My WHY: Empowering women to find their voice
Everyone asks us what we want to be when we grow up, but when it comes to our life’s work, I think there’s another question that is far more important. Instead of asking ourselves what we want to be, I think we should start asking, “What problems do we want to solve?”
Thought leader Simon Sinek once said, “It’s not important WHAT you do, it’s important WHY you do it.” So what is your “WHY”? What is the reason behind your work?
We are living in a time where the news suggests that the world is in a constant state of havoc. Based on my Facebook news feed alone, the world can certainly feel like a lot. Needless to say, if we’re not careful about where we look, it can look pretty dark out there.
So what can we do, and where do we begin? For starters, I believe we have to hold the mirror onto ourselves and reflect: what we are doing to contribute to the solution? Are we being loving and kind in our daily actions? Are we extending generosity and positivity to those we encounter on our day to day? Are we loving ourselves enough to have the strength to give love to others? Are we becoming the women and men the world needs us to become? Most importantly, are we being brave enough to take a stand for something?
It’s more important than ever to live with a purpose and a cause, but I also know that for many, it can be a struggle to find theirs. But if you begin by wondering which problems you are drawn to solve, or what you are being called to create, you might get a little closer to the answer. How many of us can honestly say that we have explored our curiosities by stepping out and actually getting involved in them, however small the step may be?
When I was a college freshman, I discovered the art of spoken word through my friend Adriel. From the beginning, I told Adriel that I was a writer, but definitely not a performer. But after much cajoling, Adriel eventually convinced me to read my first poem at an open mic. After all, I was curious, so I decided that it couldn’t hurt to try.
When the open mic night came, I approached the stage filled with both nervousness and excitement. I was shy at first, but then it came: a roaring fire that I never knew existed within me. It was as if I had discovered my superpowers for the first time.
That small step I took led to an unexpected six-year career as a professional spoken word artist, taking me to perform at hundreds of venues across the globe, and facilitating writing workshops that combined art with social change. It also led me to discovering my passion for using my voice to empower women and to encourage others to change the world along with me. It helped me to do the important work of building bridges among communities, and helping others find their voice so that they too, can speak for the causes they believed in.
Had I not taken that small step to explore my curiosity, I would not have discovered my personal purpose. And I would not have found my WHY.
Because the more we step out to be an active participant in shaping the world, the more the world responds to us. We can’t soul search just by thinking about it, we have to engage every part of us by taking action and testing it out. Doing. Immersing both the mind and the body in leaning into the curves of life’s question marks is how we find the exclamation points, the Eureka moments that punctuate our purpose.
I encourage you to dig deep and cultivate your WHY. Because when we as a collective begin to lead with that, we begin to fill all the dark holes with our light. All it takes is one small spark to illuminate the world.
Are you willing to light the match?
If your answer is yes, let's light up the world together.
I invite you to join me for my "Women On A Mission" workshop in San Francisco on May 13th, where I will help you define your mission statement and clarify your WHY.
Get your early bird tickets here!
