Badass Women

These Inspiring Quotes By Women Are Just What You Need To Hear Today

And everyday, probably.

by Ashley Ziegler
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Every year, the month of March is set aside to honor the brave and determined women who got us to where we are today and to remind us that there’s still a lot of fighting left to do. One way to get into the empowered spirit is with the help of some inspiring quotes for Women’s History Month. After all, who could fire you up more than fellow strong women?

Women’s History Month was first established in 1981, but at that time, it was actually just Women’s History Week. It wasn’t until 1987 that March was declared Women’s History Month. Now, we continue to observe the month and remember the amazing women who fought for equal rights, and celebrate the ones who are still fighting today.

All throughout history, we have relied on protestors and lobbyists to push women’s rights further, and while that’s still true today, we also have a louder voice which we use to empower each other. Today, there are strong women in the government and high-profile women who use their platforms to inspire us to believe in ourselves, keep fighting, and support each other in the process. Here are some of their amazing words.

Empowerment

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  • “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
  • "I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done." — Lucille Ball
  • "Well-behaved women seldom make history." — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
  • “Dream with ambition, lead with conviction, and see yourself in a way that others might not see you, simply because they’ve never seen it before.” — Kamala Harris
  • “One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I’m a woman. That is the way all females should feel.” — Marilyn Monroe
  • "In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders." — Sheryl Sandberg

Courage

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  • "You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them." — Shonda Rhimes
  • "I’m always perpetually out of my comfort zone." — Tory Burch
  • "Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use." — Ruth Gordo
  • “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.” — Audrey Hepburn
  • “There’s something special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.” — Rihanna

Perseverance

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  • “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” — Dolly Parton
  • "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any." — Alice Walker
  • “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” — Melinda Gates
  • “Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility.” — Michelle Obama
  • “No matter how good you have it, it’s cool to want more.” — Mindy Kaling

Confidence

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  • "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." — Margaret Thatcher
  • "I may be wearing makeup, but I can throw a fastball by you at the same time." — Jennie Finch
  • "I was smart enough to go through any door that opened." — Joan Rivers
  • "The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who's going to stop me." — Ayn Rand
  • "The most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder." — Salma Hayek
  • “I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story — I will.” — Amy Schumer
  • “Women are always saying, ‘We can do anything that men can do.’ But men should be saying, ‘We can do anything that women can do.'” — Gloria Steinem

Wisdom

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  • “When you’re through changing, you’re through.” — Martha Stewart
  • "Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance." — Anne Lamott
  • "Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination." — Mae Jemison
  • “To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind learning.” — Amy Poehler
  • "Worry about being respected, never worry about being liked. Because that's the trap," — Jada Pinkett Smith

Standing Together

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  • "I raise up my voice — not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back." — Malala Yousafzai
  • “Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don’t do it just for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • “Women that believe in each other can survive anything. Women who believe in each other create armies that will win kingdoms and wars.” — Nikita Gill
  • “We as a society owe it to women to create a truly supportive environment in which they too can grow and move forward,” — Princess Diana

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