This informal CPD article,' How Women Break Barriers in the Workplace’, was provided by iGROW CorpHealth, partnering with Corporates to drive Employee Engagement through Holistic Health Solutions.
Did you know that women make great jugglers? Well, it may come as no surprise but women juggle multiple roles every single day.
Between their professional and personal roles, women are in a constant balancing act. This is alongside having to navigate workplace pressures, societal expectations, and emotional labor. While women make it look so effortless, facing this constantly can lead to stress, burnout, and self-doubt.
In honor of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025 (1), we embrace this year’s theme, #AccelerateAction - urging women to take decisive steps toward emotional resilience. Just as physical fitness strengthens the body, emotional fitness helps women develop self-awareness, manage stress, and overcome challenges without self-judgment.
This article explores how emotional fitness empowers women to counter self-doubt, set boundaries, and cultivate resilience. It’s time to prioritize emotional well-being as a fundamental tool for progress - for ourselves, for our workplaces, and for the generations to come. Let’s take action now because if we don’t, we might take longer than 2158 (2) to achieve full gender parity.
The Reality of Women’s Emotional Load
Women are often praised for their resilience, multitasking, and ability to "hold everything together." But behind their strength lies emotional exhaustion, pressure to meet unrealistic expectations, and feeling undervalued in both work and personal life. Just imagine women in the workplace. On top of their workload are societal expectations that compound on workplace stress, making emotional resilience equally challenging to achieve yet very vital for women’s emotional well-being.
To Accelerate Action toward emotional well-being, women must recognize that strength is not about suppressing emotions, but it is about managing them effectively. Emotional resilience provides the tools needed to navigate stress, reframe self-doubt, and create a foundation for long-term success.
Emotional vs. Emotions: What’s the Difference?
One of the biggest misconceptions women face is the idea that showing emotion equals being weak or unprofessional. But the reality is that emotional intelligence (EQ) is a leadership strength that allows women to regulate emotions, make clear decisions, and communicate effectively.
- Being emotional: Reacting impulsively without processing emotions.
- Having emotions: Understanding feelings, processing them, and responding thoughtfully.
In fact, it was found that women who practice emotional intelligence strategies make greater progress in their careers and feel a stronger sense of purpose at work (3). Learning how to channel emotions productively rather than fearing them is a key part of emotional resilience.
To Accelerate Action toward gender equality, we must redefine how women’s emotions are perceived not as a liability, but as an asset.
From Self-Doubt to Self-Encouragement
Women are often their own harshest critics. Whether it’s questioning their qualifications, worrying about being “too much” or “not enough,” or fearing failure, negative self-talk can hold women back from taking bold steps forward. A KPMG study (4) found that 75% of female executives have experienced imposter syndrome, highlighting the widespread challenge of self-doubt.
How to Reframe Negative Thought Patterns:
- “I’m not good enough for this role.” - “I bring unique strengths to this role, and I am always learning.”
- “If I ask for help, I’ll seem weak.” - “Asking for help shows confidence, not weakness.”
- “I can’t afford to fail.” - “Failure is a stepping stone to success—every leader has failed at some point.”
By replacing self-doubt with self-encouragement, women can Accelerate Action toward leadership and career growth without stifling self-judgment. Emotional resilience emphasizes not just avoiding negative thoughts but also replacing them with empowering beliefs.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from iGROW CorpHealth, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
- https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
- https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme
- https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/10/4/104
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/lucianapaulise/2023/03/08/75-of-women-executives-experience-imposter-syndrome-in-the-workplace/
