How To Be a Female Powerhouse
There are moments when I marvel at the progress that professional women in the United States have made over the years. We’ve shattered glass ceilings, eradicated gender stereotypes, and shown what we are truly capable of.
Seriously, we’ve taken some huge steps:
According to a 2018 study by Prudential, 54% of women reported being the primary breadwinner in their households.
Women hold 50.04% of jobs in the US, making up a majority of the workforce.
Women business ownership is on the rise in the US, with the Census reporting more than 11.6 million firms are owned by women.
BUT, to be completely vulnerable with you, even with these huge steps, today I’m finding myself in a place of frustration– frustration that there are still huge parts of society that are disempowering women…
… from the mainstream media, which contains gender stereotypes and tropes that are riddled with gender bias, to the gender pay gap (Hispanic women are paid on average just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white men!)... from the man I heard make a sexist comment at a restaurant last week, to, of course, the US Supreme Court aiming to restrict women’s reproductive rights in 20 states.
And this is just in the United States! I say this not to diminish the gender inequality in countries that severely marginalize women in even more horrific ways, but my intention here is to focus on what women in the US are experiencing, as I personally am a woman in the US experiencing these things.
Frankly, it pisses me off.
But just being pissed off isn’t going to help anything.
Instead, I’m choosing to listen to my anger and transform it into a positive force for good. I’m using my anger as an ally, to express my passion and to re-empower myself and others.
Which leads me to…
Despite disempowerment, inequity, and gender bias being experienced in our society, it is still possible for you to empower yourself– to lift yourself up, to seize new opportunities, to become a female powerhouse, and take control of your career (and your life). There are things you can do– daily actions, behaviors, words, and routines– that can help you embrace your inner powerhouse.
How to Be A Female Powerhouse
Display your passion and authenticity proudly. When I lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for 2 years, during Mardi Gras season the locals would frequently say, “We don't hide the crazy. We parade it down the street.” I believe more of us should approach life like this. Use your voice and be authentically you! You have a unique personality, set of skills, viewpoint, and voice that needs to be heard– needs to be paraded down the damn street. Don’t let the fear of being polarizing stop you from being YOU. Hell, I’m scared of just writing this blog because it might set some people off. But it’s something I’m passionate about; it’s authentically me. We have to display our passions and uniqueness proudly. Kat Norton is a female powerhouse entrepreneur who began promoting herself on TikTok in 2020 and started her company, Miss Excel. Kat had no idea how her unique combination of passions for Excel, dancing, and helping people would come together, but she found a way to show up authentically and provide something that became massively successful.
Set boundaries. When you say “no” to something (or someone), you’re saying “yes” to something better. It’s easier to say no to other people’s requests when you know what you’re saying yes to in your life. For example, last year I was making TONS of plans with friends. I was newly vaccinated, things were opening up in California, and I was itching to get out of the house and be social. I loved it! But, I started to overbook myself and noticed that I was exhausted. I hadn’t read a book in a month, physical exercise was put on the back burner, and my energy was low. I realized that, in order to get back my energy and refocus on my priorities, I needed to say “no” to some social plans. And you know what? Saying “no” became a lot easier because I was actually saying “yes” to something else— to a good night of sleep, or to a killer workout. Ask yourself, “When I say no, what am I actually saying yes to?” Setting boundaries that are in alignment with your goals and sticking to them is extremely empowering.
Surround yourself with other fierce women. When you spend time with women who push you to be better and better, without the drama or negativity, you will be more focused, reach bigger goals, and live your higher purpose. It’s imperative to align yourself with other powerhouse women who share similar values. If you want to run a marathon, you’re a lot more likely to do it if you spend your time with other marathon runners. If you want to read more, you’re a lot more likely to do it if you join a book club or start spending time with other bookworms. Surround yourself with positive, empowering women. Women that bring you positive energy and good times. No jealousy or hate, just support, encouragement, love, and empowerment. Simply bring out the best in each other.
Always continue improving yourself. To become a female powerhouse, your continual self-development is imperative. Consistently be on the lookout for new knowledge or experiences that will hone your skills or continue your journey of self-evolution. This could be books, podcasts, travel experiences, webinars, hiring a life coach, taking relevant courses or continuing education, attending retreats or conferences, mastermind groups, networking, or anything else that will continue to push you to grow and improve yourself. This also means actively seeking out feedback! The number 1 way to accelerate your career success is to not just wait for, but seek out feedback from your supervisors and colleagues, then to improve yourself based on their feedback.
Speak up. We’ve gotta talk, ladies! But we need to be able to talk about gender without people thinking we’re crying for help, asking for special treatment, or about to sue. Staying quiet and fitting in may have been all the first generations of women who entered corporate America could do, but the strategy of staying quiet is not paying off for women as a whole. Instead, we need to speak up, advocate for ourselves, and find solutions. What does this look like in action? First off, practice pay transparency- talk about your compensation! You have the right to discuss wages with other employees at your workplace without your employer retaliating. Hold organizations accountable for gender discrimination when you see it. Advocate for yourself and other female colleagues. Attend events that support causes you’re passionate about. Use your most valuable resource, your time, to advocate for what you care about. If you are able, donate money to well-researched organizations that are in alignment with your views. If you’re wondering if just you speaking up can make a difference, the answer is YES! Talking can transform minds, which can transform behaviors, which can transform institutions.
While gender stereotypes, bias, and a male patriarchy all still exist, it’s possible to empower yourself… to flex your female powerhouse “muscles” and exert your feminine strength. You are not powerless and you are not a victim. If you are angry (like me!), try using your anger as a positive force to express and empower yourself and others.
