I love women. I am proud to be a woman. We are warriors and nurturers. We are creative and stubborn. We are gentle and fragile. We are resilient and flexible. We are… well, we just are.
Like every woman, I have faced pain and challenges. In my darkest hours, I have found comfort, strength, and wisdom in the women I am blessed to call my friends and family. Their words have carried me, and the words of the women who are no longer here still echo in my heart.
I began writing some of these reflections down — the things they said, the lessons they lived, the truths they passed on without even realising it. And I wondered: What if each woman could share just one wisdom? Could someone else’s words be exactly the right words, at exactly the right time, for someone who needs them?
So I’m asking you:
If you could pass on one wisdom from all the lessons you’ve learned along the way, what would it be?
Below is the beginning of this growing collection — the voices of women whose experiences, courage, humour, and honesty might resonate with you too.
If you’d like to add your reflection, simply email me. You can use your real name or a chosen one, include a photo or an image that represents you — no other details are needed.
I’ll stop when I reach 100.
Or maybe I won’t…
1. Make your voice heard — your voice matters.
We are given only a brief and precious time on this earth, and none of us knows how long we have. Use your time well. Speak boldly about the things that matter to you. Shout your truth from the rooftops. Never turn away from injustice. Speak what needs to be
spoken. Change what needs to be changed. Name what
must be named. Question what must be questioned. Never
fall silent while suffering and injustice still exist in the world.
And speak for yourself, too — for your rights, your dignity,
your freedom. Let your voice carry your courage and
conviction. Make your boundaries known. Your voice is your
most powerful tool; use it with passion, purpose, and pride.
(Bhakti, USA — who the world sadly lost in 2019)
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2. Never give up on your dreams.
Let them breathe, shift, and grow with you. Dreams are living things — they stretch, soften, and reshape themselves as you move through life. They may not look the way they once did, but they are still yours, and they will continue to evolve just as you do. Hold them gently, nurture them fiercely, and trust that they will find their way.
(Pattie, UK)
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3. Listen with humility — seek the wisdom in other people’s words.
Pause long enough to hear the voices of those who walked before you; they carry stories and lessons that can guide you. Listen also to the people around you — not just to their words, but to the meaning beneath them. Be mindful of perspectives different from your own. Be humble enough to admit you don’t know everything.
Listening is not passive. It is an act of respect, curiosity, and courage. Take the time to reflect on what you hear. Let the wisdom settle. Ask yourself how these words might shape your choices, soften your heart, or illuminate your path.
(Pam, Australia)
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4. In all you do — be kind.
In a world that often rewards speed, ambition, and self‑interest, kindness can feel old‑fashioned or inconvenient. But kindness is not weakness — it is the greatest strength we possess. Imagine if every action we took was rooted in kindness: kindness to ourselves, kindness to others, kindness to the planet that holds us.
Imagine if we paused before acting and asked, Will this hurt someone? Will this heal someone?
What a different world we would create. Kindness is not small. It is revolutionary.
(Penny, Rhodesia/UK)
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5. Don’t take everything personally.
Your reaction is always your choice, and it often rises from
your own wounds rather than someone else’s intentions. Our
responses reveal far more about what is happening inside us
than they do about the other person. When you feel triggered,
pause. Ask yourself what part of you is hurting. That is where
the healing begins.
(Mo, USA)
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6. Honour and truly understand difference.
This is more than tolerance, more than respect — it is a deep
appreciation for the richness of perspectives that are not your
own. Every person is shaped by their experiences, just as you
are shaped by yours. Their worldview is as valid as yours, even
when you cannot fully understand it.
Difference is not a threat. It is a teacher.
Do not let it divide you. Let it expand you. Let it deepen your
compassion and broaden your understanding of what it means to be human.
(Cindy, USA)
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7. Don’t be afraid of people.
Reach out. Speak up. Allow yourself to be heard. Don’t let awe or intimidation shrink you. I spent years believing I wasn’t important enough, that I had to be perfect before I could take up space. That belief was born from insecurity, not truth. You are allowed to be here. You are allowed to speak. You are allowed to take up space.
(Cathy, Prague)
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8. Don’t be afraid of the dark.
Life will bring many seasons of darkness, and we often fear them long before they arrive. But darkness is not the enemy — it is simply part of the rhythm of being alive. It comes and goes, just as daylight does. The shadows only terrify us when we forget that they always pass. Trust that the light will return. It always does.
(Sue, Australia)
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9. Find your own path — it belongs to you and you alone.
The world will try to claim you. It will tell you what beauty is, what success is, what you should think and feel. It will try to shape your path to match its expectations. But so much suffering comes from measuring ourselves against standards that were never ours to begin with.
Listen to your own heart. Judge yourself only by your own truth. And if you cannot hear your heart at first, listen harder — it is always there, waiting for you.
(Minau, Austria)
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10. Let curiosity lead you.
Let it be the spark that guides your choices, the compass that points you toward adventure. Seek out people who share your hunger for learning and wonder. Feed your questions. Honour your wanderlust. Choose experiences over possessions — the memories you make will outlast anything you could ever own.
Life is too short for the mundane. Take flight. Set sail. Follow the questions that tug at your soul.
(Heather, Australia)
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11. We start with others but eventually we come home to ourselves.
Women often give before they receive, love before they are loved, carry others long before they ask for help. But through the disappointments, the heartbreaks, and the hard lessons, we slowly find our way back to ourselves. It is in the struggle that we rediscover our strength.
(Cat, Australia)
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12. Forgive quickly and completely.
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other
person to die. It corrodes the heart and sickens the body.
Free yourself by forgiving — not because they deserve it,
but because you deserve peace. And remember to forgive
yourself, too. You are worthy of the same grace you offer
others.
(Cathy, Canada)
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13. Let go of the fear of failure.
You are enough. Be gentle with yourself. If you cling to the
fear of failing, you will never discover how high you can fly.
Courage is not the absence of fear — it is the decision to move anyway.
(Sharon, Australia)
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14. When you are ready, a teacher will appear.
Open your eyes. Pay attention. Trust that the guidance you need will come at the moment you are prepared to receive it. Life has a way of placing the right people, the right lessons, and the right opportunities in your path exactly when you need them.
(Brenda, Australia)
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15. Be patient — what is meant for you will unfold in its own time.
Don’t force outcomes or drag things toward you. Give life the space it needs to breathe. Everything that is meant for you will arrive when the moment is right.
(Sally, UK)
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16. Listen to your own instincts — they are wiser than any outside voice.
Paddle your own boat. Follow your own heart. It will always guide you toward the life that is meant for you.
(Suzie, Spain)
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17. Don’t worry about what you can’t control.
We waste so much energy fearing things that may never happen. Even if they did, worry would not change the outcome. Worry steals the joy of the present moment. Put your energy into what you can shape, and let the rest go.
(Lana, Australia)
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18. Face your own reality.
See your life clearly. Name it. Own it. Illusions may feel comforting, but they cannot hold you. Truth — even when painful — is the foundation of freedom.
(Helena, France)
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19. Keep your sense of humour.
Find joy and laughter in every day. Life will bring tragedy, but it will also bring moments of pure, ridiculous delight. Laughter heals. Let it fill the spaces between the hard moments. Be present for the joy — it shows in your eyes.
(Kath, USA)
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20. Choose happiness — it is a journey, not a destination.
Happiness is not something you wait for. It is something you choose, moment by moment. Choose gratitude. Choose joy. Choose to see the good. Don’t wait for the perfect moment — it will never come. Happiness is a mindset, not an event.
(Sally, UK)
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21. Find the gold in others.
Look for it. Draw it out. Your greatest gift is the ability to see the beauty, the strength, and the potential in the people around you.
(Ros, Australia)
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22. Learn to like yourself.
Be true to who you are. How can anyone else love you if you don’t first love yourself? Honour your strengths. Acknowledge your flaws. Keep growing, but also cherish the parts of you that are already beautiful.
(Jacki, UK)
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23. Your life is your choice.
You cannot control what life hands you, but you can always choose how you respond. Ask yourself how full your cup is. Choose within your reality. Embrace your decisions. Remember — you always have a choice.
(Linda, Armenia)
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24. Don’t accept stereotypes.
The world is wide open to you. Dream boldly. Live without regret. Every step you’ve taken has brought you to this moment. Don’t waste your energy worrying about what others think — it changes nothing.
(Barbara, USA)
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25. Hold on to your power.
When you believe you are powerless, you become powerless. What you believe about yourself shapes your entire life. If you hand your power to someone else, you lose yourself. Stand firm in your strength — it belongs to you.
(Lynn, South Africa)
Keep watching this space as I add more from wise women- just like you!
Wisdoms from One Woman to Another
