Today is Women’s Day, and most of us women will celebrate this day by treating and pampering ourselves.

But once this day is over, what are we going to go back to? What is the point of celebrating ourselves for one day when we spend the rest of our days in self-criticism, self-blame, and self-abandonment? When most of our life will be about others and just a little bit about ourselves? When we’ll be spending most of the time just waiting for that acceptance, appreciation, and validation to come our way?

This is not about one day; it’s about how we, women, choose to show up for ourselves each and every day. It’s about the fact that we, women, deserve to celebrate our being each and every day.

We need to make each day our own. If there’s one thing I have learnt in this lifetime of being a woman, it’s that I only need one person to be there for me: my own self.

I, as a woman, have the capacity to hold the entire universe within me. I have everything that I need and want—within me.

All I need to do is to stop reaching out, and instead, reach within. And this truth is not just for me—but for each and every woman out there.

“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform.” ~ Naomi Wolf

That’s why celebrating ourselves for just one day isn’t enough. It’s great, but it’s not enough. Just like I need to celebrate myself every day, so should you because you, my woman, are special and unique in your own way; you need to own that.

I’ve realised that just like we have beliefs about everything, we do have beliefs about “how a woman should be” as well, and each of us is trying to fit into that list each and every day.

I, too, am guilty of trying to do that. When I focus on my work, I have an inner voice asking me if I’m doing enough for my relationships. If I’m doing enough to take care of the people around me. When I refuse to participate in things that are “typically meant for women,” I find a judgemental voice creeping up on me.

Yet, I have learnt that I have the power of choice within, just like you do.

“I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid of being herself.” ~ Emma Stone

And with each passing day, I allow myself to step into it bit by bit so that I can come into my essence.

What is the essence of a woman?

A woman is…

Whoever she chooses to be.

Social conditioning and upbringing may tell us whatever they wish to, but it’s imperative for us to realise that we are unique beings with our wonderful gifts that we are here to offer to ourselves and to the world.

A woman carries the whole universe within her. The essence of a woman is not that she’s a nurturer or a mother or a caretaker. Her essence is whatever she wants it to be. Whatever she chooses to stand for and live by.

And the sooner we realise that, the better it will be for us because then it won’t be about just one day of loving, pampering, and relaxing ourselves. Then, it would be a lifetime of being and honouring that being. A lifetime of making conscious choices instead of just settling. A lifetime of asking for what we deserve instead of waiting endlessly for someone to recognise our worth.

A lifetime of self-love.

The gift of being a woman is simply that a woman is so many things rolled into one. There is immense power in the divine feminine. All we need to do is allow ourselves to reach within and tune into it.

So let’s not confine our celebration to just one day of the year.

Let’s celebrate ourselves each and every day—because we are worth it, and nothing can change that.

“There is nothing more rare nor more beautiful than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the essence of beauty.” ~ Steve Maraboli

 

 

~