To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are reflecting on women that have inspired us. These women have helped to shape us into the people we are today. 

Heather: I’m fortunate to have had a lot of strong women inspire me throughout my life, but someone that stands out is my late grandmother. She grew up in the Depression in Hungary, and her strong will and stubbornness helped her consistently thrive throughout her life. She was one of the first women to work for a fur company in Toronto in the 1940s, while her husband was at war. Never one to back away from anything difficult, she rode her bicycle through downtown Toronto well into her 80s to pick up her groceries. She would still do Tai Chi and full push-ups into her 90s. I would love to visit Hungary at some point to see the small village where she was from. 

Carolyn: My daughter inspires me. She is like everything I wanted to be as a kid but wasn’t able to be. She’s bold and brave and hilarious. She has a natural musical and movement to music that blossomed in her infancy. She is adored by everyone-if you meet my daughter, you’re a fan. She’s loving, wild, and fierce. 

Elora: A woman that inspires me is my mom. She’s the most generous and loving person I know and everything I hope to become. My mom is a palliative care nurse, and her empathy and compassion for others have always amazed me. Despite the trauma and challenges she has experienced, she remains hopeful. Her resilience and strength are infectious, and with her by your side, you feel like you can face anything. My mom is a friend to anyone and everyone and continuously gives back to others and her community. I’m so proud to call her my mom and I will forever strive to be half the woman she is! 

Scarlett: The first inspirational woman to come to mind would have to be my late mother. She went through a lot in her time on earth, and yet still very regularly showed up for her friends, family, and community. From my perspective, she seemed quite self-aware and able to identify where she needed to draw the line in order to properly look after herself, and I really admired that. Another thing I really admired was about 5 weeks before her death, while in a wheelchair and hooked up to IV fluids, she helped to host a rather large fundraiser that would raise money for a mental health organization in Walkerton and the Cancer program nearest to us, which was Owen Sound. Many people would, rightfully, put such fundraiser money towards their own cutting-edge treatments, but that wasn’t the direction she wanted to go! Even at the end of her life, she was giving back to her community and I can only hope to be able to give back as much as she did. 

Simran: The woman that inspires me the most is my Ba (maternal grandmother). Although she isn't with us anymore whatever she’s taught me and I have learned from her life experiences live on. My Ba grew up in a time when being an independent woman was extremely difficult. Regardless of society she put her best foot forward and made space for herself, teaching my mother to do the same. Although they both had to make sacrifices along the way they ensured that my sisters and I lived a life where we don’t have to sacrifice anything due to our gender. 

Sanchi: My mother is my greatest inspiration. She is talented, smart, hilarious and loves passionately. She has taught me how to be independent and helped me learn the importance of hardwork and resilience. She has always supported my decisions and is always helping me find myself through her advice and patience. One thing I am really thankful to her for is helping me learn to love myself and never look down on my passion. She has taught me that it is okay to be loud and take up space in the world designed to prevent me from that. 

Michelle: My inspiration comes from my grandmother. She was a strong, resourceful, independant little lady that had a lot of love to give. She didn't tolerate fighting, name calling or bullying. She was always busy with growing vegetables, baking pies for family gatherings or taking long walks with her grandchildren. I hope to be an inspiration to future generations like she inspired me.

Kyle: My wife inspires me. She's patient, optimistic, and sociable - pretty much everything I'm not.

Josh: I come from a family of strong women, who were (and are) very much the heads of the family. They all inspire me. But the one that really inspires me is my maternal grandmother. She grew up in Eindhoven during World War II and saw the occupation of her home by both Axis and Allied troops - some of whom were stationed in her own house. She later immigrated to Canada after the War, where she lived with her parents and siblings in the small Canadian countryside, not easy for someone who doesn’t speak the language and now isolated from everyone they once knew. She has been a caring and generous person in my life and taught me the importance of family. She is a very special person to me and I would do anything for her.

Happy International Women’s Day from the mindyourmind team! Today and every day, let’s recognize women’s accomplishments, hardships, and strengths. 

We encourage you to reflect on a woman that has inspired you.