The Year of the Woman

This was the year that I promised myself I would connect with women. Historically, I have been more comfortable in the company of men. Probably because all my siblings and cousins are male. I have often thought that I have a lot of male traits- I'm a very strong person, independent, logical, sexual in a way similar to men. I've never been a frilly, giggly type of girl. I haven't had the best track record with my relationships with females. And I was determined to change that.

I started the year by attending a special weekend called the "Women Within" weekend. It was a profound experience that I can't really put into words. Bottom line is that it helped me reconnect with the essence of who I am. And I was able to see strong similarities and common ground with the other women.

Professionally, I joined an all female entrepreneur peer group. It has proven to be an inspirational and educational experience. My decision to start my own company was in part a result of joining this group. Hence, I have begun an entirely new and very exciting career path.

Lastly, I was the founder of an activity group for women over 35. Currently, we have almost 200 members, though only 40-50 of those have ever participated in events. The best part is that I've made many good friends from this group. A very diverse group- various ages, interests, backgrounds. And I've loved every bit of it.

So what have I learned? I've learned about some truly wonderful female traits. I've learned that a woman without her make-up on and her hair curled is amazingly beautiful. I've learned that the nurturing side of us is limitless and fabulous. I've learned that our ability to love each other fully, support each other, validate each other, and remind each other how gorgeoous we are...is often rarely recognized. I've learned that our ability to create life connects us to each other and the world we live in.

I've learned that deep down we are all frightened little girls that often don't believe we are beautiful or that we are worthy of love. I've learned that we are more similar than different.

It's time for me to take this learning...and connect to the women closest to me. My mom, my grandmother, my sisters-in-law, my aunts, my cousin. I can tell you, they are pretty amazing women.