Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Michelle Obama speak in Oakland, California. I had high hopes for the event, and as it turns out, Michelle is even more amazing in person than I could have imagined. She talked about how her parents and upbringing shaped who she is today, the highs and lows of the Obamas’ time in the White House, and the importance of women and diversity in the workplace. As for a 2020 presidential bid? Michelle said that’s definitely off the table. And while we try to get over this heartbreak, here are four lessons I learned from #MYfirstlady.
1. Appreciate the women in your life
While men can serve an important role in your life, it is very important as women to have a group of girlfriends by your side to support you. As Michelle said, Barack wouldn’t know what was wrong or how to solve it if she wrote it on a post-it note and put it on his forehead, but women will know something is wrong without you even saying anything.
2. Push for diversity
Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States marked a major change in American politics, but as we know, there is still a long way to go when it comes to achieving a truly diverse workforce. On an individual level, when you look around a room, and if everyone looks the same, that’s not right, said Michelle Obama.
3. Strive to know yourself
Figuring out the best path to take for your career and your life is an extremely daunting challenge that we must all face, and it can oftentimes be a process that lasts a lifetime. A key to this, according to Michelle Obama, is knowing yourself in order to discover your passion. While your first job might not be your dream, remain patient and try not to be discouraged on the journey to finding what is right for you.
4. Make the world a better place for your daughters
The reality is, despite much of the progress that has been made in recent years, the workplace is still not a fair place for women. As Michelle Obama explained, this might be attributed to a sort of “suck it up” attitude among women, in which, instead of fighting back against the problems that exist, they go on doing their jobs as best they can despite the inequities. Michelle encourages all women to do right by your daughters by pushing back to finally bring equality to the workplace.
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