In my experience, the quest toward believing in myself has been a life-long pursuit. I do believe that I have “arrived” at a place of celebration, in the presentation of The Language of Water this past weekend, and it inspires me to look back at the challenges of my journey.
When I was a little girl, the Women’s Rights movement was in full swing with bra-burning parties, and it seemed somewhat violent to my young conscience … but it didn’t take me long to figure it out.
I identified more with boys, because they (traditionally) have the opportunities, and I wanted opportunity too. In most families that I was privy to, girls were not encouraged to dream too big, but I witnessed my grandmother changing the world, and my mother working hard, and so in that way, I had extraordinary examples.
However, as a trumpet player and computer expert specifically, I can assure you that the world I grew up in did not want to see women succeed. As I entered the workforce in the late 80s, it was a constant insult that men were always chosen for promotion and raises over women of equal or better skill. I could not figure out how to break the glass ceiling.
Eventually, I realized that I needed to create my own path.
HOWEVER (and as the Universe would have it) the pressure to submit ended up being exactly the pressure I needed to evolve the hardness of a diamond – To recognize and acknowledge my prowess, experience, vision, skill and message. It’s what every woman should strive for – a sense of personal accomplishment in which there is no need for praise from any outside party.
Once this stage is achieved, literally – everything is possible!
We must achieve the point at which our belief in ourselves is stronger than society’s need to dominate. That is the quest, and every woman who has achieved this stage should then lend a helping hand to others – younger or older – who are on the same path.