Wellness Wednesday: How to Celebrate International Women’s Day

While we believe that women should be celebrated every day, March 8th is officially International Women’s Day. This global holiday is observed by the United Nations, and people around the world, as a day to celebrate women and their achievements. But more importantly, it is also a day to raise awareness about gender bias, and to encourage people to take action for gender equality. The first International Women’s Day celebration goes back more than 100 years, to 1911. While a lot has changed for women in the world since then, there’s still much work to be done in the fight for global gender equality. Here are five ways you can celebrate and take action this International Women’s Day.

1. Organize an International Women’s Day Event
   

   For this International Women’s Day, organize an event with the people in your life who want to celebrate women and their achievements, and take action against gender inequality. The UN theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights. Anyone can come to your event: you don’t have to identify as female in order to celebrate the accomplishments, divinity, and extraordinary goals of women. With this in mind, you can gather your friends, family, and community together, to stimulate a dialogue about celebrating women, and taking action against inequalities. Host a picnic in the park, or evening cocktail event, and get the conversation flowing. For example, you can have everyone go around and say one way women inspire them, and one challenge they feel women face in their day-to-day lives. By bringing people together, you’ll not only celebrate women, but will also spread awareness about gender inequalities, and inspire people to take action in their own way.

2. Consciously Contribute to a Women-Owned Business
   While you may contribute to women-owned businesses on a daily basis, International Women’s Day is the day to do so intentionally, in whatever way you’d like. Pick a cafe owned by a woman for your morning latte, or donate a few dollars to an inspirational woman who you follow on social media. If you want to support a female-owned business, you don’t necessarily need to do so with your cash, and there are plenty of other ways you can contribute to their success. Here at KEʻALA BIKINIS, we know exactly what it is like to be women in the business world. As a female-owned and operated small business, we know firsthand how your support can make a huge difference in our business, and we are grateful when you put your love and resources behind us, in any form. Aside from purchasing something from a female-owned business, you can always share, post, and comment on social media, or leave a positive review, to encourage others to support the business. By supporting women-owned businesses, you are actively helping other women achieve their own goals, and recognizing the hard work that goes into starting a business from the ground up.

3. Hear the Stories of Other Women
   When we are in our day-to-day lives, our own little world can become everything. But for International Women’s Day, take the time to listen to the plights and stories of other women around the world, from different backgrounds and cultures. Hearing the stories of other women can not only inspire us to succeed in our own goals, but also educate us about inequalities other women are facing, and encourage us to take action. Listen to a TED Talk by a powerful woman on a motivating topic, such as why there are too few women leaders, finding your voice against gender violence, and how cultural and public policy shifts can lead to equality. If you are more of a podcast gal, here is a list of some great female-hosted podcasts you can listen to, to educate and inspire yourself.

4. Pick a Global Cause for Women’s Equality
   As we mentioned, International Women’s Day is a recognized United Nations holiday, and their goal is to not only celebrate women, but to bring attention to the many inequalities which still exist today. For example, according to the UN, women earn 23% less than men globally, and 1 in 3 have experienced physical or sexual violence. To honor this intention and purpose of the day, pick a way you can support this goal. An easy way is to share information on your social media, to spread awareness. If you’re able to, make a fiscal donation to a charity or organization working to make women’s equality and safety a standardized human right around the world. The UN also has a list of small actions you can take, which can have a big impact, if you’re looking for inspiration.

5. Celebrate Your Own Achievements as a Woman
   Many times, we can be quick to praise others, but we are much more likely to overlook or downplay our own achievements, especially as women. Take some time this International Women’s Day to celebrate your own divine achievements as a female. Make a warm cup of tea, or pour a glass of your favorite wine, grab a pen, and spend 20 minutes writing down some of your own wonderful attributes and achievements. Or, proudly post on your social media a bit about your own hard work, and how you’ve gotten to where you are. Chances are, sharing your own story will inspire others to do the same, and encourage other women to keep pushing towards their own goals.

It is no secret that women are strong, brilliant, and unstoppable in every way. But even today, in the year 2020, women still face many obstacles because of their gender. Take this International Women’s Day to celebrate all things female, and to not only educate yourself and your community, but to find ways you can take action to make gender bias and inequality a thing of the past, for good. How do you plan on celebrating International Women's Day? Let us know!