Voices

of Inspiring Women

Dr. Sheila Candelario
Inspiring Woman
December 2005-January 2006

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Written by Women for Women

Eye of the Moon:

What three element have you observed are key for a woman to be inwardly strong as she works to assert her female power in society?

Dr. Sheila Candelario:
Three elements that I think are key for women to be inwardly strong and assert their womanhood in society are:

IMAGINATION: You have to rebuild yourself from within. Since childhood, as we are taught to acculturate and assimilate into a family structure, educational institutions and society, we are given roles to follow, a language to use and the symbols and metaphors which we are told define us. We have to search and learn our own history as women and find the truth behind what we are made to believe within patriarchal systems, including institutional religions. We have to create our own language, our own metaphors, our own symbols and construct ourselves from within. We have to visualize and imagine who we truly are in order to transcend all that holds us back.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE: The journey into self-knowledge has multiple paths according to how you have imagined yourself and have traced your reconstruction. My path was through education and writing literature, others might be through art, music, humanitarianism, etc. What is essential is that you listen to your own voice, that you find your true passion and inspiration to guide you as you overcome obstacles in pursuit of your goals and dreams.

WILL and HONESTY: Action is the opposite of fear. Exercise your voice, your will to evolve with the utmost honesty and sincerity. Throughout our lives, we have been paralyzed by intangible fears: fear of failure, fear of loneliness, fear of not being good enough, fear of disappointment, fear of rejection, etc. The list is infinite. These are ghosts of insecurities. They are “maybes” that are not real. Face them with incisive honesty. Acknowledge them. Find the source of that fear, unmask it and transcend. Once we have imagined ourselves differently and are well into the journey of self-knowledge and rebuilding, we have to start with determination to take small steps in exercising our voice, our intuition and our strength. Write in a journal your feelings, opinions, dreams; write poetry; paint; find out the information needed to enroll in a class or college; go visit the place where you would like to work or show your art some day; speak to someone that has the information you need to set you in the right direction. Remember that setbacks are just signals for redirection. Like a compass, they point to us where we really need to go next, our next step. Persevere, believe and trust that the universe wants you to succeed, that everything is out there waiting for you to make it happen. Empower your voice with your actions.

Dr. Sheila Candelario is a writer, educator and promoter of human rights. Her research has helped expose and heal the atrocities of the war in El Salvador. Currently living in New York, she has dedicated the last three years to helping Puerto Ricans and other Latinos aspire to a better life through education.

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Our Inspiring Woman for this issue has taken considerable time to answer our questions and record this message to inspire and support you. Take two minutes to send her feedback.

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Dr. Sheila Candelario was nominated as Inspiring Woman for the Eye of the Moon newsletter by visual artist Tanya Torres, who was the Inspiring Woman for the October-November, 2005 issue of Eye of the Moon.

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