“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” - Coco Chanel

 Yesterday, all over the world, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a day when women and men around the globe take time to look at the issues that still continue to surround women today. Today, women still play a huge factor in contributing to social, cultural, political and economical achievements. Yet with all of that there is still a huge gap when it comes to gender equality. Many people believe that this is only present in third-world countries and many first-world countries do not have as much gap in equality but that is far from the truth. As much progress as many first-world countries have made, there is still a long way to go and it up to us, men and women both, to continue to work towards a more equal state of living.

The theme this year for International Women’s Day is #PledgeForParity which means to pledge for equality for women in all aspects of their lives. While we have come far, we still have a lot of work to do. Last year, the United States was ranked 28th on the Global Gender Gap Index, a chart that ranks 145 economies according to how well they leverage their female talent pool, based on educational, economic, political and health-based indicators. Studies have also found that women are more likely to continue their education after receiving a bachelor’s degree but despite these gains in education, a gender gap still exists in the workplace.

As a working women who owns her own company, I know how important is it to continue to support other women in the workplace. There have been countless studies in regards to women in leadership positions in companies and how positive an impact that leadership has on the workers and the company as a whole. I think it is imperative that women and men both continue to work together to close that gender gap in the workplace and continue to fight for equality whether that is with pay or education or laws. Women bring a lot of positive energy to the workplace as well as the home; we are good listeners and caretakers. As we continue to fight for more rights, I would encourage women to keep supporting the other strong women in their lives. I know I have been lucky to meet some incredibly talented and caring career women who blow me away with their leadership skills. These are women whose morals and beliefs are present in their work from how they handle their employees to how they deal with their clients, these women use their talents to make a good workplace.

Take a moment today and appreciate those strong women in your life and feel free to check out more about International Women’s Day at their website http://www.internationalwomensday.com/