Being substantial

This Women’s Day, find ways to advance your fellow women and push back against gender bias because sisterhood is not just about sharing lipstick, but showing true love, respect and feeling secure

The world has historically and fundamentally made women feel inferior so we’re more inclined to view ourselves as a lesser mortal. We compare ourselves, find some source of jealously/ superiority, put other women down and make them (and ourselves) feel helpless.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe it did in high school, but now we have the opportunity to become much more than that. We can make a real difference to change the lives of the women around.

Below are several ways in which we all can actively support our fellow women personally and professionally.

Start with encouragement

As women, we tend to play it safe or make sure all of our ducks are in a row. We want to assess the situation for security and control and often are risk-averse. But when it comes to living brave and bold, we need to support other women in their brave and bold decisions. Do you want to buy a bikini for summer? Yes! I will go with you to make sure self-defeating thoughts don’t creep in. Do you want to start a business? Yes! Let’s go! How can I support it? Do you want to throw an event, host a workshop, attend counseling, travel to a foreign land, try online dating? Yes! I will support you.

Stay accountable

When you’re showing support to someone, helping them stay accountable to their goals is important for them and for you. It keeps them on track and it keeps you in encouragement, even when it may be easy to slip into a little jealousy. What you’ll find is that support feels good. Uplifting a girlfriend brings feelings of uplift for you as well. It always feels good to be encouraged and it feels wonderful to encourage others. The shift of perspective is a tool of momentum producing courage in both women.

Observe your language

The way we encourage women and how we say it matters. As women, we have been minimising each other without even knowing it.

The language we’ve been handed makes us seem dainty and quaint and pretty and lovely and quiet and demure. If you Google ‘descriptors for men’, you discover the following list: strong, tall, big, handsome, tough, robust, hero, powerful, aggressive, hard-working, athletic, dependable, sculpted.

A similar Google search for women produces the following list: accepting, adorable, affectionate, agreeable, angelic, attentive, attractive, gorgeous, fragile, forgiving, provocative, ravishing, reserved, sacrificing. When you’re encouraging a fellow female, try to use language that sounds and feels powerful.

Instead of ‘You’re so amazing,’ exchange it for, “You’re powerful, strong, goal-oriented, focused, driven, and your idea will shake the ground you set it on.”

Ask her powerful, positive questions

Women are such ingenious innovators. Many times, the ideas they come up with on their own are more effective than anything someone tells them. As her friend, encourage her own thoughts to grow. Create action plans with her by asking her prompting questions instead of telling her what you would do. Questions like: ‘Why is this important to you?’ or ‘What matters the most in this situation?’ And let her navigate what matters to her in this space, instead of hearing what matters to you first. Support them in their brave and bold decisions.

Be present, show up, be proud.

Celebrate her effort and her work. Encouragement is the best way to keep going, and celebrations can be as simple as a quick text, e-mail, hug, or glass of wine. As women, we are in this together and it’s time we start lifting each other up instead of silently holding each other back. We want our fellow females to be loved, supported, encouraged, empowered, educated, successful, and fearless. We want them to achieve their goals and spread their wings. We want them to make big decisions and roll with them. We want to see women thriving, and to do that, we have to play an active role in the lives of our fellow females.

Dear Women, not only on Women’s Day but every single day let us say – ‘I’m going to say yes to other women and get behind whatever they’re trying to do with my effort and prayers.’ Let us give our best for the best of all.

Send your questions to roopshashotm@gmail.com tact your veterinarian right away to see if it’s necessary to have the feathers removed.

If the bird has a broken wing, wrap the bird lightly with a cloth and immediately visit the veterinarian.

My dog stinks after a bath. What should I do?

Certain dog breeds, notably retrievers and hounds, have sebum oil on their coats that can, when combined with water and bacteria, emit a particularly foul smell.

Do you know how to say no when someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do? Be forewarned and you can have a quick reply when asked. Tell them you will get back to them when you are sure of your own schedule. There are people who know how to push your buttons to get you to do their work.

Everything in your life just feels so repetitive. You lack motivation and need to find a way of changing things up- fast! You might be restless, but resist the temptation to make a quick fix. It won’t be until the summer that you’ve fully worked out when you should, and shouldn’t, take a risk.

You will be able to take mature and responsible decisions. Help anyone and everyone who seek your help. Your reliable and utilitarian nature will be appreciated. Travel is on the cards. Honourable and solid people will be there for you. Look around for the guiding light.

Dive in and do what needs to be done. A new venture could open up for you during the next few days. That is all the more reason to get busy on the ‘must do’ chores early on this week. This will give you much more time to enjoy the people you care about and create memories.

The week presents itself as the perfect opportunity for you to assess your views on yourself and the world. You’ll delve into your own behaviors and reconsider how you act towards other people. You’ve been taken advantage of recently! As a result, your mission in the new year is to be at one with yourself.

You can be feeling restless. It’s wise to delay any new start or major decision. Review plans and projects and be ready to put in extra hours in any area where you hope to succeed. A slow approach will bring the greatest success. Exercise can enliven your senses, especially if you get outside in the fresh air.

If you are working toward one of the big ones today you could get bogged down in details that will not set well with your temperament. You will likely have to negotiate in order to reach your target. Remember that where there is a will, there’s a way, so keep plugging away at your objective.

All your time has been occupied by other people lately, so it’s important that the attention is brought back onto yourself. Use this opportunity to reflect on your journey up to this point and how you foresee the future panning out. It might be worth taking some time out from work so that you can expose yourself.

If your dog has sebum oil on their coat, completely drying them off as soon as possible with a blow dryer after they get wet will reduce the smell emitted from this dermal combination.

Dogs with parasites, bacterial skin infections or yeast infections can be particularly bad-smelling when wet. These infections can get into folds of the skin and creases, where they multiply and cause skin problems that are both irritating for your dog, and smelly for everyone else. Addressing parasites, bacteria, and yeast conditions with the appropriate medications will relieve your dog’s discomfort and yours.

Other medical conditions, such as endocrine and metabolic disorders, as well as gastrointestinal disorders, can also cause your dog to be smellier than usual. Taking your dog to the veterinarian regularly to address medical conditions and receiving appropriate treatment will keep them healthy and your nose happy.

Groom your dog daily to brush off excess hair and debris. Make sure any discharge from eyes, ears, etc and excrement and urine is wiped off.

Do not just towel dry your dog when wet; towels do not remove the bacteria and may just spread it around. Blow-dry your dog, which helps remove the bacteria right down the dog’s hair shaft and down to their skin.

Views expressed and information provided are personal. Send your questions to manekaanimallove@gmail.com