I Dampened My Emotions Because Society Told Me Women are Too Emotional… And Society Was Wrong

I am fiercely passionate about the Global Goals. Actually, I am fiercely passionate about sustainability in general. I am passionate about entrepreneurship. I am passionate about good food. I am passionate about football. I am passionate about music…

I am a passionate person.

There are a number of things in life about which I feel incredibly strongly. Some of them matter; some of them really don’t.

As a young female businesswoman, I am conscious of the whole “women are too emotional to be successful leaders” line that got thrown around as I was growing up. When I was a child, the movement for women in leadership roles wasn’t nearly as strong as it is now.

This means that every now and then I check myself. I question whether I should be feeling so strongly about something. Am I too passionate? Am I too emotional? Will people respect me as a leader if they see this side of me?

Of course, there is a line between responding and reacting. I respond emotionally to a lot of situations because I am an intense personality. However, I do not react emotionally to these. I might fly off the handle and yell and stamp my feet to my family and friends over some work drama. I might even draft an email…