The Audacity of Women…
“Who does she think she is?”
“She’s way too old to be wearing that!”
“That’s not a ‘bikini body’.”
“She’s got too many opinions.”
“THE AUDACITY!!”
As women, we are on the receiving end of a limitless tide of criticism. It ebbs and flows, and just when we gather the confidence to step authentically into our own lives, the tide comes roaring back in. We lose weight, and people worry. We gain weight, and they ask, “what happened?” We lead a meeting, and get feedback that we’re too opinionated. Or we’re just boiled down to being a “bitch”. We express healthy emotion, and we’re out of control. We shut down our feelings, and we’re cold. We smile, we’re flirting. We don’t smile, and we’re told to. We go for partner, we need to stay in our lane. We stay at home with our kids, we’re “just” a mom.
It is a relentless onslaught that women are so used to, we don’t even flinch when we’re hit with the glares and judgement. The message changes all the time, but the heart of the campaign remains the same. Be less. Quieter. Nicer. Smaller. Dimmer. Smile more. Talk less. Do more for others. Do nothing for yourself. Be. Less.
And my answer that I say with every cell and fiber of my being is: NO. It’s quite simple and, in that, quite powerful. I will not. I will not shrink down. I will not be quiet. I will not smile when I don’t want to. I will not shelve my dreams to support someone else’s. I will not force my unique, stunning soul to contort to fit your box. I was never meant for a box. None of us were. As the famous quote goes, “If I am too much, then go find less.”
I will be as big and bold and beautiful as I was created to be. I will laugh with my entire body. I will dream massive dreams and keep dreaming for the rest of my life. I will create amazing things and collaborate with incredible people. I will dance in the rain and sing in the bathroom. I will wear the dress and take the trip. I will go after opportunities that feel bigger than I am. I will stretch, and expand, and take up space. And when I think I can’t take up any more, I’ll grow so that I can reach even further.
And as I encounter people who stare and judge and talk, I will walk by with a fierce confidence and whisper, "I know right? The audacity…”