Monday, March 14, 2011

If there is one thing I enjoy most about life, it is being a woman!

A women’s light cannot be taken away, but it can certainly be dimmed to the point where it appears to be gone. The more women stand up to celebrate their light, the more examples we have that allow other women to stand up and do the same.

Being surrounded by love was never an issue growing up, but knowing what I was capable of doing and becoming wasn’t so easy to see. I can’t ever remember seeing people in my neighborhood and saying, “I want to be like them when I grow up”, except for my Mother. I AM grateful that she was always an example of strength, class and beauty. To me, she was a ‘make it happen’ kind of woman who allowed me to see that if one door didn’t open, another one would. I’m certain, she is where I get my optimism and strength from and this is what pushes me forward.

As a young girl, I always wanted to be a model, but I also wanted to be a role model for young girls. I thought, in order to make a difference in this world, you had to be famous. I became a model and as 12 years passed by, it was clear I was only ever going to be known as a Spanish girl from NY that got a chance to model, but not a chance to make the full dream come true. When a friend asked me what I was going to do after modeling, life stopped and I was clueless. I knew without having a resume to show, nor an idea of what I would study if I went back to school, it was going to be tough to have anyone take me seriously and tough to land a job that would provide me a living I could enjoy.

Wishing I had the inspiration, encouragement and motivation to take my dream forward, I realized that was what I wanted to create. I wanted to launch my own online network that would provide women with what I and many other women lacked growing up; a place where women could be productive with their time, online, get advice from other women that would help them take steps in the right direction and be inspired to moved toward their dreams. The partying I once enjoyed with my friends came to a full stop and I dedicated my free time to volunteering and months of research that allowed me to finally come up with a plan to make my dreams a reality.

When you reach a point in your life where you are ready to do more, the most fundamental thing you can do is join a network that can provide you with the inspiration needed to take the next step. That network was Gye Nyame Empowerment Project (GNEP).  I started volunteering with GNEP and, for the first time in my life, I had more than one example to learn from, to see what we as women are capable of achieving and what we as women really have the power to do.

My dream and passion to inspire grew and Pushy Dreamers was born. It continued to grow and I am now working on a 6 week program for teens called The Push Forward, Dream Bigger Program, I also created a T shirt line called Lucy and Carmen and create inspiration kits that make it easier for people to reach for their dreams.  I am now known as a Dream Pusher, a motivator. I became the role model I wanted to be.

Unfortunately, not enough of us have enough examples to help us see and understand that we all have the power to realize our dreams. It just takes a little wind blown in the right direction to help us see that. Our wind determines our recognition. Without the celebration of women, we wouldn’t be able to learn, take in and witness the beauty of knowing and discovering our own special magic and light. It is exactly as the quote GNEP goes by, “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same” – Marianne Williamson.

Sometimes I think back to my modeling days. If I had made it and become the famous model I thought I needed to be, I would have never discovered the need for support of our women, children and men to be inspired by their dreams. I would have also never understood that I was already who I needed to be to inspire and push others to move forward with their dreams.

For more on Raeven Western visit RaevenWestern.com and follow Raeven on Twitter @RaevenWestern