46 Hard Truths Women Realize At Some Point In Their Lives And Have To Accept And Live With

Of course, the situation might look different depending on which part of the world you analyze, but at least in the United States, two of the top three concerns for women are inflation and the economy.

A collaboration between the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and the Women & Politics Institute at American University has resulted in a survey that revealed 56% of the country's women feel their financial situations worsened in recent years.

67% of respondents cut back on going out to restaurants, 48% reduced the amount they spend on groceries, and 18% delayed or canceled preventive health screenings.

Nearly 40% of younger women can make ends meet each month but struggle to pay or save for unexpected expenses, while 20% of young women admit they struggle to make ends meet each month and sometimes come up short.

60% say they are pessimistic about the economy, and nearly half (47%) say they are anxious or worried about how things are going in the U.S.  

As a result, the majority (60%) feel they're more burned out than usual.

Only 20% of those surveyed say they're hopeful.

Heather Rose Artushin, LISW-CP, agrees that workplace norms, gendered societal expectations, and relationship dynamics can hold women back.

"Many women desire a balance between career, family, and a fulfilling personal life, but achieving this balance is often not so easy," she says. "Societal expectations, like taking on the majority of housework and childcare tasks even when working full-time, and workplace biases, like lower pay and inflexible work hours, leave women feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and burned out."

But while workplace norms and gendered societal expectations stand in the way of women having it all, relationships can also play a role.

"It isn't uncommon for female spouses to give their male partners time to work late at the office or travel for business, taking on the extra burden at home, but what would it be like for men to give women the same time to invest in their careers without having to worry about making dinner, packing lunches, or facilitating the bedtime routine with the kids?" the therapist asks.

Hopefully, we'll see more couples sharing the load so both partners can thrive at work and at home.