(Updated April 4, 2024)
If I could give you one piece of advice, I’d tell you to be proud of the woman you are. You see, you must be proud of yourself before expecting others to be proud of you.
When I was looking up quotes about strong women, I came across great ones that I will share here.
Every time I read one of them, it reminds me to be proud of my strengths. No matter how long it took me to discover I had them.
Raising children and taking care of family and providing meals is what women have always done. But that is kind of looked down upon, being a woman who “stays at home”.
There seemed to be no real value in the labor of caring for home and family.
“What do you do all day?” I’d get asked from time to time at parties.
Back then I was in my early twenties. And I hadn’t gotten to the point where I was proud of the woman I was.
The insecure and frightened woman who entered adulthood had been an insecure and frightened child. It was far down the road before I learned to appreciate my worth.
What I Should Have Said:
(What I should have said at one of those parties): “What do you think we do all day? We take care of children when they’re sick.
“We provide food for them. And when money is tight, we get creative. We clean and wash, and clean and wash again.
“We do whatever needs to be done.”
Strong women learn to tamp down their feelings in order to head straight down the road to where they’re going. No matter how many men try to stand in their way.
No matter what transpired the night before, a woman has to get up and put a smile on her face. Even though inside she may be sad and hurting.
And then she gets up and starts all over again.
“What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters.” — Kamala Harris
You have to stumble and fall in order to find your way. Because you aren’t given a road map when you’re born to light up your path.
You are certainly not born a strong woman. You become a strong woman.
So be appreciative of the majestic female you’ve turned out to be. Despite whatever odds stood in your way.
Forge your distinctive path by tearing down the forest until you can see the trees.
We all get pushed down. Someone might even have the audacity to hold us down. But after we’ve had enough, we eventually find the strength to get up.
No matter what happens, over and over again we get up. It may take us awhile. It may even take us years. But we make a promise to one another and we get up.
“Women have always been the strong ones of the world.” ― Coco Chanel
Finally We Get Up & Stay Up:
Finally, we get up and stay up. And then we live to tell the tale.
Strong women don’t just take care of themselves. They stand strong for others who don’t yet have the courage to stand up for themselves.
If everything in life was simply given to us, how would we learn to face challenges? How would we learn to survive?
“Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” ― Michelle Obama, “Becoming”
There are a whole tribe of readers here who have each other’s back. Women who aren’t afraid to lend a helping hand to someone who’s in need.
Sometimes all that’s necessary is a kind word to lift someone up.
Be Proud Of The Woman You’ve Become:
There was civil rights activist Rosa Parks. Her decision to stand her ground would go on to change the course of history.
“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it’s right,” Parks said.
Each time we stand up for ourselves, we are doing it for our daughters, our sisters, our friends, and our neighbors.
Because real power is never just handed to women. We have to stand up and fight for it.
Learn to be fearless in the face of adversity.
Be proud of the woman you became. And the many road blocks you knocked down to get there.
“I am like a falling star who has finally found her place next to another in a lovely constellation, where we will sparkle in the heavens forever.” ― Amy Tan
My favorite quote by Eleanor Roosevelt . A woman is like a tea bag. You don’t know how strong you are until you get in hot water.
AMEN! I love eveything about this post! Sometimes women don;t know how strong they are until they have to be.
Thank you for sharing these empowering words.
The quotes are really inspiring! And when a woman supports and encourages other women, no one can beat us. It’s really good to read such motivational quotes in the morning!
We are here, this tribe of women, to hold each other up. To support and encourage, just as you said. We may not be face to face, but we can, with our words and compassion, lift each other up.
I love these quotes, they make us feel more fearless. I think we mostly have that in us, it just takes time and circumstances, in some cases for it to emerge. Having a tribe can make each of us a warrior. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we must remember we only have ourselves to fall back on.
Jane
I read quotes like this and I feel empowered. It reminds me of what I’ve been through, mistakes I made along the way, and one of the great powers is to forgive yourself. No one is perfect. No one starts out a warrior. You become one.
Great post, Brenda! I’m sharing it with my two daughters.
Here’s another quote for you all. I don’t know who said it, but I used to have a bumper sticker, which I posted on my bedroom mirror, that said, “A man is to a woman as a fish is to a bicycle.” It’s kind of ruthless, but it was just what I needed after my divorce when I was learning to be on my own.
Thanks for your encouraging post.
I learned just how weak my ex was when, the same day as our divorce hearing, he and his new love moved in together. He could not spend one day alone. She was sitting ahead of me in the court house and as soon as it was over, off they went to start their life together.
Yes! I am proud of who I am, what I do, and what I’ve been through. I still get put down sometimes for “staying at home” and asked “what I do all day” and it truly peeves me. I can’t believe people still have that kind of ignorant thinking. I do more in my home and for myself and my family than I ever did when I worked outside the home. Regardless, as women, we should all be supporting each other no matter what we’ve chosen to do with our lives.
So true. What do we do? We are managers, health aids, cooks, cleaners, drivers, you name it. I guess some people are just still ignorant to this fact. Maybe you have to get a pay check to get respect.
I now have been asked numerous times. ” What will I do at home when I retire at 62 years old”? I HATE the implications of that statement! so much so that i wrote a post about it!
https://debbie-dabbleblog.blogspot.com/2018/04/what-will-you-do-when-you-retire.html
The same sigma exists for women who choose to retire early!!
Hugs,
Deb
I’ll tell you, dear Brenda…
I always thought I was a strong woman until I lost the love of my life. It’s been a year this month and days I find it hard to even breath….but it is better.
I know you two were side by side for many years. I can’t imagine the devastation you feel. I’m so sorry. A step at a time.
Amen! We sisters can help bring strength to those who have none.
Yes, we can. That’s what sisters do.
Brenda,
I was looked down on because I worked full time night shift, took care of my sons when I got home from work, slept when they took a nap, made dinner and then handed them over to my husband so I could go to bed and sleep a bit before going back to work. He then gave them a bath, read them a story and got them ready for bed. I would get up in time to kiss them Good Night before I went to work as an RN in a hospital. No one else but my husband and I watched our sons until they were old enough to go to Pre School. Working night shift enabled me to never miss anything that they had at school. And even now that my sons are in their mid 30’s, I still work night shift. Working all those years at a well paying job will earn me more social security than my husband and because of the amount of money that I invested in my 401 K, both my husband and I will be able to retire at 62 years old. He is already retired…… The one thing my Mother always taught me was”Never be dependent on a Man”. She worked full time from the age of 16 to 67 years old. She would be 99 years old this year! And my dad taught me to “Never let anyone use you as a door mat”. I am a strong woman and I fought long and hard to become one! Thanks for posting this!!
Hugs,
Deb
I can’t believe that you were put down for doing it all! You are a very strong woman, and you should be proud of all that you’ve accomplished. I wish I’d done the same and never relied on a man.
Brenda,
Just recently I was put down by my only sister and one niece for my choice to work. we are no longer talking and I am estranged from them now for 9 months…. Thanks for your kind words….
Hugs,
Deb
Wow. Congratulations. It is wonderful that you will retire at 62. You obviously deserve it. You work hard in a noble profession. God bless your mother. My mother taught me the same thing, i.e. be independent; never be dependent on a man; don’t let anyone have control /power over you. I think the very, very best advice to pass on to the young women of today is never to be dependent on a man. We can be self sufficient and inter-dependent but never, never dependent. Kudos to you.
Thanks so much for your kind words!!
Hugs,
Deb
Hi Brenda!
What a great post!!! Strong women indeed! After losing my bf that I met when I was 2 yrs old, I have helped 4 people get out of very abusive relationships! My husband’s was verbal, so it made me lack in the self confidence I needed. I was in a few other relationships but they were cheaters. I know there’s someone out there for me…in time, who are not cheaters. Lol.
I also love all the quotes! I also love how you are standing your ground! We…the women are very proud of you and yes, we have your back!
I hope your having a great week with Charlie! ?
How wonderful that you helped 4 people out of abusive relationships. And I’m sorry you lost your friend. It happens all too often. You have been there to lift other women up. You should be very proud of that.
A good reminder not to be doormats or complacent because we are women. No one deserves to be mistreated but if we are strong we plow ahead. Thanks for giving all women a voice to speak.
I am proud of all of us.
I agree: well done. I can’t think of anything to add to a special post! I am happy to be a member of this tribe.
And I’m so happy to have you here!
One of the better things now is that women support each other. When I went through a divorce in the 1970s, women who had been my friends since childhood would have nothing to do with me. Only one other woman stood by me. I’m glad things are different now.
I remember those days. The friends snubbed you because their husbands were friends with the ex, so you got dumped. What the friend’s husband thought was how it was.
Oooooooh, Brenda, This was a good post!!!!!!
Well said. Well done.
I seem to be on a “strong women” theme…
Oh yes, I was looked down on for being home with my children.
I too was asked, “what do you do all day?”
My answer was always the same. I do all day what you pay other people to do. But I do it for Love not for a paycheck.
I also learned people can only look down on you IF you place yourself beneath them.
Blessings to you!
Minnie
They would have rather, I suppose, we put our children in daycare and let someone else raise them.