International Women’s Month may be over, but it doesn’t mean you cannot celebrate your womanhood today.
And if you feel you’ve missed on the opportunities to showcase who you are and what you can do, especially your wins and achievements, then let us show you magical ways to do just that:
- Ask for a Raise
Let’s face the reality here for a second: women don’t earn as much as men. The gender pay gap still exists even in developed countries like the United States.
In 2019, women earned less than 80 cents for every dollar men made regardless of the seniority and job type. Women of color are likely to be paid even less. Notwithstanding the differences in jobs, Latina girls could be earning 58 percent less than white men’s hourly wages. For blacks, the disparity could be as much as 65 percent.
As if that’s unfortunate, women hardly ask for raises. According to World Economic Forum, men are four times more likely to demand it than females. And if they do, they sell themselves short, asking around 30 percent less than what they actually deserve.
It’s not easy to negotiate one’s salary, especially if you feel the social stigma that comes with being a woman in the workplace. But if you feel you are doing a mighty job, then by all means get it—because you need it, want it, and deserve it.
- Buy Something That Reminds You of the Good Days
Memories can be fleeting, and the new ones can easily bury the many victories you’ve achieved over the years. This is especially true for “minor” wins like changing the car tires or traveling alone for the first time.
When you want to keep them burning in your mind for a long time, buy yourself a memento perhaps a jewelry piece like these silicone rings for women. They’re simple enough not to command a lot of attention, and they’re versatile you can wear them whether you’re in your business attire or casual wear.
Silicone rings are tough, so you won’t have any worries wearing them every day. Most of all, they can be stackable. This way, you’ll have a ring for every good memory you want to relive over and over. You can get many gift ideas from Story Jewellery mothers ring collection.
- Further Your Education
Are you on your way to becoming a boss babe, or do you aspire to be one? Celebrate this dream by getting yourself an education.
In one of the studies of the World Economic Forum, researchers found a strong association between education and the likelihood of women eventually becoming managers. In fact, for every 1 unit increase in the ratio of women and men in primary, secondary, and college or university education, the chances of women becoming executives and bosses go up by almost 8 percent!
Meanwhile, women with postgraduate degrees benefit more from this education than men. Based on the research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, ladies with a master’s degree, for example, could earn about 2% worth of bonus pay from their income compared to females who only completed undergraduate degrees.
As for men, it created a -2% effect compared to what they would have earned if they didn’t take their postgraduate studies. The bottom line is education offers more doors to become the boss that you are and reduce that gender pay gap once and for all.
- Support Women-founded Businesses
When it comes to owning businesses, women entrepreneurs are doing superb these days. According to Fundera, women-owned businesses now account for over 12 million companies in the United States. All together, the ladies generate nearly $2 trillion of revenues a year.
There are over 100 percent more women entrepreneurs today than two decades ago. Moreover, 20 percent of companies now may be owned by women minorities or people of color.
Despite their successes, they still need plenty of support, particularly from their fellow women. In a study by Brookings, women still own fewer businesses than men, and the disparity rate is as high as 65 percent.
Women also struggle to get business loans, according to a study in the Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research. Of those who applied, only 21% were likely to get the full amount of the loan. About 46 percent would receive less than what they asked. Over 30 percent, on the other hand, would be denied.
In other words, when the going gets tough, like the economy going into recession, women-based businesses may fold faster than those set up by men because of limited sources of cash flow or capital.
So consider buying goods from these women-led companies. Promote their products and services on your social media. Visit their stores and invite your friends and family to come over as well.
Celebrating your womanhood is one of the best ways to honor who you are. Even better, these ideas let you know that you can do it while positively impacting your life and that of others.