when we work consciously to support each other. 

Unleash your Inner Shakti: There is a reason that Indian mythology has a reference to Shakti for women referring to the dynamic energy responsible for creation, maintenance and destruction. We have a tough time owning this energy in day-to-day life. What does this mean for us? Each of us has to identify and own our feminine power. It begins with recognising our potential, taking some chances, questioning assumptions and refusing to shrink back in the face of possibilities.

          Only when you love and believe in yourself can you lead and inspire others. 

          For me, this is the critical foundational piece for each of us.

Believe in your power to impact: Wait! What -me and lead !!-  others !!?!! The usual confusion- as women, we often feel we cannot help others.  But take a moment to step back, and we can think of at least one person with whom we can make a positive change. Simple daily examples include your domestic help who needs help to set up a bank account and educate her child where you can bring your skills to play. A neighbour who is seeking empathy and encouragement. In an organisation, you could be a mid-junior executive, but even then, you wield the power of influence. There are many opportunities to tune in to women around you by supporting them, acknowledging/advocating their contribution, connecting them to networks within or sharing pointers on how to grow/navigate and ensuring you create an environment to speak up. If you are a more senior leader, you can provide the power of your voice to shape policy, sponsor women colleagues and advocate for a culture of inclusion.

Success is never achieved alone, and it is the result of an ecosystem of collaboration and trust, and we all can play a part.

Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it, possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women  - Maya Angelou