Daring to Fill Space: A Call to Women
Many women have a complicated relationship with space—hesitating to take it, yet often filling it with the needs and problems of others. We navigate meetings cautiously, downplay our own needs, and often still carry the hidden load of work and family life. This constant balancing act leaves little room for envisioning what we truly want for ourselves.
I see this pattern time and again in my coaching sessions, particularly with women in their 40s. At this stage, many find themselves at a crossroads—children growing more independent, parents aging, and a new awareness emerging: life is not limitless. The choices and compromises that once made sense may no longer serve them. And so begins a shift—a readiness to say yes to themselves, to rediscover their creativity, desires, and boundaries. Defining the tradeoffs they are no longer willing to make. The journeys that follow are nothing short of inspiring and a true privilege to get to support and follow.
Of course, my own journey has not been without challenges. In my corporate career, I was often the only woman in the room, navigating high-stakes meetings after sleepless nights with a teething baby. Stereotypically, I was the parent daycare called first, the professional asked about childcare while crossing the Atlantic for work. I once traveled nearly 20 hours to attend a meeting where a slide showcased “everyone” on my team—except me. That stung and my confidence took a hit, which I struggled with when starting to build my career as an independent. Yet, I was also fortunate to have male colleagues and managers who were allies, supporting me through my career pivot and beyond. I was never a victim, and I recognize the importance of both resilience and allyship in shaping our paths.
This International Women’s Day, I reflect on my own experience growing up in the Nordics in the 1980s—a time when women’s rights, from healthcare to career opportunities, felt like almost a given. I was fortunate to witness women shaping politics, business, and the arts, proving that intelligence, ambition, are not bound by gender. And, increasingly, that your value and beauty as a woman is not bound by age. We believed progress was inevitable. Yet today, as a mother to daughters, I recognize that history reminds us otherwise. Rights once won are not guaranteed, and in many parts of the world, they are slipping away. DEI initiatives are under attack, and too often, leadership is still measured by outdated ideals of strength and power.
I remain hopeful. Each week, I speak with clients from diverse backgrounds who are choosing to take up space in their own way. They remind me that change is possible when we step forward, claim our voices, and dare to occupy the space we deserve. Notably, many of my male clients are just as supportive, increasingly willing to share responsibilities at home. After all, this is what most women seek—not opportunities handed to them because of their gender, but a fairer, more equal path to compete for them.
For inspiration, here are two extraordinary women who embody this spirit: French conductor and contralto Nathalie Stutzmann, breaking barriers in classical music watch here, and the legendary Dame Judi Dench, reminding us of the power of presence watch here.
