As a woman, I encourage my fellow sisters to stand up for themselves and their beliefs even if it’s unpopular. And I’m here to remind you that it doesn’t make you a ‘bitch” or a mean person to use your voice as a woman. I’ve even provided a couple of tips to help you succeed.
Since I can remember, I’ve always been someone who calls out bad behavior when I see it and won’t let people take advantage of me or others if I’m around. This has earned me several titles including “bitchy,” “mean” and “rude.” I’ve even lost friends because of it. But let me tell you one thing: It’s worth it in the end. When I think back to the people I’ve lost or walked away from, I realize that I dodged a bullet. The people in your life should love you for who you are and support you calling out issues when you see them, even if it’s their behavior that’s hurting others. Of course, it’s not always easy for people to hear what they’re doing wrong, but the people you want in your life will understand and try to change. When you stand up for yourself and your happiness, you prevent people who want to take advantage of you from entering your life. And yes, even I struggle with this sometimes, but I know to continue on.
As women, everything we do is already under a microscope waiting to be scrutinized or labeled. Being stern, tough or confident are all badges of honor for men, however for women it’s seen as arrogance and overall bitchiness. The same drive that we have to succeed is often ridiculed, especially in the workplace. As only a 19-year-old female, I’ve already experienced this. Male co-workers are being praised for the go-getter and not taking no for an answer attitude, only it’s a negative thing to find those traits in women. And even with all this said, I’ve learned how important it is to continue to stand up for yourself and be stern. This can be hard to do in the workplace, but it’s necessary to not let anyone else’s opinion of your hard work affect you. When it comes to your career, keep being confident and tough is a necessity to succeed as a woman. And if this is a reoccurring theme in your workplace, it could be time to find a new one. My tip is to write down some boundaries you have for the workplace and fellow co-workers and put them into action.
Truthfully, it’s been a tough journey for me. but I’m so glad this is who I am, and I want to share it with other women. I feel so empowered being able to say no to others and knowing my boundaries won’t be crossed. I know it’s hard at the beginning, but I encourage everyone reading this to give it a try. You will truly start living for yourself and realize that your happiness is more important than staying quiet to please someone else. The people you lose weren’t ever your friends in the first place if you have to let them cross your boundaries to keep the friendship. Through my experiences, I want to encourage other women to stand against a society that teaches us to stay quiet if it means pleasing others. It’s always hard getting started, but you’ll eventually look back and realize that you chose loving yourself and won’t regret it. I recommended taking little steps to start out with, like practicing saying no to things you don’t like and rewarding yourself for it. It will eventually get easier and soon your left with the people who respect you and your values. And always remember, the most important person in your life is you.