September 3, 2007 was one of the most defining moments of my adult life. It marked the start of my political career, which allowed me to serve my country and my party at the highest levels in the capacity of Member of Parliament, Cabinet member, an eight-year elected chairman of Region 1, a long-standing executive member, and party officer as treasurer.

I’m often asked if this has been a rewarding experience, and I pause to reflect on the realities of this journey. The short answer is yes. To serve my country has been the highest honour I could aspire to.

But, along the way I’ve learned that once you are in the public eye, the criticisms will follow, and the battles will be unrelenting and brutal.

I knew very early that politics was a blood sport and, if you wanted to serve, you had to make sure you survived the battles.

“Lazy”, “narcissistic”, “self-serving”, “bully’, “manipulative”, “Jezebel”, “a spawn from hell”, “fallen angel from Lucifer”, “difficult to work with”, “aggressive”, I think I’ve heard it all, and when they want to be kind they say “beauty queen turned politician”. Or, the closing sentence to justify my public life journey, “She ran and lost…”

As a leader I have made tough and sometimes even unpopular decisions. But, even though I am a politician, I have never played ‘politics’ or ‘hedged my bets’ on these matters. That’s not in my nature.

However, along this journey I have examined the opportunities given to our male counterparts when they have come up short in the past and how they are given the “chance” to prove themselves and return. I examine how the headlines are written about female politicians and are often irrelevant to the article’s content and situation. I examine who is held to a higher moral standard and who is given a pardon much faster than the other.

“She can’t get along with her councillors…” Yet when councillors cross the floor in the seats of our male counterparts, nothing is said.

Now that I have chosen not to seek a fifth term at the polls, here’s some advice to the current generation of female parliamentarians and others who are interested in entering politics:

1) Remember, politics is not made for the weak nor faint-hearted; neither is it perfect, but it works and is far better than the indignation of resignation to do nothing.

2) Be mindful that members within your own party often create the bullying and daily bombardment of salacious accusations and fabricated innuendos being hurled at you. Therefore, do not ignore these sorts of propaganda. Some will perceive public silence over time as consent and acceptance of the labels of your work ethic. In times like these we need you to have courage, even if it means standing alone on principle or choosing battles unwisely that could adversely affect your political ambition.

3) Use social media to build trust with the public about your value system with a sustained application, and do not get sidetracked from your objectives. Naysayers will permanently hide behind digital titles and fake identities representing unbridled bitterness, disrespect, and abuse. They are intended to destroy your focus to tear away the path you’ve chosen for yourself. It’s time you turn down the noise in the comments and pay attention to the voice in your guts that keeps encouraging you to improve. So learn how to identify them and never let them hurt you or get under your skin.

4) Do your research, speak the truth, and always be accountable to the people you serve. If you got it wrong, say so, and never be too big to say ‘I am sorry’.

5) Fight to keep your integrity, even when you know those around you are not held to the same standard. As women, we have an overarching responsibility to fashion our actions to lead the generations coming after us.

6) Put your family first at all times. Put your phone on “do not disturb” as you spend time with them. Also, have fun, travel, and be happy without guilt.

7) Rest is super important, and so is your health. Ensure you do your regular medical check-ups, pap smears, mammograms, and colonoscopies. I have seen too many of my party workers and colleagues neglect their health for constituency work, and now they are no longer with us.

8) Stay close to the people and build your political base before anything else. Don’t be fooled. It is only the people who can move you; not the political leadership, and not the councillors. But always think 10 steps ahead with a stealthy stratagem before you make a decision knowing at all times it is your delegates and the people who will have your back.

9) Work across the aisle. For too long Jamaica has struggled with tribal politics. That needs to change. As women, we must see Jamaica as our project. We are the hands that rock the cradle and ultimately rule the world. We all have a responsibility to build this country. Therefore, don’t drive misogyny unconsciously but, instead, see the purpose we can all achieve for Jamaica if we remove our biases.

10) Money is crucial to political campaigns. However, men stick together and network better than we do. Therefore, make sure you do not stifle your ability to earn. Always have a backup plan in case you lose your seat. If you are single, your priority must be to own your home and build your ‘nest egg’ without being politically dependent on anyone. In other words, you must hold that power, knowing you will be safe if you walk away.

And, finally, stick together, dare to try, and never be afraid to run for the big positions in leadership. We need real empowerment to stir a new social culture underpinned with solution-oriented forward-thinking and deliberate, purposeful actions driven by you, our women.

It does not matter who you are, where you come from, or where you started, this is about where you want to go and how Jamaica can benefit from your presence.

So, use your space, your voice, your platforms, and your presence to add value. You all have a responsibility to future generations to take a stand and act in a manner that is in the long-term best interest of our children, harnessing the pride in our history, while instilling within them firm moral convictions and integrity. If we fail, we will walk backward alone into the future with our eyes closed.

So, here’s to you, women walking into the political future together with the courage to inspire future generations.

Lisa Hanna is Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, People’s National Party spokesperson on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and a former Cabinet member.