As national Everywoman day approaches I have been reflecting on being a woman in 2017 in the UK.

We have so many advantages, rights and privileges, compared to many countries. I was bowled over to be invited to Manchester’s International Women’s Day event in the spring and then to be given a prize for my work with Result CIC. The energy, diversity, warmth and vibrancy of the women who took part was overwhelming. It was a reminder of how much women have to offer and the perseverance and resilience they often need to have to achieve what they do.

I recently gave a short talk and workshop at Birkbeck Astrea women’s staff network. The topic was ‘Our stories: our power’. We discussed the way women can easily ‘edit out’ areas of their experience, assuming it is not important. Participants looked at the ‘graph’ of their life and the wide range of experiences and emotional highs and lows they had been through. Many were surprised, often positively, by the exercise. We then did a simple strengths statement about ourselves and some volunteers practised ‘performing’ these in a powerful way. It was interesting to feel the surge in energy and impact when the women consciously slowed down, opened their body language and left pauses to allow the listeners to take in what they said. What strikes me in the work I do as a coach and trainer when working with women, is how much more we have to contribute. One of my personal goals is to do what I can to enable these fantastic contributions.

The world will no doubt be a better place for them!