What is it to ‘be’ a female change-leader at this time of Covid19, climate and ecological emergency?

It is to be exhausted – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually – as we juggle the demands on, and within us, as care givers, ‘mama bears’, soul mates and independent women.

We are conflicted; torn between stepping in, giving it our all, and running away, seeking solace in a hidden sunny spot or a locked camper van parked on the drive. We cry at the death rates. We cry at the funny memes and we fume at incompetence and ideologies.

It is to hold both hope and optimism in one hand and stubborn resistance, the fear of change, in the other.

It is to question our role and how we can ever do enough, be enough, to find a way out of this mess.

But it is also to understand that now really is the time to stop and pause.

To ask of our self – what is truly important to me?

And to listen, in that silence to the true, quiet voice that reminds you who you are.

To be a female change-leader at this time is;

• To understand that to bring peace and equality, to live within planetary boundaries, is to first look inside and to acknowledge what needs to be accepted; what needs to be released; what to let out and what to let go.
• To see that ‘women’ and ‘men’ are different, and to acknowledge, to celebrate the difference, and enrichment, that these feminine and masculine qualities bring to all our lives.
• To know that these feminine and masculine qualities are inherent in all genders to varying degrees but the feminine has been trampled down, ignored, belittled and scorned in the collective – the victim of centuries of living out of balance as the masculine has ruled.
• To allow the much needed rise of the feminine, so clearly visible now across the world.
• To do the inside work required to find our courage, our purpose, our voice; to allow our own re-balancing of the feminine and masculine to take place, relishing the sense of relief as we allow our true nature to emerge.
• To be a female change-leader at this time is to trust that intuition that says you are not alone – you are part of a global uprising, a world-wide re-balancing. We no longer need to question our worth, our value; to be overcome by feelings of inadequacy or lack of self-belief.

We know that we are nurtured by an encompassing connection that sustains us at all times – we just need to re-learn how to access it, and allow it in.

We may believe that connection is based on our shared values, a shared humanity.

Or we may believe in a deeper spirituality that sees a universal consciousness, whether you call that Mother Earth, Source, God or your own name for a living, loving energy running through all.

To be a female change-leader is to step into our own authentic power, guided by a combined body-mind intelligence and intuition. Whilst we know to look for our answers inside our own hearts, we have the grace to say when we don’t know and can discern who and how to collaborate with others. We are resilient but we understand when that has shifted into endurance, knowing what boundaries to set and when to say no.

We are courageous.

We use our voice.

We are pro-active in our practices that keep us connected to what is truly important and sustaining.

We know when to embrace the stillness of the dawn or the chaos of the family.

We know we need to re-discover us.

 

Rhian Sherrington is the founder of the Women in Sustainability Network and new membership platform, WINS Online Hub, creating community where meaningful conversations that motivate and inspire female change leaders can be found.