Women’s Day is just around the corner. While it’s established that the new-age woman can mould and multi-task in impressive ways more than one, there’s often a grey area when it comes to answering a question that evokes intrigue as much as it amuses: What do women really want? Here's what we found:
Women should enjoy the process
Priorities aside, finding joy and purpose in what you choose to do is perhaps the best yardstick of success. “I believe we – young women especially – should demand to be happy. I also believe that this demand can only be filled from within and once we make living in brightness our priority, the world begins to move in our favour,” begins Nastassja Suri, Co-Founder of Chakra Athletica, a rhythm-based spinning studio. “While there isn’t one clear nugget of knowledge, I wish I’d known earlier, there is a gem that I heard before starting Chakra and it has helped me immensely.
Nastassja Suri |
Sarah Blakely, founder of Spanx, makes it abundantly clear that businesses can become hugely successful with the simple insertion of love. We do not have to live in a dog-eat-dog world and you can enjoy every step of the process, even the hurdles that pop up along the way. Everything in life is a lesson that guides us toward evolvement, especially our failures, and knowing this has, and continues to, encourage me to build a business with joy as its foundation,” she enthuses.
It’s time to take back the power
While it goes without saying that women are versatile and a lot proactive in pursuing their dreams today, Shakshi Chowdhary, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Bloom Box, believes that more often than not women want people around them to believe in themselves. “Women want many things. But if I had to pick just one thing that we could demand in today’s age it would be support from other women. We can go on and on about how governments, societies, and men have subjected us to such caging struggles. But from my experience, the challenges and boundaries set by other women are far worse than those of the three parties mentioned above. Our cut-throat nature has made us forget what we are fighting for, and over time has made us compete with each other. Thus, in this new age, I think it is very important for us to support each other. After all, we deserve it!”
Shakshi Chowdhary |
In the world of business, she hopes for women to make upgrading their skill sets a priority to keep up with the times. “With all the limitations we are subjected to, knowledge about the industry is something we have control over, and if we want to come out ahead and make it to the top, we have to make sure we understand how each cog in the wheel works.”
Trust your instincts
While it’s okay for people to not be invested in your ideals and dreams, Dr Akanksha Singh Cornuit – Aesthetic Physician at Promed Aesthetics believes women must learn to listen to their gut and go with the flow. “When you're starting out, there will be plethora of advises coming your way and people will tell you how things worked out for them, but the best thing that you can do for yourself and your business is to listen to everyone, respect their valuable opinion, keep those suggestions in mind but at the same time you have to trust your instincts, and your understanding of what you're doing, the purpose behind it and just enjoy the process/journey rather than worrying about the outcome. Everything happens for a reason and you are, where you're supposed to be.”
Dr Akanksha Singh Cornuit |
Ask for what you want
Fun and games aside, real world problems demand assertiveness as a mandate while also being unabashed in one’s pursuit. So, girl, go get what you want — suggests Mimi Jumabhoy, Founder of MIMI Homes. “Ask for what you want — if you don’t ask, how do people know to give it to you! Secondly, take some time-out. It’s okay to have some down time — a little space for work, people and social events. Where you can just calibrate and focus on recharging yourself.”
On the other hand, Akanksha Singh also believes that women should also see to it that their rights are respected and boundaries are drawn — at home and otherwise. “It might seem like an obvious point, but we cannot have a free and equal society until everyone is free and equal. Until women enjoy the same rights as men, this inequality is everyone’s problem,” she concludes.
Mimi Jumabhoy |
Echoing similar sentiments as Mimi, bestselling author Preeti Shenoy says, “I do have one piece of advice for anyone who is starting out. There will be a hundred people who tell you that it cannot be done. If you tell anyone your dream, it is likely they will not perceive it the way you do. So be your own best friend. Reach inside yourself and find that reservoir of courage. Set it free, and immerse yourself in it. Fight, fight hard for your dreams. If you don’t do it, no one will do it for you. Lastly, financial independence is the one thing every woman should have. Your man might be the nicest person; He might not ‘object’ to your spending. You might not even have to ‘ask him’. But the very idea of depending on a man should change. If you are unable to take up a full-time job, do something just for yourself. Don’t spend your entire time just for the family.”
