Let me tell you story of this 18-year-old girl called Navya whom I had met on a flight a few years ago. She belonged to a conservative family where girls were married off early. Since, she wanted to pursue her MBA, she told to her parents that she will marry only after she completes her education and spends a few years in a corporate job. She explained them that being financially independent will give her confidence to face any adverse situation in life. After much resistance, her parents agreed. Currently, she is employed as a middle management employee in a bank. During her working years, she also took up karate classes as her job required her to travel and she wanted to feel safe. Now she is getting married to her co-worker whom she calls her ‘dream man’. He loves her the way she is and shares the same thoughts as hers on gender equality.
Traditionally, girls have always been considered fairer sex weaker to men. They have been told to dress and behave in a certain way. However, the awakening of a fierce sense of independence in girls has brought a major paradigm shift in the mindset of society. The way a girl looks at herself, the way she wants the society to look at her and the way society looks at her are vastly different than what it was a decade ago.
However, this is a phase of transition for today’s girl. Where do you stand? Should you stick to the tried and tested ways of the society or break the gender barriers to prove your worth? The choice may get confusing. No matter what path you follow, you should not be afraid to fulfill her desires and ambitions and pursue them with determination.
BUT….you also need to understand that life can throw some pretty tough situations on your face. Your family might still not support your choices. You may have to fight your way to reach the top, whether in school, college or workplace. You may always be considered lesser than boys around you. You have to be constantly aware of sexual predators looking for an opportunity to take advantage of you.
How can we not talk about today’s girl without mentioning technology? Technology has been instrumental in advancing the progress of girls by empowering them to cross the geographical boundaries whether in education, job or personal relationships without any glitches. The sky is truly your limit with technology. But, at the same time, technology has its own drawbacks. Technology is replacing real relationships. It is addictive, causes distractions and wastes productive time. And, most importantly, it makes you prone to cyber bullying and sexual violence.
Being a girl in today’ world means that you need to have clarity of goals as well as know how to thwart dangers. Just like Navya had and did. One of the good things going in your favour is that you belong to millennial generation where man are very open-minded and treat women equally.
Here are some useful tips to be always ready to face the world:
- Create a support system of people with whom you can share your achievements,worries and apprehensions, and talk anything under the planet.
- Take self-defense classes – you will get the confidence to move around fearlessly.
- Keep screen time limited and go for digital detox once in a while.
- Follow your guts and instinct – they will never fail you.
- Strive to be financially independent, especially after marriage and having kids.
If you want to empower yourself further, seek professional guidance from the best life coaches in India or any country where you are located. Get in touch with me at info@kaldandoma.com.