I’m proud to be from New Zealand, the first country in the world where women won the right to vote back in 1893. More recently, New Zealand also became the first democracy where women held all key government roles including Prime Minister, Chief Justice, and Governor General. Coming from a tradition of strong women, I feel it’s my duty to honor my heroic ancestors by living my life with integrity and strength.
I want other women to know how mindfulness has changed my life over the past thirty years and how it can change theirs too, which is why I wrote ‘Mindfulness for Women.’ While working on the book, I realized much of it was inspired by my pride in my New Zealand heritage. It’s also a tribute to the incredible women in my life, from my grandmother, numerous confident aunts, my mother, and three amazing sisters, to the friends I made at an all-girls high school and in women’s Buddhist communities. Many of these friendships remain strong today.
I have met women who have accomplished incredible things. These aren’t just career achievements, but women who have found joy and fulfillment through mindfulness despite facing significant challenges such as illness or pain. This is why I am passionate about helping women use mindfulness to reach their full potential.
In the seventies, girls in New Zealand schools were encouraged to dream big and see obstacles as challenges to overcome. Back then, I loved the mountains and wilderness and dreamed of becoming a wildlife ranger. The New Zealand Wildlife Service didn’t hire women, but I wasn’t discouraged. At 15, I met with a Director and asked what I needed to do to be considered for a job. He told me to get a good qualification, so I decided to become a veterinary surgeon, believing it would be the perfect skill for working with wildlife in the mountains and the sea.
Mindfulness and meditation initially seemed like more items on a never-ending ‘to-do’ list for Claire, but as we worked together, she grew increasingly curious and decided to keep a practice diary. Her journey from resistance to excitement as she experienced the benefits of mindfulness is a core part of my book. It also includes moving and gritty case studies of women who discovered mindfulness in tough circumstances.
I want women from all walks of life to read the book and find that inner peace is just a breath away. To believe in themselves and stand tall in their lives. Most importantly, I hope we all recognize that our thoughts and actions continually shape the world, and with mindfulness, we can become positive agents of change. This is the essence of International Women’s Day: women believing in themselves and each other, and working to make the world better for current and future generations.
Being mindful and present in the moment has transformed my life, allowing me to live in the here and now rather than getting caught up in the future.