“Good girls keep their heads down”
“Good girls don’t raise their voice”
“Good girls don’t ask for more.”
“Good girls don’t question power.”
But what if that definition of a good girl was never meant to make us great women? Today, I’m on a journey with the Women Emerging Expedition, and it hit me like lightning when I read this:
If you have not been taking care of yourself, then you haven’t yet realized that when you can’t lead yourself, you will struggle to lead others.
It made me pause. reflect. cry, even.
Because for years, I minimized me. I believed I wasn’t “enough”. I mistook flattery for direction. I cut off the younger women I could’ve lifted. I believed there was only room for one woman at the top — and it had to be me. I forgot to care for myself. I forgot that leadership isn’t about how boldly you behave in a boardroom. It’s about how deeply you listen to your inner voice. But then came the Reframe. No, I don’t need to jettison everything I’ve ever been taught. I need to reframe it.
- Being empathetic is not weakness — it’s powerful.
- Raising others up doesn’t lower my worth — it multiplies it.
- Taking up space isn’t arrogance — it’s self-respect.
The women on this journey with Women Emerging have echoed the same truth:
Reframe your power. Reclaim your space. Rewrite your story.
So here I am. A work in progress. A woman emerging.
To every woman reading this:
Don’t wait for permission to be enough.
Don’t apologize for your fire.
Don’t shrink when you were born to expand (explore).
Let’s rewrite the rulebook — together!
About the Author:
Pratibha Singh, an MBA (HR) student and President of her university’s Student Advisory Board, is passionate about people and committed to advancing SDG 4 – Quality Education. Her social service journey began with the National Service Scheme. Now, through the Help For Needy Foundation and Light of Life Trust, she trains volunteers, leads impactful events, counsels students, and empowers teachers with AI tools.
2 Comments
thank you
Kazi Asma Azmery — The Green Passport Girl
23 Hours in Immigration Detention — Yet She Continued to 161 Countries
Kazi Asma Azmery, known as the “Bangladeshi Passport Girl” and globally as the “Green Passport Girl,” is a Bangladeshi world traveler who says she has visited 161 countries with a Bangladeshi passport, with Algeria as her 161st country.
For nearly two decades, she has traveled across the world, visiting 1,420+ cities despite visa restrictions, immigration questioning, and the challenges of traveling on a Bangladeshi passport.
One of the most difficult moments came in Vietnam, where she spent 23 hours in immigration detention. Rather than allowing the experience to stop her, she continued her journey and pursued her goal of seeing the world.
Her story is about more than the number of countries visited—it is about traveling beyond passport limitations, overcoming barriers, and inspiring others to dream bigger.
As a public speaker, social entrepreneur, and youth advocate