MARCH is officially National Women’s Month. During this time, women are celebrated more than they usually are. Government offices have mandatory purple-colored banners hanging on their facades. Social and traditional media are awash with women empowerment-themed materials.
Being a woman myself, I certainly appreciate the importance given to women on International Women’s Day and for the whole month of March. I like seeing materials highlighting the great things that women throughout history have done to make our lives and society better. I like seeing women from all walks of life, of all ages and backgrounds being celebrated.
But the strength and importance of women do not just come from the great things that they have done and can do. For me, the strength of a woman is exhibited in the everyday things that they do and overcome; in the choices they make for themselves and the people they love and care for; in the things that they stand up for, no matter the odds.
I would like to honor my fellow women today by sharing some of the things that I have learned from the women in my life, both personal and professional.
Unconditional love—from my mother
FOR the majority of us women, our mother is our first and most influential role model. Quite possibly, how we are now was shaped by what we saw from our mother while we were growing up.
My mother is the textbook example of a devoted daughter, sister, wife, and mother. As the eldest child, she was the model daughter: she helped my lola with chores, took care of her siblings, shared with household expenses when she started working. She sacrificed her career so she can take care of our family. When we were going through financial difficulties—and that lasted years and years—she juggled keeping my dad sane, making sure that the household ran despite meager resources, and taking care of my brother with special needs.
In my mid-20s, when I was at my stupidest, she never judged me for my wrong decisions, but persevered in helping me come to my senses on my own, without berating me or kicking me out of the house. When I finally overcame that dark stage of my life, she never brought up those missteps, not in passing and not even during heated arguments.
She is funny and gracious and super nice. She is the best lola to my daughter, and such a generous mom to my husband. Never have I seen such love and sacrifice, with no strings attached. But don’t take her for weak. I doubt I can go through half the things she did and come out on the other side still sane. She is one of the strongest, most resilient, and most loving people I have ever met.
Multi-tasking and succeeding—from my mother-in-law
I HAVE heard so many stories about “momsters-in-law” that I was almost scared to get married. Now that I have been married for almost seven years, I find myself unable to relate to those stories. My mother-in-law has always been so good to me. She treats me like her own flesh and blood.
Outside of her treatment of me, what I admire most about her is her ability to juggle multiple roles and still come out successful at each one. She is a sought-after speaker and trainer in her field of expertise. She is a respected medical doctor and one of the best in her specialization. In our home, she is a wonderful wife and mother, and a doting grandma to her one and only granddaughter. As if those were not enough, she is currently pursuing a masters degree.
While wearing all of those hats, and being a success in each of those roles, she still manages to take care of herself. Believe me when I say that you will never be able to guess her age when you see her.
Grace under pressure—from a fellow PR practitioner
PUBLIC relations is a tough job. As PR practitioners, we have to look okay on the outside even while we’re frazzled, seething, or both on the inside. We need to map out strategies, and ensure that they are executed well. We need to always be at least three steps ahead—and that can be very stressful.
One of the PR practitioners I look up to has been in the business for more than four decades. In the years that I have known her, I have never heard anyone say a bad thing about her. During events and in any get-together, she is always well put-together. She is always poised and cool, even under intense pressure.
Despite her busy schedule, she always has time for her family and friends. Recharging her tank like that must help her maintain that grace under pressure that I so admire.
The strength of a woman manifests differently for each of us. Even how we interpret “strength” may vary. While great strides have been made in terms of closing the gender gap, there is still a lot of room for improvement. As women, supporting each other and being happy for a fellow woman’s success—if attained fairly and without stepping on others in the process – can help close that gap.
Let us remember what we learned from the women in our lives, and pay it forward by being the best versions of ourselves that we can possibly be. May we be role models that the next generation of women can emulate. Happy National Women’s Month!
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world. Abigail L. Ho-Torres is AVP and Head of Customer Experience of Maynilad Water Services Inc. She spent more than a decade as a business journalists before making the leap to the corporate world.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.
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