These are exciting times. Especially for women. Women are slowly but surely embracing their own voice. And other women are supporting them in their efforts. The ‘Me TOO’ movement has helped to inspire that and thank God because its about TIME! We still have a long way to go but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It starts with embracing our power, embracing our voice, embracing our dreams and paying this forward to other women.
As a person of colour who found myself suddenly single after my mother passed away when I was the tender age of 16, my life was difficult for many years. Luckily, my mother had taught me how to survive. What she did not teach me was how to navigate a society that did not have high hopes for me and fully expected me to fail.
LESSON 1: What my experience taught me that if I wanted success, if I wanted to stop the cycle of working three jobs, financial instability and unhappiness, I was going to have to become my biggest advocate or what I call an I-VOCATE.
Society does not teach women to be advocates for ourselves. Many women are already blessed with this skill by virtue of being mothers. Have you seen a mama bear whose babies are being threatened? You would be wise to avoid her even if she is half your size. In fact when I was thinking about this article and I googled the word, “ someone who advocates for themselves”. Very interesting words showed up. Words like, selfish, narcissistic, and even egocentric. You know, words that women love to be associated with!
LESSON 2: The truth is, the only way you can truly be an I-VOCATE is to ask yourself, how important is the result you want? Are you willing to risk no longer being perceived as nice or people- pleasing to get it?
For me, I was tired by the time I was in my twenties. I had worked to put myself through high school and university and really wanted to have financial security. When I got downsized from my very first full time job someone recommended that I speak to a financial planner. I never imagined this occupation existed. A woman talking to me about money and that MONEY COULD WORK FOR ME. Now that was revolutionary in my mind. This challenged a money myth my mother taught me which was I needed to work for money.
As this female financial planner was telling me about what I could do with my money a warm sensation was running through my body. I never had a money conversation before and there were so many times in my life it would have made a difference to have someone to talk to. I found my calling in life and stopped listening to the voices around me that said I was supposed to work three jobs and remain a broke person of colour.
LESSON 3: I was willing to be vulnerable to someone who I thought could help me. I asked her what was involved to become a planner like her and enter the financial industry. In that moment my life changed and it led me to create a 7 figure net worth and the financial freedom I have always wanted. I pay it forward by teaching other women how they can do the same. Ladies there is no better feeling than becoming an I-Vocate. The results are worth it! I promise.