“ I had been raised to assume all power was outside myself, but they (men) had been raised to place power almost nowhere but within themselves. Often, they were suffering, too. Just as the fantasy of no control was the enemy of my self-esteem, the fantasy of total control was the enemy of theirs. For both of us, the goal should have been a point of balance in between: a back-and-forth between the self and others, uniqueness and unity, the planned and the accidental, our internal selves and the universe. As wise women and men in every culture tell us: the art of life is not controlling what happens to us, but using what happens to us.”
Gloria Steinem “Revolution From Within”
When we think about our influence and our sense of self, the idea of power becomes a central theme. Women have been a part of cultures that place power over her, as opposed to power with or next to her, for far too long. We need to realize that only if we recognize and claim it will our personal power becomes truly enlivened in our lives. This sense of strength manifests through our competence, our voice and our excitement towards living. Use your past experiences to guide your strength going forward. Never be victim to the challenging days that have passed but as Gloria says, use them to your benefit and advantage today.
Maureen Simon
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