Make Your Voice Heard!
Meghan Markle once said: ‘women don’t need to find a voice. They have a voice. They need to feel empowered to use it, and people need to be encouraged to listen.’
Of course, Meghan could not have said this herself if she hadn’t been encouraged by her family and other inspiring figures around her as she grew into the woman that we know today. This is what the 2020 Country To Canberra Leadership Competition could do for you.
I entered the competition in 2017 when I was in my final year of high school. The competition not only offered an amazing opportunity to meet inspiring women and grow my leadership skills, but it offered a chance to have my voice heard and to grow the confidence within myself. While, I was not one of the chosen girls to attend the Power Trip, I did get to have my entry published on the website as a finalist in the top 40. This demonstrates the many opportunities you can have to make yourself heard through entering the Leadership Competition.
Having my entry published online really gave me the extra confidence boost that I needed and reaffirmed that I want to be a voice for women’s empowerment and gender equality in my future endeavors. However, coming from regional Australia. I know how hard it is for girls living in these areas to believe in themselves and have the courage to apply for big opportunities like the Power Trip. But hear me when I say this. My Dad once told me that if you have the opportunity to do something amazing DO IT! My Dad can relate as he grew up in Murrayville and other places in rural Victoria where opportunities were limited.
In addition to this, my Mum told me that when she was in school, she was shy and very quiet and wishes that she had more confidence back then. Because of my parents I have always had the support and the courage to apply for opportunities and I hope by reading this, that the girls entering this year’s leadership competition will be able to gather those same qualities.
Yes, it can be scary to take a big leap of faith sometimes and step into the unknown where you don’t know what will happen. But as Country To Canberra’s CEO Hannah Wandel once asked:
‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’
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