Sometimes you simply have to be your own best heroine. Today was one of those days for me. Our weather in Tucson, AZ has been absolutely divine lately, and I was having a bad case of spring fever. What to do when you only feel like playing outside and not work? But – work doesn't stand still and it is Monday, for heaven's sake and you have tons of things going on this week, so you have to get work done today and blah-blah-blah go the voices in your head – until you have to stop and make a decision.

I decided to quit the whining, pack up my laptop and move outside. The birds are chirping, Cousteau (my Newfie) is chewing on rocks beside me and the air is clean and fresh. And best of all? There's a slight breeze and it is keeping us cool and making the wind chime softly serenade me while I work. Life is sch-weet!

Okay... now on with our topic this month, Big and Small Ways I am a Heroine in My Own Life.  This was unquestionably our most challenging one to date. I have heard over and over throughout March that women don't like to promote themselves, pat themselves on the back, claim to be their own heroine. But you know what? It's absolutely awesome to do so.

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to feed others, when you aren't hungry yourself? That's how I felt after writing my blog piece about finding my own inner heroine. I felt good. I felt more able to give after willingly receiving my own accolades. I don't know the science behind it, but it felt fulfilling in the most unexpected way.

During our radio show, when we spoke about ourselves and received the support from each other, generated from expressing how good we felt about overcoming and even rising above some difficult situations. We felt and acted like sheros – not only to ourselves, but also to each other. It was easier to feed each other, after we had fed ourselves. Who woulda thunk?

Over the month of March, I have been researching some of these dynamics I witnessed during the radio show and on the WOTV website. I discovered several sociological studies that continue to state the same thing crossing the ages, religions, and even eras for women as feminists. We are most comfortable in a communal setting. It is how we best lead, work and are most inspired to participate – thus contribute to the whole.

We are most thrown off our game when do not work in a communal fashion and instead compete. This is how men best lead, work and are best inspired.

During the 1970's – a lot of things changed for us. We had to learn to compete in the work place alongside men. We were competing for the attention of mostly male bosses and we had to try to alter our comfort zone, in order to climb the corporate ladder – in order to stand out and rise up. Instead of working communally, finding strength in our numbers and as a whole, we became each woman (or man) for themselves. Books like How to Be Your Own Best Friend, written in 1975 by Mildred Newman & Bernard Berkowitz were bestsellers. Unfortunately, financially we still have not caught up.

Women on the Verge is a different kind of community, but with old-fashioned feminist values. Yes, I am calling our pioneer sisters feminists. Perhaps it's time to rediscover our comfort zone. Accept ourselves for who we are. Support each other – and support ourselves in our journey in this life. We are stronger together as a whole.


Thank you for being on the Verge,

Ana Lewis

Founder

WomenontheVerge.net