To all women,

It’s time to celebrate International Women’s Day; a special day where we can reflect on our individual value and the beautiful contribution we collectively offer to the world, and to reflect on how we enable our own success while recognising the many obstacles we each individually face and overcome day-to-day.

As a woman, a pioneer in an industry, which used to be dominated by big players and saturated with synthetic products, obstacles are not new to me. However, resilience has always been my trusty friend, because there were times when the mountain in front seemed so high!

But over the years I’ve gathered strength and inspiration from business coaches and mentors – many of whom are women, as well as my own individual daily routines which have helped preserve my energy and my sense of self.

So, with that in mind, I have three messages for you to take away this International Women’s Day:

1. Proceed like you can’t fail.

1. Ditch perfectionism

2. Practice self-care and positive self-talk.

1. Proceed like you can’t fail

As a young woman who was embarking on my first business ventures, the thought of failure never even entered my mind. Perhaps it was naivety, or maybe I was running so fast that I never stopped to consider the many ways it could all go wrong.

However, I know that the thought of failure does cripple ideas, and extinguishes progression for many women out there.

My advice here is to deconstruct real or perceived obstacles by practicing positive self-talk. Tell yourself how you will succeed. Reflect on the top 3-things you have achieved that day (no matter how large or small they are). Do these things regularly and you will notice a positive shift in your own empowerment and huge leaps in the progress you make.

2. Ditch Perfectionism

As women, we are scientifically-proven to exhibit traits of perfectionism, experience anxiety in and out of the workplace and self-criticise more than our male counterparts. This is something which really resonates with my own behaviour, particularly in the early years of Sodashi when I put a lot of pressure on myself when I didn’t know something or couldn’t do something (sound familiar?)

While it’s important that we aim for the stars, it is important that we abandon the continual pursuit of perfectionism in order to actually get ahead and succeed.

The faster we realise that ‘perfect’ is not possible, the more productive we are able to be and the more likely we will be to achieve our goals.

My mantra? Progress, not perfection.

3. Nurture yourself

My last message is probably something you have heard before. It’s simple but all-too-often, we don’t do it.

This is the practice of daily self-care, which is important not only to ensure you don’t burn out but also so we can maintain clarity in the vision of our life and business.

In my case daily self-care manifests into daily meditation practice, light exercise and journaling.  But a self-care practice can consist of anything that soothes your soul and gives you energy. For example – cooking a nutritious meal, connecting with nature or settling in with a good book.

This International Women’s Day, I urge you to give yourself the tools to succeed.

With Sodashi love,

Megan Larsen, Sodashi Founder