In case you weren’t aware, the World Day of Peace is celebrated every New Year’s Day (check out the 2024 Inclusion at Work calendar for more days you may not know about). Unfortunately, there is so much war and strife occurring across the globe that the prospect of peace may seem impossible. While most of us won’t be asked to participate in peace talks between foreign nations, there is much we can do to promote peace in our own spheres. For example, with anti-semitism and other forms of racism on the rise, there are plenty of opportunities for us to refocus on humanity and do our part to build some semblance of peace in our community.

Even more locally, what brings you peace? Is it your family? Financial security? Are you among the many who look for that security by piling on more commitments and responsibilities? That doesn’t sound like peace at all.

For many women, there’s been a decades-long narrative that women can “have it all,” from successful careers to vibrant social lives, happy families to fulfilling hobbies. Unfortunately what was originally designed to be empowering to women has instead become a shackle for many. This idea that women can be and do all things is creating a vacuum in which women feel they have to. While there are plenty of women out there who truly want to do it all, there are women who don’t want to do it all. And that has to be okay, too.

Inclusion means accepting and embracing other women, and other ideas of what being a woman looks like, even if it doesn’t look the same for you. It means understanding that even the idea of ‘peace’ looks different for different people and being okay with that. Take some time this week to think about what peace looks like for you. What needs to be done to make it possible in both your work and personal life? What outside voices/expectations do you need to tune out to find it for yourself?

While we aren’t as close to world peace as we’d like to be, take the steps needed to find it within yourself. The only way you can truly “have it all” is by having it on your own terms.

With appreciation,

Stacey Gordon, MBA
Rework Work CEO