There was a tweet from @kennygibsonnhs that captured my imagination this week it included a visual (NB Tweets with images have far more impact š) ... it suggested we should stop apologising and start thanking. It was something that resonated with me, here are some ideas for us to try.
Next time I’m late for a meeting, due to train hassles or trying to fit too much into a day, I’m going to thank those on the receiving end for being so patient!
I wonder if the women profiled in Vogue this month have this issue?
Vogue isn’t my usual magazine of choice but this issue is rather special as it profiles 15 women making a difference in world and it’s been guest edited by Megan, HRH Duchess of Sussex here’s an overview https://twitter.com/jinajaycasting/status/1159856011957723136?s=21 and a summary of those profiled https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/meghan-markle-guest-editor-september-issue-british-vogue-2019
If you havenāt got a copy yet… DO… its AWESOME the photography is beautiful and totally inclusive, HRH The Duchess of Sussex writes in her guest editorial āand amongst all of these strong women on the cover, a mirror – a space for you, the reader, to see yourself. Because you too are part of this collectiveā. Jane @NHS_Jane the awesome woman who co-ordinated the ASCEND Women’s Leadership programme for @NHSLLA with @drgemmamunro and creator of @quiet_the_hive showed us how it’s done… 
Hunt down a copy, at Ā£3.99 it’s a bargain, although you may end up feeling like you’ve found a ‘golden ticket š« ‘ as Charlie did in Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ as copies in newsagents are understandably elusive.
Megan calls out women from across the world who are making a difference, such as Jacinda Arden…
Brene Brown….
SinĆ©ad Burke, diversity advocate and lecturer highlights that ”We need to constantly be asking what voices are not in the world, which perspectives are not being considered, and make sure that change occurs with as much intersectionality as possible.” I’m in awe of her gracefulness and fab outfit!
Michelle O’bama @MichelleObama writes to Megan … dip in to find out more š
And there’s poetry too, the ‘Beach’ asks us all to be ourselves, a reminder it’s ok to ‘just be…’
Perhaps one women I’d add to Megan’s list is Edith Edgar, I’ve just finished listening to ‘The Choice’ on @AudibleUk https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/books/review/the-choice-edith-eva-eger-auschwitz-memoir.html Its a powerful narrative that shares the horrors of the Holocaust. She shares how her experiences in Auschwitz, even though it claimed her parents, didn’t break Edith. Her experiences helped her appreciate and live life with strength and remarkable resilience. Edith shares ‘We have the capacity to hate and the capacity to love. Which one we reach for,ā she writes, āis up to us.ā As she comments throughout the book, it’s our choice. The New York Times shares ‘Egerās book is a triumph, and should be read by all who care about both their inner freedom and the future of humanity.’ I think it should be a compulsory read on the GCSE English curriculum.
Melinda Gates also launched #Equalitycantwait this week highlighting it will horrifyingly take 208 years for women to be equal to men in the USA https://twitter.com/melindagates/status/1158712902586519553?s=21 are we further ahead in the UK I wonder?
Whilst all of these women are in the public eye, I’m surrounded by amazing women in work, at home and in my community who are making a difference day in day, who often get on with ‘doing the doing’ often quietly and very effectively. So my reflections this week? Let’s stop apologising and start thanking, let’s take our place in the mirror, challenge inequalities, and embrace the fact that we all have choices.
Kath Evans Connecting 
Thank you for sharing a really inspiring blog.
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