I’m not sure what made me think about this, is it that I’m raising a daughter and wanting to protect her?  Or wanting her to be the best she can be and positively contribute to the world?  Is it the #metoo movement and the talk about women’s rights in the world today?  I don’t know.  What I do know is being a woman in today’s world is complicated and women aren’t making it easier.

Yup, you heard me right.  Women are some of the biggest reasons why I believe it’s so complicated being a woman today.  To give you a little taste, I didn’t like the Lindsey Lohan’s movie Mean Girls because it hit too close to home.  Yes, girls really do that kind of stuff and yes…it’s terrible.  I started to see that just because someone was nice to your face, doesn’t mean they are your friend.  I also realized that what they were saying to your face, wasn’t necessarily the same thing they were telling people when you weren’t around.  

I don’t want you all to think I didn’t fall victim to this same behavior because I did.  It happened to me, I thought this was the way it went and that’s how the “training” begins.

As I started to come into my own and settle into my skin, I realized that I could be more selective with who I chose to be friends with. I could find people that weren’t that way and things got better.  It didn’t completely go away…but it got better…until I started my way into the working world. 

Now, I was raised by a business owner who trained me to look at things from a business owner perspective.  I have never just done the job I’m assigned and go home.  I’ve always looked for ways to improve things and as a result, I moved up the ladder quickly.  Now, you’d think with all the “good ‘ol boys” running the show back then, women would band together and support each other.  

NOPE!  It turns into a Hunger Games scenario, kill or be killed…except for the promotion or for the praise of your boss.  No joke.  Women will literally throw you under the bus, to make themselves look better.  They’ll even take you under their wing and show you the ropes to then throw you to the wolves later, if you do too well.  As a result, you go into survival mode. 

I learned to read people, which turns out is pretty valuable in the business world.  Being that I had an older brother that I hung around with, I also learned to speak “boy” pretty well, too, which helped.   

What I didn’t plan on, was being in my 30’s and still feeling like I don’t have it dialed.  Those friends that you make and confide in, may STILL be telling your their version of the truth.  You may feel they’ve been wronged by another woman and take their side, when in reality they’re playing you and that other person is great, but they’re jealous of them.

Being a woman in today’s world is complicated and I’m going to do my part to UN-COMPLICATE IT.

I’ve decided something.  I’m going to take a stance to NOT be one of those women.  I’m not going to be jealous and try to bring someone down.  I’m not going to assume they don’t like me because they don’t include me in a project.  I AM going to be positive.  I AM going to compliment good work and encourage people to chase their dreams, whether man or woman.  I’m going to commit to break the cycle.

Who's with me!?