“I No Longer Wait for Permission”: What 78% of Women Told Researchers

A 2025 evaluation of the WomenLift Health leadership program landed in front of me, and one number stuck: 78% of the women said they felt more able to lead teams and initiatives after going through structured mentorship. Not vague “empowerment” talk, an actual, measured shift in how ready they felt.

One fellow said: “Before the program, I often stayed silent in meetings, unsure if my ideas were valuable. After six months, I confidently led a regional health dialogue.”

Six months. From staying silent to running the room.

The gap between capable and confident usually isn’t about skill. These women were already qualified before the program started. What changed was believing they were allowed to take up space with what they already knew.

Another fellow put it plainer: “I no longer wait for permission. I step into opportunities.”

That’s self-advocacy in one line. You stop waiting for someone to hand you a microphone and you pick one up yourself.

What I like about this evaluation is it didn’t just measure how people felt. It tracked what actually happened. Women leading conferences. Launching projects. Applying for roles they’d talked themselves out of a year earlier.

Where are you still waiting for permission nobody’s actually going to hand you?

If you’re ready to stop waiting, the Self Advocacy Collection will give you the practical steps to start, coming soon, link in bio, lighteningup.com.au.

Madeleine x