But a communal approach is not enough. According to Professor Bowles, the second thing women must do is provide a legitimate explanation for the nego… - Sheryl Sandberg

All over the world, there is cultural pressure to conceal negative emotions. In China and Japan, the ideal emotional state is calm and composed. In the United States, we like excitement (OMG!) and enthusiasm (LOL!). As psychologist David Caruso observes, “American culture demands that the answer to the question ‘How are you?’ is not just ‘Good.’…We need to be ‘Awesome.’ ” Caruso adds, “There’s this relentless drive to mask the expression of our true underlying feelings.” Admitting that you’re having a rough time is “almost inappropriate.

Women face huge institutional barriers. But we also face barriers that exist within ourselves, sometimes as the result of our socialization.

If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat! Just get on.