Year in Review — 2020 — Women Who Inspire Us
After 3 months into the lockdown, having tried Dalgona coffee, every board game that’s ever existed, playing badminton, and whatnot, we set out to do something we always wanted to do.
Talk about women and their achievements. Giving them a platform to voice out their opinions, struggles, journeys, and most importantly their achievements.
That’s why we started Women Who Inspire Us. A publication where we highlight the achievements of women around, no matter how small or big. Here’s the behind-the-scenes story of what inspired us to do this.
We did this during the last 6 months of 2020 where we chatted and met some amazing women who are changing this world, one conversation, one job, one achievement at a time. We not only learned some valuable life lessons from them but also learned how to gracefully move through this thing we called life as a strong woman while lifting up all the women around us.
And since we said goodbye to this never-ending year, and are trying to embrace this hopeful year of 2021, we thought we’ll round up all the advice and awesomeness from 2020.
To date, we have got 10 plus women on Women Who Inspire Us! And all of them have inspired us throughout 2020 in some or other way.
So, here’s a quick flashback of our key takeaways from each of them to kickstart this 2021!
Sneha Mehta: Take risks and keep moving forward and above all of it, be yourself.
Swati Nathani: Never stop learning, exploring new things, and your curiosity. You never know what might change your life course. Preserver! And always stand up for yourself and your opinions. Never shy away or think your opinions don’t matter; because they do!
Dhara Vihol: Dreaming and working towards those dreams against all the adversities, bad situations, is what makes you, you. Every one of us is on a journey of our own and how we define that journey is what makes us who we are. So, keep working towards your dreams, never stop for anyone, and yes, never let your curiosity die. What we know is a drop and what we don’t is an ocean.
Mamta Suri: Believe in yourself and own your voice above anyone and everything. Follow your passion, value the people around you, and stay humble. Always support each other because Together Everyone Achieves More.
Shweta Bharti: Don’t lose hope because of the circumstances. Our will is everlasting whereas situations are for the time being. And we hold the power to change the situations and take hold of our future. Learn from failures but don’t stop or settle for anything less in life.
Pritha Upadhyay: What seems hard right now will look like a tiny speck on a huge canvas that is your life. And you are stronger than you think you are. If you ever feel stuck, just take the next small step and go with your gut or flow. Things have a way of connecting and taking us to our destinations. Always keep your dreams alive. Also, it is never too late to have a new one.
Payal Nanjiani: There’s a leader in all of us, we just have to find our voice to stand up for ourselves and the others who need it. Having a solid foundation and the right upbringing is the key but you can create your foundation as well. There’s inspiration hiding in plain sight for all of us. Can be a tweet, an email, or an article like this one. We believe in you. You are ready to make a world of your own!
Charmi Chokshi: Keep yourself on the toes, find answers, ask questions, never accept things as they are, always challenge the status quo of everything around you, and be unstoppable! Invest in yourself and yourself, the best investment you’ll ever make. And always, always, push your boundaries, don’t be afraid to step into the unknown.
Tanvi Shah: It’s all about the community if you want to make a big difference. You receive 5x more of what you give out in the world. And never let your age define who you are and what you can achieve. If you believe, anything is possible. Keep believing in the magic you can create and in no time, you will be the magic that this world needs.
Chandni Pandya: It’s all about how you want to feel. If you feel pity for yourself, then others will do the same. So might as well feel like a superwoman so that others treat you the same. Try and be aware of the choices you are making and then, take control of your life by changing one small thing at a time. Small wins are life-changing and Chandni is just the right example for it!
Sharmishtha Chatterjee: The notion that’s largely believed by women that we need to choose between career and family can’t be more wrong. There are so many examples around us that affirm this idea that you don’t have to choose — you can be a good mother [if you want to be] and have a career as well. So, never let anyone tell you any different. And yes, be curious, ask the questions, do the hard work, be persistent, and most importantly, give back.
Priyal Jain: Never give up or compromise on your dreams. Never settle for anything less than what you wanted at the beginning. If you really want to do something, do it with all your heart. The path may be difficult but the journey and the destination are always worth the hardships. Also, be smart about your goal — set small targets and work towards them until you’ve achieved the big one. Just don’t give up!
Shubhi Asthana: Consistency, hard work, focus, and most importantly, having a vision and goals will get you anywhere you want to go. Also, keep a journal or a note of your achievements as well as your goals to keep you more focused and updated as to where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. Keep sharing the knowledge you have to help as many people as you can. It is one of the most underrated career boosters out there.
Puja Chanchlani: Try and try don’t give up on your dreams and desires. Sow the seed which you want to grow and try different things in your career until you realize what you like to do. Lastly, have patience everything will fall in place.
Kajal Gada: Try different paths until you find what you love the most, be comfortable with failures as it is an undying path of your life, and don’t stop until you find your passion.
Nandita Gupta: Working in tech and making it accessible and inclusive is important. When it comes to life stop defining yourself by what others say. Be inspired by things around you, find things you love, and be passionate about them. When we aim to solve problems and help others, the magic starts happening.
Not only this, 2020 was a transformational year for women in general.
From Kamala Harris becoming the first-ever Vice President of the USA to women-led countries performing better in fighting the novel coronavirus. Here are some moments where women shined and changed the world in 2020:
✨ Scotland became the first nation to provide free period products for all
✨ Legalization of abortion in Argentina
✨ Finland’s women-led government has equalized family leave: 7 months for each parent
✨ Jacinda Ardern appoints Maori MP Nanaia Mahuta as foreign minister
✨ A record number of women will serve in the 117th Congress, including at least 51 women of color
✨ A record number of women took over Fortune 500 companies in 2020
✨The United Nations’ World’s Women 2020 report, published in October, found women’s representation in parliament has more than doubled globally, reaching 25% of parliamentary seats in 2020.
✨There are now 20 countries with a woman head of state or government, up from 12 in 1995.
✨Equal pay for women footballers in Brazil and Sierra Leone
✨ TIME’s first Kid of the Year celebrates girl power and women in science
✨ Two women take home Nobel Prize in Chemistry
That’s it for now.
Keep shining and be your amazing self and don’t forget to support your fellow women✨
