It’s certainly been challenging!

It’s that time again when we gals get to celebrate and remind the world of the awesomeness of being a woman. Our spectacular social, economic, cultural and political achievements can be applauded and our capabilities admired on this special day; a day that date backs to 1911. I often feel conflicted about the fact that we should even need a day to remind the other half of the population that we are more than capable. Considering we were pretty good at growing them and pushing them out of our rather impressive birth canals so that they can even exist they should maybe be a little more in awe of that fact that we are bloody Goddesses don’t you think? I know procreation is a two people job but let us face facts women are the CEO of that company.

Most of the women that I know and grew up around are pretty normal, I see myself in that category. I’m somebody that just seems to be navigating her way through life with a lot to do. Like so many of my female friends and family, I don’t feel that I am likely to be celebrated for my impressiveness on March 8^th the birthday of International Women’s Day. It is expected in today’s society to be more and live some exceptional life. Thank you very much social media. But the reality check is that a tiny percentage of the population male and female will lead extraordinary lives and the bulk of us will just be muddling through our ordinary ones. I think the women that are being fabulous and fighting for change deserve the applause, the awards and recognition, but I also think that there are so many amazing regular women that need it too. You know the shop workers and care givers and hairdressers and teachers that shine their magic light under the radar every day.

Maybe it is changing and men and women are becoming more balanced in navigating who wears the trousers or skirts (whatever takes your fancy) but from my experience the Women I know take on the role of primary care giver, I think we were just programmed from a young age to offer more of ourselves. Is it just learnt behaviour or a natural maternal instinct that wants to play mum? Maybe it’s an outdated generational thing like wearing large bottle Green knickers for PE whilst playing murder ball against the boys in the gym aged fourteen; maybe we know better now, that that scenario just now feels really outdated. (Political correctness didn’t exist in the 80s) Do the young latte lovers just eat takeaway and pay for their dogs to be walked and houses to be cleaned, do they feel less inclined to mow their own lawn, and I guess they just buy fake grass. Or maybe our need to multitask our little old selves to death is just a side effect of being female and that will never change.

Because somewhere between 1911 and now a lot of us girls got jobs and careers but we also carried on pushing those babies out and that’s where the fun starts. It is all consuming. The game is on; the bar has been dramatically raised and the expectations of what your precious bundle should accomplish under your tender guidance rises like the tide. You don’t want a bad performance review from head office; hold tight though because you may not have received all of the training required for this very intense underpaid role. Get yourself a counselling degree whilst you are at it, you are likely to need it. Thank the lord your heart is filled with love for those needy little buggers.

Without wanting to put back feminism fifty years I sometimes think my Nans seemed less stressed by not having it all. Maybe if you are exceptionally lucky you may have a high paid job that you love that affords you enough income to employ somebody else to run your family estate, but most of us are on the treadmill of doing it all. And that can be emotionally and physically draining. It is one mighty fine complex juggling routine to take care of yourself, your family’s needs and give your career or business the one hundred percent attention it deserves. There was always a homemade cake and a sense of easy calm in my grandmother’s homes or a stew. I think being a woman in 2021 feels more frantic. Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in lycra leggings and Lenor and I have days when I feel inadequately qualified for navigating the emotional well being and teenage angst of my many offspring and the mundane endless chores overwhelms my spirit.  I would so love a time machine to go back and quiz my nans, maybe they were bored silly by all that baking.

Maybe the pandemic has worn me down. The sameness of it all can cause mild insanity. Or is that the homeschooling (is it me or is studying Shakespeare as outdated as learning Latin, don’t shoot me thespians but it is hard going is it not?) and the continuous cries of I’m bored, I’m hungry or the not seeing my friends for drunken shenanigans. Or is it no sun maybe I am SAD. I am missing my yoga and reiki and acupuncture and gong baths, the things that feed my spirit and cleanse my poor empathetic aura of negative vibes.  It has been a tough year. My daughter says I only write down my thoughts when I am in a bad mood which is probably monthly hey maybe its hormones. I don’t know I guess I just want men and women to notice that Women are incredible beings every day that our caring nature and exceptional abilities get things done. I am the only one in my house that knows which pair of black Nike socks belongs to whom. Go me. Jokes aside I never feel inferior to men, but I guess some women do and we still live in a world where the majority of men have the power and that is wrong. Although watch out fellas look what happened to Mr.Potato head! We have a slogan hoody at Yoga Leggs that says women will save the world. I think this world could use a bit more of our compassionate, multi tasking magic, and more people need to see our light. Let’s face it we couldn’t do a worse job.

#choosetochallenge

In loving memory of our beautiful friend and teacher Allison Kelsey a true Goddess whose light will shine bright forever.

Big love to you all

Amanda x