Piece by Piece ~

Last Weekend, while I was doing mindset work, I received a request from people who know I am healthy, fit, and strong…It was a request I did not expect to receive ~

I was asked to help put a docking system into place! I thought for a moment and didn’t think I could do it… however I thought - well - they really need the help… let me see if I can lift anything or do some other step that will help them with this process of putting docks in…

Now as most of you know, I am a marathon trainer, a runner, and I do yoga, pilates, and ballet. Additionally, I love my feminine self and wear dresses and skirts almost every single day… I did have to ask myself can I really do this? And

To my surprise, there were many different things I could do to help get this docking system in place that was already delayed to be in the water. I put my yoga workout pants on, and my artists painting shirt, a pair of gloves, and asked… What do you want me to help with? Or… How do you want me to help?

I started lifting pieces of wood, then I started lifting dock frames with someone else, then I was able to lift the dock platforms with at least one other person, as well as drill in nuts and bolts… by the end of the weekend I was lifting 6 foot, 8 foot then 10 foot wooden beams although the 12 foot wooden ones were still heavy for me… and I said to all the guys… I AM THE NEW ROSIE THE RIVETER! Hahahahaha!

I had a blast! But in addition to that, multiple things came to mind as I was going through this process as all of us came together to put the docks in. It reminded me of the Transformational Coaching we do, and our life coaching… and of business building… with one step at a time, you create your life and your business … with the right building blocks you create your dream, one piece building on top of another, piece by piece. I was reminded of the believing in yourself… and the importance of saying to yourself you think you can do something. It is better to think you might be able to do something, or to think you can do something, than to think you can’t, to not ever have tried, and missed the opportunity or the moment….it is amazing what you can do when you believe in yourself.

I was also reminded as I was carrying each piece of wood or helping put the pieces into place, that even Christ had someone to help him carry the cross… helping lift the wooden frames, I could not help but think about the cross, and how Christ is by our side in our life.. helping us carry the pieces that are too heavy for us alone… pieces to grow us, pieces to challenge us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be, pieces that just need a little understanding or tightening of the nuts and bolts… even the nuts and bolts of a business…

As I remembered the true example of “Rosie the Riveter” and all the women who rolled up their sleeves and said let’s do it, let’s get it done! and We Can Do It!!! - A symbol of feminism but also a symbol of women’s economic advantage. Where their work has meaning and purpose, and where they are paid for the work they do. Reciprocity, economic justice, men seeing the value of women in the workplace and appreciating their gifts, talents, capabilities, and when women or men are unsure how to do something, learning how to do it. The goodness of being paid for one’s work, and being economically independent.

It brought me to thoughts of women’s/female empowerment… and how some people find the phrase taboo… that if they empower women, they disempower themselves. Which is very far from the truth. Actually, the opposite is true.. when others disempower women, they disempower themselves as well as their business.’ Women’s/Female Empowerment includes accepting women’s viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, training, awareness and literacy. It allows women to make life determining decisions, including in relation to societal problems (something I do in different ways, on a daily basis). It also includes economic empowerment of women.

Economic Empowerment of Women allows women to control and benefit from resources, assets, and income. It also aids in the ability to manage risks and improve women’s well-being as well as the well-being of those around them.

Which brings me to my next point… how many people truly economically empower women, and support women’s economic empowerment? Ask yourself this question today and see … AND

how many times do you know of where you or another woman has been nailed to the cross because of economic dis-empoweredment? Even though she could do the job, do the job well, and even better than some of the male counterparts? How many times do you still see women dismissed for their points of view, or not paid for their work, or even economically dis-empowered?

What are some ways you can help create a better future for women to be economically empowered?

After putting the docks in, and yes, I was the only woman putting the docks in while all the others were male (they asked because they did not have enough people available)… days later, as the moonlight came up over the docks, as boats started coming in, and families started arriving to use them...the beauty of the moon on the dock, the joy on the families faces as the little kids ran to the docks to get in their boats and enjoy the water… I was happy to know I was part of the crew who put them in…. and to recognize again the masculine and feminine yin and the yang of each life… whether male or female.

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