As I celebrate my anniversary and National Girl Scouts Day, I am reminded what G.I.R.L means to me. I was reminded of this several times since our International Women’s Day event. First, as we sat around the table and discussed if we had ever felt like being the only girl at the table was a challenge for us. Most of the leaders at the table never even took notice of it. But I have heard stories from less assertive people, it was indeed a challenge. Then, as I watched the girl in Captain Marvel movie be pushed down over and over and told she shouldn’t want to do what he boys were doing, I started to be reminded just how hard it is. I had been pondering on these things when I received the text, “Favorite moment of Captain Marvel when she’s kicking ass to Gwen’s “I’m just a girl” I instantly thought of you!”
I too had noticed “Just A Girl” playing at the very moment when the girl realizes she has always had the power she needed to win. She just needed to take control it.
I am a girl named Charli. I often laugh and say my dad thought I was a boy, and they just didn’t have a backup name. The truth is I have always wanted to prove I could do the same things boys could. Growing up with a sister who was always annoyed with me, I had no other choice than to keep up with my two younger brothers. Competing with them left me with a broken arm and my feelings hurt too many times to count. I continued to strive to be more than “Just a girl.” I remember the day my brother picked me up and moved me to one side… I no longer tried to compete with him on strength, but I also didn’t understand how my limiting beliefs got in my way.
I have been drawn to No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” as long as I can remember. Honestly, I can’t remember when I first heard it; it has been with me always. When you hear the title, you may think she is agonizing over being a girl or that she can’t do things because she is a girl. The opposite is true. She is fed up with the world telling her she can’t do things. I am drawn to the lyrics.
“’Cause I’m just a girl
I’d rather not be
‘Cause they won’t let me drive
Late at night
Oh I’m just a girl
Guess I’m some kind of freak
‘Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes”
Probably because I was 14 going on 18, and I wanted to be able to drive whenever I wanted to or wondered why I couldn’t wear a swimsuit without people staring.
Today, I find this verse closer to my everyday:
“Don’t you think I know
Exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me
To hold your hand”
My thoughts go to responses like “I’ve played this game long enough, and I have had it up to here!” From time to time, I sing this VERY LOUD in private, or on a karaoke stage after too many margaritas with my sister (who always says I don’t know the song). Honestly, I don’t either of us can say this line with margaritas… go ahead try it…
“What I’ve succumbed to
Is making me numb”
The point of this ramble is to say… I have had it up to “here.” Here being the level in which I am forced to stop improving. I want to continue to grow, climb, lead, and be challenged.
When you are at the top, pushing forward and feel the resistance, it can be crippling. Similar to Captain Marvel, when she knows she had done the work to compete.. YOU have to make a choice… To go for it, or to quit.
I have no desire to be masculine or to say I can do things better than men. I do want to continue to challenge myself as a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-Taker, and Leader) and to focus on the things, I can control…
Meghan Merkle now Duchess of Sussex, says it best in this speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmAEQuK_6Rk
Where she says, “Women need a seat at the table, they need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this is not available, well then you know what? Then, they need to create their own table.” That is exactly what I am doing!
She goes on to say “It is said, that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision because it isn’t enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to simply believe in it, one must work at it… Let us work at it together. Starting now.”
EmpoweringWomeninIndustry.com … Just a girl with a dream of sitting at the table! Join me…