The world has a tendency of placing limitations on us before we have the chance to prove our capabilities. Sadly, we often give in and accept these limitations and sometimes even participate in gender discrimination by placing those same limitations on the next woman. In the end, many women never realize their full potential.
People often talk about societal norms and standards, but who sets them? Who determines how much success a woman can achieve before she steps outside the boundaries of “the norm”? How many women were involved in establishing this norm?
Change starts with us. We should not confine ourselves and our destiny to a norm society has conveniently created to serve itself. This practice of portraying women as inferior will live on for as long as we fail to change our mindsets. We need to find the strength to push past all obstacles and be motivated to excel.
Our success depends on our willingness to work together against all odds. No one will understand you better than someone who has walked the same path before you, someone in your exact position, and someone who will follow in your footsteps sooner or later.
When the world looks at women, they often look at us collectively and not as individuals with different dreams and aspirations. To them we are the same and so are our capabilities.
What I find encouraging is that when I look back in history, I am motivated by record-breaking women who paved the way for many of us. It’s up to us to break free from the norms that diminish our potential, not only for ourselves, but for the sake of the next generation of women.