Patricia Sands

Author

Women

Believe in the beauty of your dreams~BOAW2015

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Artwork by the fabulously beautiful Renée Schuls-Jacobson
Artwork by the beautifully talented Renée Schuls-Jacobson

Here we come again!

It’s the fourth anniversary of the Beauty Of A Woman blogfest hosted by the talented women’s activist, journalist and writer, August McLaughlin. I hope you will find a quiet time in the next little while to visit all of the participating blogs. The messages are inspirational, informative, entertaining and … well … beautiful. You might even be enticed to join us next year! Bonus: check out the beautiful prize list too!

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Eleanor Roosevelt

This year’s BOAW challenge has me focusing on my 5-year-old granddaughter who is a real girly-girl with long strawberry blond hair and stunning turquoise eyes. She is also smart, feisty, strong-willed and curious.

I worry about the world today, where the media focus is more frequently on stereotypes that deliver a skewed vision of “beauty” to fertile young minds. I want my granddaughter, and all girls, to grow up in a world that is safe. A world that gives the right messages. I want girls to grow up proud, confident, educated, and kind-hearted, with a strong social conscience. Why not? I want them to understand that beauty exists in many forms. I want them to listen to Eleanor’s words and believe in the beauty of their dreams.

It gives me hope to know there is a girl raising her voice and making a difference in the world. A girl who can be the best kind of role model for all girls and an inspiration to women of all ages. She’s a girl who believes in the beauty of her dreams: Malala Yousafzai.

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Today I want to dedicate my post to the beauty of Malala’s dreams, along with some organizations that work tirelessly to end violence against women. The dedicated people behind these organizations deserve to be recognized and supported for all they do to improve the lives of women and girls. Their messages underline the beauty and importance of the strength and potential of every single female. They truly work to bring about change so that every girl and woman may know she is safe and have the opportunity to believe in the beauty of her dreams.

It’s heartbreaking to think of the countless numbers of young girls and women in tragic situations around the world who struggle just to get through a day. We should never let up on our efforts to bring change to their lives.

Let’s all do our part to support the dreams of the future..

Because I Am A Girl

Canadian Women’s Foundation

Bring Back Our Girls

Vday.org 

#OneBillionRising

Each year I am simply blown away by the variety of perspectives, opinions and beautiful words found on all of the participating websites. You can link to all of them right here. Fest away!

It’s been a pleasure to take part in the BOAW blogfest all four years. May I be candid here? I know I can with you … I’ve loved each of my BOAW posts because August’s challenge to us has caused me to look at certain aspects of life in ways I might never have written about on my website. Thanks, August!

BOAW 2012 ~ You’re Beautiful Just The Way You Are

BOAW 201 ~ She Walks In Beauty

BOAW 2014 ~ Hear Us Roar

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Thanks for joining me today. If you like today’s post, please use the share buttons below. It all helps!

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Just for you ~ a Reader Appreciation Event

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Have you heard? Have you dropped by yet? Did you know that hundreds of readers have stopped in to chat and enter giveaway contests? We’ve been having a grand time getting to know each other at our =====>

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I’ve teamed up with 16 friends, who write in all different genres, to offer a January Reader Appreciation Event. Readers are the reason we write and we wanted to say thanks. Book Rhythm has put together a Rafflecopter for us and we are all offering giveaways of our books for two weeks beginning January 15th.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there and you will no doubt see some old friends, as you make some new ones.

There’s no rush! You can take your time working your way through the Rafflecopter. The more you visit, the more opportunities you have to win one of these gift cards:

1st prize – $250 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
2nd Prize – $75 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
3rd Prize – $50 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
4th Prize – $10 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
5th Prize – $10 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
6th Prize – $10 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
7th Prize – $10 Gift card (Winner’s choice)
8th Prize – $10 Gift card (Winner’s choice)

Enter the Rafflecopter and try your luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks for joining me today. If you like today’s post, please use the share buttons below. It all helps!

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Power Of The Purse ~Sept. 25 ~ join us!

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Do YOU have your ticket yet for #PowerLondon in the beautiful community of London, Ontario? We are only a day away from the 6th annual conference and it’s bigger and better than ever! Don’t miss this year’s exciting speaker line-up along with the Vendor Marketplace on Thursday, September 25th!

This year this major networking event for women will be generously supporting the new St. Joseph’s Hospice in London.

“We want women to invest in themselves. It is really about a day where we gather together to celebrate women’s empowerment,”  says founder, Cynthia O’Neill. “We want women to be inspired, we want them to be educated and motivated and celebrated.” I would like to add that we also make certain they have a very enjoyable day!

Click here for tickets and further information : www.powerofthepurse.ca/london-2014-tickets/

I’m honoured to be one of the speakers again this year and look forward to seeing you there!

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International Women’s Day 2014

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Every year a powerful theme drives the goals for the year of the International Women’s Day.

2014 Theme: INSPIRING CHANGE

From the IWD Home Page ~”Women’s equality has made positive gains but the world is still unequal. International Women’s Day celebrates the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action.

Inspiring Change is the 2014 theme for our internationalwomensday.com global hub and encourages advocacy for women’s advancement everywhere in every way. It calls for challenging the status quo for women’s equality and vigilance inspiring positive change.”

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The 3 C’s of life : We have to choose to take a chance before change will happen.

Special days are held to draw particular attention to a cause. Whether the cause is gender based or against bullying and war or for peace or love, to name just a few, caring about these issues should be a part of our daily life.  Change is also a part of our daily life, often unexpected. The more we have the courage to make choices and embrace change, the more we will inspire others to do the same.

Some of the women I want to celebrate today are fine examples of ones who have inspired change in each other through five decades. They represent honest, non-judgemental friendship that is always there to listen, to guide, to question, and to pick you up when you stumble so you can stand tall and try again. Celebrate those women in your life ~ give them a call and tell them how you feel.

My real-life Bridge Club-PSandsPhotos
My real-life Bridge Club-PSandsPhotos

And now, a shout-out to all those who raise their voices against violence and work to inspire change for women and girls all over the world. If you don’t know about the global catalyst V-day, you should. Get involved! Share the message and inspire others to do the same.

Click this link to watch a short video that explains the importance of V-Day. It is definitely worth your time! Then inspire others by passing it along.

Within the writing community recently, women (and some men) participated in the Beauty of A Woman Blogfest, now an annual event hosted by the effervescent August McLaughlin. Click on the link to read the inspirational quotes she thoughtfully took the time to compile!

In my post for the BOAW Blogfest this year, there’s a video about the ERA and the fact it still has not been ratified in the United States! Whaaaa? I know! That’s what I said too. Now there’s a change that is long overdue. Raise your voices and make it happen! Click here to see the video. It’s inspiring!

I will end this post as I did last year with a link to Evelyn Hannon’s wonderful Journeywoman.com website where she is once again hosting a photo exhibit of women around the world. The photography has been sent in by bloggers and travellers and it is simply  … yes …  inspiring!

Go forth and inspire change in large ways and small. We can do it! Examine the possibilities in life that exist for each and every one of us.

You know what I like to say, every opportunity I get:225391156320705857_f4fpjwu6_c