This list below is a lot of what I’ve been called, but in a negative tone, negative light, and made to somehow make me feel bad as a woman. I’ve worked in many corporate environments, I’ve been married, divorced and I have been dating. I’m TIRED of feeling like I should apologize for these things. With age and experience, I know myself and these things below are AMAZING and are in no need for an apology. I always say, BE YOU, DO YOU. A confident, smart, kick-ass woman should not apologize for being one. If you look at the list below, it isn’t even something men deal with. So ladies, remind yourself, don’t ever apologize for being a fucking amazing woman. (And FYI, August 26th is Women’s Equality Day)
{1} For Being Confident.
Every woman deserves to feel confident, to own their identity and be proud of who they are. I’ve been called intimidating and too confident. Well, guess what, not my problem, and it’s your issue. I love people, I love supporting women, but my confidence is me loving myself and has nothing to do with you. Great women support other women, period. Be one of them and confident in your skin.
{2} For Having An Opinion
Work or personal, do not apologize for having an opinion, thought, or voicing it. I rarely hear men apologizing for much even if they do pee on the toilet seat. So why are we apologizing for having a voice to give. Stand up for what you think. At the end of the day, it’s how it is relayed. Depending on the circumstances, voice it in the way it may be heard best but definitely have an opinion.
{3} For Being a Little Selfish
It is ok to do something for yourself, see your friends, not be home with the kids for an hour, day, etc. Take a vacation or whatever is needed to make you feel sane, good, or balanced!! Women are givers and when we take a little we feel guilty. We should not! List all the things you do a day and give yourself a chance to do something for yourself once a day or once a week to make YOU happy. It makes a world of difference.
{4} For Being a Working Mom or Stay at Home Mom
NEVER let anyone make you feel bad for your choice to work or stay at home. It is none of anyone’s business and you can tell them to screw off. Unless you pay my bills, no one tells me if I should work or what’s best for my kids. My kids came out of me, so don’t be telling me what to do. Some of us were raised with stay at home moms, some with working moms, and we are all better than OK. Successful people do not come from one or another. And I’ve met plenty of jerks or lazy bums that didn’t have anything to do with their mom staying at home or working. It is how we raise our kids, and who we are as a person!
{5} For Being Upset or Having Emotions
I’m human, you are human. If you aren’t allowed to have emotions than whomever you surround yourself with needs to dumped. Reasonable emotions in work or personal are ok! We are HUMAN. Having emotions does not mean you are weak. It is ok to have feelings and not apologize for it. Apologies are meant for when you do something wrong. But having emotions alone is not something to apologize for or feel weak about.
{6} For What I’m Wearing
What I wear is my choice. What I wear doesn’t give anyone a right to do what they please to me or assume I’m any type of person. Of course, I know there are first impressions, but hating on someone or making anyone feel inadequate for their clothing of choice is ridiculous.
I wear what I love, it’s an expression of myself and how I feel that day. Whatever you choose to wear, wear it with confidence!
{7} For What I’m Eating
From time to time, I still get comments on whether or not I eat . . . other friends get comments on what they eat as well. It is so absurd to have to apologize for what we eat. I won’t even spend much time on this as we should all focus on ourselves. What I eat is my business LOL!
{8} For How You Feel About Me
I love the empowered women movement but we all know that women can also be so hard on each other. What I’ve learned through life lessons and friendships gone south is that how someone feels about me negatively (especially at first) has nothing to do with me, but their own insecurities. So remember, if you feel good and confident, don’t worry about how others feel! Be a great and kind person, follow your dreams and don’t let others stop you.
{9} For Saying NO
We give and give and say yes way too much. Learn to say NO and do what’s best for you WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY. That damn guilt always gets in the way, but it is OK to say no if you can’t do something, you don’t have the time, or if honestly, it doesn’t benefit you. Men say no all the time if it doesn’t benefit them in life or work. Why shouldn’t we do the same!
No, does not mean failure, no, does not mean you are incapable, No, just means No.
{10} For Asking For Help
The most successful people in life have help! We only have a certain number of hours a day, we can only do so much, it’s ok to as for help from friends and family. Don’t feel like you have to do it all. It took me a bit to do this, but wow, it’s helped me be more efficient, happier, and people will help when you ask!
So what do you think ladies? Did you catch yourself relating to any of this?
Sometimes something that happens to me that sparks a blog post and I’m truly tired of apologizing for being a strong woman. So ladies, go out and conquer the world and focus on yourselves. Be the best you can be and don’t worry about others think! xoxo
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