On 8 March 2022, we celebrated International Women’s Day which is an annual celebration devoted to honouring women’s achievements while seeking gender equality in a world of bias. Though it was a one-day celebration, our efforts are continuous. It is our responsibility to give women and men the same opportunities to succeed in life and contribute to a prosperous economy.
Throughout history to the present day, Malaysian women have been playing significant roles in developing our country in sectors ranging from civil society and education, to business and sports.
Datin Paduka Mother A Mangalam S. Iyaswamy who founded the Pure Life Society in 1948 brought our attention to orphans’ welfare while Datuk Ramani Gurusamy was actively advocating for women’s rights in the 1960s. We also remember Dato Pandelela Rinong Pamg who brought Malaysia to the world stage. These women’s accomplishments are just the tip of the iceberg of what Malaysians have achieved.
In line with this year’s IWD theme of #BreakTheBias, Ms Ng Sim Kheng, Chief Financial Officer of Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad (PAMB) said, “As women, we owe it to ourselves to embark on the journey of self-empowerment. We are capable of taking control of our thoughts and aspirations, we are capable of converting intentions into actions and we should remain persistent and resilient in the journey to #BreakTheBias”.
There is no better time than now for us to champion self-empowerment in order to live with confidence!
Here are some tips on how we can get started in becoming the best version of ourselves.
- Boldly pursue dreams
Everyone can have dreams, both women and men alike. The question is whether we dare to dream and whether we dare to pursue the dream. Pursuing dreams with passion creates positive energy which in turn brings happiness and a healthier life.
We need to make dreams happen by acting upon our intentions. We must be bold in our actions and stay courageous in pursuing our goals without giving up when times get tough because dreams make life worth living.
In achieving your dreams, you may inspire others to do the same and the more you surround yourself with go-getters, the further you will progress.
- Find the energy
It is a fact that regular exercise can make a real difference in increasing one’s energy level. In addition to a good diet and a good night’s sleep, the right level of physical activity can increase energy and minimise fatigue throughout the day. Exercise is also said to be a powerful medicine.
Simple habits such as exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet are little things we can do to feel better and stronger and at the same time improve our self-confidence.
You may find mobile apps such as Pulse by Prudential, a free to download AI powered health and wealth app with heath features which include online doctor consultation, health check and symptom checker is useful for your health journey – making it convenient for you to achieve your fitness goals.
- Become financially independent
As Warren Buffet said, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die”.
This means that the earlier one starts to save and invest the savings, the larger will be the invested savings. For example, if RM 10 is saved each year from age 10, the invested savings at age 65 will be a multiple of approximately 5 times (assuming 5% p.a. return) of the savings. However, if RM 10 is saved each year from age 30, the invested savings at age 65 will be a multiple of 2 – 3 times (again assuming 5% p.a. return) of the savings.
The open secret to savings and investments is the power of compound interest: the interest you earn on interest, the money you make while you sleep.
In addition, life is also unpredictable. This is where insurance can help to finance medical bills or finance your recovery from critical illness or financially help you and your family should the unexpected occur.
“When it comes to personal finances, every woman needs to stay ahead and be in control. Our needs change overtime with every life stage bringing different priorities. Hence, we need to constantly educate ourselves with financial literacy, to understand our safety options in order for us to make informed decisions to protect ourselves. We need to be aware that financial independence is crucial. It is one of the most important elements that empowers women to live with confidence,” says Ms Ng.
