Wendy K. Laidlaw

It is more celebrated now the common challenges that women face.

from the wage gap to the sexism and the outdated messages of stay at home, barefoot and pregnant and chained to the kitchen sink messages that some of us got growing up.

There is a thawing and a questioning now across the world for women about their duty and roles in life, let alone in relationships in the workplace and society.

There is nothing more uplifting than feeling the bonding with strong women who see your potential and mirror back that unwavering belief of what is possible for you.

I have heard some older generations of women who have achieved great success say that they felt that they had to become a man to be and be in a woman's body.

They felt that become a man, that was their only way for success.

And I don't think that helps any woman's growth in society.

What does that say to the younger generations coming up?

Don't be a woman, learn to act and behave like a man in a woman's body.

And that then feeds back into this trust of other women.

Women just need to be themselves no matter what.

They need to surround themselves with inspiring and supportive and uplifting women who truly believe in them until the woman can believe in herself.

The work I do now complements this intention beautifully.

Endometriosis can destroy women's confidence to its core.

She loses touch with her body and her instincts and ends up disliking herself and may end up feeling like a victim to the condition, especially when it impacts her daily life and career in such devastating fashion.

And I hope that more women will offer mentorship programs and hold the torch and be that light to allow millions of women to step out and step up into their power so that more women can celebrate International Women's Day in greater numbers for whatever is important to that woman in any way, shape or form.

Which brings me lastly to the women of Ukraine right now.

To see photographs of women coming together over and above the many men is hopeful for their future processing of the profound trauma that they must be enduring right now.

To hear about the many Polish families waiting at railway stations willingly with open arms to welcome complete strangers into their home is so heartwarming during these troubled times.

For women to embrace other women and their families at this overwhelming time when their own homes and towns and villages have been blazoned to the ground