The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Writer

acadet@tribunemedia.net

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day tomorrow, life and wellness coach Katherine Coakley said she would like to share an importance message with Bahamians: that now is the time for the “emergence of women”.

“I feel this message so strong and I hope that even as you read it you are left empowered to become. The clock has struck now, and it is your time. This is your time to shine, to expand, to explore, to endure and to become,” she told Tribune Woman.

Ms Coakley said she honours women in every chapter of their story and she would like them to know that no matter where you are, and what you’re facing, your worth holds its integrity throughout the seasons.

“To celebrate the present and future, it is important to honour the journeys of the past. The past often mirrors the distance we have travelled forward. For a very long time, women before us didn’t have a voice, a seat, a pathway, a platform, or an opportunity to be seen, or heard. Today, a door stands before us to extend miles of walkway to another generation. Ladies, the Bible declares ‘Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name: Romans 3:8,” she said.

Ms Coakley said to emerge means to arise, arrive, or come into something, or in this case, oneself. She said the world is now in a time where it is evident that women are arising, becoming, and being revealed in their true form.

“The days of obscurity are over, and it’s appointed for you to be seen, heard, and felt in your identity, faith, purpose, genius, and aspirations. We are in an era where women are being, and others are about to be, catapulted into sectors, geographic locations, positions, and places as we have never seen - to lead, build and solve problems that have lingered for decades,” she said.

Ms Coakley believes decades of problems will be resolved through women in science, tech, and other crucial sectors.

“In recent years, we have seen this arising shown in the political and entrepreneurial arenas. Scores of millennial women globally started businesses and communities digitally through online services, courses, products, and boutiques due to the shift the pandemic caused,” she said.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “ DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”

According to United Nations Women, from the earliest days of computing to the present age of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, women have made untold contributions to the digital world. Their accomplishments have been against all odds, in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated them.

Ms Coakley believes the rise of new jobs and streams of income, especially facilitated through social media platforms, allowed women to live in their multifaceted-ness while expanding their influence.

“We saw New Zealand’s youngest female prime minister (Jacinda Ardern) navigate with strong leadership, grace, and information. Barbados’ prime minister, Mia Mottley, challenge the status quo, and our very own Leslia Brice stepped into the arena to be a voice for the Bahamian people. Women arising and this emergence is coming to solve cultural, societal, spiritual and global emergencies. Emerging women, this is your time to commit to your becoming holistically,” she said.

Ms Coakley said women should surround themselves with people who are invested in their growth. They should also seek coaching, mentorship, or healthy and safe communities that have the capacity to assist them along the journey.

“Seek knowledge and expand your bandwidth of information through learning opportunities. Learn new languages. Attend knowledge-based events that will reshape your perspectives and opinions. Knowledge will increase in the land and your feet will expand globally through education,” she said.

She said it is also important for women to prioritise their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.

“Pay attention to the internally built-in alarms that signal it’s time for a change in your lifestyle. Improve your eating habits, movement and emotional tolerance. Seek support through counselling, a nutritionist, health coaches, and fitness instructors to help to navigate and manage the pressures that arise as you emerge,” she said.