This week I met a whole range of women - talented women with fabulous personalities and big futures. But most seemed so unsure of themselves. Why? It is like life has beaten the zing out of them. Husbands, children, full-time work , minor setbacks and a myriad of life's little challenges just make it seem inpossible.

Sometimes  I think all we need is someone to believe in us until our confidence has time to catch up with our dreams.  I know that because I have been through it over and over and over. Each time I have had to drag myself out of it little by little but only with the help of those around me.  Those who believed in me, not the knockers and certainly not the narrow-minded idiots who don't believe in anything but what they can see in front of them.   If I had listened to them, I would never have achieved anything.

To those women - and you know who you are - believe and you will succeed and don't let those around you tell you otherwise.

BTW a lovely young woman I met the other day introduced me to her wonderful blog.  Michelle is writing her first book and we all know how hard that is to do, especially with a full-time job. So let's get behind her and support her efforts: www.simonnemichelle.wordpress.com

I have just returned from a conference for school officers and registrars, where I presented workshops on values, organizational politics, career/life balance and future directions.  I presented at the same conference last year and I have to say that this is one special group of people - 120 women + 1 man!  They are, very often, the cement that holds schools together; they are multi-skilled and multi-talented; they work long and hard and party the same - just ask me about the conference dinner!!

They are a fabulous group to work with - they participate, they learn, they inquire and they challenge.  They take this professional learning seriously and they make the most of their opportunities to improve.  They also raise some very important issues -

* when we talk about career/life balance, and we put ourselves as our Number One priority, is that being selfish?

* when we talk about values, should we compromise our personal values to better align with those of our line manager or organization?

* how do we positively promote and brand ourselves within our workplace and our organization?

These are not issues peculiar to just this group - they are questions that many people ask, regardless of their status and position.

How would YOU answer them?

I have the will  but not the time to do so many pleasurable activities. Time seems to be getting more and more squeezed everyday. Everyone I talk to says the same thing " I don't know where the time went'.

My theory is that between electronic communication, ease of home computer access and the extreme use of mobile phones outside our normal work hours ,we have effectively added in another 3 -4 hours on top of our normal work day. This is making us feel time pressured and overwhelmed.

Just think about it. I know I get up in the morning at around 6am and check my emails and catch up with anything I missed the day before. At the end of the day I check my emails, finish a document or two and am still taking calls at 8pm. So this is my challenge to myself and to you. Turn off the computer and the mobile phone every day by 7pm. Just see if it makes a difference. I will check back in next week with what happened to me.

If ever you have doubted that there are gender differences, and that they affect all forms of interaction, consider how women and men interpret some simple, everyday words.

THINGY
Women: Any part under a car's bonnet.
Men: The strap fastener on a woman's bra.
VULNERABLE
Women: Fully opening up oneself emotionally to another.
Men: Playing football without a box.
COMMUNICATION
Women: The sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner.
Men: Leaving a note before suddenly taking off for a weekend with the boys.
BUTT
Women: The body part that looks bigger no matter what is worn.
Men: What you slap when someone scores a touchdown, home run, or goal.
COMMITMENT
Women: A desire to get married and raise a family.
Men: Trying not to pick up other women while out with girlfriend.
ENTERTAINMENT
Women: A good movie, concert, play or book.
Men: Anything that can be done while drinking
FLATULENCE
Wome: An embarrassing by-product of digestion.
Men: An endless source of entertainment, self-expression and male bonding.