Do you know Elizabeth LeClair ? Let her be your powerful inspiration!

Has this ever happened to you? You know something is wrong, but you don't do anything about it?

• Maybe someone treats you poorly
• It could be that you aren't getting fair treatment
• Perhaps you are harassed, bullied or abused

But you don't do anything about it.

• Yes, your boss, board member or community representative yelled at you, but they were having a bad day, so you let it go.
• Sure, you were passed up on a promotion, and you know the man that got it doesn't have near the experience you do, but he's (fill in your justification here.)
• Okay, you know you've been working longer hours than is reasonable, but you tell yourself, it's just part of the job, even if technically, it's illegal.

Let's look at why perhaps don't you, or so many women, address these issues.

​Why don't you, or so many women, address these issues?
Before I answer that question, let's look at an example of a woman who is no longer staying quiet about injustices faced by her and other women in the fundraising sector.

Last week Elizabeth LeClair courageously wrote an article for CBC News addressing an issue that had been festering in her heart and mind for years. Read the article here:

• Sexual harassment runs rampant in non-profits — and it's time for our #MeToo moment

Why did Elizabeth come forward now?
What changed? What gave her the courage and confidence to do that?

I don't know. But let me take a guess:
Having the courage to address moral issues can be scary and challenging. We see people have moral courage when something shifts for them.

• We step forward when we develop confidence.
• We take action when we engage in conversation with others and realize it's not just us being affected.
• We take courageous action when we are compelled by our powerful values, morals and ethics.
• We grow, develop and mature when we put the time, energy and focus into developing ourselves from the inside out.

Is there something you have been holding back on addressing?
What needs to shift for you? Do you need to develop more confidence, connect with other supportive people, get clear on what your values, morals and ethics are, spend time on personal development or is there something else?


When will you take action to grow yourself,
so that you can address the issues that's been aggravating far too long?

Think of it this way:
If you keep waiting for things to change, they won't. Nothing changes until you change. That may be learning something new, changing your perspective, changing how you interact with others or even changing jobs. But if you keep waiting, you will continue staying, stuck, right where you are!

What would happen if you decided to try something different?

Use Elizabeth's example as inspiration for you:
I suspect that Elizabeth decided she didn't want to stay stuck in that place of inner turmoil any longer. She decided to try something different. I'm certain that took time. But somewhere along the way she started the process of growing herself and making an internal shift that allowed her to take external action. She explains in this article:

• LeClair didn't talk about her assault when it happened. She says she wasn't in a place to do so, and didn't know how. She says she is now equipped with the confidence and knowledge to speak out.

Start now, my dear. Take the first step, whatever that step is for you, to being to grow yourself from the inside out. Equip yourself with the confidence and knowledge to address whatever issue is facing you. It won't be easy. But there are a ton of other women cheering you on, me included!