Fearlest, a brand founded on doing social good and celebrating life together recently posed this question to me,
"How have you been living your life fearlessly as a woman?"
I’d love to boldly claim that I’ve been living my life fearlessly, that as women we can do anything we put our minds to, but as I wandered down memory lane, it dawned on me that more often than not, the opposite was true!
As a woman, I’ve actually been living very FEARFULLY!
Growing up my father was very strict, there were lots of rules and expectations, I even had a curfew by which to come home, something my younger brother didn’t! I would genuinely be worried that something might happen if I stayed out too late and that my dad would be angry.
I know now that a lot of it was just gusto and that behind that bushy moustache and big bellied laugh is the best daddy trying to look out for me, but back then little old me couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t safe for girls to be out late.
When I became an adult, I was still fearful but for different reasons.
Even when I was in a senior managerial position, out with my male colleagues, I was frequently mistaken for being my colleague's secretary or subordinate. I lost count of the number of times I was asked by clients to leave meetings and fetch coffee. Out of fear and not wanting to look arrogant, I found myself often not speaking up even when our male secretaries were there.
Fast forward a decade, running RESCU, very little has changed. I've been asked many times how it feels working for my husband? Oh gosh! We work together, I run the business while Bobby does the clinical stuff. Bobby knows as much about web design, marketing, accounts and finances as I do about managing a pneumothorax! That’s how our skills complement one another!
Recently even close family members suggested that Bobby should hire another assistant and just let me stay at home so I can become a mother. What made them think I’m just an assistant or that I want to be a stay home mother?
Friends and family see our website and assume a man wearing a stethoscope is a doctor while a woman wearing a stethoscope must be a nurse, why?
Bobby has encouraged me many times to correct them and I was again too afraid of offending people to speak up!
It’s been an eye opening introspection indeed! The funny thing is that a lot of these remarks are from fellow women!
But enough is enough, no more living life in fear!
These days, I remind myself that I'm as good as our male counterparts and have the results to prove it! We should be confident in our abilities, focus on our powers and not our problems.
2021 is the year I'm going to live unapologetically and fearlessly!
What about you?
Are you living fearlessly?
Let me know and you may stand a chance to win this stylish one-of-a-kind sanitizer by Fearlest!
10 winners will be selected to win a Fearlest Protection Spritz each.
Check out this Instagram post and complete the following steps to take part in the contest and share your story!
1. Follow @befearlest and @ilovebunnynet on Instagram
2. Tell us how you've lived fearlessly too in the Instagram post's comments section below. Tag your friends in the comment to share your story and this giveaway post!
Bonus step! Repost this on your Insta-stories and tag @befearlest and @ilovebunnynet for an extra chance to win!
Yup! It's that easy!
Contest is open to residents of Singapore only and it ends Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 2359.
Bonne chance and keep inspiring, my darlings!
Your friend,
Juliana
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