My “Back to The Future” Moment

It’s a movie we all know and love. Michael J. Fox is the iconic Marty McFly, sent back in time. The movie became an instant classic and was the highest grossing film of 1985. It was based on a simple concept: what if we could go back in time to change the course of history? What would we do differently?

I recently started thinking about this concept. What advice would my “Present Self” give my “Past Self”? Would that advice affect the future course of my life?

We all wish we could go back in time to invest in Apple when it was a big and bulky personal computer. What if could go back and invent Facebook, before Mark Zuckerberg attended Harvard.

You get where I’m going. There are countless reasons to go back and change the course of your life. We would guarantee success, riches, and love. However, what if we could go back and help change the course of not only our life, but other people’s lives.

So I asked myself some tough questions I’ve been trying to answer for years.

Why was there still a gap between the number of men advancing into leadership ranks vs. women? Why do so many women get so close to reaching their career destination, only to walk away? Why has there not been more progress?

First, let’s take a lay of the land.

I have spent an entire career doing what I can to advance women leaders.

I have been part of countless pilot programs, special committees, task forces, etc. that were formed with one goal in mind- to address the leadership gap between men and women in many organizations.

I’m part of online and offline networking groups, whose sole mission is to help improve the opportunities for women to advance into leadership roles. There are countless discussions about ways to help move the needle.

Does any of this sound familiar? It should.

Lately, I feel like the number of people (both men and women), who recognize this gap and are working to close it, has grown in unexpected ways. Let’s be clear. We’re not talking about women advancing; we’re only talking about the opportunity for women to advance. A big difference.

In recent years, this voice for change has grown louder and bigger. I have witnessed countless women air their frustrations across social media of being undervalued, overlooked, and often harassed. I’ve watched while men have also voiced concerns for their wives and daughters.

It’s not that women haven’t spoken out before.

I’ve seen instances where HR is of little to no help, where grievances are swept under the rug and often silenced. The end result is companies are losing their top female talent in record numbers.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. — Harriett Tubman

If we want more women in leadership ranks, as women, we must to learn to create our own opportunities. Sometimes, this means finding a different path, where there is a different way to work and a better way to live.

All of this made me think. What advice would my “Present Self” give to my “Past Self” to help women create more change. Here’s what I would say….

Do Away with Limiting Beliefs & Self-Doubt

You show me a woman driven to succeed, and I’ll show you someone often crippled with self-doubt. We, as women, are our own worst critics. We simply give too much time to the little voice in our head that says, “You can’t.”

My advice to my “Past Self” — Focus on the one reason something can go right and stop worrying about all the reasons it can’t.

There will always be naysayers. People who, quite frankly, don’t fully understand what you’re doing and what you’re about. That’s OK. Just make sure you’re not one of those people.

Worry Less About Being Liked & More About Being Remembered

Since I was a young girl, I’ve always thought about what other people thought of me. This obsession with validation from external sources has often stopped me from being who I really am.

Advice to my “Past Self” — Who Cares!!!!

Our lives are not lived for anyone, except for ourselves. Being opinionated, curious, passionate, and gregarious is what makes women special and unique. We all have different gifts to share. Be confident enough to accept your gift, to nurture it, and to share it with the world.

Be The Change You Wish to See

I love trying new, healthy recipes, moving my body, and spreading a positive message. Helping others live a healthy and fulfilling life fuels my soul. Whatever ignites a spark in you, this is your passion.

Advice to my “Past Self” — You are always possible!!!

Find your passion and live it! Embrace who you are. Love yourself for who you are and stop worrying about what you’re not. Design a life you love or risk someone else designing it for you.

If you don’t like something change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. — Maya Angelou

It’s time for women to create our own opportunities.

Nothing will change, unless we do. If you’re tired of waiting on that promotion, start your own company. If you’re feeling stuck, do personal development to help change your mindset. If your complaints are falling on deaf ears, find another way to take action.

The decision to change and make things better starts with you.

Remember, nothing is ever perfect, but everything is always possible. It’s time to stop waiting for things to change and, instead, create the positive change you need to move forward.

It is time to find and follow your passion. It is time to take the wheel of your life and career. It is time to build a living legacy for you and your family.

This is how we advance. This is how we lead.