Learnings from the world’s most inspirational women
The Rethink Financial Planning team would like to wish you a happy International Women’s Day today!
This week is also NSW Women’s Week (3-9 March) so I thought it timely to share some insight into a little project I started earlier this year where I learn about inspirational women from around the world.
Inspirational women
For a long time I have had a lengthy list of women who have inspired me in some way, and who I’d like to learn more about. Unfortunately, this list has grown and grown, but never gets ticked off, as I always found myself too busy with work or feeling unsure of where to start.
I mean, these incredible women are inspiring, fascinating, and changing the world by doing amazing things in all types of ways in all pockets of the world. They're working on a large and small scale, making a significant difference to the way so many humans live their lives, and I have always desperately wanted to learn from them.
So, rather than procrastinating further, or getting distracted on Instagram with house-related searches, earlier this year I decided I’d write a plan of attack and get moving on it ASAP. I would choose one inspirational woman every month, then study everything I could find on her.
In January this year, I chose Brené Brown. It was an easy choice for my first month of diving deep, as Brené talks extensively on vulnerability and leadership from the heart, not from hurt and fear. A great video I highly recommend is here:
Living our values
The Rethink Financial Planning team all live and breathe our values, and by undertaking this task, I believe I am being 'open' to learning as well as 'spirited' - the world is open to possibility and these inspiring women are proving it! I’m also hoping to inspire others to feel more ‘activated’ and continue to grow (as I am) through their own learnings and the lessons of others.
I know that I am lucky to have the luxury of time to be able to take on this personal project. In truth, it wasn’t until quite recently that I’ve found myself in the position to concentrate on ‘me’, as my children are now independent and require very little of mum’s support.
With this inspiration project, I allow myself all month to learn about the chosen person on whatever platform I want to - via books, Youtube, Instagram or even Google! And it’s worked. I no longer feel the pressure to learn about everyone at the same time, and focusing on just one person a month is very doable - and enjoyable.
Smelling the roses
You know what, there have been a couple of people that I have enjoyed learning about so much that I have continued over the following month too. Also, an additional unforeseen advantage from the project is that it has taught me is that it’s ok to take your time and slow everything down. It’s not about ticking a name off the list to get rid of the list, the purpose is to be inspired more fully by the handful of humans that resonate with me.
The Rethink Financial Planning team and I would like to wish you all a fantastic International Women’s Day. This year's campaign theme is #balanceforbetter. If you'd like to see how others are celebrating, check out the hash tag #IWD2019 on any of your social media platforms.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”