Being a woman isn’t easy, and more often than not, we end up cursing our fate for being one. Like Belinda from Fleabag says, “Women are born with pain built-in. It’s our physical destiny: period pains, childbirth, you know. We carry it within ourselves throughout our lives.”
Having said that, we often forget to appreciate the privilege it is to be a woman… To have the power to create a life and build a home.
It is indeed a privilege to be strong, ferocious, ambitious and badass, while being graceful, kind, nurturing, loving, and beautiful-inside out. Women continue to deal with the set, societal, gender norms and pressures while shattering glass ceilings and stereotypes like a boss!
They wake up every day with a million insecurities and ideas of who they are, who they should be and what they should behave like, thrown upon them, and yet, they are unapologetically themselves.️
The women in my life have had a major role in building me into who I am today, be it the women in my family, my teachers, or my friends. I have seen the strongest of women, face a weak moment, break down and gather themselves back with incredible strength.
I have seen them put on a brave smile and go on about their day, even if they were hurting on the inside. I have seen them forgive, forget and move on. I have seen women break stereotypes, be vocal about their needs, not cave into the unnecessary pressure put on them by people around them and getting what they want.
They did what they wanted to do despite being told what to and what not to do. I have seen them put their needs before others’ and others’ needs before theirs. I have seen them work hard to strike a beautiful balance between their personal and professional lives.
Over the years, these women have inspired me to be strong and face every adverse situation that life has thrown at me with power and poise. They have shown me the power that self-love and acceptance can instill within you. They have taught me to shut down haters without being disrespectful or mean.
They have also shown me the importance of being kind and helping build other women up, rather than tearing them down. I am not all the way there yet, but every day I am working, little by little, on getting there.
Here’s to celebrating all the women who have been role models, not just today or tomorrow, but EVERY DAY.
Be beautiful and be badass!