IWD #ProgressNotPerfection is Google Women Techmakers event campaign where our community hosts events all around the world during the months of March and April in celebration of this moment. From big summits to smaller, intimate gatherings, IWD is a time to host events that create connections, educate and inspire, and recognize that we still have a ways to go to close the gender gap.

This year our theme celebrates all kinds of progress - big or small - and the strength we demonstrate when we don’t let fear hold us back from following our dreams.

So often we hold ourselves to impossibly high standards and feel disappointed when we can’t reach them - or worse, we don’t even try. When we let the idea of being perfect go, we allow ourselves the space and freedom to try new things, to make mistakes and to learn. We see that all of our experiences - the good, the bad, and the ugly - have made us who we are today. Instead of striving for perfection, we can strive for growth and discovery. Instead of being fixated on the destination, we enjoy the journey, wherever it takes us.

Our paths aren’t always linear, and we may come across seemingly impossible challenges, but when we celebrate #ProgressNotPerfection, we are celebrating all we’ve accomplished - big and small - and our inner strength and resilience that allowed us to get here.