‘Tribe’, ‘girl tribe’, ‘sisters’ – in general, what I’m referring to here is surrounding yourself (whether virtually or in-person) with women who support, encourage and bring positive light into your life.
The power of a tribe
We all know who those women are – they’re the women pushing us on when we’re hesitating and reminding us to be bold. Individually, they are already powerful – but together as a tribe, their love and support are like a huge warm hug (even if you have never met them in person).
This is something I’ve felt for a long time, but the importance of a tribe became so much more apparent when I joined the Comms Team for the Australian Women in New York (AWNY).
Stop making yourself small for others.
In our last Comms meeting, Angela Tohl reminded us all to stop making ourselves small for others (when a few of us were holding back with being creative). She reminded us that we’re all part of an AWNY quilt, each contributing a square that matters and making up the entire output of the AWNY Comms Team. This sums up the power of a tribe.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I also believe it takes a village of amazing women who have your back, to sometimes give you that little push of encouragement.
The most memorable part of what Ang said, however, was: “just f*cking go for it!” I hopped off that call and wrote that down on a post-it note as a daily reminder. And more than ever, I hopped off that call thinking, ‘I hope every woman out there has a tribe just as powerful.’
Surround yourself virtually or in-person with impactful women
There are many women who have truly impacted my life in such a positive way (past female bosses, even podcasts) and I’ve noticed the impact this has on my life.
Your tribe doesn’t have to be work-related or even volunteer-related. It could simply be a few women you simply connect with along the way in life or a few women who you know will always have your back!
I feel your true friends will always encourage you to grow and be the best version of you. If you do feel constantly judged or they kill your vibe, they’re probably not your tribe. Not to say they’re not a great friend, but you should be mindful to protect your energy.
A woman who truly embodies this notion is Erica Cramer, founder of The Queen of Confidence. Erica is an international confidence coach who hosts the epic podcast, The Confidence Chronicles. This podcast is all about reclaiming your confidence and stepping into your fully expressed self. When you listen to her podcast, you feel as if she is sitting right next to you, cheering you on! Thanks to social media, I’ve connected with Erica many times through Instagram, so you don’t need to have met in person.
Lastly, thank you to the AWNY tribe!
Thank you for being YOU. Thank you for allowing me to write for you when I was in ‘quarantine hotel’ and allowing me to express what I was going through (you made my days better and gave me a little purpose!). Thank you for being a tribe I could connect with when I lost my job this year (not that I told you), but connecting with you all made me feel supported.
This is the power of such an incredible group of women. I hope you too, find your tribe.
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 