It’s striking to me that major life milestone celebrations in our adulthood honor a woman for her relation to someone else. Bridal showers ahead of a marriage between two people. Baby showers in honor of being attached to a tiny human being — literally.
But women are so much more than who they are connected to, and there are so many more milestone achievements in a woman’s life that deserve celebration.
I’m lucky to have accumulated several groups of women along my life path, from college to graduate school to my first CrossFit gym when I moved to Boston. Not only am I immensely thankful to have stayed in touch with these women in spite of the ebbs and flows of life, I am also particularly grateful that we are all in different places in our lives. Some are single, some are with a long-term partner but not married, some have children, some don’t.
In this beautiful mosaic of women I have found a deep appreciation for walking alongside and cheerleading each of them for who they are and what they achieve, regardless of the traditional expectations.
Women have been conditioned over generations to be humble and quiet about their accomplishments. Since we won’t naturally cheer for ourselves (although you absolutely should), we must be cheerleaders for each other.
Grab your megaphone and pompoms and start celebrating the women in your life — now. Here’s how:
Send a card, for any occasion
Bulk ordering cards to have on hand eliminates the extra step of remembering to pick one up at the store. I use my contact list on my phone to keep track of birthdays and anniversaries, and I make calendar reminders for important dates that someone mentions in passing. Sometimes I’m a month behind by the time I get around to sending the card, but I always send it. There is nothing better than surprise snail mail, especially when it’s six weeks late!
Buy a coffee, no matter the distance
Sending a coffee gift card is my favorite way to tell a friend I’m thinking of them, especially if they have had a particularly hard week at work or in parenting. One friend shared that she had at least one kid at home with her for the last month due to illness and COVID exposure, all while trying to maintain a full-time job. With a few clicks of a button, she had a coffee on me. She deserved far more than a cup of coffee, but it was a small gesture commending her for keeping her head above water.
Surprise ’em with flowers
From my own career journey, I’ve deeply appreciated how incredibly amazing it is when someone gets a new job or receives a promotion, especially for women in the employed workforce. I love sending flowers to friends who have been promoted or started new jobs. I hunt around to find a local florist with great reviews for a double win of supporting a small business.
No matter how you choose to celebrate the women in your life, be sure you celebrate often. Encourage others to tell you what they are most proud of, and be sure to share the same. Whether it is purchasing a home, getting through a really tough week, paying off student loans, surviving potty training, sending a kid off to college, or starting a new hobby, the size of the milestone matters less than the act of celebrating those achievements.
