There’s a scene early in the first Sex and the City movie where Samantha, the boldest of the foursome, attends a jewelry auction and masterfully bids against a man on the phone (who turns out later to be her boyfriend). One of the auctions I attended recently, the husband and wife bid against each other. And at a charity fashion show recently, I was amazed at the chutzpah displayed by the women bidders. These were not the auctions of my childhood.

I remember the adrenaline rush I felt the first time I bid at a live auction, having received any particular instruction on the subject. I dove in, knowing the market value of a vacation package, knowing how high I was willing to go, and I stepped out when the bidding went beyond that point. It was exhilarating – and a bit scary.

I see a lot of hope in how live auction bidding has shifted. If we’re willing to essentially haggle up a price in front of hundreds of people, business negotiations should seem a lot simpler – and I’d like to think it might help some women gain confidence for salary negotiations. And while it takes years for significant culture shifts like these, it’s important to notice when they do. Keep bidding, ladies.

If anything, what keeps you from raising your paddle?