For as long as she can remember, Orly Wahba has been passionate about bringing people together. She said that, even as a 5-year-old, she felt she had something important to give to the world, but she didnt know how to express it. She was a shy girl with big dreams until her world went up in flames.

When she was 15, Orlys home burned down, and she didnt just lose her worldly possessions she lost her inner light. Orly sank into a suicidal depression, and she stopped engaging with the world. She was absent from school for weeks, yet not one of her classmates came by to check on her.

Orly Wahba overcame difficulties in her life by embracing kindness.

One day, as she was getting ready for school, Orly looked in the mirror and realized she didnt recognize herself anymore. She couldnt see the 5-year-old who wanted to change the world. She had lost herself in a hopeless haze, and she didnt want to continue down that road.

I made a promise to myself, she recalled. I promised to be there for people in the way that no one was there for me and, more importantly, to see them in a way that no one had seen me.

From that moment on, Orly began making an effort to contribute to her class and community. She raised her hand to share her thoughts. She mentored at-risk youth. She gave as much of herself as she could to others, and she found it made her feel stronger and happier.

I was always a giver, but now it was coming from a place of strength, she said. When you give from abundance, its not a sacrifice. The more I gave, the more I began to heal.

Orly discovered the power of kindness in her youth, and she has spent her life sharing that lesson in the classroom and beyond. In 2010, Orly retired from her career as a middle school teacher to start a nonprofit that would inspire acts of kindness throughout the world. Life Vest Inside is about showing others the value of kindness and motivating them to become the best possible version of themselves. Its about telling someone they matter and making the world better by giving unconditional love and support to those in need.

Couples who practice kindness often reap the benefits in their relationships. In fact, psychologists say that kindness is the most important predictor of marriage stability and satisfaction. A simple act of kindness can brighten someones day or bring a smile to someones face, and that can make a world of difference in how they view themselves, how they treat others, and how they handle conflict in their lives.

Orly experienced this firsthand in her teenage years, and she has made it her lifes mission to teach others how to transform themselves through kindness.

Kindness Boomerang is full of tips and inspirational guidance.

When it comes to the subject of kindness, Orly literally wrote the book. In 2011, she penned Kindness Boomerang: How to Save the World (and Yourself) Through 365 Daily Acts to inspire people to be kind to one another every day. The idea for the book came from Orlys award-winning film Kindness Boomerang, which saw over 100 million views and led to a TED talk about kindness she gave in 2013.

Orly talks passionately about how kindness can transform the world, and she encourages people to take small steps to help, support, and love others.

Project Hope Exchange is one of Life Vest Insides most impactful programs. It offers individuals a place where they can give and receive hope in the form of 30-second audio messages. People going through difficult times can listen to a hopeful recording from someone who has been through something similar. Visit the website or call the Hope Line at 1-855-975-HOPE (4673) to learn more.

Were giving hope to others, Orly said. Everyone faces adversity in life, and it helps to know youre not alone.

Orly told us that kindness is a superpower that everyone possesses. You dont have to be the smartest, the funniest, the richest, or the prettiest person in the world to make a positive impact on the world you just have to be kind. That in itself is enough.

By becoming more generous, compassionate, and optimistic, people can improve their personal relationships and cultivate a sense of fulfillment and happiness in their day-to-day lives.

Kindness is the greatest tool weve found to empower people to discover their value, Orly said. When a person is doing something kind and seeing the impact it has, they come to recognize their true power.

Music has been influential in Orlys life she told us Michael Jacksons Heal the World is her personal theme song and she has pioneered a program that uses music and dance to unite people of all creeds. Dance for Kindness is an annual flash mob performance held in over 50 countries around the world.

In celebration of World Kindness Day, over 55,000 people gather together to perform the same dance to the same song at the same time and raise money for their favorite charities. This show of solidarity is inspirational, and it empowers individuals as young as 10 and as old as 80 to discover their inner strength and beauty.

As a volunteer-run event, Dance for Kindness also creates leadership opportunities in local communities. Nearly 400 group leaders help organize this massive, kindness-focused spectacle. Its essentially leadership training, Orly said. We give people the skills and tools they can utilize when taking any idea and putting it into action.

Life Vest Inside has inspired a community of lovers and leaders around the world.

Many schools have taken an interest in the Dance for Kindness phenomenon, and Orly has created a kindness curriculum to help teachers, administrators, and students keep the positive energy flowing all year round. The program includes arts and humanities projects that align with common core principles. Life Vest Inside also offers schools the chance to win up to $1,500 in grants for participating in the curriculum.

As a life-long educator, Orly is passionate about providing educational materials that reinforce kindness and inspire a new generation of compassionate and self-confident citizens of the world.

People can get involved in the simplest of ways, Orly said. If someone wants to learn what were about, they can connect with resources on our site.

If you want to keep up with the fast-growing kindness movement, you can subscribe to the Daily Kind and Kindness Flash newsletters. These upbeat resources connect a community of over 42,000 people and offer inspirational quotes, positive affirmations, extraordinary real-life stories, and a continual reminder of the importance of being kind.

Life Vest Inside has started a dialogue about kindness, and its message has resonated with people from all walks of life. The nonprofit has given solace to people going through all kinds of personal challenges, and it has uplifted them with a message of hope and goodwill.

Many people have reached out to Orly to say that her events, resources, and overall message hit home and helped change their mindset. For some heartsick individuals, Life Vest Inside can be a literal life saver, giving them hope for the future and surrounding them with words of encouragement during times of turmoil, conflict, or self-doubt.

Life Vest Inside has made my life so much happier, said Montana Markland, who lives in Australia. Im pitching an idea to help run service groups around the community so I can inspire others to be kind too.

Thanks to Life Vest Inside, Orly has made a difference in many peoples lives and started a ripple effect of kindness throughout the world. You taught me to be kind and loving. You taught me how to find inner peace. You taught me to forgive people, said Frederick Kunst of Denmark. Youve changed my world!

Orly is like a mother to a huge family, said Paul G. in a testimonial.Its nice to know Orlys light is out there, lighting the way away from darkness.

Orly said such testimonials mean a lot to her because helping others is her main drive in life.

When youre positive, you draw positivity to you, Orly explained. Were like magnets what we think is what we draw into our lives. Once you start believing in yourself and loving others, everything changes.

For Orly, kindness is more than an ideal its a way of life. She has witnessed how an act of friendship and generosity can impact people, and she has become a lightning rod of kindness throughout the world.

Life Vest Inside organizes many heartfelt, community-driven projects that help people connect with one another. In her mission to educate and inspire, Orly has given motivational speeches, written books, created curriculum, and pioneered programs that encourage others to spread goodness everywhere they go.

Singles, couples, and families that focus on kindness can strengthen their relationships and build a healthy sense of self-esteem. Whatever challenges youre facing in life, you can overcome them by listening to Orlys words of wisdom and taking up the banner of kindness in your everyday life.

The billboard of what were saying is You matter, she said. And that means other people matter, too.

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Life Vest Inside Reaches Over 100 Million Singles & Couples With Its Message of Hope, Kindness & Empowerment - - DatingNews

A not-for-profit organization says addiction in Windsor has become so prevalent, it's now offering counselling services to support young women affected by people with addictions.

Crossroads: Centre for Personal Empowerment is running a 10-week group counselling program for women between the ages of 16 and 24 who struggle with codependency.

"The main issues or challenges these women would face are self-esteem, identity, having value within herself, decision-making and creating boundaries inlife," said Dana Agnolin, a social worker who is leading the codependency group atCrossroads.

The term 'codependency'was coined a few decades ago in the context of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

"It was originally created for family members of those struggling with an addiction," said Agnolin.

"They love this person, and they have a hard time separating themselves from the person's addiction." said Tim Baxter, executive director of Crossroads.

"They rely so heavily on how the other person is doing that they abandon their own feelings and emotions in an effort to address whatthe addict needs. And it impacts them significantly."

The new group sessions will tackleone topic each week for 10 weeksto help people gain a healthy perspective on themselves.The first half covers topics such as boundaries and assertiveness and the second half creates a support system for women to hear one another's stories and realize they aren't alone.

"The support aspect of this group is very important." said Agnolin.

Tim Baxter said when he launched his non-profit organization 12 years ago, addiction wasn't at the forefront of many minds.

"The opiate crisis was just starting to manifest itself at that point in time. The heavier drugs were just starting to become prevalent," he said. "[Opiates were] so bad at one point around that time, people were renting vans and driving them out to doctors they had identified would easily prescribe them that kind of medication for them."

But with widespread drug use, came more significant problems in Windsor, and the need for agencies to increase programming, according to Baxter.

While funding at Crossroads similar to multiple agencies in the city is limited, the non-profit has tried to evolve with the times.

In 2019, that means providing codependency treatment for young women who haven't properly learned how to have a healthy relationship and cope with emotions.

"They place value in situations rather than value in themselves, in their own opinions," said Agnolin.

Agnolin says sometimes people who struggle with codependency want to fix the other person and lose sight of who they are and what they need for themselves to prosper.

Baxter has been in addiction services for nearly 30 years.He saidhe has called paramedics and police multiple times to his office.

During his interview, Baxterreached into his desk drawer.

"You know what this is?" he asked while holding a Naloxone kit. "It originally came with three doses. There's only one dose left in there.That's the second kit I've had."

Baxter said he's had to administer Naloxone in his office at least five times.

"I don't like it to happen, but it happens. I can't change it."

While Baxter can't change how addiction looks in Windsor, he is changing the services the organization has to meet community needs.

View post:

Windsor non-profit offers counselling to young women affected by addiction codependence - CBC.ca

Divorce is often a difficult process, and it disproportionately leaves women struggling with financial challenges. As we covered in regard to MacKenzie Bezos settlement, after a divorce, mens standard of living generally rises by about 33%, while womens drops by about 20%. Other studies have shown that womens income after divorce drops by an average of 41%. These stats outline the divorce gap, one of many overlapping economic gaps women continue to face, including the wage, debt, unpaid labor, funding, investing and pink tax (consumer pricing) gap.

There are many reasons women can find themselves struggling after a divorce; some stop working to raise kids during marriage and then find it difficult to re-enter the workforce and earn adequately. Others take on full-time caregiving for the first time after a divorce, which can conflict with their career paths and keep them from making enough to support their families. Some women havent chosen or been able to invest independently for the future and find themselves without a safety net or backup plan. The other financial gaps all come into play. Women are generally paid less, have more debt, receive less funding, invest less and are charged more for products designed for them. And the unpaid labor gap is significant here; women often take on care giving, housekeeping and other crucial contributions to families and societies that are uncompensated.

One study by the investment banking company UBS found 56% of women defer to their spouses on investment decisions and financial planning. Many couples refrain from talking about their financial future, the possibility of divorce or prenups. Women (and men) may find the family law court system complex and inaccessible. The alimony or child-support awarded may not be enough to meet a woman or familys needs. And divorces can be expensive, ranging from around $250 for simple, amicable procedures up to more than $100,000, with an average estimate in the range of $15,000 to $30,000, according to The Atlantic. Paying for utilities, basic needs and lifes unexpected costs during this time of uncertainty and change can be challenging. Issues like child custody and domestic abuse make these matters more difficult and even dangerous for women. There are many ways feminist philanthropy can support women going through these complex processes.

The Fresh Start Womens Foundation in Arizona sets an example of how a community-based organization can help women in various transitions. It provides education, social services and other resources to women, aiming to help every woman [reach] her full potential through achieving personal empowerment and financial self-sufficiency. It offers social worker-led support groups and mentoring, educational scholarships, technology and career advancement training and resources, community volunteer support and family law services. Fresh Start is funded by Allstate, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Thunderbirds Charities, The Dorrance Family Foundation, Moreno Family Foundation and others.

Fresh Start Family Law Support Manager and Certified Legal Document Preparer (CLDP) Edna Gomez-Green says there are three main challenges women face regarding divorce; lack of access to affordable legal representation, lack of information about relevant legal issues, and lack of a support system, both for women going through a divorce and after the divorce is final. Women also often face isolation in the process of ending relationships and suffer from deep cultural stigmas around divorce.

Fresh Starts programming addresses many of these needs. Through the family law program, it provides classes by attorneys and other professionals, reduced-fee document preparation, referrals to free or low-cost attorney consultations, and a Law Day for Women, with one-one-one question-and-answer time with volunteer attorneys.

Gomez-Green says the foundations social work and resource team offer individualized services for women going through divorce and facilitate both open and closed support groups to connect them with other women working through similar challenges. The Fresh Start Foundation serves about 5,000 women every year. In 2018, it held 1,656 family law sessions and helped 715 women who requested assistance with a family court matter.

Women going through a divorce benefit the most when they are prepared to go through the divorce process. Knowing the law, their rights and having the ability to advocate for what is fair and appropriate is what they seek the most, she tells us.

Gomez-Green points out several ways philanthropists can support women in these situations. For divorcing women, donors can offer scholarships or funding to cover filing fees, document preparation, attorney consultations and limited-scope [or] full-matter representation, for matters involving children, complex circumstances or high-conflict, when the other party is represented.

For women who are already divorced, she says funding for transitional housing, job training, education and child care can help women and mothers to become self-sufficient. The more informed and financially stable divorced women are, the better they can practice self-care, pursue their ambitions, provide for their families and invest in their communities.

***

Philanthropy Womencovers funding for gender equity in all sectors of society. We want to significantly shift public discourse, particularly in philanthropy, toward increased action for gender equality. You can support our work and access unlimited and premium content with one of oursubscriptions.

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I often cover innovations in science, the arts and social justice. Find my work with NPR, Discover Magazine, APR and Earth Island Journal, among other publications. My portfolio is at jtravers.journoportfolio.com.View all posts by Julia Travers

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It's All About the Divorce Gap: Ending Isolation for Divorcing Women - Philanthropy Women

SHEP SACE course: SHEP celebrates 10 year anniversary of continuous training in Limerick at the Absolute Hotel. Pictured are Cora Daly, Limerick Clare Education Training Board Youth officer, graduate Dean Leahy, O Malley Park, Anita OShea, SHEP Chairperson, graduate Yvonne McCarthy, Cappagh, and Gearoid Prendergast, Coordinator Midwest Regional Drugs and Alcohol Forum. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.

The Social and Health Education Project opens applications for a new course

The Social and Health Education Project (SHEP) has opened its applications for a new course in Social Awareness and Community Empowerment (SACE), which will be made up of five workshops between September and December 2019.

Established in 1974, SHEP is a unique, not-for-profit, community-based training and development organisation based in Cork and Kerry as well as Limerick. The SHEP Mid-West Programme is supported by a number of local partners including the Mid-West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum (MWRDAF), Limerick and Clare ETB, the HSE, Paul Partnership as well as SHEP.

Anita O Shea, Chair of the SHEP Mid-West Advisory Group, says, The SHEP Mid-West Training Programme has gone from strength to strength. A great number of people, their families and communities have benefitted from the transformational experience of SHEP courses.

Pictured is Anita OShea at the SHEP Midwest celebration of ten continuous years of training in Limerick with their graduateship event at the Absolute Hotel. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.

The course is available, however not limited to, people who have already completedSHEPs Certificate in Personal Development,this course here being Part Two of theSHEPFoundation Programme. For these, it is a continuation of their personal journey of growth and development, through deepening awareness of the wider social relationships with which we are all involved.

It is also available to peopleas an alternative entry point toSHEPs training pathwaythan the Personal Development course, so as to include participants whose main starting interest in their community, their involvement in a local organization, and want to bring deeper awareness to that involvement.

SACE is a transformative course in a supportive, friendly, and non-judgmental learning environment, where you can grow in awareness of how we relate and cooperate in groups, how we are shaped by the society we grew up in and how we in turn shape society by our lives and actions.

Themes include roles within groups, working co-operatively in a group situation, behaviour in groups, dealing with conflict constructively, leadership styles, talents, and skills and strengths in leadership.

The course also questions why society is the way it is, what changes are needed and what we can do, what the important issues in our community are and how realities of gender, power, diversity, and justice impact our lives.

Completion of both the SHEP Certificate in Personal Development and the SHEP Certificate in Social Awareness and Community Empowerment Foundation Courses is necessary for entry to the SHEPs Facilitation, Continuing Personal Development and Specialised Practitioner Training courses.

The SACE is awarded for 80% attendance and will be on-going until December, with training taking place on weekends.

For more information about SHEP and courses available, click here.

For more stories about SHEP, click here.

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The Social and Health Education Project opens applications for new course - I Love Limerick

Gandhi extended meaning of democracy to true independence: Modi (2nd Lead)

United Nations, Sep 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Mahatma Gandhi extended the meaning of democracy beyond elections to people power that makes citizens free from dependence on governments.

Modi made the remarks on Tuesday while hosting the "Leadership Matters: Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the Contemporary World" event at the UN headquarters here to commemorate Gandhi''s 150th birth anniversary.

In his address, Modi said that democracy has been limited to people electing governments and the governments doing what the people want.

But Gandhi showed people the path of having true independence through a social system not dependent on governments, he said.

At the meeting, leaders spoke about Gandhi''s influence on them and their countries.

A stamp commemorating Gandhi''s 150th birth anniversary was released at the event.

The leaders also remotely inaugurated a $1 million-solar park that will produce 50 kilowatts of electricity from the roof of the conference building at the UN headquarters and a peace garden at a university campus.

Modi asked the audience to imagine Gandhi being born in a country that was already independent and he would not have to lead a movement for independence.

He would still have led with his ideas of people power and self-help and self-reliance.

It is these ideas that are behind the people leading campaigns like ''Swachh Bharat'' and ''Digital India'', he said.

Modi recalled that Queen Elizabeth touchingly showed him a small khadi handkerchief that Gandhi had sent to her as a wedding present.

That showed that even though he was fighting the British, he still was able to maintain personal relationships of kindness, he said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "Gandhi''s ideas drive the work of the United Nations for equality, empowerment and global citizenship every day."

Many of Gandhi''s ideas foreshadow the holistic thinking behind the UN''s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

"To take just one example: Gandhi understood the importance of advocacy and action around the issue of sanitation and led campaigns for clean drinking water and hygienic facilities when this issue was still deeply taboo."

Gandhi''s ideas drive the work of the UN for equality, empowerment and global citizenship every day.

South Korea''s President Moon Jae-in said that Gandhi''s ideas were an inspiration for working for peace on the Korean Peninsula with North Korea.

While the Koreans were having their own non-violent independence struggle against the Japanese, they came to know of Gandhi''s campaign of boycotting British goods and they started a similar campaign.

Gandhi wrote in support of the Korean freedom-fighters imprisoned by the Japanese, Moon said.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Singapore wanted to become independent in 1965 inspired by Gandhi''s ideals of equality of all races and religions.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took his inspiration for freedom from Gandhi.

Both her father and Gandhi were assassinated, she noted.

Bangladesh sheltering hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar was inspired by Mujibur Rahman and Gandhi.

Jamaica''s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that Gandhi''s vision of an equitable society was the inspiration for his work.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said that after the March shootings at mosques in Christchurch that killed 50 people, the Muslims opened their doors for the others to grieve with them.

They were able to break a dangerous cycle of divisiveness, she said.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

al/ksk

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: IANS

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Gandhi extended meaning of democracy to true independence: Modi (2nd Lead) - Outlook India

Capetonian Jessica Dewhurst is flying the SA flag high through her globally-recognised NPO, the Justice Desk.

On Monday, Dewhurst hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their visit to Nyanga where they learned more about her organisation's work.

The Justice Desk runs an empowerment initiative in Nyanga that promotes the development of children in the township.

Dewhurst, a passionate human rights advocate, says her NPO has 17 projects that run across SA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

She says the people of Nyanga have shown a great deal of passion and dedication in a joint effort to protect children in the community.

We train, equip and empower local people to lead their own change. We believe in everyday activists and our ability to change the world.

Nyanga is a very special community and it is in the news for the wrong reasons.

The Nyanga that wee see is incredible. The community workers there work everyday to protect their children and protect their human rights.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen showing off their dance moves and interacting with schoolchildren during their visit.

Dewhurst says that the locals were not made aware that the royal couple was coming until 2 hours before their arrival.

The organisation is supported by the Queens Commonwealth Trust, which has Harry as its president and Meghan as vice-president.

Dewhurst was selected as a Queens Young Leader for 2016 for her work at The Justice Desk.

She visited Buckingham Palace to personally receive the award from Her Majesty, the Queen of England, in 2016.

Dewhurst spoke about how The Justice Desk prepared for day and her personal encounter with the Duke and Duchess.

Listen to Jessica Dewhurst describe her organisation's work and the royal visit in detail:

Thumbnail image credit: Jessica Dewhurst on Twitter.

Excerpt from:

Meet Jess Dewhurst, the Capetonian who led the royal visit at her NGO in Nyanga - 702

The driver is not here. Who will take the children to school? asked Tahminas husband. I will drive them today, she says, surprising the whole family with the news that she has been secretly learning how to drive.

Tahmina, 65, former school teacher, shares her story about learning to drive when she was 33. For her, it was more of a challenge to be overcome than a necessity. My chauffeur would teach me how to drive our jeep and within eight to nine days I was on the road driving confidently. I would take my children to school, do the groceries and go to work, says Tahmina. She further mentions how the roads back then were safer and easier to navigate compared to recent traffic and congestion-filled conditions.

Dr Zareen Khair, 60, country manager of an NGO, talks about how she was inspired to drive. I would watch a Pakistani drama and watch the main actress drive her own car. I felt driving my own vehicle would give me a sense of empowerment and confidence, she shares. I learned to drive in a driving school in Dhanmondi. The first day I started to learn, I wanted to give up that very second, but I saw a much elderly woman driving in front of me and that inspired me to continue.

These stories of women who started driving 20-25 years ago fascinated everyone back then. But with time, Bangladesh has seen an increase in the number of women drivers. Although it is increasing at a slow pace, it is good to note that Bangladeshis have been showing a more positive and accepting attitude towards these changes. There are both women learners and instructors at driving schools these days a sight that was uncommon even a few years ago.

However, some problems still do arise. Zoya Rahman, 23, a university student, acquired her driving license recently, after waiting for a long time. She shares that the lengthy process makes it undesirable for drivers to try and get a license. Although she learned how to drive in Dhaka, she prefers to drive when she is out of Bangladesh.

My whole family was very happy when I learned to drive. Usually, I prefer to not depend on my chauffeur and drive myself to meet family and friends. But most of the time it becomes a hassle for me. Male drivers give me awkward stares and this disrupts my concentration while driving. The other day, a chauffeur tried to overtake my car while passing comments on me. Now my mother restricts me from driving alone, says Zoya. She expresses further concerns regarding safety issues. She once got into a situation where she was followed by a car at night which caused her mother to prohibit her from driving at night. She believes if more women drive cars in Bangladesh, it would normalise the situation.

Whilst this remains an alarming issue, Tahmina adds that she never faced any sort of harassment from drivers on the streets. Rather I am respected and drivers let me pass through as soon as they see a woman driving, she shares.

More and more women are seeking out schools to learn driving. One of the training centres, Dhaka Driving Training Center in Mohammadpur, provides a 30-class course to learn how to drive. Although all of their instructors are male, they still have 10-12 women enrolled who learn driving. We provide all the facilities needed to make women feel comfortable, says Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, Director, Dhaka Driving Training Center.

Another driving institution, BRAC Driving School, currently has two women instructors. Instructors in this school have to undergo a strict process of learning for three months and later complete an internship under BRAC to fully qualify as an instructor. The school enrols about 30 women every month and about 25 percent of them are professionals while the rest learn driving for personal use.

I always felt as though driving liberates a woman and boosts her confidence. That confidence definitely reflects in your work. I remain stress-free when I go to work as we have special facilities for self-driven cars but I worry when I go shopping or run errands. The possibilities of my car parts being stolen scares me, shares Dr Zareen Khair. Her husband and parents supported her throughout her journey of self-empowerment. In fact, when we would have family events, I would be the one driving the car and always receive awkward stares from passers-by, she adds.

Previously, I used to drive every day, but now I rarely drive. I can barely find any parking space these days. Parking is a big hassle for not just women drivers but for everyone. Besides, if the construction works in Dhaka were better planned, it would free up more space for parking. Moreover, I feel driving is a waste of time because I will eventually be stuck in traffic for a long period of time, says Tahmina.

Women are now more encouraged to drive cars for both professional and personal use. They have always been into driving although it was not as widely highlighted before. If you are a woman and are having second thoughts about driving, dont fret as Bangladesh is stepping up its driving game!

See the original post:

A spike in women drivers - The Daily Star

Jasmine Nicoson, 32-year-old Brenham native, mother of three boys (Jackson, River and Logan) and military wife, is vying to appear on the cover of Maxim magazine.

The video opens simply just her name across the screen. Soft country music sets the tone before fading into the image of a woman in front of the camera with a story to tell a confessional in its own modern rite.

She begins, Hey guys, Im here with you today to share a story with you and its a very personal storyI just havent really shared a lot of videos because weve had a little bit of a tough year.

This is my miscarriage story, which is actually two miscarriage stories, so if youre looking for a really happy upbeat video, this is not it.

Jasmine Nicoson posted the YouTube video, My Miscarriage Story, back in 2015.

Since then, the 32-year-old Brenham native has given birth to three boys, is happily married to Christopher an elite soldier in the U.S. Army, all while providing for her family and vying for the cover of Maxim magazine an outlet to share her story of heartbreak, hope, survival and sacrifice, empowering young women and mothers to recognize their beauty and inner strength.

Nicoson was born and raised in Brenham a self-professed troublemaker for talking in class or being too loud. Its a trait that would eventually allow her to provide for her family through the video website YouTube.

Its pretty ironic that my social skills and talkative behavior has now turned into an income for my family, she told The Banner-Press. I am a mom of three young boys ages 7, 2 and 10-months old and my husband is often away on deployments or training. I am very proud to say that he has bravely served many years of combat and is an elite soldier in the United States Army.

Christopher and Jasmine Nicoson are the parents of three young boys, Jackson, River and Logan.

Its important for me to be able to provide for my family while holding down the home front and being an active caregiver for my children. YouTube has provided this opportunity for us and I am so proud of how far my channel has come over the years.

The site has not only been a means of income for Nicoson, but its also served as an outlet for her to share her journey the beautiful, happy moments alongside vulnerability and struggle with a global audience.

After graduating from Brenham High School in 2005, she married her husband in 2011. Shortly after the wedding, Nicoson became pregnant with her first son.

While her husband was serving in Afghanistan, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Jackson. The reunion, of course, was caught on video and posted to YouTube.

A crowd is gathered in military fanfare as a group of soldiers in fatigues enter in formation, some in wheelchairs.

Nicoson screams her husbands name from the crowd before the national anthem plays. She bounces the newborn in her arm. They finally embrace and Christopher takes his son into his arms for the first time, Jacksons bright blue eyes twinkling.

The video has garnered more than 5.3 million views on YouTube the same site where she found herself searching for solidarity after she and Christophers first miscarriage a loss often suffered in silence.

It has always been really important to me to be transparent when talking about my multiple pregnancy losses. Talking about miscarriages is hard, but I want women to know they are not alone, Nicoson said, explaining how after that first experience, her instinct was to search online for other stories like hers.

Jasmine poses with her husband Christopher and their baby boy, Jackson.

When I had my first miscarriage, I was extremely heartbroken, as anyone could imagine. I wanted to hear if what was happening to me was normal. I wanted to know I wasnt the only person that had ever felt that pain.

I also wanted to hear stories of hope, stories of survival. I found a lot of comfort in watching women tell their stories. They were different women from different backgrounds all over the world.

After suffering a second devastating loss, she decided it was time to find her own voice and offer solace to other women searching for answers just as she was.

It was raw, unedited and real. I dont think I have ever actually watched it myself because I dont want to relive those moments. Thousands of people have watched that video and I hope that it has brought comfort to someone somewhere, Nicoson said.

She and her husband, who was often away on active duty, suffered two more miscarriages.

That was a total of four of our children that went to heaven before we even had a chance to meet them, she said, explaining that after meeting with an infertility specialist, the couple discovered that Nicoson had a gene mutation, MTHFR, that can cause miscarriages among other ailments. They developed a plan and she started taking medication in order to help her body sustain the pregnancy.

It worked! Nicoson said.

After the four devastating losses, their Rainbow Baby, River, arrived in December of 2016. Christopher was deployed to Afghanistan again when River was only 20 days old (theres a video of that homecoming, too).

Then the couple became pregnant with their youngest son Logan right before Christopher left for yet another deployment and came home just a few weeks before his third sons arrival.

Military families make a lot of sacrifices. The spouses that I know personally are some of the most resilient people I have ever met. They work hard 24/7. They are faithful to their husbands and dont give up easily, Nicoson said. They throw Christmas parties, they raise money for charities, they take care of their children with disabilities, they help others out when they are struggling.

They care for their husbands with PTSD, brain injuries, and/or physical injuries from this 18-year-long war. Frankly, military spouses are badasses. Military spouses dont serve our country; they serve their families, communities and friends and they are damn good at doing so.

Now, as a mother of three young boys, Nicoson is embarking on her latest venture to spread a message of empowerment by entering into a competition to be on the cover of Maxim.

There are several rounds of voting to narrow down the competition, with the winner chosen by the public. Currently, in the fourth round, she is ranked second in her category.

And while there are plenty of naysayers who may disapprove of her endeavor, Nicoson is steadfast in her motivations and embodies strength and confidence in sharing her story.

The reason I am in this competition is not just to be on the cover of Maxim magazine. I am hoping to use this as an outlet to share my story and empower other women to do the same, the young mother said.

There will be naysayers and thats okay. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I am proud of how far I have come. Im proud to share my story. I am a confident, strong woman and I love my body. Why not?

My message to all women is, Life is short. Go out there and live your dream. Share your story. What you have to say is important. You are beautiful and your voice is, too!

Nicoson also noted how winning the competition would open doors for her and her family that were previously closed.

If I won this competition, I would take my husband on the honeymoon that we were never able to take. He supports me in this competition and in all my endeavors. Hes such a hardworking man and he deserves a vacation. It doesnt really matter where we go, as long as we can spend that one-on-one time together.

The remainder of the money, she said, will be donated to the Green Beret Foundation and then split between her children her biggest blessing!

So far, she has raised more than $1,200 in the competition for charity. If you would like to make a donation to Jarred Allens Homes for Wounded Warriors, place a Warrior Vote ($1 equals one vote).

If youd like to support Nicoson in the Maxim Cover Girl Competition, individuals can vote for free once a day by visiting https://maximcovergirl.com/2019/jasmine-nicoson.

To hear more of Nicosons story, visitwww.YouTube.com/jasminenicoson.

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Nicoson: 'You are beautiful and your voice is, too' - Brenham Banner Press

It turns out that automated portfolio advice is not the Field of Dreams.If you build it, they will come, has not worked out for the robo-advisory industry -- yet.

Just a few years ago, prognosticators gazed into their crystal balls and predicted that investors would pour their money into robo-advisors. In 2016, KPMG projected that assets under management would be $1.5 trillion in 2019 and $2.2 trillion in 2020. Juniper Research expects assets under management worldwide to hit $4.1 trillion in 2022. However, that is nowhere close to whats happening, and these projections seem to have fallen victim to the First Law of Forecasting: Give them a number, or give them a date, but never both.

The predicted size of the Robo-Advisor market by 2020, but assets under management are far lower as of September, 2019.

According to a variety of analysts, there is considerably less than $1 trillion worldwide managed by robo-advisors as of May 2019, and the $2.2 trillion mark wont be reached until 2022, according to some optimistic forecasts. Backend Benchmarking says $440 billion is managed by robo-advisory services as of mid-2019, while the Aite Group says its in the $350 billion range. Last fall, the research group Autonomous NEXT estimated that the market encompassed $660 billion in assets. To keep these figures in perspective, there is an estimated $22 trillion in investable assets out there--with over $9 trillion sitting in cash accounts, uninvested.

Granted, early predictions of worldwide adoption of robo-advisory services were extremely optimistic. But why arent more long-term investors moving their assets into automated investing? And why is there still so much cash sitting on the sidelines?

That's not to say that passive investing isn't a popular activity. Investors have adopted exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as a way to participate in market growth, and there is now over $4 trillion invested in these instruments as of September 13, 2019, up from $2.1 trillion at the end of 2015. But the assets under management for robo-advisors have not followed that same growth pattern, even though most robo-generated portfolios are built of ETFs.

The robo-advisor industry grew out of the market collapse in 2008-2009 as small investors pulled their money out of equities and sat on their cash. This flight from the market happened due to fear of additional losses and the feeling that stocks just were not safe. Unfortunately, interest rates fell to near zero, so the traditionally more secure financial spaces were not helping individual investors grow their wealth. Wealthfront and Betterment stepped into this void, encouraging investors to set themselves on a steady path, using algorithms to invest in portfolios designed to be diversified across asset classes and market sectors.

One factor that I believe keeps potential investors in cash rather than in the markets is pure, abject terror. During market upswings, they fear picking the wrong investments and missing out on what everyone else is getting -- or worse, picking a loser. During downturns, they roll up their cash and hide it under the mattress. Investors retreated at the end of 2018, afraid it was 2008 all over again.

For those not quite ready to talk to an advisor face-to-face, an all-digital experience can make getting started easier. One of the best things robo-advisors can do for their potential new clients is to provide an experience that generates trust and empowerment.Robo-advisors who target their services to young and new investors pepper their digital platforms with encouragement and forecasts of how much wealth they can accumulate.

Given the recent market volatility, such as the August cliff-dive of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, investors could be exercising caution, anticipating another recession. Bear markets offer opportunities, and not just for the stout of heart. Brian Barnes, M1 Finances co-founder and CEO says, We believe a bear market will actually accelerate the adoption of newer and lower-cost investment management offerings. He says that high fees are not felt as acutely when the portfolio is growing, but paying 1-2% to lose money like everyone else is tough to bear.

What does this industry need to attract more believers--and more assets? The Boston Consulting Group published a report entitled, Reigniting Radical Growth in June 2019 in their Global Wealth series in which they made several recommendations for wealth managers. The smart way for wealth managers to capture growth in assets under management (AuM) and revenue is to create specific strategies tailored to key segments and markets, the report recommends. The BCG believes that wealth managers can grow by focusing on affluent investors who are underserved -- those with $250,000 to $1 million to invest. They recommend a combination of digital and human engagement to offer a personalized and navigable one-stop shopping experience. Winners will accelerate product innovation and develop offerings that address the specific needs and preferences of affluent subsegments, they offer.

Many of the robo-advisors we surveyed offer tools for this underserved market, as well as for those who have less than $250,000 to invest.The big players in the online brokerage industry, including Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and TD Ameritrade, have focused their marketing efforts on what they call the mass affluent, with $100,000 or more in investable assets. Wealthfront and Betterment, the first pure-play robos, now offer banking services along with their advisories, which gives clients a place to earn higher interest on their uninvested cash.

The addition of human advice to previously all-digital offerings is an accelerating trend, as is subscription-based pricing rather than charging a fee based on assets under management.Charles Schwabs initial robo-advisor service, Intelligent Portfolios, is all digital as well as free. Earlier this year the firm introduced Intelligent Portfolios Premium, which adds on unlimited access to a financial planner for a $30 monthly subscription. New clients must have a balance of at least $25,000 and pay an initial planning fee of $300.Fidelity will join this trend, launching its premium advisory service, Fidelity Personalized Planning & Advice, by the end of 2019.

Premium level services that include personal advice is offered by a number of the firms we reviewed, including Betterment, Wealthfront, Ellevest, Merrill Edge, and TD Ameritrade. Its part of the package when you sign up with Personal Capital and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services, but those both require much higher minimums than others reviewed.

Heading in the other direction, Ally Invest just launched a new suite of managed portfolios that contain a "cash buffer" of 30% that will not carry a management fee. Cash in these portfolios will earn 1.9% interest. The idea behind this launch was to reduce anxiety and costs for new investors. Vanguard has quietly started testing a digital-only version of its robo-advisor service which we expect will roll out early in 2020, with much lower minimums ($3,000 rather than $50,000) and lower management fees (0.15%).

Of affluent millennials indicate 'Saving for Retirement' as the top reason they invest based on the results of our Affluent Millennials Survey.

How can the robo-advisor industry get its assets under management back on the initial track that was projected? They could do more to promote involvement in the markets, guided by a knowledgeable assistant, whether digital or human. A study by the University of British Columbia, published in July 2019, showed that naive investors tend to choose assets that have similar-looking returns, thus creating a portfolio that is actually riskier due to lack of diversification. Portfolios built using Modern Portfolio Theory help lower overall risk, so the concept of using a robo-advisor ought to be more appealing to newcomers to investing.

The Aite Group, in a report quoted by Charles Schwab, says they expect the number of Americans using robo-advisory services to grow from an estimated 2 million in 2018 to 17 million by 2025, based on a survey they conducted in mid-2018.58 percent of those surveyed say they will use some form of robo advice by the year 2025, and respondents say they are more likely to use robo advice than a number of other technologies in the headlines today including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. The main benefit of using a robo advisor, according to those surveyed, is taking the emotions out of investing. Their survey also generated the finding that nearly three-quarters of those who think they may utilize a robo-advisor also want access to a human financial advisor.

There are, of course, nay-sayers who do not believe that robo-advisory services offer any added value.Tom Sosnoff of tastytrade and tastyworks calls robos, jail for your money. He believes that learning to trade creates a mindset that is conducive to decision-making in all areas of ones life, and that just parking money in passive investing is a terrible idea.

Robo advisors could be doing more to get the cash on the sidelines into the game.The digital-only services with low minimum balances could be marketed to high school students as a way to encourage interest in investing. A way to transition from the passive acceptance of robo advice to a more active trading mindset could give new investors training wheels. There are opportunities to offer digital advice to retirees rolling their money out of 401(k)s.And offering a more flexible way to utilize human help, or to avoid it entirely depending on the clients preference, could draw more potential investors into the markets.

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Automated Investing Robo-Advisors 2019: Still Waiting for the Revolution - Investopedia

Weve all seen them sitting outside the local supermarket or hardware store in their adorable uniforms. Nearby is a table piled high with brightly-colored boxes and a homemade sign taped in front. Maybe youve encountered them through a coworker making annual rounds through the office, asking, How many boxes do you want this year?

Theyre Girl Scouts. We know the cookies: Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, and other delicious or not-so-delicious (yes, were looking at you, Trefoils). These cookies inspire serious devotion and, probably, unhealthy hoarding.

But how many of us, even former Girl Scouts, know that the Girl Scouts of the USA is far more than just an adorable way to distribute cookies?

The fact is that the organization has a rich history of empowering women and making America a better place.

For example, did you know that Girl Scouts were at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement? Or that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called Girl Scouts a force for desegregation? Did you know that Girl Scouts helped train female pilots during World War II? That Girl Scouts has encouragedyoung women to get started in STEM since 1913?

Thats the problem. We know the Girl Scouts for cookies, but little else.

As the Boy Scouts (BSA) makes a well-publicized play to recruit girlsand changes its name to Scouts BSA, the Girl Scouts faces competition it hasnt seen since its founding 100+ years ago.Americas premier brand for young women is under threat from BSA and its splashy attempt at inclusion.

While the Girl Scouts have taken BSA to court, there is another way it can recapture the high ground and take back its narrative: rebranding.

An organizations brand is the story of who it is and what it stands for; and its the brand that people recognize and remember whenever they encounter an organizations name or members.

The Girl Scouts have an amazing story to tell. If the Girl Scouts is going to thrive for the next 100 years, it needs to rebrand. Now.

What would that new image look like? It would start with highlighting positive history. People and especially families trust brands with a long history and positive reputation. Parents want to know that their daughters are going to be educated and empowered. A rebranded Girl Scouts is the only organization with the historical pedigree to do that.

Highlighting history does not mean that a rebranded Girls Scouts would be backward-looking. Instead, it should focus on what the organization is doing for tomorrows women.

Do you want your daughter to get exposure to NASA or organizations like Lockheed Martin? Join the Girl Scouts. Do you want your daughter to realize she can be a pioneer in fields like robotics or cyber security? Entrepreneurship? Finance? Politics? Engineering? Web design? Theres a badge for each of them.

If the Girl Scouts want to compete with BSA, it must tell America what it stands for: girls. The Girl Scouts are for education and empowerment. In addition, Girl Scouts provide Americas young women with the safe, encouraging, and nurturing environment they need to discover who they are and who they want to be.

This is going to require outreach. No rebranding can succeed unless an organization makes a concerted effort to engage the public and the media press releases wont do it. Americas girls and their parents deserve to know the Girl Scouts and what young girls will gain by joining.

To be successful, Girl Scouts must deliver its message where people are: online and on social media. This is a difficult environment to navigate for any organization. Yet tomorrows women are digital natives. Todays parents are online almost as much as their kids. This is where the debates about womens issues happen. Girl Scouts needs to participate in these discussions when and, yes, where they happen.

The Girl Scouts will need some buzz, too. Scouts BSA made a big splash with its announcement about accepting girls.Girl Scouts needs to fight back with the truth that it is the sole organization keying on girls personal and professional development.

Rebranding will help the Girl Scouts win against new competition from BSA. In addition it will help the organization thrive in its second century. The key is to focus on what the Girl Scouts always has done best: empower young women to become everything they can and want to be.

Brittany Cover is communications director with Mair Strategies LLC

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Beyond Cookies: Rebranding Tips for the Girls Scouts - prnewsonline.com

Kelsey Coles closet is stuffed with Lululemon: a backpack, skorts in every color, and leggings she pairs with Stuart Weitzman boots for her job as a venture marketer. Not just her closet, but her top drawer is full too. Comfier Lululemon sports bras have all but replaced traditional underwire bras.

Kristin Marquet feels equally passionate about her Athleta clothing. More than 75 pieces of Athleta, mostly bought online, are her go-tos for running her branding and design firm, doing errands, and going on weekend date nights with her husband. For sure, my wardrobe has become more stretchy and sporty over the years, she said.

While traditional mall traffic dwindles and retailers trim back locations (according to Coresight Research, 7,567 stores will close this year), Lululemon and Athleta, a subsidiary of Gap Inc., have seen their fortunes rise and store traffic increase as athleisure becomes ath-lifestyle.

This goes beyond wearing yoga pants for Sunday brunch. The ath-lifestyle is about biking to work, powering through meetings and memos, and heading out to dinnerall while wearing one stretchy, sweat-wicking, SPF-providing, wrinkle-resistant outfit. Born from gym-wear, yes, but much sleeker.

I would never ever call either of our [personal] styles athleisure, Cole said, referring to how she and her partner, Angelo Dodaro, dress for work. Dodaro's been known to pair Lululemons ABC pants with a $1,400 John Varvatos blazer. Cole added: You really cant tell were in performance wear. No one has ever noticed.

The ath-lifestyle isn't just growing more polished, its showing up in high-end fashion. Chanel models wore bike shorts during the spring 2019 runway show, as did Fendi and Dior. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have long proposed that Lycra is luxesee every Yeezy collection ever.

Thanks to consumers who love Lulemon's mix of function with a dash of fashion, the companys stock is up more than 50% this year, while its revenues are up 22% year-over-year. The $3.3 billion Vancouver-based companys comparable store sales, profit margins, and full-priced selling all rose during its second fiscal quarter.

Nobody has the loyalty and the ability to sell full-price the way that Lululemon does right now, said John Kernan, a research analyst with Cowen.

"We each spend at least $2,000 a year at Lululemon," said Cole, again including Dodaro. "With their focus on work wear now, that number could go up."

Athleta has grown at a 23% compound annual growth rate since 2012. The brand had revenues of $883 million in 2018 and are on track to reach a billion this year, said the company's chief marketing officer Sheila Shekar-Pollak. Parent company Gap Inc., which is spinning off Old Navy and shuttering 200 Gap stores, pegged Athleta as its growth vehicle in a presentation to investors earlier this month. The company opened 25 new Athleta stores this year, more than initially planned, and inked a deal to open Athleta franchises internationally.

Activewear, a roughly $57 billion market according to the NPD Consumer Panel, has been among the strongest and fastest-growing apparel sectors for the past decade.

A decade ago, we needed three or more wardrobesone for work, one for the weekend, and maybe a half-wardrobe for Saturday night. Now we want one wardrobe of multi-function pieces, said Matt Powell, sports industry advisor for NPD Group.

Both Lululemon and Athleta are bidding hard to provide that one, multitasking wardrobethe pieces that are easy-care, packable, lightweight, and stylish. Cole, who travels constantly for work, said Lululemon's leggings don't weigh down or take up too much space in luggage, and they can be hung to dry overnight in hotel rooms.

"Women are living busier and more fluid lives," said Athleta's Shekar-Pollak. "They need product that keeps up with their lifestyle and expect their wardrobe to deliver ultimate versatility."

In recent visits to Boston-area stores byFortune, both retailers had fashion-flavored pieces, such as drapey, tie-waist shorts and cropped pants, positioned at the front. On Athletas website, best-sellers include a $198 blazer (touted as packable, tear-resistant, and with 50+ ultraviolet protection) and $118 stretchy jeans (suggested use: hiking or climbing).

Athleta was first to the party in seeing that sport-inspired garments had everyday appeal, said Jane Hali of retail investment research firm Jane Hali & Associates. However, Lululemon is catching up fast.

Buoyed by its strong OTC (office, travel, commute) collection and ABC (anti ball-crushing) pants for men, Lululemon continues to explore what else loyalists might buy. A trial run of personal care items, including deodorant, dry shampoo, and moisturizer, was so well received that CEO Calvin MacDonald said in an analyst call that the company would add more products before the end of the year. Lululemon is also going to launch a sneaker line, but has not said when they will be available.

Rather than trying to bump each other out of the race, Athleta and Lululemon are developing differentiated but loyal audiences: a Coke versus Pepsi, if you will. To outsiders, the pieces look similar, but insiders switch loyalties less than youd think.

Nope. The brand doesnt resonate with me. I dont identify with that consumer, said Athleta enthusiast Kristin Marquet when asked if any of her $5,000 a year activewear spend goes to Lululemon.

Powell said, in general, Lululemon courts premium-spenders more actively than Athleta does. In July, Lululemon opened their "Sweat Life" brand embodiment: a multi-level store with a caf, studio classes, and shopping in Chicagos Lincoln Park neighborhood. A second experiential store will open in the Mall of America in Minneapolis.

While Lululemon aims for an insider experience, Athleta touts everywoman empowerment and sustainability. The brand has doubled down on providing clothing for women by extending size ranges to 3x. (Parent company Gap Inc. has, for the moment, addressed men's clothing through Hill City, a new performance-lifestyle brand.) In 2018, Athleta became a B Corp, which comes with fair trade, waste reduction, and sustainability pledges. In its investor presentation, Gap Inc. said seven of 10 customers said sustainability is important in purchasing decisions.

Of course, theres plenty of competition from other brands. Nike sells more womens activewear in the US than anyone else, according to NPD, and CEO Mark Parker said he is bullish on growing that business. And brands from Outdoor Voices (stretchy stuff for #DoingThings) to Ministry of Supply (performance workwear), have taken aim at the intersection of movement and comfort. Then there are newcomers including Epoquee Evolution (we believe in one wardrobe doing it all) founded by two former Athleta employees, and Aday, which offers technical, seasonless, sustainable clothing sold in travel-ready assortments.

Is the ath-lifestyle here to say? If you seize each day as Kelsey Cole does, the answer's yes.

Bottom line, we live in a fast moving world, Cole noted. Our clothing needs to match the pace at which we run. And let's face it, we're running in far more places than the gym these days.

Old Navy is about to sail away from Gap Inc.and into some choppy waters

A new distillery tells the trueand often untoldorigin story of Tennessee whiskey

Makers Mark is making its first-ever limited-release bourbonBig-box rebound: How Target packaged a turnaroundRent the Runways monthly subscription could be a game changerFollow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

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Bye, Athleisure. Lululemon and Athleta Want You to Live Your Best Ath-Lifestyle - Fortune

Personal FinanceSunday, September 22, 2019 22:00

By NJERI MWANGI |

She is in a board room with her colleagues who are mostly men. Let us call her Samantha. Samantha is the one presenting to a potential new client. The first challenge she encounters is when the client enters the room, they think the guy with a dapper suit at the front is the speaker of the day.

The thing is, Samantha is new at her job and people dont expect so much from her. But when she starts speaking, all of a sudden everybody starts paying attention to her and people stop focusing on her clothes, movement of her lips or her swinging hips. The focus moves to what is on the screen and how well it is being explained to them.

This reminds me of the phrase that we hear being thrown all over women should be given a seat at the table but I think women should earn their place at the table.

When you are given something, it means it is not yours because it can be taken away from you anytime.

Young women in the corporate world should aim to earn their place in top positions. I believe this means doubling the hours, putting in the extra work and owning your work every step of the way.

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In Kenya, there is a push for gender neutrality. While there are policies that say boards should consist of at least 30 percent of women, there is still under-representation at more senior levels.

Some barriers make women still lag in the workspace other than performance.

In Kenya, young boys are nurtured and made to automatically believe that they are the leaders. It is already instilled in them and when they transition to men, they easily take up the leadership role with so much ease.

On the other hand, young girls are brought up knowing they are nurturers but a twist comes into play when they grow up into women and realise in the world they live in today, they also need to be leaders otherwise it becomes hard to survive.

The most recent World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Indexwhich examines the gap between men and women in four fundamental pillars of economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowermentestimates that it will take another 100 years to close the overall global gender gap in most countries.

Women have always been considered emotional creatures but maybe it's not a bad thing.

The approach should be for them to embrace their emotional side and use their minds to guide the process until it is done.

The first step is to ensure that as a woman goes to the office each morning she has a purpose and not I need to make ends meet mentality. She owes nobody an apology for wanting more for herself.

Another important thing is to pursue mentorship both upwards and horizontally. Upwards means finding someone who you connect with and they are in a space you aspire to reach. Allow yourself to be elevated to that point. Horizontally on the other hand refers to your mates with whom you share similar aspirations in life.

Kenyas private sector has an opportunity and responsibility to create a larger impact in achieving gender equality and women empowerment.

Though the two-thirds gender rule does not apply to the private sector, there are several positive initiatives geared towards realising diversity on boards.

Much as they take time to develop their employees, women also take time to develop their skills, to improve job performance and this resonates well with their employees as they lead by example, inspiring productivity.

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Embrace your womanhood and break the glass ceiling - Business Daily

1. The COPE Program for Depressed and Anxious Teens

12 to 18 years of age, is a 7-session manualized cognitive-behavioral skills building intervention program that can be delivered in primary care, school-based clinics and mental health settings in brief 25-30 minute sessions or in more traditional 50 minute class sessions. It is based on evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy, the gold standard treatment for depression, anxiety and a number of other mental health disorders, and formatted in a manner that can be delivered by a variety of health providers and teachers after a four hour training workshop. Four studies have demonstrated the positive effects of this program in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as improving self-concept when delivered to adolescents in individual and group format. An 8 to 11-year old COPE program also is available along with a college student/young adult program.

The COPE TEEN Program is a manualized 15-session cognitive-behavioral skills building (CBSB) healthy lifestyle intervention program for 12 to 18 year old adolescents, designed to be integrated into a students health course or taught in group and individual sessions in primary care or specialty care settings. Since many teens who are overweight also have low self-esteem as well as heightened depressive and anxiety symptoms, a key innovation in the COPE TEEN program is the CBSB, which teaches teens that how they think directly impacts how they feel and how they behave. The 15-session program also incorporates education and skills building on healthy nutrition, physical activity, self-esteem, coping with stress, problem-solving, and goal setting.

12 to 18 years of age, is a 7-session manualized cognitive-behavioral skills building intervention program that can be delivered in primary care, school-based clinics and mental health settings in brief 25-30 minute sessions or in more traditional 50 minute class sessions. It is based on evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy, the gold standard treatment for depression, anxiety and a number of other mental health disorders, and formatted in a manner that can be delivered by a variety of health providers and teachers after a four hour training workshop. Four studies have demonstrated the positive effects of this program in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as improving self-concept when delivered to adolescents in individual and group format. An 8 to 11-year old COPE program also is available along with a college student/young adult program.

The COPE Programs teach children, teenagers and young adults that how they think is directly related to how they feel and how they behave.

The program also teaches children and teens about healthy lifestyle choices/behaviors and reinforces that everyone has stress that has to be dealt with.

The program also takes critical components from cognitive-behavioral therapy and formats them in an easy to administer cognitive-behavior skills building program that can be delivered by a variety of healthcare and educational professionals, including teachers, nurses, counselors and social workers, after a day of training.

Follow this link:

COPE | Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment

The message that runs through all of Charlottes books and workshops is that of empowermentto find your authentic voice, trust your internal wisdom, open yourself to new learning and understand yourself and others within a cultural context. Her 16-step Empowerment Model introduced in Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the Twelve Steps, offers a holistic, wellness approach for overcoming addiction, trauma and depression. It has been adopted throughout the Unites States and Canada.

Charlotte engages people in her books and workshops by intertwining psychology, feminism, sociology, Buddhism, Quaker teachings and other spiritual traditions. She is able to make complex ideas clear and easy to grasp. She presents material in a warm, compassionate, often humorous manner, involving the participants and making the materials at once personally accessible and applicable to everyday situations. Her books have been translated into 24 languages and have approximately 800,000 copies in print.

I wear the hat of psychotherapist, author, and teacher, but at my core, I am a peace and social justice activist. I believe the starting place for healing the planet is in our hearts and in the ways we practice respect, empathy, and understanding in all human relationships, including our relationship to ourselves. Ultimately our personal growth and empowerment are expressed through helping restore justice, peace and balance on the planet and coming to the deep awareness that we are one earth, one people.

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Charlotte Kasl

Okay, parents, fess up: Didyou take this Reeses Peanut ButterCup out of your childs Halloween bucket? Did you take the big bite out of it and then rationalize and justifyyour actions with, Little Johnny will never notice!and Sweets have no calories on Halloween!?

Dont worry, youre not alone in both candy-ingesting andrationalizing and justifying. Engaging in those behaviors nowadays is a thing.An all-too-common thing.

I know, Ivedone it.

Have you noticed our current societal culture allows for a great deal of rationalization and justification,leading to convoluted thoughts, faulty reasoning, and very little personal accountability for individual choices? I have. Let me show you what I mean with these statements:

I dont mean to check email on my phone when with the kids, but something important might come up.

No, I dont text and driveexcept at a red light.

I shouldnt have lashed out at that guy, but he made me mad and deserved it.

Sure, my candidate should not have said that, but did you hear what the other guy said?

My child isnt perfect, but you should see what other kids do. *see below*

Arriving late to work isnt right,I knowbut everyone does it.

I shouldve called the customer back sooner, but Id have more time if management hired more people.

I know I can only change me, but if she would do things differently our marriage would be better.

Wed have a lot less violencein our country if politicians in D.C. werent so uncivil to each other.

Heavy doses ofjustification and rationalization for a persons actions are nothing more than finger-pointing and blame. Have you noticed when some folks explain theiractions, you only hear excuses? Sometimes it makes my head spin.

I know when Ioverthink stuff, I conjure up excuses for others and for me. Thats costly. No one can learn, grow, and change when unwilling to say, Im wrong, I own it. Heres what Ive learned.

Nor will any problems be solved. The Blame Game fails us all.

Great value is derived from living by clear, truth-based, timeless principles like personal accountability. Life is far less confounding when I do. I dont always measure up, but when I failI know it.

By embracing the reality that no one makes me do anything I dont want to doby eliminating the human urge to rationalize and justifyIempower myself to eradicate excuses,own my life, and be bettertomorrow than I am today.

I bet you agree those are worthy goals!

Have I allowed rationalization and justification into my thought life or am I practicing personal accountability at every turn?

Please comment!

***For more on excellent parenting: Raising Accountable Kids

John Miller

John G. Miller is the author of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, Flipping the Switch: Unleash the Power of Personal Accountability, Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional and co-author of Raising Accountable Kids. He is founder of QBQ, Inc., an organizational development firm dedicated to Helping Organizations Make Personal Accountability a Core Value. A 1980 graduate of Cornell University, John has been involved in the training and speaking industry since 1986. He lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Karen. The Millers have 7 children and 10 grandchildren. Reach John by email at [emailprotected]

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7 Ways to Empower Yourself

Every now and then, people need self empowerment to achieve more, get over worries and troubles and create a healthy disposition to permanently take charge of their lives. You can rely on certain people and programs to get motivation and courage, but in the end, you should also understand the basic steps of pushing yourself to go further, grow and survive, regardless of the conditions. Here are some steps on how to do self empowerment.

1. The Meaning of Self Empowerment

Self empowerment is described as becoming an active and involved participant in techniques and exercises that will lead to future personal success. The way you motivate and fuel yourself will clearly define your goals and objectives in life, thereby causing you to stick with the challenges no matter how hard these could be. All of the most successful individuals in history are known to be good at self empowerment. In fact, they are so good at it that they can pass on their abilities and encourage others as well. Read more sources on how to become a better you.

2. Stay Positive

The first step in self empowerment is to stay positive or optimistic about your conditions and situation. It is very important to take on a positive attitude so that you always see the best side of things in the many challenges that you will face. A positive disposition will easily trigger you to do better, find resolutions to problems and look for other support systems, until you finally reach your goals.

3. Find Your Strengths

Competitors, since these can motivate you to push harder until you succeed. Take a pen and paper and list down all the qualities that you have, which will eventually lead to your goal. Be honest with yourself. For example, write down Discipline, with a short definition that corresponds to how this particular trait will help you how become a better you in the field.

4. Strengthen Your Weaknesses

It is equally important to realise some of your weaknesses and accept the fact that you should practice some measures to eventually turn these into strengths. Accepting your weaknesses will empower you and help you find techniques that will prevent others from banking on these. Practice will change your weaknesses into strengths. For example, if one of your known weaknesses is Impatience, you can start working on the problem by slowly participating in activities wherein patience is enhanced, such as waiting in line or talking to a child.

5. Being a Leader

Being a leader means that you have the capacity to lead others, especially yourself. Leadership means that you have a lot of abilities and a high tendency to empower yourself personally that the excess or techniques can be radiated to people who need it the most as well. As you find others succeeding and following under your guidance, you will discover that your support for other people also equates to more self empowerment. You will start to appreciate your talents and potential in a whole new light.

6. Stick with the Successful

If you want to be truly successful, you have to learn and understand the ways of people who are already successful. Successful individuals have a knack of empowering themselves, especially when trying times are present. You have to stay away from pessimists and start relating with people who believe in their own talents and capabilities. You will realise that most of these individuals are leaders, optimists and keep to themselves. They do not waste time worrying about other people, but lead willing followers instead.

You can find a lot of self empowering individuals at work, at home and even from different parts of the globe through the internet. Join online discussion boards and forums and then talk about the various techniques that will empower you for life.

7. Final Self Empowerment Tips

Spend time alone in a quiet and comfortable place then breathe deeply. Close your eyes and just listen to the sound of your breathing. Clear your head of all troubles and worries then start focusing on your goal. Imagine yourself being part of that successful goal, with the methods and plans going accordingly.

Tell yourself that you are a strong, deserving and talented individual who can accomplish anything, as long as you put enough effort into the task. Tell yourself that nothing is impossible because you are equipped with all the right tools and traits for the job. Self empowerment starts from within, and radiates externally.

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Empowering Yourself | Personal Empowerment Solutions.com

Across their lifetime, undergraduate students will have studied from 22,000 to 26,000 hours whereas graduate students will have studied 31,000 to 35,000 hours. They will have explored many subjects, from literature to technology, from science to management. When asked how many hours they have studied themselves, most students realize that not even an hour was dedicated to explore, understand, and develop their inner growth as part of the current educational system.

Success in your personal and professional life can only be achieved when all parts of you, from your emotional self, to your imagination, are fully understood, supported and skillfully operated. It is not a coincidence that emotional intelligence has been found to be the most influential trait of successful leaders. Similarly, using imagination has been credited by Oprah, Steve Jobs and Nelson Mandela as a fundamental skill for achieving success. Why didnt we study these subjects in school?

Personal Empowerment: Empower the Leader Within You provides you with a holistic, practical, and highly experiential approach to study and understand yourself. You will be introduced to new aspects of you and will explore and effectively use inner tools that have been ignored and left unused for many years. This book is filled with exercises that will challenge you to design a new you and activate your full potential.

CHAPTER 1 Why Personal Empowerment?What Should You Expect from This Book?Do You Want to Be: Educated or Empowered?The Building Blocks of Personal Empowerment

CHAPTER 2 Your NeedsMaslows Hierarchy of NeedsOn the Way to Self-Actualization

CHAPTER 3 Your ValuesWhat Are Your Values?Are You Living in Alignment with Your Values?How Can You Use Your Values to Become More Successful?Understanding Others Values

CHAPTER 4 Your Talents and SkillsYour Hard SkillsYour Soft SkillsYour Natural TalentsYou Know Your Skills and Talents: What Now?Matching Your Talents with Your Current and Future Skills

CHAPTER 5 Your ProgrammingGetting to Know Your ThoughtsBecoming More Aware of Your ThoughtsSurfacing ThemBecoming More Aware of Your ThoughtsNotice How You FeelBecoming More Aware of Your ThoughtsWhat Is the Opposite of What I Do Not Want?Where Do Your Thoughts Come From?How to Surface Your Unsupportive BeliefsGetting to Know Your Self-Defeating BeliefsChanging Your Beliefs

CHAPTER 6 Your EmotionsWhat Are Emotions?Understanding Your Emotions Based on the Four Feeling GroupsHow Do Emotions Manifest?How Can You Measure Your Emotions?Managing Your Emotions

CHAPTER 7 Your Communication SkillsWhy Communication?Are You a Good Communicator?Improve Your Communication EffectivenessNon-Violent Communication: Expressing What Is Alive Inside of You

CHAPTER 8 Your Life PurposeWhat Is a Life Purpose?Benefits of Knowing Your Life PurposeFinding Your Life PurposeThe Entrepreneurial Spirit That Is Inside of YouEnvisioning and Formulating Your Life Purpose

CHAPTER 9 Your ImaginationImagination DefinedScience and ImaginationIntended ImaginationThe Necessary Steps in Using My Imagination

CHAPTER 10 Your Life PlanPlanning Your LifeWhat Do You Really Want?Planning Your Time and Timing Your PlanYour Vision StatementYour GoalsYour Habits and RitualsYour Action Plan

CHAPTER 11 Conclusion

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Personal Empowerment: Empower the Leader Within You ...

Women empowerment is, contrary to what modern day media may advertise for the sake of the pecuniary, the cultivation and fortification of women's sense of identity, power, recognition and conviction through fostering in women the capacity to acquire self-actualization critically with concrete forces- education and knowledge. Whereas befuddled women such as the Pussycat Dolls and Girlicious will argue that slavishly coquettish attire and booty-and-bosom-flashing hoverings offer women a sense of empowerment, identity and recognition, when we rarify this claim, it stipulates that our sense of power, identity, recognition and convention is viable not only just through men, but furthermore through something ephemeral and unmerited- hotness. Not only is hotness is the mere upshot of genetical lottery (unless plastic surgery is involved), but it is transient as it's definition is always changing. Moreover, it is transient as the the ramifications of inhabiting an earth with a strong gravitational pull are inevitable for both men and women. Therefore, "hotness" cannot be relied on for power, identity, recognition and approbation if we are to live provident, prudent, judiscious lives. Our empowerment must then be derived from something concrete- knowledge or education. With knowledge we can critically discern the means of acquiring a healthy sense of identity and power and we can empower ourselves based on what our concrete knowledge tells us is provident and judiscious rather than simply hot. With education, we can understand and recognize happiness as something that is not transitory, but lifelong. Empowment, at its most ideal, should imply lifelong and healthy power for women. The only way we can acquire this is through possessing, retaining and maintaining something that can endure such a lengthy period of time. And unlike anything related to the hotness and physical beauty that are inevitably doomed by gravity, knowledge can offer us this sense of empowerment, identity, recognition and approbation that is enduring. Our established and developed knowledge is the true reflection of our empowerment because it's something that we merit and deserve through habituation, through effort and through work whereas hotness, as I stated above and will restate, is often simply a reflection of a genetic lottery (or plastic surgery or makeup) and thus not in any way, shape, or form a reflection of our merit, value or personhood. To encapsulate it in one phrase: Women empowerment is the cultivation of personhood in women that consists of the only concrete, everlasting ingredient of one's identity- their mind and the knowledge it possesses.

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What is 'personal empowerment'? - Answers.com

A Methodology for Creating Your Life As You Want It

Three decades ago, the idea of empowerment was fresh and daring. As young as the word itself, we, (David and Gail) both felt that empowerment would be at the heart of our lifes work. In our earliest days together, sitting with yellow legal pads at our kitchen table overlooking the Ashokan Reservoir and the Catskill Mountains, we planned our wedding ceremony and then seamlessly turned to designing our fledgling Empowerment Workshop. So intertwined was our love with our passion for this work, that ten days after we were married, we launched our first workshop. As we celebrate our third decade of marriage, our bond of love is stronger than ever and our passion for empowerment more compelling than ever.

All those years ago, neither we, nor the world, knew what empowerment really meant. We knew it was about helping people to grow and realize their full potential. We also knew that it was about more than just healing and fixing problems. But what exactly was its purpose? Why was this idea entering the lexicon of change strategies with such force? Over these three decades, an extraordinarily diverse, visionary, and committed community of people was attracted to our training programs to help us discover the answers to these questions.

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Personal Empowerment Programs - Empowerment Institute

Personal empowerment is about taking control over your life. Of course, life is multi-faceted. There could be many areas of your life that you want to improve or feel more control over for example, your finances, your career, your health and maybe even your love life.

Instead of feeling like a victim or like circumstances control you, you can become empowered. The first step to empowerment is to begin to identify goals.

Take a look at your life and start asking questions. Focus on where you feel most happy and where you feel unhappy. Unhappiness may stem from not feeling appreciated, purposeful, or respected. Explore where you feel unhappy and why. You can then set goals to reduce or even eliminate that unhappiness.

For example, if youre unhappy because you never have any energy, you can begin researching the cause of your lack of energy. You can then set a goal to get more sleep, eat better, or you visit a health care practitioner to identify the cause.

Whether you feel like a victim of circumstance, your past, or a victim of a person or organisation, you can regain control and set empowerment goals to move past this feeling. For example, maybe you feel like a victim of circumstance with your current financial situation. Assess why you feel like a victim and what you can do to turn around the situation.

What are your strengths? When do you feel most confident? In what areas of your life do you feel like youre most in control? Sometimes when you focus more on these areas of your life and strengthen your sense of joy and empowerment, it spills over into other areas of your life.

Identifying and defining your personal empowerment goals takes some time and deep thought. Give yourself time to think about how you feel about your life and what steps you can take to make your future one that youre excited about.

Grab a notebook and start jotting down goals and ideas for your future. Dont just stop at the goal that you want to set for yourself; also identify how youre going to achieve that goal. What steps are you going to take? Identifying your goals is the first step to living a more empowered life.

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How To Define Your Personal Empowerment Goals