10 Ways We Rise by Lifting Others

Have you ever wondered how genuinely lifting others has this amazing byproduct of helping ourselves too along the way? Having a change in mindset can help open doors not just for ourselves but for many others too. And the best part is, it's contagious! In a good way, that is. Let's explore how the famous quote by Robert Ingersoll applies to us women, and how each of us can take action even in our daily lives to help propel  womankind to greater heights.

I’m going to go through 10 highly actionable tips that you can easily implement right now. You can treat this as a buffet to see what you feel applies to you. If you’ve heard them before, I hope they give you a fresh perspective and allow them to serve as a reminder to do them if you haven’t already started to. And if it’s your first time to hear some of them, I do hope these small shifts, done consistently, will allow you to see the results in your life, and the lives of the women around you.

Photo by: Samantha Hurley

1. Do the inner work

First up, let’s start with the mind. A mindset shift for all of us needs to take place. We need to overcome limiting beliefs that we may have subconsciously started to believe because of the culture and the way things have been for the longest time. Maybe we’re in denial and we think that this doesn’t apply to us because we never actually verbalized it so it might be difficult or uncomfortable for us to hear this. Sometimes we tend to think from a scarcity mindset that the pie is limited, there are only limited positions, opportunities available, if we don’t have it, someone else does. We need to shift this to an abundance mindset and realize that although success might look different for each of us, there’s room for everyone.

 Photo by: Nicole De Khors

2. Begin your day with gratitude for your village

Begin your day with gratitude. Gratitude for your support system, the people in your life. Especially for moms, we’ve all heard of the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." We’ve even heard of the opposite of "Behind every successful man is a woman." -- "Behind every successful woman is herself.", which I generally disagree with. We all have people in our lives who make it possible to do what we do. Whether it’s your husband, parents, in-laws, friends, sisters, teammates, helpers, neighbors, your child's teacher, whoever, you know who they are. They help you so you can do what you do. The effort might come from us, and you may be self-made, but it’s so much more beneficial to all when you acknowledge your village, thank God for them, thank them, praise them in public because we know that gratitude begets more blessings to be grateful for. And every person in your life is a blessing. The more we acknowledge that the more they will feel motivated and happy to do so. Words are free, they can either empower or diminish. Let’s choose to use them to empower others instead.

Photo by: Matthew Henry

3. Form a crew of mentors

Once you have your mindset in place, it’s time to learn from others. First up is to get a crew of female mentors. Not just one, but a whole crew! And here’s the caveat, they don’t even need to know you exist. They can even be dead or alive, real or fictional. When I was younger I had a very immature way of looking at it. I had a very difficult time finding role models because I always found something I didn’t like. Then when I finally understood what it means to accept that no one is really perfect, and I don’t need to look for someone who has it all. That’s why you assemble a whole crew because you find certain things in them that are inspiring and worth emulating. Then you decide for yourself what you want to take in, apply and build your version of what you consider ideal. When you do the inner work of being humble enough to learn from others, you end up infusing yourself with so much more wisdom so that you can apply it and pass it on to others.

Photo by: Sarah Pflug

4. Establish regular mentorship sessions

If earlier we covered mentors who don’t know you exist, now specifically, I encourage you to get a mentor or coach (for real this time), someone you can speak to on a monthly basis for at least half an hour at a time. If there’s someone specific you have in mind, feel free to reach out to your potential mentor and take a chance. If that scares you, you can reach out to someone who knows you and your target mentor and request an introduction. I’ve personally gone through both routes multiple times and I couldn’t emphasize how this is one of the most meaningful ways to learn and develop. The best part is not just how it benefits you, but how it equips you to pass this on to others.

Photo by: Sarah Pflug

5. Be a mentor

This brings me to the next point, which is to pay it forward. You don’t need years of experience to mentor someone. You just need to be at least a step ahead in something. This isn’t about age or tenure. You can be younger but know more about a certain process, program, or skill than your mentee. Experience is one of the best teachers. And if you can help accelerate someone’s learning process, so they avoid the guessing game and avoid the same mistakes you did, we can help move us and them forward.

Photo by: Sarah Pflug

6. Lead by example

How can you be a changemaker in your own right, right where you are right now? Keep in mind that you can lead by example. You might not know it, but other women around you are looking for what’s possible, what’s been done before. You get to lead by example. One of the women I look up to upon recently achieving a feat that I one day hope to as well said something that truly embodies what it means to blaze the trail for women everywhere – “Don’t let me be the only one… hope more will come next!” And I sure hope she is right, and that there will be many more women who will follow her lead.

Photo by: Matthew Henry

7. Bring another woman to the table

Now let’s walk the talk and make it happen. When you do make it and have your own opportunity to create your influence, whether it is at work, your business, or your community, you will be in the unique position to make space for fellow women. In Jamie Kern Lima’s new book, Believe It, the founder of IT Cosmetics who sold her company to L’Oréal for $1.2B making her their first female CEO and the richest self-made female entrepreneur in the US, she says that ”women need to bring one another to the table, whether it is at a PTA meeting or a Fortune 500 board room.” I feel that we’re lucky enough based in the Philippines, despite all its problems, we are a country with a very strong sense of gender equality, ranking number 1 in Asia in the recent Global Gender Gap Report. But imagine how many more women can be given opportunities if every woman and if I may expand this to every women’s ally make an effort to bring a woman to the table.

Photo by: Sarah Pflug

8. Support women-owned & women-led businesses

Support women-owned and women-led businesses. Let’s put our money where our mouth is and realize that we can rise by lifting others with the businesses we choose to support and with every purchase that we make. We have the ability to make that happen, whether it's by amplifying their voices via word-of-mouth or via social media. It just takes a little research. When I was selecting products to bring in for Mama Finds Bliss, I deliberately made sure that not only would every purchase contribute to a feeding program for underprivileged youth, but I also wanted to look for products that empower fellow moms. 2 of my collections are handmade items that were made by moms. I might not have the talent to handmake things, but there are lots of talented moms who would thrive if given the platform and opportunity to do so.

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

9. Vote wisely

At the risk of being controversial, I debated within myself if I should include this or not and have decided to include it because lifting other women up goes beyond work and our homes. I will not recommend or badmouth anyone specific, but I will speak for the principles behind it. When the time comes, choose a woman or woman ally who will truly fight for women and uplift the plight of women in our country, not the opposite. Every vote counts and though we’re many months away from making the actual choice, I do hope that you will at the very least include this as a criterion in selecting leaders who live out this message, whoever that may be for you.

Photo by Rebecca Formoso of Lokal.Brown

10. Teach the next generation

As a mom, I want my daughter to grow up empowered. And the best way I can do that is to lead by example, read her empowering stories, and treat her with respect. But it doesn’t stop at molding young women. As a mom to a son as well, I also need to raise my son to be an ally of women, a modern gentleman by avoiding stereotypes and educating him about boundaries even from an early age. That way I can hope that he grows up to be someone who respects women without belittling their capabilities. Someone who protects women’s rights without undermining them. Someone who stands for and with women without making them feel less than.

And ultimately, isn’t that what we want for every woman?

As this post comes to a close, if you’re able to take anything away, it’s to remember that we have the power to rise by lifting others. It all starts with the right mindset, learning from others and passing it on, and living out the message through the choices we make. This applies to everything, whether we’re at home, at work, or in our community.

Thank you very much and I challenge you to apply what you can and experience the progress for yourself and your fellow women.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you have other tips on how we can rise by lifting others? 

By the way, if you enjoyed this, and want to get a regular dose of all things motherhood, motivation, and self-care of the mind, body, and spirit, do feel free to connect with me on over at Instagram and Facebook.