In Italy, "International Women's Day" is called, "Festa della Donna". This roughly translates as, "Celebration of the Woman". On this day - at least in Italy - a woman is nobody's Wife, Sister, Mother, or Daughter. Yellow Mimosa flowers are given to woman on this day and they are encouraged to "take a break" from being their societal role. Originally, men gave these flowers to women, but now-a-days, women give their girlfriends flowers to. It's a sign of respect and gratitude for everything that person brings into your life.
I wish we celebrated the day the same way in the U.S. Every woman should feel special and independent of her identity for at LEAST one day of the year, if not every day.
At the gym the other day, I saw a segment on ABC, called, "Woman Under Pressure". It touched on recent studies that have found that women in America are under an increased amount of stress (DUH!) and due to this stress, are threatening their longevity of life. Stress produces high amounts of cortisol which rush through the body and heart, setting into motion much unnecessary anxiety. Constant exuding of cortisol not only builds belly fat, but also generates harsh effects to the health of your heart. More women than men in America die of Heart Disease every year.
The segment highlighted how many women are stressed by deadlines at work, then rush from work to pick up kids, then have to cook, do homework clean. And by the end of that schedule, no one feels like giving time to their selves - most are too tired. I don't have children, and many times, I feel i am living an unbalanced lifestyle - too many things to do in one day, but no time for myself. The story said answers to cutting down on cortisol output were a routine hormone test, regular exercise, eating, sleep.
Women usually act as the glue or center of their households, families. If we're not healthy, the rest of the community suffers, or as I like to say, "If Mama ain't happy, Ain't nobody happy!"
As women, we need to remember how important it is that we take time for ourselves. I think women - especially American women - are made to feel guilty for having their own time. The Protestant/Puritan Work Ethic has ruined many American lives. Some people can't stand sitting still, and many find Meditation not only a foreign concept, but are fearful of it.
Life is to be enjoyed, not spent in constant misery. If you can't sit with yourself, and enjoy what your eating, reading doing or NOT DOING, you'll never be able to find your center, your mojo, your unique and beautiful self. Worse, you're not having a fully human experience. You are doing day to day activities, but are you even conscious or able to feel those moments? It's not easy, but to begin this journey is the best first step you can take for further enlightenment.
Knowing yourself doesn't just happen. It takes introspection and time and everyone deserve to know who they really are - you are not just a mother, wife, daughter or sister.
I find Yoga, exercise, eating right and journaling really help me cultivate and get good at learning to enjoy my time, not getting extremely overwhelmed by pointless daily tasks that take away from the magic that is life. It is not always easy, but it is a start.
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