When empowered women come together, it changes lives. Not only do these women transform their own lives, but they create a ripple effect that inspires others to change.

I’ve met many remarkable women who have become catalysts for change, inspiring and empowering others to rise alongside them.

I love spending time with empowered women.

I just returned from a women’s retreat.

The retreat was hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America National Women’s Philanthropy Board.

It’s an eight-year commitment, and this was my first year attending. There were nineteen of us in the first-year class.

It was incredible to be surrounded by women who all want to make the world a better place.

Although I knew some of the people at the retreat, I didn’t know anyone in the first-year class.

This provided me the unique opportunity to build another group of friends who all want to support each other.

Now that I’m in my fifties, I thought that I was in a place where I knew the people that I knew, and that was it. I didn’t think that there would really be any new forever friends for me.

In other words, I thought I had already met my people—but I was wrong.

This retreat was unlike anything I have ever experienced before, except for my time on the National Young Leadership Cabinet, where I made some of my closest friends in my forties.

But here I am, at 51 years old, and I have met friends at this retreat—empowered women—who will be my friends forever.

Empowered women support one another.

During this retreat, I was honored to be among such amazing women who are doing so much good in the world.

But I was even more honored when these incredible women took an interest in me and wanted to support me.

In my first-year class, everyone wanted to hear about my book, The Extraordinary, UnOrdinary You.

They asked me to post it in our group chat, and several of them bought it on the spot because they wanted to read more about my life.

It was such a special gesture—not from the financial side of buying my book, but from them wanting to know my story.

They wanted to know the real me, to support me, to raise me up, and to help me feel empowered in what I do.

This is one of the very special things about the women we surround ourselves with. Empowered women have a sincere desire to empower others.

Together, we as women support, elevate, and empower one another. And it’s such a beautiful thing to be a part of.

Empowered women are a catalyst for change.

It’s amazing to me that when you get empowered women together, they affect change. It’s not at all shocking, though, because everyone knows that this is what happens.

Women naturally serve as role models and mentors, inspiring and empowering others to pursue their goals.

By sharing their own experiences, challenges, and triumphs, they provide guidance, support, and encouragement to those who look up to them.

This mentorship and support play a huge role in fostering confidence and empowering others to create change in their own lives and communities.

Both with their children and with their community, women are at the forefront of encouraging change and inspiring action.

Women are also at the forefront of philanthropy.

According to the Women Give 2020 report from Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, they found that 6 out of 10 households make their giving decisions together.

But when they don’t make their giving decisions together, 15.3% of women make those giving decisions compared to just 12.1% of men.

Among other things, this report shows that women are very involved in philanthropic decisions.

But I was even more surprised by the group of women at the retreat.

When they asked who made the philanthropic decisions in their family, 95% of the 110 women at the retreat raised their hands.

To me, this goes back to the power of women.

We are strong together, and our voices matter every single day.

As I participated in this retreat, it felt powerful to be among women who are making a difference and enacting change.

Women coming together can change the world.

Because of this women’s retreat, I feel even more capable as a woman. I honestly wish everyone could participate in groups like these so they can experience that empowerment for themselves.

I have witnessed first-hand that women understand the power of unity and collaboration. They actively foster sisterhood and create support networks that serve as safe spaces for sharing experiences, challenges, and aspirations.

When women come together, they provide a strong foundation to lean on one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and provide support during difficult times.

Above all, when women come together, they create a collective power that amplifies their impact and accelerates change.

By building these new connections, I have felt a greater sense of belonging, and it has reinforced the notion that I am not alone on my journey.

I feel truly empowered to go out there and make a difference in the world.

There is a ripple effect that comes from empowered women.

Empowered women have the extraordinary ability to inspire change in others through their actions, achievements, and unwavering determination.

By embracing their own power to make a difference, women have the ability to inspire their daughters, sisters, and friends to believe in themselves, pursue their passions, and navigate the challenges of life with strength and resilience.

In their community, women can challenge limiting beliefs and promote a culture of mutual support and upliftment. And women can make philanthropic decisions that can have a real impact on the world.

In doing this, women are creating a ripple effect that reaches far beyond their immediate circles. The ripple effect they create touches the lives of individuals, families, communities, and societies at large.

And as this ripple effect expands from one woman to the next, it will truly create a world of change where empowered women continue to uplift and inspire generations to come.