The Essential Feminine Company - Empowering Women to Create Successful Businesses and Lives

Several years ago in a blog entitled “Are Women In The US Really Leading?”, I commented on a global survey ranking women in the area of gender equality that was compiled by “The White House Project”.  The survey stated that “The United States ranks 22nd out of 115 countries.”  The report utilized 4 measurement standards: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.  We came in first for Health and Survival, and third for Economic Opportunity.  But, we received our lowest score for Political Empowerment, coming in 66th. 

I wondered about our progress since that time and went looking for an updated report.  I discovered a thought provoking and heart touching blog written by Mary C. Wilson for “The White House Project Blog”, entitled A False Divide Between Head and Heart: What I Learned From Robert McNamara.  It is well worth reading in its entirety.

As for the report, she states in her blog, “Women are still vastly underrepresented in the halls of power. As the soon-to-be-released “White House Project Report: Benchmarking Women’s Leadership” has found, women are far from parity in every sector, from business and politics to sports and religion. Projections show that it will take decades to reach even a critical mass in many of these arenas; and the women who do make it into positions of power often do so at great sacrifice.”

 Do we have decades?

 Becoming leaders takes courage and determination and most of all a willingness to step forward.  It can not and will not be done for us.  Though, each of us must take that step for ourselves, we need not do it alone.

 

 

A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul. ~~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The gift of art, music and beauty is often understated in our daily lives. We don’t often make time for a museum visit, a concert or to take a photograph on the run. The gifts of integrating the arts and beauty into our lives as a daily practice are unbounded.  Art and beauty feed our soul and are central to our very nature.  Today’s world is fast and busy.  It is essential that we make time to experience our inner quiet for it is in this place that we are informed and receive information and wisdom that will actually make our day-to-day life easier.  The gift that music, poetry and beauty give us is the gift of inner contemplation and stillness.  There is nothing more that our world needs.  If we start with ourselves and realize the value these subtle gifts give us, we can begin living our lives from a place of greater depth and contemplation.  The presence will roll out into the world and touch the many lives we encounter.  Take a moment to invite music, art, beauty, meditation and stillness into your life.  This is one of the greatest ways to contribute to the peace that our world cries for now.

Maureen Simon

Maureen J. Simon Consulting

(415) 381-5115

www.maureensimon.com

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