These four women are prime examples of what it takes to be strong and confident. I hope to continue to learn from and be inspired by them and all of the other influential women in my life.
1. Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn once said, “the best thing to hold onto in life is each other” — a piece of advice we could all use right now. As the famous fashion icon she was, she inspires me with her wisdom, grace, and devotion to other’s needs: “Giving is living. If you stop wanting to give, there’s nothing more to live for” (Hepburn).
2. Emma Watson
Emma Watson, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the movie series, Harry Potter, has been a confident and powerful role model for young women across the nation.
“I don’t have perfect teeth. I’m not stick thin. I want to be the person who feels great in her body and can say that she loves it and doesn’t want to change anything” (Watson). This displays an extremely powerful example for girls who struggle with body image, because who doesn’t?
3. Michelle Obama
Another woman who continues to inspire me and give me hope for the future is the one and only Michelle Obama.
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once, but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own” (Obama). It can be an extremely overwhelming feeling to not have all of the answers right now with the times we are living in, however, it is important to keep these words in mind when faced with challenges and obstacles to overcome, our courage and hope can carry us through the chaos.
4. Sophia Bush
“To be happy, it first takes being comfortable in your own shoes. The rest can work up from there.”
This is one of my favorite quotes by Sophia Bush, an American actress, activist, and director best known for her character of Brooke Davis in the drama series, One Tree Hill (and the character Erin Lindsay on my all-time favorite show Chicago P.D.). Happiness should be our number one priority as we face challenges and uphill battles.
Another favorite quote of mine from Sophia Bush was in honor of International Women’s day. Bush said, “Because sorry to say, women run the house. They run the family. They hold things up. I mean, it’s like you don’t ever see your mom get sick because she handles everything. And it’s kind of amazing I think to show people just how strong women are” (Bush).
These are only a few of the amazing women who inspire me every day. We have the power to lift each other up through these challenging and unprecedented times. As we reflect on the wise words of these ladies, we can listen and learn from them.