I often wonder what characterises a strong woman. Are these her qualities, stubbornness in pursuing a goal, or maybe independence? Is there an international model of a strong woman? By taking on multiple social roles while living in different countries, conditions and cultures, each of us can perceive being strong in a completely different way. This subject seems to be so intriguing for me that the following entry is definitely worth the attention.
Features of an independent woman
A strong woman (I am speaking here, of course, about internal strength, not physical strength) can be clearly associated with an independent woman who can face all the adversities of fate, take care of her family, clean, work and cook. Do all these things and still make time for social life. I often hear from my colleagues that I have the qualities of a strong woman because I can always ‘grasp’ everything, and there are no impossible things for me. When I hear this, I am surprised because I don’t see myself like this. I have bad days, I doubt myself, I get frustrated. Looking at other women, I often wonder how do they do it? Run the house, work, raise children, while I only work and I still lack time. Comparing this with my colleagues’ words, I realised that perhaps each of us is a strong woman, but in our way.
Women of the 21st century
While reading an article in the women’s press some time ago, I came across the results of a public opinion poll conducted in the UK in January 2017. The Brits unanimously described the contemporary woman as a career-oriented person and (surprise!) independent. On the other hand, it is no wonder. The subjects of gender equality and what roles women play nowadays are popular all over the world. I admit that I rarely express my opinions in public when it comes to political and social issues. Close ones know my opinion on many topics, and in fact, that’s all that matters to me. I don’t need to convince anyone that I am right. I prefer to observe, listen and draw conclusions.
To come back to the subject, what are the characteristics of 21st-century women? We care about our beauty, career and our image as an active and positive person. We are “multitasking” – we work, take care of the house, children, meet with friends, travel. Hardly anyone thinks of women in a stereotypical way as fragile, weak and clumsy beings. Every day we prove that we can do more and better, not necessarily to men, but above all to ourselves. We are resourceful, ambitious and hardworking. This can be influenced by changing women’s priorities. Just take a close look, back in the day nearly every woman’s dream was to have a home and a life of a so-called “housewife” life – at that time, each of us felt fulfilled and happy. Nowadays, that is not enough for us. We want more. For some, career and personal development will be more important, but some ladies will manage to combine all these elements neatly.
Equality? What does an independent woman have to face?
The subject of gender equality is a never-ending story. You can talk and write about it for hours. There will always be two sides to the story, one is the strongly feminist side straight from the ‘America 3000’, which will make women into heroes ‘What do we need men for? We can handle everything on our own’, the other will say: ‘Women today are so masculine, they lack delicacy, they should take more care of their home and family’.
In my opinion, both sides’ thinking is wrong and only leads to unnecessary conflicts. Why is that? Because like all things in the world, a balance is needed here, too. As we fought for our rights for all these years, we have forgotten that what comes easier for men can be more difficult for us, and the other way around is also true. For some reason, two sexes were created to complement each other. There are so many things that men are not able to do or achieve, and instead of being tormented by the fact that we cannot jump over some things, we should work on ourselves and improve ourselves as people – not women or men.
How do we adjust to the modern world?
- Tell me, how do YOU find yourself in the modern world? – A friend of mine once asked.
- It’s simple. I draw what I need from the world and create my reality – I replied.
After all, no one is forcing us to make a career and be famous or to work in the meat industry. We are rational creatures; nobody stands over us with a whip and makes us live one way or another. If you do not want to chase after money and you prefer to focus on your family, children and husband, then do exactly what your heart tells you. You might think this is trivial. Yet it is what it is. We often limit ourselves the most and condemn ourselves to falsehoods; sometimes, it is worth letting go and just do what seems best for us and what will make us feel happy and fulfilled.
What are the characteristics of an independent woman?
As I mentioned in my introduction, it is difficult to establish clearly the characteristics of a strong woman, because each one of us lives in different conditions, we have different stories and views on life. I can, however, try to identify the qualities that I believe any woman who might one day become, like me, a champion of success should have.
- She should be able to admit that she needs help
Although we seem to be able to deal with everything, unfortunately, this is not the case. Sometimes we experience situations that may overwhelm us. Under no circumstances should we be ashamed to ask for help, in the life of every person – no matter if it is a woman or a man, there comes a time when we need help from another person
- She should strive for her development
Fulfil oneself professionally, at home. In every aspect of life in which he or she can develop as a person. Fulfil their dreams, even the smallest ones, develop interests, hobbies and talents.
- She should love herself
Self-love and self-acceptance are the foundation of love for others. We may have complexes, that is normal, but we should not let them define us as people. So let us learn to live with them and to love each other for both their pros and cons. Pamper yourself, go to the spa, fulfil your dreams and allow yourself to be happy.
- She should learn from her own mistakes
We have to bear in mind that nothing happens in life without reason, but we have a great deal of influence on many things. If we make mistakes out of our neglect, but also draw conclusions for the future.
- She should know what she wants
I know that many women do not know what they truly want. However, if we manage to find an answer to this, it will be easier for us to achieve our goals, make our dreams come true, and to pursue our aspirations at every stage of life.
- She should not be afraid of love
Sometimes we think that by being alone, we can achieve more because we are not limited. In fact, if we manage to find the right partner to support us, we will be even stronger. After all, just as a woman stands behind the success of every man, likewise a man stands side by side with every strong and fulfilled woman.
- She should know when to leave
Regardless of whether it is a job that makes us miserable or a companionship that makes us pretend to be someone we are not. This also applies to more serious matters, such as domestic violence. We must treat ourselves with respect and do not let anyone harm us, either mentally or physically.
- She should have control over her life
We should not allow anyone to dictate who we should be, how we should live and who we should interact with. We need to be the women of our destiny, but not because we need to prove something to someone, but because we need to be ourselves, not someone’s imagination.
As you see, being a strong woman is often just being yourself. We cannot be afraid of our dreams, desires and ambitions. We should try to go through life the way we want to, without thinking about what people say. It does not matter whether we want to be a company director or a mother of six children. The world belongs to us.
