"Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back."
It's International Women's Day and it has us thinking about all of the wonder women who have helped shaped us, inspired us, motivated us, and encouraged us on a daily basis.
Here's to the strong women in our lives that have made us who we are. Today, we pay tribute to you:
Razonia:
I have been blessed to be surrounded by some very strong and wonderful women my entire life. One of the ladies I most admire is my mother, Connie. She is the kind of lady that will do anything for another person, she defends the underdog, and she accepts everyone’s faults. She’s not perfect, as no person is, but she is incredible and I have a tremendous amount of respect for her. When I was a little girl I remember thinking how beautiful my mother was physically – long flowing blonde hair, sky blue eyes, and sun-kissed tanned skin. It wasn’t until I was older (and graduated high school because believe me…those years were TOUGH as I was a very strong-willed child) that I realized how much beauty was also on the inside. Her guidance and love have made me a better adult. I will say, one of the things I love most about my mother today is that she’s a fantastic grandmother. As a matter of fact, growing up she always joked that the only reason she had my sister and me was so she could be a grandmother someday. My son absolutely loves his Mimi! They have such a sweet relationship and it makes me love my mother even more to see their special bond.
Korryn:
My entire life I have been surrounded by women that have shown me love when I needed it the most, sympathy when life called for it, but also weren't afraid to tell me when I was wrong and needed to hear it. 3 women that come to mind are: my mom, my Nana, and my Noni. I certainly took my mom for granted while I had her around, and wish more than anything that I could hug her again or answer one of her daily 10 phone calls. As for my Nana and Noni, I feel like I've always had a close relationship with the two of them and know I can always count on them to be there when I need someone the most. Hug your moms and grandmas today!!
Kari:
My mom probably inspires me more than any other woman. She's headstrong, determined and always fights for what she believes in! She expected us to be our best, but also knew we weren't perfect.
Sarah:
I was always a headstrong kid… perhaps too headstrong. I didn’t have any person in particular that I needed to encourage me to get through my days, though I do have some memories of my mother embarrassing me -out of love- at sporting events or the like, and I know my parents have always been proud of me despite my strong/hard-headedness. At the time for me, one inspiring woman who seemed to really be able to do it all was Mayim Bialik (you know: first-generation American, child-star Blossom, Emmy award-winning comedy actress, real-life brilliant neuroscientist, single mom, author of various publications, and advocate of many a fantastic case). I loved her from Big Bang Theory, but the more and more I learned about her the more my mind was blown at the sheer amount of success she was able to achieve in a society where any one of her labels could have worked against her. I was so impressed by the woman, I tracked down her PR team and tried contacting them to get her to speak at my high school graduation! Flattered as they were, they declined. As I’ve gotten older and lived further from home, I have had to rely more on my family, getting personal advice from my mother and appreciating the deep words of wisdom from my recently departed grandmother (who passed on her 3rd bout of breast cancer) on how to live happily. This just goes to show that some of the best inspiration can come from those closest to you, not just the famous women whose histories we can only touch the surface of.
Audrey:
The women who encourage me most are my mom and two closest friends. All inspire me each day to continue to work hard and excel in what I’m good at. My mom specifically is always encouraging me to push harder. At times I just want to complain all day about how busy things are and lay in bed but she is always the one to tell me to suck it up and continue on. I feel like everyone needs a person that sets things straight with them and I would probably not be where I am today if not for her. My best friends encourage me every day and are really awesome positive vibes in my life which is something I’ve prayed for in friends the last few years. All of them seriously are the greatest people and I cherish them daily.
Ashleigh:
As I’ve grown up, I have been lucky enough to be surrounded and raised by strong women like my mom, grandmothers, my aunts and cousins, coworkers, adoptive mothers of my friends, my sister, and so many others! I like to think that I have taken bits and pieces of all of these wonderful women, and have used them to help me become who I am today, to hopefully get to be a strong inspiring woman to my sisters and maybe even my own daughter one day.
Today, however, I think the strongest woman I know is my grandmother, Rosemary. She is in the fight of her life, after being a fighter for everybody and everything she loves her whole life; now, she is fighting ovarian cancer. My grandma has always been the one to cheer me up and remind me just who I am and what I am capable of. She’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember, whether I was a toddler putting on shows in her livingroom or showing her around my world as an adult. My grandma Rosemary has been strong for everybody else as the matriarch of our family, and now it’s our turn to be strong for her. While I’m tearing up as I write this, there is no doubt in my mind that she is taking it in strides just like any other challenge she has overcome in her life. I know that without her and all of the other fantastic images of strength I have seen in the female role models I’ve been fortunate enough to have, I would be in pieces right now instead of keeping my head up and being the light that my grandmother has always been for each of us.
To take a turn from the sad/mushy stuff…do not worry, Rosemary has called me numerous times to assure me that she will be in Lubbock for my graduation no matter what. She might be a little feisty (in case anybody wondered where I get it from), but how lucky am I to know that she is always rooting for me, no matter what?!
We hope you take time out of your day to tell those women in your life how much they mean to you. Happy International Women's Day!