To The Women Who Hold Me: An International Women's Day Reflection

International Women's Day has me thinking about the team of women in my life - and how fundamentally they've shaped who I am today.

I don't think I truly understood the power of female friendship, female community, female solidarity until I had it. And now that I do, I can't imagine navigating life without it.

They Hold Me in a Way No One Else Can

There's something about being held by women who get it - who understand, bone-deep, what it means to be a woman in today's world. They don't need explanations. They don't need context. They just know.

They know what it's like to be self-employed, working harder and smarter than ever, pouring everything into building something meaningful - while still carrying the mental load of the traditional "woman's work." The invisible labour. The planning, the organizing, the remembering, the managing.

They know what it's like to be a working mum - the guilt, the exhaustion, the constant juggling, the feeling that you're never quite enough in any arena.

They know because they're living it too.

And that shared understanding creates a kind of holding that's irreplaceable. It's not pity. It's not fixing. It's just... witnessing. Seeing. Understanding without judgment.

They Inspire Me With Their Strength

The women in my circle are extraordinary. Their strength, their wisdom, their resilience - it inspires me constantly.

They train their bodies hard because they know that physical strength supports everything else. They laugh deeply and often, even in the hard times. They show up for each other when life gets tough.

They work relentlessly on themselves - in therapy, in their relationships, in their careers. They don't settle for surface-level anything.

Watching them navigate challenges, push through doubt, rebuild after setbacks, advocate for themselves - it shows me what's possible. It gives me permission to be strong too.

They See Me - Really See Me

One of the greatest gifts my women's circle gives me? They take the piss out of me.

I know that might sound strange, but I love it. The gentle ribbing, the teasing, the calling me out when I'm being ridiculous - it helps me feel seen. Not the polished, professional version of me. The real, messy, imperfect human.

And the attitude underneath the teasing is always: You're okay. You're accepted here. Your imperfections are welcome in this circle.

That acceptance - of my whole self, not just the parts I've worked hard to present well - has been healing in ways I didn't know I needed.

They Challenge Me Because I'm Safe Enough to Hear It

The women in my life challenge me. They don't just agree with everything I say or validate every feeling. They push back. They question. They point out my blind spots.

And I can hear it because I feel safe with them.

They've earned the right to challenge me because I know they love me. I know they're for me, not against me. I know they see things I can't see and they're bringing them into the light gently enough that I can actually look.

Those blind spots? The patterns I can't see in myself, the ways I get in my own way, the stories I tell myself that aren't true? They spot them. And they help me see them too - not with harshness or judgment, but with the kind of loving honesty that only comes from people who truly know you.

That's rare. That's precious.

They Bring Me Back to Myself

There are days when doubt creeps in. When my self-esteem wobbles. When I question everything - my work, my choices, my worth.

On those days, my women hold me steady.

They don't let me spiral. They don't let me disappear into the doubt. They remind me who I am. They reflect back the truth when I can't see it myself.

"It's still there," they tell me. "You're just having an off day. Come back to yourself."

And I do. Because they believe in me even when I don't believe in myself.

My Inner Voice Is Strong Because of Them

I have a strong inner voice these days. I trust myself more than I ever have. I know my worth. I can navigate challenges with more confidence and clarity.

And I have no doubt - none - that this is because of my steadfast team of women.

They've helped me build that inner strength by:

• Reflecting back my value when I couldn't see it

• Challenging me to grow beyond my comfort zone

• Accepting me fully, imperfections and all

• Modeling what strength and wisdom and resilience look like

• Holding me accountable to being my best self

• Giving me permission to be imperfect and still worthy

The voice inside me that says "you've got this" - that's their voices, internalized. That's the collective wisdom of every conversation, every challenge, every moment of being truly seen and held.

Women Need Each Other

Here's what I know for certain: Women need other women.

Only we know what it feels like to navigate this world as women. The unique pressures, the specific challenges, the invisible labour, the constant balancing act.

Men can be wonderful partners, friends, allies. But there's something about being held by women who live this experience that's irreplaceable.

We need each other's strength. We need each other's wisdom. We need each other's laughter and challenge and acceptance.

We need spaces where we can be fully ourselves - messy and strong and vulnerable and brilliant all at once.

We need to be seen by people who don't need us to explain.

To My Circle

To the women who hold me, challenge me, inspire me, accept me, and make me better:

Thank you.

Thank you for seeing me - really seeing me - and loving what you see.

Thank you for challenging me gently enough that I can hear it.

Thank you for taking the piss and making me feel accepted in my imperfection.

Thank you for helping me come back to myself when I lose my way.

Thank you for being strong and wise and real.

Thank you for showing me what's possible.

Thank you for building this inner voice with me, conversation by conversation, challenge by challenge, laugh by laugh.

I wouldn't be who I am without you. And I'm so grateful I don't have to be.

Here's to Women Lifting Women

On this International Women's Day, I'm celebrating the women who've shaped me.

And I'm celebrating every woman who shows up for other women - who holds, who challenges, who sees, who accepts, who inspires.

We need each other.

And when we have each other? We become unstoppable.

Here's to the teams of women everywhere, holding each other steady and lifting each other higher.