I’ve always looked up to the strong women in my life. There’s nothing I take more inspiration from than successful women. So, in honor of women’s history month, I thought it was fitting to highlight the women who have made the biggest impacts on my life.
Perhaps the most impressionable outside influence has been from Lana Del Rey. I know it’s a little middle school to fangirl over a celebrity, but it’s dishonest not to include her. I first listened to Lana when I was 12, and I’ve been hooked since. She’s definitely influenced my style, and was the coolest person to twelve-year-old (and current) me. Aside from her overall aesthetic, her lyrics really resonated with me. I had finally found someone whose music seemed like it was made just for me. There’s never been a moment in my life that I couldn’t find a Lana song to relate it to. She will forever be my biggest icon, and her music will stay on repeat.
Nellie Bly was a female investigative journalist from the 1800s. She went against the norm and made a name for herself in a time that didn’t allow women to do so. I read her book, Ten Days in a Madhouse, when I was eleven, and immediately became obsessed with her. She achieved so much when she was offered so little. Bly’s work stays prevalent in my mind every time I write. Had it not been for her influence, I may have never discovered my love for writing and my need to get to the bottom of things. Reading her work and all of the things she accomplished for women in journalism made me completely inspired.
I cannot discuss inspirational women without crediting my girlfriend, Mykayla. She carries herself in a way that demands respect. I think that is what drew me to her in the first place, that complete confidence in herself. I wondered how it would feel to be so sure of myself and have no care for what other people think. She has taught me to be more sure of myself and not to be intimidated by anyone. Without her, I would definitely have a harder time expressing myself.
The most inspirational woman of all is my mother. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t thinking about what she would do. I remember watching her put on makeup when I was little, and just hoping I would grow up to be as pretty as her. My mother has always been beautiful, but that isn’t the only reason she has been such a model to me. It’s her ability to run an entire household, be an amazing teacher, while still being put together and full of life that truly amazes me. I hope to be half the woman she is one day.
Every woman deserves to be recognized, and not just in March. All the strong female figures in my life have inspired me to be a strong, independent woman. Women are strong and creative, and their stories and contributions all need to be highlighted.