How to Change Your Mindset to Genuinely Support Other Women
posted on May 31, 2018 | by Amanda Holstein
With all this talk about #collaborationovercompetition, it’s one of those things that’s easier said than done. It’s easy to want to support other women, but it’s not so easy to truly feel it. If you’re naturally competitive or have insecurities (as we all do), it can be tricky to always genuinely want other women to succeed. But the thing is, when we all support each other, we ALL succeed! So in hopes of getting to a place where women can truly empower other women, I teamed up with Uber and the Billboard Music Awards to offer tips on how to change our mindset to get to this place of #collaborationovercompetition. And hopefully, my girl Monica and I can show you it’s possible!
Helping others creates opportunity for you too.
First of all, if you’re wondering why you should even bother supporting others, I’ve got an answer for you. Helping others actually helps you, too! Creating opportunity for others can in turn create opportunity for you. Why? Because helping others is contagious. Once you offer your support, you get it in return, they offer it to others, and it just spreads from there. We are a society that works best when we work together. If you can be a catalyst for that type of mindset, then you are helping everyone, including yourself.
There really is room for all of us.
It can be difficult to believe this at times, but there really is room for all of us to succeed in this world! There’s room for more influencers, for more start-ups, for more non-profits, for more moms…literally, this world is massive and there is enough room for us all to be what we want to be. There will likely be someone else who wants to spread the same message as you or achieve the same things as you do. And because this world is so huge and there are so many resources, we can all get there. So next time you feel that competitive urge, remember to support other women because there really is room for all of us.
Someone else’s success does not equal your failure.
This is something I definitely have to repeat to myself often. If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and seen a friend get engaged or a fellow influencer snag a campaign and you start to feel jealous, then you know what I’m talking about. And that’s totally normal! But when we remind ourselves that that person’s success has no impact on our own, we can let go and genuinely be happy for them. In fact, their success actually has a great impact on our own. Because the more women succeed, the more opportunity they create for the rest of us to succeed!
Think about those moments when you needed support.
Remember when you were just out of college and trying to network to find just one person who would give you a chance? Never forget that feeling. And rather than thinking, “Well if I had to struggle, then they should too,” break the cycle! Offer them the help you wish you had gotten and encourage them to pass on that sense of support. Because, as you know, helping others is contagious! Support other women just as you wish you’d been supported.
Thank you to Uber for sponsoring this post.
Eva Says
Wow, we all need to read this. I’m the first to admit that I didn’t like to some of my female friend to succeed in the past and I hate myself for that. Yes, we live in quite a competitive world, but like you said, the success of other doesn’t mean we’ll fail.
I’m glad that I’ve discovered your blog, it’s exactly what I need!