4 Freedom:
Freedom
is our bright right but it has its boundaries. It means we are free to eat,
wear and do what we want as long as it does not come in the way of the freedom
of another. It is a choice we make, not realizing that it has its attendant
responsibilities. Many women give up their freedom as the trade off is
protection. Expressing your free will means taking responsibility for you
actions and its consequences. This requires maturity and guts. You cannot have
your freedom with someone else paying for it.
Young people are very eloquent about asserting their freedom and expect
parents to ‘let them be’. Fine, as long as they are economically independent
and do not come back crying to ‘mama/papa’ after their bravado flops. Parents
too need to have a cut off limit to the length of the leash. Knowing your
boundaries help in making your moves the rights way. For centuries, women were
denied education and opportunities to tap their potential. This orientation has
been so deep seated that even today, with open access and equal opportunity to
stride out, many women tend to be like the elephant which does not move though
the chain tied to its leg is easily broken, if it makes up its mind to move.
Freedom of choice, exercising it judiciously and taking the consequences in
ones stride, is real empowerment. It is really up to an individual to have it
or not.
4 Glass Ceiling:
Is
it a myth or reality? Women, who have scaled great heights in corporate
circles, believe that the glass ceiling is a reality as far as their own
perceptions are concerned. You can make it through those barriers, imaginary or
otherwise, if you have the persistence, the skills and the right attitudes to
make a go of any assignment given. But we cannot wish it away. There is a
gender bias in assessing women and their performance. Some senior women CEOs in
America confirmed this by saying that women are judged by physical appearance
rather than ability. The very qualities that are supposed to be strength of a
woman- like people skills- are not considered business skills. a lady Lt General
of the US army said that she is said to be ‘mothering’ her
team when she applies her mentoring skills while her male counterparts are said
to be ‘leading’ them! A very disappointed senior professional says that it is
not just glass ceiling that keeps women from rising to top positions but a
‘hard, plastic ceiling’! But if more and more women in senior positions start
facilitating and mentoring, they can easily swell the numbers of women in the
senior management level. Is it Utopia?
4 Giving:
‘Giving’
is the best way to find happiness. But the questions you need to ask are- what
do I give, when do I give and whom do I give to. What would you like to
accomplish with your giving? What are your passions, values and goals for your
giving? If you have money, you can find satisfaction in donating to causes; if
you have a talent, share it with those that need guidance; if you have time to
spare, volunteer your service; if you have love-give to those around you. You
give when people need what you give. Like the hungry man who wants food and you
promise him a feast the next day! He wants it NOW. You give what is useful to
the receiver. No point donating your old computer to a school which has no
electrical connection! You give to make a person independent – like a skill or
a product he can use to earn money. You give because you want to and not to get
publicity. The real givers are those that stay behind the limelight. The main
reason for giving is to express gratitude; to say “thank you” to God for giving
you what you have.
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