With International Women’s Day on the horizon, it is important to recognize the cultural, political, economic and social achievements of women. It is our call to act and do our part in promoting gender balance. Here are inspirational quotes from 20 extraordinary women to guide you through 2020 and beyond.
2. “If you think taking care of yourself is selfish, change your mind. If you don’t, you’re simply ducking your responsibilities.” – Ann Richards
3. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
4. “Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes you’re just strong enough to let go.” – Taylor Swift
5. “It’s not the absence of fear, it’s overcoming it. Sometimes you’ve got to blast through and have faith.” – Emma Watson
6. “You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.” – Ethel Barrymore
7. “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” – Coco Chanel
8. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” – Estée Lauder
9. “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
10. “Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” – Hillary Clinton
11. “When I’m hungry, I eat. When I’m thirsty, I drink. When I feel like saying something, I say it.” – Madonna
12. “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” – Tina Fey
13. “If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.” – Margaret Thatcher
14. “When we’re growing up there are all sorts of people telling us what to do when really what we need is space to work out who to be.” – Ellen Page
15. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
16. “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
17. “Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” – Janis Joplin
18. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
19. “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” – J. K. Rowling
20. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” – Dolly Parton
The time to act is now. Each and everyone of us has the courage to make change. Find a quote that you can relate to and embrace the empowering messages of these extraordinary women.