In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are going to talk about honoring that little voice inside each of us that tells us when we are right and when we are wrong. It is the voice that nudges us and gnaws at us and reminds us that we KNOW best. I think it’s a girl thing and called “women’s intuition!”
One woman who had very strong intuition is Rosa Parks. On December 1, 1955, this courageous 42 year old seamstress refused to give her bus seat up for a white man. She KNEW that she was just as entitled to sit in the middle of the bus. She KNEW that her rights should be equal to those of white people. And she KNEW that she needed to take a stand. Way to go, Rosa!
Since then, civil rights have advanced by leaps and bounds. But many women still forget to listen to that little voice that tells them what they AUTO know. As a mom, a wife, a service provider, a technician and a shop owner, I see a lot of different people with different views every day and encourage them to voice their views.
No one knows your car better than you do, right? Even if you are not a mechanic, you are the one driving it. You are intimately familiar with its noises, rattles, quirks and burps. If you feel there is a problem, trust that feeling. If the mechanic doesn’t believe you or cannot find the problem, ask them to take a drive with you. If the problem persists and still cannot be solved, ask to have the situation rectified. You are your best advocate. Take it to another shop, get a second opinion. You drove into the shop, you can drive it out. Listen to that voice inside of you. If something is not right trust your intuition.
I strive to be like Rosa Parks, one of my role models. I do not sit down, I do not keep women in the back seat and I stand up for what I believe is right. Be like Rosa and take a stand. Look at and continue building on the WomenAutoKnow Auto Shop Directory, the foundation that serves as the hub for all women to access 24/7 to find pledged shops that believe in our philosophy – educate not intimidate, service not sales. These shops want to earn your business. They know that we are busy people and don’t have time for BS. And guess what gals? They don’t have time to dish any out. Our pledged shops are too busy working hard, listening to your concerns and finding solutions to your problems. They are in the business of service, not BS!
Take a stand and a stroll through our website. Think of it like a virtual freedom march, like the one from Selma to Montgomery that Rosa participated in on March 26, 1965. You won’t be marching, but with the support of other women sharing and reviewing their auto experience, having a resource to go to and advice of other women, you can march your car into or out of a pledged shop that has been reviewed and has experience with your service situation.
So ladies, trust your intuition, believe in yourselves and please continue to share your auto experiences. Take action when you KNOW something is wrong. If we each take one small step toward empowerment, together we can change the world. Rosa did!
And Rosa, we thought you AUTO know, we thank you for that!
Mechanically yours,
Audra
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