YWCA Woman of the Year Nomination

I continue to be humbled by and grateful for the YWCA’s Woman of the Year nomination.  The outpouring of love and kind words from others has given me more recognition than I am really comfortable with. The nomination was winning if you ask me. 

I have great respect for the YWCA. The staff and volunteers work to empower women in our community from the Shelter Faith Community Nurse to the education programs available for women in the emergency shelter to their childcare programs and even bringing 600 people together at the Woman of the Year banquet.

I’m where I am today because I have been empowered, supported and mentored by the people around me.  I’ve been told I’m a collector of people. I surround myself with other smart, talented, amazing women. I don’t want to do it alone; it doesn’t feel good and doesn’t work well.

YWCA Woman of the Year Nominee

I challenge you to mentor someone or find someone to mentor you.
Then, I want to hear from each of you.
Seriously.

We all need mentors, mentors of all different kinds. We need business colleagues, who are also friends, someone to call or text when something wonderful happens or something not so wonderful occurs.

I challenge you to mentor someone or find someone to mentor you. Expand your inner circle.  What do you have to offer? Can you listen to other’s concerns? What area in your life do you want to grow? I challenge each of you in the next month to reach out and take a colleague to lunch or ask an acquaintance or someone you volunteer with out to coffee.

Then, I want to hear from each of you. I want to know how that felt to connect and form deeper relationships.  I want to personally hear about my challenge to you to expand your inner circle. I look forward to your phone call or email.  Seriously.

I send my congratulations to Michelle Killoran, CFO of Scheels who was the Woman of the Year recipient in the category in which I was nominated. Also, thank you to the YWCA for providing the space to honor remarkable women of our community year after year.  I can’t wait for the next one.  

Anita, Reach Partners