You walk into a room and all the women look good, makeup intact, weave on in place and latest bags. So when you hear “take off the mask” you all kind of steal glances at each other and wonder who they are talking to. Look around at most gatherings today, what do you see?. Everyone looks like they have just gotten off a plane with in vogue clothes and all looking well put together.
Women and Masks
As women we know how to package and to make everything look alright. Indeed it seems that the beauty industry has a mission to help women hide behind their various masks. They have so kindly helped with all the tools to turn out looking perfect – concealers for under eye bags, primer to make skin look smooth and shimmer to add a seemingly healthy glow. It is almost like a woman has no excuse to show up outside her house without looking like everything is perfect.
We have been told that women are multi-taskers. But in reality more and more women suffer in silence under the weight of all their different realities. The role of the woman as a mum, home-maker and wife has not changed. The world who needs the women to be in control of these aspects; has not changed their demands. Rather all the other demands to be a colleague, employer, active in church and community are additional demands today. In reality, the woman just rises up to it all. The master juggler.
No wonder the question of how to do it all and the skill of wearing the mask is an art form.
[Read: Multi-tasking is bad for you]
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Make It Happen
In reality women need to drop the mask; there is nothing wrong with asking for help, asking for help is not a sign of weakness but rather it is gives you the chance to succeed in all the areas you need to.
The theme of this Women’s Day is “Make It Happen” and it resonated with me so much because to make it happen (whatever your it is) Â you need a support system, you need information, you need ideas, you need ambassadors who cheer you on and who encourage you and you need to agree that you need help.
The help that you need will vary from time to time and from woman to woman. At some point it might be a nanny, or a personal assistant and sometimes it is the use of the word “No”. No is necessary because you cannot do everything that comes your way. Outsource the things you can, so you can focus on the things that are unique to you. There are things you cannot delegate in your role as mum, wife and just being yourself.
So women let us take off the mask; stop hiding behind the image we portray of having it all together. Admit that you need help and a support system. Sometimes we need an honest conversation that let’s us see that we are not alone our journey. Our support system can encourage us that we can be successful in all the roles we have to play.
