This is a remarkable time in human history when an infinite amount of information and knowledge is converging with the freedom to choose what to learn. Many people now have direct access to this infinite information through the Internet and the available time to pursue and cultivate a path to both outer and inner knowledge. Pursuing both forms of knowledge can lead to empowermentand spiritual power if you are willing to take full responsibility for evolving your own consciousness.Because the path to empowerment is evolutionary, there is a difference between the external power you attain in the world, the inner power (empowerment) you earn from daily self-reflection and the spiritual power you cultivate from having access to your own personal and spiritual authority.The Three Stages of Evolutionary Power External power leads you to what you think you desire. The problem with external power is by the time you get there, you realize you want something else. This can result in a lifetime of chasing what you desire while leaving you bankrupt on the inside.Empowerment (inner power) represents mastery of your emotions and thoughts in response to the outer world and gives you direct access to your own personal authority. It aligns you with what you really want which is a positive state of physical, emotional and mental well-being. Spiritual powerbrings you clarity of thought, inner peace and awakens you to your own divine essence and the divine light in another.Stage 1 – Power You learn about how to use your power in the world before you learn about inner power. This learning process is necessary because the human mind needs to be given a container in which to make meaningful connections to things. So, in the first half of life you must develop a strong enough ego to take on the outer world and an adequate sense of personal identity to help you interact and survive in the world. How well you manage your power will be reflected in the outcome of every decision you make. In the physical world of actions and consequences, you will be held responsible for your choices when you act in your own name. Using your power in your own name is most often focused on the satisfaction of endless desires resulting in external wealth but very little inner wealth or happiness.Power could be directed toward positive actions that support yourself, those you love and all other beings but in these narcissistic times, external power is a grand illusion marketed by sellers. So often what is sold appears to be the answer to what you seek and because it is visible, it seems more useful than mastery of inner power. But as life progresses, issues in relationships regarding use of power, sex, money and self-esteem start to surface and develop into mental, emotional, physical and spiritual problems. It isn’t until you experience some kind of failure, loss in a relationship or a challenging illness that you realize your personal power is limited and the physical world cannot be controlled. These difficult experiences can actually become blessings because they provide you with the opportunity to learn about your inner world of emotions and thoughts so the choices you make with your inner power become creative acts of outer power that benefit all.Buddhist version of POWER the Causes of Suffering – Ignorance of your real nature, egoism, object referral, aversion and fear of death.Stage 2 - Empowerment (outer power united with inner power) Either during a personal crisis or by mid-life, your ego is asked to develop an interior dialogue with your inner self and act in accordance with these insights. Empowerment is knowledge of how power works in the world merged with self-knowledge and personal authority. You earn inner power through careful self-reflection and a honest evaluation of your thoughts, emotions and actions. Over time you gain direct access to personal authority – the source for solving life challenges and for pursuing a life with meaning and purpose.Inner power cultivated with growing consciousness helps your break free from negative thought patterns and leads you to the realization that your conscious actions in the world reflect your interests and passion in living a life congruent with your highest purpose. Self-knowledge and personal authority reward you with a meaningful inner life and outer life that has value and significance for the human community. Your increased self-awareness moves the planet positively forward for all beings.The journey to empowerment encompasses some of these tasks: · Liberating yourself from disempowering and limiting beliefs · Integrating many perceptions and beliefs · Moving past your personality and embracing your authentic self · Forgiving and letting go of the past and rejecting victimhood · Rewriting your personal history · Discovering your own truths and then being true to yourself · Taking responsibility for your choices and their consequences · Being able to stand for your own truth and trusting in life · Being emotionally rational by striving for objectivity which gives you the power of choice · Relinquishing sexual power in order to aspire toward personal success and intimate union with other women and men in a way that is not sexual at all · Standing autonomously and not waveringBuddhist version of EMPOWERMENT the Laws of Life – Nonviolence, truthfulness, integrity, purity and self-referral.Stage 3 - Spiritual Power (outer power + inner power + global knowledge and cosmic wisdom)Spiritual power begins with the recognition that you are responsible for your relationship with a higher power (God). The activation of inner power can lead you to realize your own divine nature since you are the source of your own personal authority. In the process of accessing inner knowledge, you become more aware of the guiding spiritual power of intuitive information. Your intuition (your inner guidance system) is the foundation for building a relationship with the divine in an intimate and manageable format that resonates deeply with your own particular personality.Spiritual power is about choosing to go beyond yourself and seeing the same divine light in another. Expanding on inner guidance through a spiritual practice will help you become expansive enough to integrate and include all that has ever been. Merging the flow of power, inner power, global knowledge and cosmic wisdom will give you direct access to your own spiritual power.The journey to spiritual power encompasses some of these tasks: · Having a passion to know the answer to life’s most challenging questions · Studying the sacred texts of your culture, including them and moving beyond them · Believing in something greater than yourself · Recognizing and honoring your connection to the whole cosmos · Expanding your horizons and awareness by having an open mind · Creating a sacred space a practicing inner silence · Releasing your ego’s identification with the material world and the mind · Establishing a contemplative practice to remind you that you are loved and never alone · Integrating and aligning your outer and inner power with the will of God · Practicing symbolic sight and embracing spiritual truth · Surrendering illusions in order to receive divine truth · Being love and energy to co-create the world you desireBuddhist version of SPIRITUAL POWER the Rules of Life – Simplicity, contentment, purification, refinement and surrender. Pamela Wells authored and illustrated a Collectors Edition guidebook and card set for women called Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess – Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer. This boxed set is available now at http://www.ArtmagicPublishing.com.WP Autoblog Software

The evolution of women seems to have come full circle. It was less than two generations ago that it was rare that a woman held a job, let alone her own business. It was less than twenty years ago that women slowly made their way into the workforce, some out of necessity and some out of wanting a career outside of the home. Women have since bridged the gap of working outside the home and staying home with their children by starting their own home-based business or even taking advantage of the new trend of telecommuting. The goal of working from home is to combine being able to stay at home with children and yet maintaining a career. It seems that this would be the best of both worlds yet; finding a balance to pull off working from home while juggling raising children is no easy task.
I relish the time that I get with my son. I love being able to start my day hearing his happy chatter over a leisurely breakfast, but it is not always the greatest. I found challenges as I transitioned to working at home. The first one was the adjustment period. I was not accustomed to being able to flex my time, I was use to structure – start work at 8:00 am and work until 4:00 pm.
Not only was I struggling to working out my schedule to maximize my time while allowing for the flexibility that drew me to working at home, but my son had some adjusting to do as well. He was accustomed to daycare and sitters during the day. Now, he had mommy home all day long and he equated that with playing with mommy all day long. When it was time for him to play in his custom play yard while I tried to get some work, my little angel, my heart, my happy little 1 year old, threw his first officially 1 year old tantrum.
After a couple weeks of unproductive time spent trying to get work done while dealing with a very unhappy little boy I decide it was time to figure out how to make it all work.
Here are steps that I took to make work at home a better and productive experience for both me and my son.
1) After I set up my work goals, I estimated how much time I need to devote to my business to accomplish them each day.
2) I build my schedule around the existing schedule. For example, the bulk of my work is done around my son’s nap time, which gives me 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time.
3) I slowly incorporated the new schedule, giving both of us a chance to adjust to me working at home.
4) I set up time weekly for both of us to be out of the house. He goes to daycare for a half a day to play and I work, then after I pick him up we have an outing together.
Women are choosing to stay home to persuade their careers and their role as mother. It really can be the best of both worlds, here are a few tips and things to keep in mind:
BE FLEXIBLE. Things happen, work on fluctuating your work schedule so that as things come up you can work around them.
LEARN HOW TO MULTI-TASK. Many times I have a roast in the oven, laundry washing, while I am sorting mail and watching a movie with my son.
TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF! Now that your two worlds have merged you may find those “little escapes” such as being able to unwind after you get home, become difficult to capture. Hire someone to come in weekly for a couple of hours to give you some time to yourself. Someone to come in and help with the house work can free up your time for the important things that make working at home so appealing to you.
ENJOY YOUR TIME. Whether it is the time spent working on your business or playing with your child(ren), enjoy the fact that you have the opportunity to do both without feeling that you have to sacrifice anything.
We are back to the time when women were able to stay home with their children, but with the added bonus of still being able to persuade our own career goals as well. As we are with our children helping them grow it to the people they will become, we are evolving, growing, and learning as well. Evolving into a new generation of women that do not have to choose between our family and our career; Growing into women that are learning how to have it all. car rental Tenerife

I recently appeared as a guest on Soulfully Speaking, a radio show for women and girls hosted by Dr. Anita Davis-Defoe. We had an interesting and deep conversation about staying motivated and on track with our goals, preventing our dreams from ending up in our back pocket, and not letting fear, confusion and everyday responsibilities derail us from our purpose. We also talked about how to help connect young women-to-be with higher aspirations than the media and society may “inspire” in them. While the show addresses women and girls, the issues and strategies we discussed were universal. A partial transcript follows.Dr. Defoe: If you’re just tuning in, my first guest this evening is Dr. Antonia Martinez who’s a Destiny Coach. And she’s been giving us all some insights and some words of wisdom as we earnestly pursue our dreams and our passions. 2008 has been designated the year of fulfillment. But it’s up to us to chose to claim it and to do the work necessary so that the passion and the dream of our heart, (can be brought) to fruition. You know, Dr. Martinez, you brought up another key issue that I was going to raise, and that’s the whole thing of fear. You have the naysayers saying one thing, and then this whole thing of fear paralyzing us–particularly women. I know because I’ve been a victim of it myself where you allow fear to just grip you. And even though your spirit is telling you to do one thing, you let fear paralyze you, and you end up not making any movement.Dr. M: When you feel that fear…(it’s) really an indication of what you need to learn, what you need to master….So turn your fear into a path of self-improvement. The second thing I would say about the fear is that if your fear is coming from self-doubt, you don’t want to distract yourself by saying “I can’t move until I’m totally confident and believe in myself 100%. If you think of babies when they’re learning how to walk, they keep falling…getting (back) up, (and taking the next) step. So yes, you may be afraid and yes, you may be in the process of learning how to deal with that, but in the meantime keep getting up. Keep taking the next step. Because as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, whether you’re afraid or not, you’ll get to the other side. And that’s what you need to focus on when you’re afraid. Focus on getting to the other side.Dr. Defoe: You raise such an interesting point. Because when you think about it, as adults, we’ve been knocked down a couple times…and we so take that to heart. In thinking about the example you gave, children are still very fearless. They think they can do anything. They’re willing to explore. More of us need to tap into the childlike wonder that you just described…The vast majority of us don’t honor our dreams. We go through the motions. So often, when we transition into eternal life, our gifts and talents–that magic that we were supposed to do to uplift the planet–we end up taking back with us because for so many reasons, we don’t tap in and we don’t get on the divine path that we’re supposed to be on…With women, and we’re seeing it more and more with young girls, there’s a state of confusion, buying into stereotypes, and putting destiny and aspirations to the side. What would you say to women–particularly as we’re starting the new year–who find themselves struggling? What kind of self reflections should they be doing, particularly if they have daughters, to refocus their mindset and start to get on track?Dr. M: I think (one) problem is that you get all of these different ideas (and images); you hear all these different tips and strategies from different people. And different things work for different people. So you as an individual have to understand what your power is, how to use it, how it may be off-balance and how to get that back in balance so that you can move forward…What you need is to get in touch with what’s going on in your heart. What is your heart calling you to do? It’s so easy to get brainwashed almost into thinking (your ideas and dreams) are silly because of what (friends, family or the media) are telling you. If you let your heart be your guide, you have an easier time drawing the line between the real you and the false persona that society creates for you. Especially for women with children, connecting to your heart is not only important for bringing you to your destiny but strengthening that bond between you. That opens up a whole new dimension of interaction between you…Dr. Defoe: …You’ve hit on such an important struggle for us all. We may have the goals. We may have the dreams. We might even commit to paper something that we’re going to do to make it happen. And the first time that we hit a roadblock or something is amiss, we give it up or we get derailed. And I find so many people struggle with that, from the professional coach to someone who is not even trained in coaching. We all struggle with that same issue.Dr. M: …When you make that initial breakthrough, no matter what it is, the breakthrough is really just the starting point. A lot of people think the breakthrough is it. “Yeah, I made my breakthrough. I’m there.” …there are actually eight other phases that you go through to kind of solidify that, and I talk about those in the Breakthrough Kit (www.BreakthroughKit.com). But let me tell you that the next step you have to take after you make the initial breakthrough is to ground the energy. Remember, when you’re making a breakthrough, this is all new to you. This is totally different than whatever energy you were in before. Now you have to grow roots so that you can steady yourself and become stable.Dr. Defoe: (In) the hectic, stressful world that we live in–the juggling–it’s so easy to get off track. It doesn’t matter what your dream is or how experienced you are in dream building. You and I both know time goes so quickly. And before you know it, you’ve frittered away two or three months and haven’t made one positive step. Leave the listening audience with one tip, one action they need to take tonight or in the morning.Dr. M: Determine what your primary goal is this year and set dates for when you’re going to make milestone achievements toward that goal. Write it down. Don’t just leave your dream flapping in the wind.
You can listen to the interview online at www.HealingSpirit.com/journal. Please share this with someone who can be served by it. Need help applying these strategies to your life? Take a private workshop with Dr. M. or get 30 days of unlimited online coaching. Dr. Antonia M is a Destiny Coach, Source Work Healer, and Master Metaphysician. She specializes in transformational and purpose-centered counseling, healing and life-building for adults and youth. She is the author of The Self Mastery & Fulfillment Workbook, and creator of the Breakthrough Kit & Kaboodle. Learn more and subscribe to her free newsletter at www.HealingSpirit.com. burn the fat reviewed

What do you think of when the term “self-defense” is used? Most commonly, a woman associates self-defense with protecting oneself against violence by becoming more aware of one’s surroundings and learning to strike an attacker to get away. Because of the serious nature of self-defense, self-defense is not an activity that a woman would necessarily seek out to improve one’s health and fitness on a long-term basis or use as a stress-reliever. Instead, it is an activity that a woman commits to on a short-term basis such as a 2 to 4 – hour seminar or limited weekly sessions. In contrast, women may join yoga and pilates on a long-term basis. Both activities improve one’s core strength and flexibility and make women feel good about the positive changes in their bodies. Consider this – a self-defense system which increases a woman’s confidence to deal with “what comes at you” by incorporating core strength, flexibility, speed, and a strong body structure. This is done by training one’s reflexes through ReVat training It is a novel self-defense system which has its fundamentals from wing tsun kung-fu, and this system teaches a woman to learn how to use reflexes efficiently and successfully. Research has shown that learning self-defense skills not only increases a woman’s ability to defend herself but also raises her confidence and self-esteem immediately after classes. In addition, effective self-defense training, similar to yoga and pilates, provides a woman with greater awareness of her body. She learns to utilize her core strength in creating power. She learns how to maintain balance as she coordinates her footwork while using her arms, elbows, and fists to defend and attack to disable her attacker. In Wikipedia, a reflex is defined as “an involuntary and almost instant movement in response to stimulus.” Acquiring muscle memory for a reflex requires repetition of a motion over and over again until the body automatically responds in a certain way. Key to learning self-defense is the ability to act instinctively and to react immediately. In any situation, the time to react in an attack is less than two seconds. During those two seconds, the woman may freeze which wastes valuable time in getting away or she can defend and launch her own counterattack. To do this, the woman has to mentally commit to defending herself. A woman can learn many techniques but if the commitment is not there, the fight is already lost. Next the woman needs to have the physical training to get her reflexes responsive. However, what does it take to train one’s reflexes? How does training one’s reflexes benefit the woman in an attack situation? Below is one example of what we teach in our ReVat training to integrate the mind and body. For women who have never participated in any self-defense training, there is usually a hesitation initially to punch an individual. One of the reasons is that women have been raised traditionally to be polite. To achieve the goal of teaching women to punch effectively and reduce their fear in punching, we use first use form training to show the proper positioning and structure of a punch as well as other arm movements. Form training in the beginning stages requires no movement of the legs so that the woman can concentrate on how to maximize a punch by learning proper placement of her arms in relationship to her body. The fist is in a vertical position as this position follows the natural line of the arm. Therefore, energy efficiently goes straight from the body through the arm through the fist and into the attacker. Next we introduce the concept of chain punching. In chain punching, the fists are in a vertical position and the power of the punches come from the elbows. The right punch goes over the left wrist followed by the left punch over the right fist, and so on in rapid fashion. Therefore, every punch is immediately followed by another punch without hesitation. The person faces the opponent and each punch hits the opponent with equal force. We encourage women to practice this form of punching in the air to better understand the mechanics. With practice over time, women find that their bicep muscles become more toned and they become faster and bolder in getting effective punches out. Chain punching exercises are also integrated in other regular exercise routines as well, such as punching while doing squats or punching while doing sit-ups. Finally, another component in the training of punches is that the women work with other male and female partners in various punching drills. These exercises teach women how to feel and understand different energies and speeds that come from different people of different heights and weights. These exercises are effective in reducing one’s reaction time to punches coming from another person. Thus, over time, the skill of punching becomes second nature to a woman and more importantly, is a skill that can be applied instantly, reflexively, and with assurance.   Want to learn more about Revat? http://www.TheRevatBook.com Ingo Weigel is a Chicago-based fitness expert who originally is from a small town in East Germany, where martial arts training was limited. He started his fitness career as a top boxer before moving to the U.S. in 2000, where he seriously began devising his unique self-defense and fitness program, based on the principles of an ancient secret martial art. The result is Revat, a system that emphasizes reliance on one’s reflexes for protection in dangerous situations. Free Wordpress Plugins

Your heart is always trying to tell you something. In fact, your heart contains some of the greatest personalized wisdom available. The problem is most of us are not all that willing to listen. Somehow in the rush of every day life, we have become inconvenient. We have banished our hearts to the bottom of our priority list and run off to pursue our list of endless toil.

Ouch, what a blow to our hearts! No wonder so many women are dissatisfied and lack a sense of meaning and purpose. When we devalue our hearts, how can we feel important or even trust what our heart has to say in the first place?

It may sound dramatic, but the truth is countless women have put their hearts in prison without a voice. What a mistake we have made! Many women are unaware their heart has words to say at all. However, your heart has a message which tells you what is missing in your life and gives you clues on how to succeed.

* The Secret *

The secret is in listening to what your heart is trying to say. This is not something to be feared. It is your goldmine of information leading to success. Your heart’s desires hold the key to your full potential. How can you begin to find true success if you do not listen to the part of you who holds the map to get you there?

* Silence Speaks *

Stillness is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When you choose to provide a time of silence, your heart will speak. At first, your inner voice may be hard to hear, but be assured it is there. With daily practice, it will get louder and louder.

Just for a few minutes, sit in a quiet place where there are few distractions. Take a few deep slow breaths and give yourself permission to let go of everything that has been happening in your life. The rest of the world will keep for a few minutes while you take time to prioritize you.

Now begin to be aware of how you are feeling. Ask your heart what it has been trying to say to you. Don’t be afraid of sadness or fear, give your heart permission to speak. You do not have to stay in the emotion after, you just need to know what it is so you can do something about it.

* Getting The Message *

The message is in the feeling. When you are sure of a feeling, look at what you can do to feed your heart in that area. For example, if you are tired, make a decision to find ways to rejuvenate. If you are buried under a pile of mundane activities, look at what you can add to your life to inspire or energize you. If you feel your talents are being wasted, make a commitment to begin using them. You get the picture.

* Personal Empowerment *

It is empowering to recognize we can use the message of our hearts to attain personal success. Meaning and purpose come forward as you begin to honour and express the desires in your heart. Your heart will tell you what you really love to do. You can then use that passion to move forward in succeeding at what you’ve always wanted to do.

You see, your heart has a powerful message to propel you towards success. Isn’t it time you listened?

Copyright 2007 Tami M. Szabo

You may use this article on the internet only if you leave this author information complete with an active link: Life Coach Tami Szabo specializes in Personal Success Coaching for Women who want to create a life of passion and purpose at home and at work. Get Free Success Tips for Women on her website at http://www.destinysdoorcoaching.com Life Coach Tami Szabo specializes in Personal Success Coaching for Women who want to create a life of passion and purpose at home and at work. Get Free Success Tips for Women on her website at http://www.destinysdoorcoaching.comBest Smartphone Software

We hear a lot about empowerment these days. Becoming empowered is regarded as a desirable state to attain — and definitely a desirable state in which to live one’s life. But how do we attain that state; how do we empower ourselves?

What is Empowerment?

First of all, how do we define empowerment? I believe we first regarded empowerment as desirable as a reaction against “giving one’s power away” or being “powerless.” To be empowered is to have control over one’s life. (It does not, however, include having power over others’ lives.) To be empowered and to have control, or power, over one’s life includes having control over all facets of one’s life: it means thinking for oneself and taking responsibility for one’s life, as well as being active instead of just passive; it means moving past dependence toward independence. It does not mean, however, that we become so empowered and independent that we become islands: to be happily self-empowered, we gain autonomy in our lives, while still feeling a connection to others and our environment. A curious balance between independence and connection. Being connected to others may entail compromise in our relationships. There is a difference, however, between compromise and giving one’s power away or sacrificing oneself.

What we are talking about is knowing our own Truth. Knowing our own Truth, knowing who we are — Self Knowledge — and trusting in it is powerful stuff. And once knowing our Truth, to then live our lives by it.

To be empowered is to know one’s Truth, to think for oneself, to be independent while still feeling a connection, to be active as well as passive, to take responsibility for ourselves. A person who is self-empowered has integrity, with all his parts integrated. A true “whole.”

Obstacles to Empowerment

Now that we have dissected the meaning of empowerment to death, how do we become empowered? Let’s look first at what may stand in our way. What are the obstacles to empowerment? What do we need to change or work around?

One of the major obstacles to self-empowerment is our social conditioning. We have been conditioned to give our power away. We have been conditioned to regard established authorities as having absolute knowledge, as icons not to be questioned. One good example of this has been the social view of medicine and medical practitioners. We have been trained to take doctors’ advice as gospel and not to question or take an active role in our own health care. This is the view of “M. D.’s” as “medical deities.” This attitude, happily, is changing. We are learning to take responsibility for our own health. We are learning that we can question, and still respect, authority while respecting ourselves.

Another way in which our conditioning blocks empowerment lies in the very way we are trained to think. Just as we are trained not to question authorities, so also are we trained to think that things must be only one way. I think of this as one-dimensional or “totalitarian” thinking that does not allow for originality or variances or even shades of gray. Just as physicists are discovering that scientific laws are not hard and fast, that matter or objects do not always act as scientific laws would prescribe, so too are old, rigid concepts having to become more flexible. Thus, women are no longer necessarily dominated by men. Nor, in fact, we now realize, does there have to be domination of any type.

The “one-dimensionality” of our cultural conditioning leads us to see ourselves in a very narrow light — as only being or doing one or a few things — or only socially prescribed things. Thus, women should act only in one way, and men should act bnly in one (other) way. Seeing ourselves as only one thing — and thus not seeing other possibilities for ourselves — is very limiting. Seeing ourselves as only white or black or Native American, as female or male, as Christian or Jew, as American or Russian — limites our potential. To be empowered is to see and develop our potential. How many times have you been surprised to find that a doctor also writes poetry or that a well-known actor also paints well or that your auto mechanic may also sing? We become empowered when we move past the obstacles of limiting, one-dimensional cultural conditioning to fuller, more “whole” views of ourselves.

To become empowered, we must break past the old thinking that we must be or act in a certain, preordained, socially prescribed way (e.g., that women should please others and that men should dominate). We must move past rigid thinking that we have all the answers and that there is nothing new under the sun to a new state of a sense of wonderment. Thus, we must deprogram our cultural conditioning and have an open mind.

Another obstacle to becoming empowered is low self-esteem. If we don’t love or even like ourselves, how can we trust our own thinking? Self-doubts, low self-esteem, lack of trust in oneself — all block our becoming empowered. If we don’t think highly of ourselves, we certainly don’t truly develop our independence.

And connected to low self-esteem is the other obstacle, lack of self-knowledge. It is hard to empower ourselves if we don’t truly know ourselves.

Another major obstacle to being empowered, which is also connected to low self-esteem, is old uncleared issues. Issues that are not resolved cloud our thinking and block our energy flow. They affect our behavior as behind-the-scenes, unconscious motivators and do not allow us to be truly in control of ourselves — or empowered. Being empowered means being clear, thinking clearly, seeing clearly, and acting accordingly.

Fears are also a major obstacle to empowerment. Our fear holds us back and robs us of will. It is an energy that closes in, instead of expanding outward. It is a block to the free flow of energy. To be empowered is to be clear, to have one’s energy flowing freely. Fear prevents us from being truly self-reliant and clear-sighted.

Passivity and dependence are also blocks to empowerment. To be empowered, we must be independent, we must be active. Again, this does not mean blocking other people out; one can be independent and connected. Being self-empowered means being somewhat self-contained, having integrity (wholeness, independence) in a natural, free-flowing way. Being passive and dependent entails giving one’s power away.

Lack of knowledge is also an obstacle to empowerment. To be empowered, one must be as self-reliant as possible. It is hard to be self-reliant without knowledge. Wise men have talked about the importance of knowledge over the centuries. Contemporary near-death-experiencers have also stressed its importance. As we add to our knowledge, we add to our storehouse of data upon which to draw. As we add to our knowledge, we are better able to think for ourselves. Lack of knowledge leaves us in a weakened and impoverished condition which is not conducive to empowerment. As Francis Bacon said, “Knowledge itself is power.”

Similarly, lack of self-development is an obstacle to empowerment. If we have not developed parts of ourselves, we have less on which to rely in ourselves. As we develop more facets of ourselves, we know ourselves better and become more self-reliant. Our confidence is also boosted, and we become more whole. We thus are able to empower ourselves more and in more areas.

These are some of the obstacles to empowerment, and many of these factors are interrelated. Certainly low self-esteem, fear, dependence, and uncleared issues are inter-connected. As we move toward clearing one, others are also affected.

Paths to Empowerment

Given the obstacles to empowerment, some or all of which may affect any of us to varying degrees, how do we move toward empowerment? How do we remove the obstacles?

First let me say that we all have our own paths to follow. The path I have followed may vary greatly from your path. In looking for it and in following your intuition, you will find your own path.

That said, I would like to suggest some possible steps or directions. Some of these may be painfully obvious. Some may feel more appealing to you than others. We all come to things at the appropriate time. If it feels appropriate, try it. Remember that empowerment is a process that gradually unfolds.

Deprogramming Thinking

In order to break down the walls of “totalitarian” thinking investigate alternative modalities and disciplines. The more we are exposed, with an open mind, to non-mainstream ideas, the more we start to discover our own truths.

Try going to an alternative health practitioner instead of a “regular” (allopathic) doctor. Try a wholistic physician, acupuncturist, massage therapist, herbalist, etc.

Read about various cultural philosophies and religions: Native American, Indian, Egyptian, Mayan, African, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, folklore, etc. There is wisdom everywhere. What feels right to you? Remember that what feels right now may later feel wrong and vice versa. (What feels right or wrong now may be the result of issue-related button-pushing, but that is a digression we won’t go into now. Rick probably thinks this article is already too long!) Try to keep an open mind as your explore. The more you explore alternative modalities with an open mind, the more you are deprogramming your mind and allowing it to grow in new ways. Digest what you are exposed to. Don’t accept everything as gospel. You will gradually find yourself developing your own ideas, one solid step toward being empowered.

Gaining Self-Esteem

Gaining self-esteem is a process also, and there are different ways to try to facilitate it. One conventional approach is therapy or counseling. This is a valid approach and needn’t be rejected automatically out-of-hand. If you choose to investigate this modality, try to choose your therapist or counselor carefully. Try to find one about whom you feel good, one with whom you feel a rapport. Try also to find one who facilitates your process of self-discovery, rather than one who controls you or encourages you to be dependent on him/her or who brings his/her issues into your sessions.

Guided imagery meditation or regression sessions may also help to build self-esteem by working at root causes. Energizing self-discoveries may be gained in this way.

Developing your talents and abilities can also boost self-esteem.

Remember that you are a unique and valid individual. Remember that we all have our talents and something to contribute. Remember that we all make mistakes and forgive yourself. Remember that the deepest beauty is that which is inside. Try to incorporate these thoughts into daily affirmations.

Knowing Yourself

Knowing oneself can be a difficult process. We tend to be trapped in our own egos and our self-perception tends to be colored emotionally by our needs, self-concept, and degree of self-esteem. Try to find that objective place in yourself, the place unaffected by subjective or temporal concerns — the observer.

Observe yourself in difficult situations and with different people. What do you see? How do you react?

Learn how your mind works. Watch yourself think by drawing upon your internal objective observer.

Explore meditation as a vehicle for observing yourself. Look into self-hypnosis.

What do you feel empathetic towards? What repulses you? What pushes your buttons? Why does it push them? What are your talents? What engages your interest?

Clearing Your Issues

Clearing issues is another process that may be a convoluted and divergent path. Again, counseling or therapy may be an option, as well as regression therapy and guided imagery meditation.

Bodywork that helps identify places in your body where issues and memories are stored may help in clearing them.

Bringing past issues or problems to consciousness that are not yet cleared also helps as a precursor to clearing them. Awareness and self-knowledge are closely entwined.

If your issues entail substance or other abuse, consider joining some of the support groups.

Identify and gain access to self-help books (John Bradshaw, A Course in Miracles, etc.). This can facilitate your own self-discovery.

Watch what pushes your buttons, especially anger and fear. Try to go into your objective observer (through meditation, self-hypnosis, etc.) and learn why your buttons are being pushed, what is the root cause. Sometimes conscious knowledge can help you move past the issue. (Not to be confused with denial, where there is no conscious awareness or acceptance of the issue.)

Look for patterns in your life. Do you find yourself over and over embroiled in similar dysfunctional situations or with similarly dysfunctional people (to use psychological terms)? Again search out the root cause.

Know that you can clear your issues. Know that you can feel clearer and happier and more content. Know that others have journeyed this path before and that you can, too.

Conquering Fears

Fears can be conquered. One of the first steps is to recognize fear for what it is. Ofttimes a fear may be cloaked or disguised as something else. Basically, however, love and confidence/being positive open us up. Our energy flows freely outward. Fear closes us in and holds us back.

Many fears are related to issues. Clearing issues can reduce fear. Fear also may be of the unknown, related to fear of not being accepted or loved, as well as fear of death. There is also the fear of not having enough, which is related to not feeling secure in ourselves. As we work on self-esteem and gain knowledge, this fear is reduced.

When you find yourself holding back, try to identify what is causing you to hold back, what the fear is. Identifying the core issue can help. This can be done through the modalities mentioned above.

Try going into your fear, a little at a time if necessary. True empowerment comes when we are “fear-less,” when we are clear of fear.

Realize that your fear is just that — a fear. Your fear of the fear and your holding back are more insidious than what the fear concerns.

When you go into a fear, feel the fear. Let it wash over you. Watch where it leads you. It will reach an end at some point. Watch yourself come back to normal, with the fear receding.

Whenever you feel fear and have identified the root cause, focus on love. Try to mentally wrap the fear in love, completely envelop and enclose it in love. Breathe into the fear, deep cleansing breaths from the abdomen. See the love growing in size and the fear shrinking.

Remember that nothing can harm you unless you first allow it in on some level.

Achieving Independence

Gaining independence may be accomplished by some of the modalities mentioned earlier: counseling/therapy, meditation, regression, affirmations, etc.

Dealing with fear can also help. Dependence often is related to low self-esteem and fears — of being alone, of not being loved, etc. We may feel we are not capable of taking care of ourselves. Love in the past may have meant giving up one’s power over oneself, an infant’s dependence on one’s parents.

Independence can be liberating and exhilarating. It is also related to self-development. As we develop more of ourselves and clear our issues, we come to rely more on ourselves and thus become more independent.

Developing Yourself and Gaining Knowledge

The more we develop ourselves and learn and gain knowledge, the more empowered we become. To this end, think of yourself as a multi-faceted person. Try not to feel that you can only do or be one thing. Being a renaissance person can help you become empowered.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do or learn? Allow yourself to explore it.

It is interesting to note that recent research now reveals seven areas of intelligence, as opposed to the only two previously recognized: math and verbal. The other five areas are: bodily, spatial, introspective, musical, and interpersonal. Anyone can inherently have any of the above abilities or any combination of them. It has further been found that, if one is not utilizing all of his/her abilities, he/she does not feel fulfuilled or satisfied.

We are all more than we are brought up to believe we are. Realize that you can do things you may never have considered. We all have untapped potential. As we develop ourselves, we also gain knowledge of ourselves. Our self-view expands.

Expanding your knowledge is also a component of empowerment, and, conversely, empowerment is a by-product of knowledge. Consider the case of someone who has just been diagnosed with a serious illness. This person can sit back and be powerless and fearful of the unknown, giving his/her power away to a medical practitioner. OR he/she may take power by researching the illness and gaining all the information and knowledge he/she can and thereby knowing what he/she is dealing with and what modalities and avenues to explore.

Remember that “knowledge is power.” — both external knowledge and self-knowledge.

Developing Your Intuition

One of the strongest ways to become empowered is to develop your intuition.

We all have an internal “voice” that guides us. We know when something feels right or not. Learn to listen to your internal voice, or, if you will, your “internal BS meter.”

Learn to discern what your voice is, what it feels like, how it speaks to you. Your intuitive voice will be clear and not emotionally colored. It will feel sure. It will also usually be persistent. It may be experienced as a “feeling in the gut.” It may come as an image, feeling, words, etc. However it is experienced is appropriate for you.

Learn what your voice is like and befriend it. Trust it. In trusting it, you are trusting yourself. Your intuitive voice is one of the greatest gifts you naturally have that leads to self-empowerment.

Final Thoughts

Remember that we can all increase our empowerment. Learn more about yourself. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself. Accept your uniqueness as an individual. Learn what your own truth is and honor it. Remember that we are here to learn and grow. Add to your bank of knowledge and abilities. Explore your world with confidence and with an open and curious mind. Know that you have your own path in life and respect it. Respect yourself, as well as others. Glory in your independence and empowerment. And, as Shakespeare wisely said, “to thine own self be true.” That is true integrity – and empowerment.

This article was first published in the November 1994 and January 1995 issues of “Connexions.” Diane Brandon is the Host of “Living Your Power” on the Health & Wellness Channel of VoiceAmerica.com, as well as an Intuition Teacher, Integrative Intuitive Counselor, and Speaker. She is the author of “Invisible Blueprints” and several articles on personal growth topics, as well as a contributing author to “Speaking Out” and “The Long Way Around: How 34 Women Found the Lives They Love.” Her private work with individuals focuses on personal growth, working with dreams, and personal empowerment, and she has done corporate seminars on intuition, creativity, and listening skills. More information may be found on her websites, www.dianebrandon.com and www.dianebrandon.net. She may be contacted at diane@dianebrandon.com.Christian Drug Rehab

The business opportunities for women in every society have always been give a lot of support by all the stakeholders involved in social-economic individual development. Women financial empowerment has become such a crux part of the society at large. Furthermore, a financially empowered woman is the pillar to a successive family. Women proffer the society with much of the needed social- economic development and consistency in management of all available resources. In fact helping a woman to practice any form of business is beneficial to the society at large. There are many business options for a woman to choose from. Highlighted below are a few economical viable options available; A clean and modern hair salon will provide the best solution to all other women hair need in the neighborhood. People in the neighborhood will always prefer their hair to be done by a trusted neighbor. They will opt to come to your hair salon than go to that hair specialist in the shopping mall who they don’t know or trust. In fact investing in this business will bring instant revenue to your coffers since the service is required almost on a daily base by the majority of the women. You just need to buy fruits and vegetables and sell them to the neighborhood. In most town suburbs, buying these necessary items calls for somebody to drive long distances to the big shopping utilities. This is very inconveniencing to the majority of us. An enterprising person will bring these items nearly to the neighborhood and in so doing, make some tidy profits at it. One thing that should be observed though, is cleanliness, good service and quality stock. If you observe this simple rule the sky will be the limit in your green grocer business undertaking. Baby sitting is both fun and work at the same time. Women who have experience with children will find this business very satisfying both emotionally and to theirs pockets as well. The business requires total commitment, cleanliness and above all for a person to be compliant with all health requirements and regulations. The child boomer should guarantee safety to their charge. Those are some business ideas for any woman who wants freedom from bosses at the same time be self reliant. By Freddy Ngiam, Founder & CEO of www.1homebusinesshub.com.Best Smartphone Software

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT                                                                                   *N.SATHIYA                                An enterprise is an undertaking and enterpriser is one who organizes and manages it and takes risk. Initiative, risk bearing, co-coordinating of factors of production, use of innovation and provision of capital are the basic elements of entrepreneurship.Solutions, creation, processing and promotion of unit, promotional help, adequate and timely finance, sufficient market stability and intelligence are the main factors effective progress.                           This is considered to be one of the most significant organizational changes taking place in the world today. However, though the number of women entering the managerial profession is on the increase they are still clustered in the lower levels of management and rarely obtain positions of significant corporate power.                      In difference countries where the entry and middle level management positions are held by a significant number of women, experience prove their effectiveness as managers.   _____________________________________________________________________ *Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, Periyar University, Salem-11      CAREER DEVELOPMENT:                           The first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard business school. She is amongst the most powerful women in business in the country. Now in 2006 Naina Lal kidwai could become a director on the board of Swiss multinational nestle.                        The goals of women’s empowerment are to challenge patriarchal ideology to transform the structures and institutions that reinforce and perpetuate gender discrimination and social inequality and to enable poor women to gain access to and control over both material and information resources.                                                   In operation vital and extensive employment and beneficiary oriented     programmes for specific target groups like farmers, and artisans such as the: 1)      National Rural Employment Programming (NREP), the 2)      Integrated Rural Development  Programming (IRDP),the 3)      Rural landless Employment Guaranty Programming (RLEGP),the 4)      Training Scheme of Rural Youth for Self  Employment (TRYSEM) 5)      The Scheme for providing Self Employments to Educated Unemployed youth (SEEU)and 6)      Self Employment Programme for Urban Poor,(SEPUP)                         Growth for Industrialization, Urbanization, Education and Democratic system in the country the custom-bound-society of India is in the process of a change. The women are searching gainful employment in different fields.                      In developing countries they invariably work harder than men. They contribute to economic actively and to the welfare of society through house hold jobs, child rearing, educating children and working in the fields. In developing countries, the discrimination extends to health care, food, property and access to credit.                       Women’s organization aim at creating general awareness on the status involves roles, exception, entitlements rights and obligations etc. In many cases women are unaware of the legal rights, to take decisions and great influences by a family the dominance of the male.                            From 1980’s onwards, the issues raised by WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT (WID) and, lately, GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT (GAD) approaches have acquire great importance, both for government organizations, non- government organizations and women’s organizations. While WID concentrates more on women’s economic activities.                   We need to invest in our people and, especially, improve the lives our women we need contribution from our women to attain excellence in all areas of activity. Our social and cultural attitudes neglects and marginalize women. In public, we can accept and respect women and brag about having a woman as our Prime Minister or a few women’s as Chief Ministers and Judges. But privately, the large majorities of women are sub Jud gated and dominated.                   They need permission from their men to occasionally visit their parents and relatives. It is estimated that 124 million women work in India (National Sample Survey Organization, 2000). This represents about 31 percent of the total work force. The Government economic survey for 2003-04 has estimated that there are 4.95 million women in the organized sector (both public and private sectors) about 18.01 percent of the total organized work force.            Last year the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), through its women Empowerment Committee Conducted survey of white-collar in 149 member companies across different sectors and regions. The percentage of women employees in medium companies was 18 percent, large companies 4 percent. At the managerial level, the percent of women at junior level was 16 percent, middle level 4 percent, senior level 4 percent and at senior-most levels, just 1 percent.            Today, to survive competition in a globalizes market, many organizations are our sourcing and contracting out their work. This certainly has created opportunities for home-based work, especially for women in sectors like textile, garments and electronics.               The natural enterprises of Indian women can be nurtured through innovations schemes of micro-finance. The government, financial institutions and private sector can join hands to create women entrepreneurs.   CRITICISM: 10.  More ever, wherever necessary bookish knowledge she gathers is not sufficient to meet the various problems in the business field.   However in India Women enjoy the following five rights that men do not: 1)      I-T exemption of Rs.35,000 2)      flexi-timing 3)      Tele-commuting 4)      Extended Maternity leave 5)      Day-care centers.                These companies employee the highest percentage of women in India: 1)      HSBC-33%                  Makes a conscious attempt to build a strong female executive pipeline by effectively using the graduate campus trainee programme and building database of successful female candidates in the industry at all levels.   2)      ACCENTURE-30%          More women @ Accenture: A metrics based recruitment process for hiring women, a referral programme for women and special recruitment drives at women-only colleges. 3)      SAPIENT-27%           A role model programme for women highlights the achievement of senior women managers and showcases the absences of a glass ceiling.   4)      HDFC-25%   5)      INFOSYS-24%   6)      WIPRO-21%           THE TOPEST WOMEN IN A MAN’S WORLD: 1)      Naina Lakidwai, VC & MD, HSBC Securities 2)      Sangita Taiwar, ED, TATA Tea. 3)      Kavita Hurry, MD & CEO, ING Vysya Mutual funds. 4)      Ashu Suyash, Head of Business, Fidelity Fund Management. 5)      Renuka Ramnath, MD& CEO, ICICI Venture Funds. 6)      Lalita Gupte, Joint MD, ICICI Bank. 7)      Renu Karnad, ED, HDFC. 8)      Kalpana Morparia, Deputy MD, ICICI Bank. 9)      Rama Biya Purkar, Strategic Marketing Consultant & Non-ED, Infosys.             SUGGESTIONS: 1)      The women entrepreneur development is important for accelerating industrialization in India. 2)      If we can really bring out a balanced society with equal opportunities to both men and women 3)      Boys needed to be made aware that household and child-rearing responsibilities need to be equally shared between a husband and wife. 4)      The government has been pampering organize labor and, by and large, neglecting the unorganized sectors. 5)      Dynamic frame work of regulations so that the vast majority of our women workers get justice and social security. 6)      to avoid sexual harassment policies should be clearly stated and implemented 7)      Every family owned business need to an equal chance to their daughters.                                 “Pastronjee & Sons” but also                                 “Mukherjee & Daughters” and                     “Pastronjee & Daughters”                 The government must lead the way and corporate NGO’s and educational institutions should join in to support and work for change. Real change will come when our women are treated on par with men and given equal opportunities. Indian will be able to harness its women power and emerge as a respected nation. REFERENCES:         Magazines 1)      Entrepreneurship development in India- by Sami Uiddin. 2)      Business Today 3)      Management Research   Horse Saddles

INTRODUCTION Sex remains the major sorting factor in most of the world’s societies. It is common that male are paid more for the same work and they usually dominate the socio-cultural, economic and political aspects of the society. In contrast, females are discriminated against economically, politically and socially (Henslin, 1996:315). Gender equality does not necessarily mean equal numbers of men and women or girls and boys in all activities, nor does it mean treating them in the same way. It means equality of opportunity and a society in which women and men are able to lead equally fulfilling lives (Henshall, 2004:8). Women empowerment focuses on the issue that male and female have different needs and priorities and still they face different constraints and challenges. The absence of any one among the two, i.e, male or female in the development process is the lose of a great human potential and that ultimately effect national development. Women empowerment is a compulsory element and a pre-request both for communal and national development because female constitutes almost half of the population. Especially in Third World in general and in a country like Pakistan, women have been discriminated both economically and politically. The patriarchic and male dominated nature of the Pakistani society is providing more economic and political power to male in strata. Power, which to Weber (1904) is the ability to achieve desired ends despite possible resistance from others, is in the hands of the male members. Force of any kind, may be psychological or physical, become the source for power in any society. However, the nature of the power and authority depends on the cultural set-up that how people perceive both. Same is the situation of the Pakistani society in general and that of the Pakhtoon society in particular. The power and economic resources are mainly controlled by male members. The position of women in this regard is secondary and they could not have any say in the economic and political affairs because they have no power in the decision making. Property, economic hold and money provide direction to the economic and political activities of the area. Party affiliations are also link with such values. Individuals with higher income, more schooling, and white-collar jobs are more likely to vote and to support various political groups and associations (Hyman & Wright, 1971:191-206).         The employment and political activities are totally referred to sex, where males are assigned the superior position to that of women. While comparing the earning of both male and female, once again sex is the major sorting factor, where powerful sex affects earnings of both. For the same qualification of men and women in education, men are paid much more than women. However, it should be noted that this kind of trends exists not only in Pakistan but in other countries as well. Due to the complex structure of the country, women could not have easy access to take part in the economic and political activities in a democratic way and to poll even their votes. Due to the patriarchic nature and male hold over the political administration, the position of women is against both the ideals of religion and constitution of the country. Women do not create or intend to create self-interest to take part in the country’s politics and to contribute in the economy. Even they have no knowledge about the political parties and economic system. Statement of the Problem This research study looks into the various economic and political barriers, which in one way or the other obstruct the way of women empowerment in Pakhtoon society of District Malakand N-W.F.P. Pakistan. More specifically, this study has to bring into focus the cultural set-up, the traditional values, patriarchy, male dominancy, political and administrative structure, religious values and the public perception about women economic and political empowerment in the area. Beside this, the present study aims to look further into the problems faced by Pakhtoon women during her life under the cultural and religious traditions. In addition, the present research focuses on the cultural pattern and practices that barred women from the economic and political advancements. Objectives of the study The economic and political constraints are dominantly observed in the area. This paper is looking into the various cultural patterns and practices which hindered the way of women economic and political empowerment among the Pakhtoons of the District Malakand, N-W.F.P. Pakistan. Following are the major objectives of the study:   Literature Review The idea of sexism is not particular to western society; rather in fact this is associated to the whole of the universe. However, there are difference in the division of labor and the task and status of male and female vary largely from society to society and culture to culture. In most of the societies, male are confronted with hard and tough task and that results male dominancy which according to Marvin Harris (1977:46) has been in continuous existence throughout virtually the entire globe from the earlier times to the present. Further, there is not a single society known where women-as-a-group have decision-making power over men (as a group). However, the country that comes closest to political equality between the sexes is Sweden, where half of the cabinet ministers and 41 percent of the senate (Riksdag) are women (Froman, 1994).  Gender equality and empowering women remain the top priority of the Millennium Development Goals, 2005-15. However, the main focus of the MDG was to provide basic education to women and make them equate with male in the economic activities but education was an indicator for tackling inequalities in the wider aspects of economic, political and other cultural aspects of life. Two of the goals as specified by Derbyshire, (2002:7) were:  One of the most serious barriers in women empowerment is patriarchy and male dominancy in the region. However, the nature and hold of the patriarchic beliefs vary from culture to culture and society to society. The ideology of the male dominancy and the patriarchic values are prevalent throughout the country and such kinds of ideologies and practices according to Haq (2000:25) pervade political, economic, legal, socio-cultural and religious structure around the world. While coming to the issues of women, patriarchy and male dominancy constrains women in most of the aspects of the social, political and economic life. Control of women’s reproductive abilities and sexuality is placed in men’s hands (ibid). Patriarchic values and its propagation is used as a weapon against women and in the everyday life experience masculinity is highly valued, because it represent a kind of strength and femininity is devalues because it is treated as a kind of failure and weaknesses. Apart from the every day life experience, women are discriminated in the field of education. Male members remain the source of economic gains and power holder and it is the prime duty of the parents to educate them and to provide them the skill for earning. Right from the beginning of the school to the highest degree, there are marked differences in the socialization and learning of both male and female. The higher one climbs the educational ladder, the more that learning is a masculine experience (Henslin, 1996:330). In addition to education, the mass media also reinforce the sex role expectation. The children books, the television, the magazine, music and the tools of advertisement strengthen masculine and feminine identities. From the beginning of the TV to the most sophisticated form of advertisement, mass media propagate most of the masculine traits. Advertisement is an insidious propaganda machine for a male supremacist society. It spews out images of women as sex mates, housekeepers, mothers, and menial workers- images that perhaps reflect the true status of most women in society, but which also make it increasingly difficult for women to break out of the sexist stereotypes that imprison them (Komisar, 1971:304). Gender differences widen once we examine the political scenario in the world. It is men who are leading the power and politics in the world. This hold is not restricted to the political chair rather this hold is true weather one considers party leadership, elected office, appointed offices, or the policymaking levels of the federal and state civil services (Henslin, 1996:333). The underrepresentation of women at the political levels is the outcome of masculine hold over the economic and other power resources. Further, the socialization process and the institutional organization also reinforce male dominancy and patriarchy among female. Along with this, the rigid cultural values and the misperception that women could not perform political duties further impose male dominance in the power relations. Particularly, in third world countries, women participation in the political affairs is mostly linked with the social cultural and religious environment which is male oriented and that ultimately restraint women participation.  In the employment and income level, female do not have the equal status to male. However, in the advanced and industrialized nations, female’s employment in the formal sector economy is more rapid and open but still there is a wide gap in the wages of male and female. For the same job, a male could get more wage as compare to a female wage. This wage gap is also found in the United States and according to Balu and Kahn (1992) only in Japan is the gape larger than in United States.  This gap between male and female wages and employment is associated with sex. In country like Pakistan, which is a male ridden society and male is the asset and source of income is highly valued. That is the reason that attention has been given to their income and socialization and especially on their education to prepare them for future jobs. Women labor force did not receive the same attention as men do get. Female work is treated as inferior and secondary. Further they are forced to perform domestic jobs including child caring and household maintenance etc and the result is that women’s work is really never done (Feinstein, 1979:320).      Furthermore, the traditional structure of the Pakistani society treated women as housewives, who are responsible for taking care of the household, husband and raising children. Since centuries, they have been ruled over by male dominancy and are not allowed to play their active role as equal member of the society as argued by Abidi (1976) that she was as good as human being as the man and had the same sensitivities and capabilities. She could be as productive and agent of the society as man could be. Apart from the traditional structure, the traditional thinking of the Pakistani society further intensifies restriction over women empowerment. Such beliefs neglect employed women as a good housewife and such kind of female not only neglect the existence of husband but also her children. However, the research of Azhar, (1978) concludes that the employment of women brings positive effects on the socio-economic status of the family and that of women. Combining with the traditional thinking, the opposition of the husband in some cases also restricts women participation in the political and economic activities. The ego problem of the husband as women employment leads to poor socialization of the children and it damage the family life of both male and female and their children restrict women active participation and sometime the relatives (in-laws) criticizes their paid employment because they are afraid of their morals will become loose; they become too independent and forget their actual status (Hafeez, 1983).  Apart from the socialization and traditionalism, women status as a second class citizen is the outcome of lack of vocational as well as political environment in the country. The competition of female is discouraged and they are bared from the social, cultural, political and economic participation in the community activities. Moreover, they face different problems including attitudes of the society members, prejudice and unrecognizing which the working women encountered with regard to their status and role in the economic life adversely affected the utilization of their talent and working capabilities (Khalid, 1990). In addition to the aforementioned problems, the religious scripts in respect to female rights are regularly misinterpreted and that not only discriminate women but also imposes religion as male dominated religion. There is also a lacuna on the part of the government, which could not provide equal opportunities to both male and female to take part in the communal activities.  arab anz
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But, in the midst of all this, there is something very important to recognize. Although you have gotten used to the craziness of multi-tasking and of being incredibly busy, you are still only one person. You can only do so much. How you spend the minutes of each day is how you spend your life. How do you want to spend the minutes of your day? Do you want to be constantly tired and stressed? Do you want to keep going at the pace you are going? Or would you like to slow down, and enjoy your life more? There is a way to do this, and it’s called creating space. It is not another form of multi-tasking. It is not a new way to cram more work into your day. It is about creating openings, eliminating distractions and focusing on what is truly important-your life! It is important to set up a structure for your life. Once your structure is in place, you are free to do whatever you like within and around it. Your structure is built by deciding what is truly important for you to spend your time doing, in both your business and personal world. In order to set up your structure, you need to spend some time thinking. What do you do everyday? What activities and tasks are you so busy doing? Once you have this list, you can concentrate on eliminating and delegating tasks, and learning to say no. These are all strategies to create space. Once you have created space by taking some basic action steps, you are free to concentrate on what is truly important-your life. You will work smarter and accomplish more, be happier, and less stressed, and start living the truly outstanding life you are meant to live! Diana Fletcher©2009
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Certified Life Coach, author, and speaker Diana Fletcher is The Stress Reducing Expert. She is a master at helping her clients and students reduce their stress and live healthier, more balanced lives. For fun and easy ideas of how to improve your health and lower your stress level immediately, visit www.DianaFletcher.com and download “100 Healthy Things to Do in 15 Minutes,” or register for one of Diana’s free monthly teleseminars today.
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