I think I have had an exceptionally lucky life.
I started in my IT in 1995, in Malaysia.
So I was a short girl nerd, working as a BOFH, configuring routers, administering users and domain profiles and access, backing up and restoring SQL databases, managing tape back-ups, dealing with Users and their never ending demands and PEBCAK and ID-10-T errors.
For some reason, I’ve never really felt disadvantaged by my XX chromosome.
I don’t believe I was ever underpaid.
I have never really had anyone look down on me, or created issues because of my gender.
Was Malaysia a progressive country that disregarded gender, race and background, and rewarded accordingly based on meritocracy and excellence in work?
Hah!
That’s so far from the truth.
Back then, and even today – 25 years later.
Dad infected me with the do-or-die perseverence, so I always knew I had to work hard for anything I valued anyway.
Not because I’m a woman, and certainly not because I’m an immigrant (I now live in England).
So how did I escape the misogyny that raised the need to make it a formal declaration for support of Women in terms of having International Women’s Day, and things like that?
I actually think it’s because I have a disease.
A case of I-don’t-give-two-flying-monkeys-what-you-thinkitis.
I am not sure, and I haven’t quite figure it out, but people have told me thus.
Or maybe I have just been exceptionally lucky.
In either case – I don’t take it for granted, but I do try and teach my children how to survive and thrive.
Grit and resillience.
That’s the mantra.
“I get knocked down, but I get up again,
You are never gonna keep me down.”
That’s the only formula that will work in an unstable world in an uncertain future.
Regardless of who you are or where you come from.
#grit
#resillience
#charmedlife
#personaldevelopment