The Elephant 2021 23
Celebrating INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
#C ho
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Toorak x Turia
We were thrilled to have Turia Pitt join us in March as part of our ‘Choose to Challenge’ International Women’s Day celebrations. 12 months ago, our students were asked to share with their peers stories of females who inspire them. Turia’s story was told many times and, as living proof that with the right mindset anything is possible, she was the perfect role model for us to listen to and learn from this year, encouraging us all to take ownership of our own success. Turia’s life is one where persistency and positivity take the lead and she shared with us one of the strategies she uses to help find happiness from within. By “reframing the situation”, Turia acknowledges the challenges and difficulties of life but quickly switches her focus from that which is disempowering to that which is empowering. Instead of saying “I have to…”, she practises gratefulness by saying “I get to…”. Instead of zeroing in on the flaws of herself or others, she focuses on what makes each of us different and unique. And instead of focusing on what others think, she follows her intuition and listens only to her closest and most trusted friends and family members. Having spent much of International Women’s Day reflecting on what it means to be a positive role model to others, and the importance of integrity, empathy, self-belief and ambition, we know our students will continue to reflect on Turia’s messages for years to come. Mrs Lauren Pickering Head of Marketing and Communications
