Here's to the 21st century Wonder Woman*

You can’t miss the 21st century Wonder Woman (aka the working Mommy in this case) - You can spot her in the crowd.. You’ve always known her, except she’s far more prominent and her tribe has increased in modern times (FINALLY & AMEN!).. Her gait is peculiar much-like Aamir Khan's in PK.. And so is her voice – It’s a combination of self-doubt, confidence, emotion, passion and conviction all at once.. She’s unique in many ways, and here’s why…..

She’s always checking her back, cos she’s trying to stay out of jail – The charges could be as minor and/or as serious as –

• She yells toooooo loud or too often the neighbors AND the inmates of the home complain – She’s yelling as she goes around fixing (OR helping fix as the case may be) unclean teeth, knotted hair, unfinished homework, dirty clothes strewn on the bedroom floor, outdoor game items strewn around the home stepping on lego blocks that threaten to take the life out of her (**** Plastic CAN & DOES hurt – Let’s go eco-friendly she swears aloud), broken toys and semi-broken hearts alike.. 
• She’s delusional - She refers to some non-existent person being sent on time-out every time they misbehave even when neither of her off-spring is following her instructions of what it means to be on time-out..  Just like she thinks she'll finish serpentine amounts of office work and turn up to fix dinner for the family and friends she's invited over on a week day.. She's trusting too easily and making too many commitments all at once!  
• She keeps reassuring her superiors and her team members that she’s just about to send them that proposal / email – God knows what internet plan she’s on and/or which outer-space outbox it’s stuck in! 
• She’s attempting to food poison her family with new menus every day – yet the food is too boring, too healthy, too unhealthy, too less oily, too spicy, has too much gravy, looked too spicy, is too dry for school, takes too long to chew.. 
• She’s ‘Mary-Kondoing’ and ‘Kon-Mariing’ just about EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CLOTH at home yet it sparks NO JOY in the others around her.. Moreover, she refuses to part with stuff from her wardrobe, even though she’s made three families richer by the ‘take-away’ from the kids’ & common rooms... Now that’s plain unfair…..May be that's what sparks joy in her, apart from the fact that Mary Kondo endorses the OCD issues she's always had and her friends claimed she needed serious help with! 

She’s wooing and/or always scheming on how to better woo the 1 or 2 or more of her aliens – Aliens that have a will of their own, drive her up the wall yet demand she re-re-re-reiterate that she loves them loads just when

• She’s conquered her insomniac sleeping patterns and has fallen asleep despite the scary noises from the intense teeth-gritting of her 8-year old and/or the match-winning football kicks of her 6-year old 
• She’s waited 42 minutes in the 1-hour conference call and is about to make a point (on camera at many times), 
• She’s about to overtake someone she’s been tailing for the past 15 mins on an otherwise brilliant highway, 
• She’s about to make a brownie point in an argument with her spouse, 
• She’s about to step out the door after fixing their showers, breakfast, study & play schedules to get to.. rather literally fly into the 8:30 am meeting that she’s only half-prepped for….. 
• They just choose the most opportune moments, yet leave her with the widest of smiles! 

She’s knocking too hard to be heard by –

• The pediatrician who has little time for her 2 muchkins cos s/he has 16 other kids waiting in line to be treated… 
• The school teacher who can’t believe that an “otherwise-bright-kid’s mother” can’t follow “creative instructions” sent over smart work (online diary) at odd hours and turns up with some jugaad ideas unlike her other peers that make it look like a well-rehearse chemistry lab experiment.. 
• A chauvinist ex colleague who still believes she and her other peers will make it only so far – after all each one of them has a family to take care of (the last she heard he made his wife resign cos it was getting too stressful at home - for him perhaps!?) 
• Other women peers who need to be reassured they can Just Do It– using 3-key lesson she’s learnt: 

Lesson # 1 - Always take the road less traversed… it’s filled with excitement (and at times horror stories), yet very few people can tell you – “I’d said so or I’d told you to do it this way or that way!!”

Lesson # 2 - It's NEVER going to be Perfect, yet stay motivated! Build a network, ask for help and Never give up!!

Lesson # 3 - It's all about finding that balance – within and around you. Make decisions that will let you make peace with yourself and leave the rest to the others, for you’re not a Super Woman, You’re a Wonder Woman cos you did it despite all the odds!!

On Women’s Day and every day, I salute the men and the women who truly practice Inclusion and help me and many others stay on – These are people who

• Believe that every living being has tonnes of potential and wants to be and do their best.. 
• Let others thrive and shine through in their unique manner, despite their differences .. 
• Go the extra mile remove hurdles to let those that need an extra hand to progress 

*Here’s me raising a toast to all the women who need to try HARD day in day out - You may be a home-maker, an entrepreneur, a working professional, a single woman, someone who’s had the guts to get separated from a toxic relationship, a doting mother-of-three living with an extended family, a teacher, a fire-fighter.. Whoever you are, just know that you’re not alone! Happy Women’s Day to each one of us!!

#BalanceForBetter #JustDoIt #PressForProgress #WomenInTheChangingWorldOfWork #Planet50-50