We Are Not Each Other’s Competition

I started Women of the Murray because I saw something that didn’t sit right with me. Too often, it felt like women were looking at each other as competition, measuring, comparing, and questioning who was doing better, who looked like they had it all together.

But that was never what I wanted for myself or for other women.

What I wanted was a space where we could all win. Where women, no matter their age, their industry, or their stage of life, could succeed, feel proud of themselves, and know that their journey matters. Because the truth is, we’re all in the same boat. As women, we face enough already. We carry health challenges, emotional ups and downs, family responsibilities, careers, expectations, and everything in between. We are not each other’s enemies, we are allies.

And let’s be real, for those of us who are mums, we’re already knee-deep in chaos together. We live in the same pit of exhaustion, boogers on our sleeves, endless piles of washing, and the invisible mental checklist that never stops: remembering library books, appointments, dress-up days, birthday parties, and cutting sandwiches into the exact “right” shape so nobody cries.

I see you. I am in it with you.

When I rock up to a Women of the Murray event, chances are I’ve got paint on my hands or clothes from my other job as an art teacher. Some mornings, I take my kids to daycare looking like a half-asleep zombie in my ugg boots because it’s way too damn cold to get dressed just to come home and sit at my desk. That’s real life. That’s me. And I know I’m not the only one.

We shouldn’t be held to this standard of being “Instagram-worthy” all the time, perfect, polished, and pretty. Life isn’t an endless highlight reel. It’s messy, it’s raw, and it’s often unfiltered.

That’s why Women of the Murray exists. This is a space where you don’t have to perform or pretend. Whether you’re 18 or 81, whether you’re walking in confident or crawling in tired, you are welcome. Our events are not about big price tags or making everything look picture-perfect. They’re about what really matters: connection, food, storytelling, and sisterhood.

Because when women come together, without the competition, without the judgment, and without the pressure...we rise.

And that’s what I want for all of us.

So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to show up, this is it.

Come as you are, messy bun, tired eyes, ugg boots and all.

We’ll meet you there.

Moira Shire International Women's Day afternoon tea. March 2025. Left to right: Arti Shah, Nicole Wells, Brenda Spilva, Annie Irvine and Stacey Dick.