SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE! Someone recently asked me about my passion in life and I proudly told them that I strive to empower women and girls around the world.

The response I received as a reaction to this statement was shocking.

In response to my statement of empowering women I was asked: “What is there to empower women about? Haven’t you already accomplished all there is to accomplish?”

I was in shock. I had no words. At first I thought to myself-how could someone think in such a way. After giving this reaction some thought I realized that the statement made was not a reflection of the person who made it. Rather it was more so a reflection of the society we live in. The idea that a movement should cease to exist because it is at its peak is purely invalid. This is because a movement is about so much more than a deadline.

I have had so many conversations about my passion for women’s empowerment, but a conversation like this one was one that I had never come across. In responding to this person I made sure I used words which really depicted what was on my mind.

I asked him the following question: When you drink a cup of water will that suffice for the rest of your life? Same scenario. Women’s empowerment is not about checking off a task from a to do list. It is about constantly making sure that women and girls all around the world have access to equal resources and opportunities to continue moving forward in life.

I am thankful that I came across such a conversation because it helped me realize that there are a variety of perspectives on women’s empowerment and if I really want to pursue this as my passion I will have to be able to navigate conversations around different opinions all the time.

Don’t ever let someone impact the passion you have for a cause. Instead you can listen to them and understand what they are saying. If it helps you in pursuing your passion in any way, then great. If not, then that is that.

Sending you a lot of positive vibes and infinite smiles,

Manisha Sareen