This month I want to challenge you to live life in full bloom! Sometimes we forget how important it is to fill up our own cup before we can be of service to others. Self care is not selfish. Self care is Self Love! Self-love grows with ACTION! The more you commit to loving yourself and showing up for yourself the more confident you become and confidence can’t be bought at Target! Confidence is action, self love is action.

What lights you up?
Laughter, painting, walks in nature, gardening, cooking, mediation, children, family, the beach, donating to charity, watching the sunset, puzzles, date night, movies, reading a book, de-cluttering, singing, dancing, writing, swimming, working out, volunteering, time with friend, taking a bubble bath, drink a glass of wine, shopping, mani/pedi, spa day…do one thing everyday that lights you up. Choose to live your life in full bloom.

You are a gorgeous, woman and your deserve to cater to you.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

March is National Women’s History Month and we celebrate all the amazing things that Women have accomplished, created, and worked hard for through blood, sweat and tears.

International Women’s Day (March 8th) is a day for us to join voices with people around the world and shout our message for equal rights loud and clear: “Women’s rights are human rights!”

We celebrate all women, in all their diversities. We embrace their facets and intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity, or disability. We celebrate those who came before us, those who stand beside us now, and those who will come after.

It’s a time to celebrate the achievements of women, whether social, political, economic or cultural.

This year’s theme is: I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights

Why does International Women’s Day matter?

Because we’re not there yet.

IWD is a day to recognize how far we’ve come towards gender equality, and also how far we have left to go. Back in 1911, only eight countries allowed women to vote, equal pay for equal work was unheard of – if women were allowed to work at all – and reproductive rights were non-existent.

We have come a long way. Whereas once women couldn’t vote, we’re now leading countries. While we once faced restrictions on where we worked, we’re now running corporations. In countries such as Australia we have rights our grandmothers could only have dreamed about, but we still don’t have complete equality. And the majority of the world’s women aren’t anywhere near as close to that goal as we are.

More than 100 years ago, that first march was about ending harmful workplace conditions, equal rights, equal pay, and an end to exploitation. And sadly, those aims are still relevant today.

Because the rights we have are not secure.

Progress should be linear, but it’s too often accompanied by a step back. Sometimes, even once laws and rights are established, they are ignored anyway. For example:

• Despite domestic violence laws, public awareness and access to legal protections, Australian men are still killing women partners or exes at the rate of one a week.
• Reproductive rights are a political football. Here in Australia access varies by state, and in some parts of the United States laws have passed making terminations inaccessible, no matter the reason behind the woman’s decision.
• Climate change is increasing violence against women and girls, according to a major report in 2020. Case studies included domestic abuse, human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against women environmental rights defenders.

IWD is a once-a-year chance to remind governments, businesses and everyone else watching that women aren’t going anywhere, and we’re prepared to take action to achieve our human rights.

Because progress hasn’t been equal.

Some women feel they have not encountered discrimination or harassment, or faced systemic barriers to their success, but that’s not the experience of all women. IWD is an opportunity to acknowledge the compounded challenges faced by women of colour, women with disabilities, and queer or trans women, and stand in partnership with them.

It’s also a show of solidarity with our sisters living in countries who may not be able to march out of fear for their safety.

On International Women’s Day we remember that as long as one woman faces discrimination, harassment, inequality or oppression, we all do.

Because sometimes we need to remember we’re not alone.

Between personal experience and public headlines it can feel like we’re not getting any closer to gender equality, or that it’s too overwhelming (and exhausting) to keep challenging social norms. Maybe we’re just tired of fighting the same fight. IWD is a great way to get re-inspired or re-energized, or to remind ourselves there are millions of women out there standing with us, and we’re all facing – and winning – the same battles.

Annie Turnbo Malone reached millionaire status by the end of World War 1, one of the first black women to do so. Malone was an entrepreneur that created her own hair care line that catered towards the African American woman. She wanted to find an alternative to the typical butter, bacon grease and heavy oils that were used during the 1900’s to straighten natural hair.

A talented and innovative chemist at heart, Malone made a hair straightening formula that wasn’t so harsh on the hair and scalp and wouldn’t hurt the hair follicles. She called it Wonderful Hair Grower. Contrary to popular belief, Malone invented the formula and process to straighten kinky hair.

Image Source: Annie Turnbo Malone / Wikimedia Commons

In addition, Malone founded Poro College, one of the pioneering cosmetology schools that focused on scalp health. Her school provided many African Americans the opportunity to learn and begin a successful career in the industry and helped to popularize the idea of cosmetology school.

In fact, the more famous household name, Madam CJ Walker, was an employee of Malone’s at her hair salon in St. Louis. Many say that Walker’s fame and popularity are because of Malone.

Madam CJ Walker, originally Sarah Breedlove, worked her way from the plantation-born girl to one of the world’s most celebrated figures with sheer brilliance and determination.

Walker got her start in hair because she was losing her own due to dandruff and psoriasis of the scalp. In fact, she was a client of none other than Annie Malone! Under Malone’s regimen and using The Wonderful Hair Grower, Madam Walker began to see steady improvement until her hair reached past her shoulders.

Image Source: Smithsonian

After success selling as an agent under her Malone, Walker moved to Denver to step out on her own. She started manufacturing and selling her version of a hair straightener modeled after Malone’s which she called Madam CJ Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower.

In just 12 years, Walker had stunning success. She shared her success, creating many jobs and ways out of poverty for African Americans. For example, Walker hired sales agents to sell her product, called “Walker Agents” and founded hair-culture programs at many colleges to educate on African American hair care.

She is also one of the first Female and African Americans to become a millionaire. With what seemed like insurmountable odds, we can only wish to possess a fraction of the determination, courage and smarts of the lady who popularized hair care meant for African Americans and Women’s hair culture.