#girlboss
Within the past year, one of the biggest lessons I learned was that I need to put myself first. I spent years putting others and their needs before my own, creating a mindset that wasn’t exactly the healthiest. After lots of reflection and hard conversations, I decided that in-order to be the best me, I needed to stop giving my time and dedication to others and place these things somewhere else: myself. This was the beginning of becoming a girlboss.
What exactly is a girlboss? It’s someone who doesn’t care what everyone else thinks, someone who is confident in their own skin. Someone who is capable of putting her own goals and ambitions first, not settling for the easier things in life.
I spent so much time my sophomore year making sure that everyone around me was happy and content in life. I focused so much on my friends that I forgot the one person I needed to look out for. Myself! How could I get so distracted? My mental health was all-over the place, happy one minute sad the next. It wasn’t healthy.
Come beginning of junior year I went through some life changes. I had broken off relationships that were toxic, deciding to spend the year on myself and who I wanted to become. It was hard. No sugarcoating it. Many tears were spent, sleepless nights, and fears of the future. Yet, within that uncertainty something beautiful emerged.
I can now confidently say that I’m proud of who I am. In my growth last year, I found out exactly who I am and what makes me me. I found passion in new places, this blog being one of them. People who brought me down were distanced, forgetting about the damage that they brought me. I put work into the classes that brought me tremendous joy and accomplished things I never thought I could, my research paper being one of them. I finally saw all my hard-work coming together and the feeling was unexplainable.
I didn’t accomplish this all alone. I had help, role models who showed me that it’s ok to be confident in who you are and what you stand for. Some of these role models are below. Princess Diana, Elle Woods, and Emily Prentis (from Criminal Minds) are all tremendous examples of not letting anyone get in the way of your beliefs.
Elle Woods didn’t let anybody get in her way of Harvard. Yes, she only applied to win her ex-boyfriend back, but along the way she came upon a new found passion and purpose. No matter how many times her colleges and professors told her she couldn’t, she let their disbelief fuel her fire, inspiring her to prove them all wrong.
Princess Diana didn’t let the royal family or their rules stop her from following her calling in life. She constantly broke the rules, pushing the boundaries so she could accomplish what she wanted to. When it felt like everything was against her, Diana put her head down and forged ahead, creating a legacy that will inspire many.
Emily Prentis is a female in a male dominated profession. As an agent in the Behavioral Analysis Unit within the FBI, she had to fight to earn and keep respect amongst her colleges. No matter what anybody said, she stuck to what she knew and did her job, completing it to the best of her ability and more. The result? Becoming one of the most respected agents within the Bureau.
The biggest girlboss who has influenced me the most is my younger sister, Greer. She might not realize it, but she inspires me everyday. She is one of the most awesome people I’ve ever met (and I’m not just saying that because she knows where I sleep) as she doesn’t let anyone tell her no. Having the kindest heart, she fights for the underdog, making sure that nobody is treated unkindly. She has a fiery spirit that I hope will never be tamed. Once she’s set her mind to something, nothing will stop her until she’s succeeded. In fact, as a freshmen in high-school, she is the kicker on our football team. She quickly settled in and has made a tremendous impact on the team. Each time she takes the field, I feel nothing but pride fill my heart. I’m proud that she is confident in who she is as that was something that I struggled with when I was her age. I look up to her and I hope she knows how much of an impact she’s had on me and the lives that she’s touched.
Being a girlboss isn’t easy. It’s hours of hard-work and self-confidence. There’s moments of doubt, uncertainty, and thoughts of surrender. It scares a lot of people. People who aren’t sure of their ability and self. Don’t let them impact you though. Only YOU have control over your own girlboss abilities. So go out and flaunt it! Be yourself and don’t stop until you’re satisfied with your progress; and once you’ve reached that stage, set another goal and keep going! Go get ’em and be a #girlboss!
