Let’s Talk // I Strive for BADASSERY

Are ya’ll tired of hearing me speak about the Year of Yes yet? I hope not!
So, what is BADASSERY and why am I striving for it?

All compliments to Shonda Rhimes, Badassery is:

1. (noun) the practice of knowing one’s own accomplishments and gifts, accepting one’s own accomplishments and gifts and celebrating one’s own accomplishments and gifts; 2. (noun) the practice of living life with swagger : SWAGGER (noun or verb) a state of being that involves loving oneself, waking up “like this” and not giving a crap what anyone else thinks about you. Term first coined by William Shakespeare.

Now that we got that lovely description out the way, why should we strive for it?

It was at an award ceremony where Shonda realized how other young women including herself did not know how to celebrate their accomplishments while being honored. They did one of three things, hid their faces, laugh it off or try to get the person speaking to stop.

You do all these good things; be a FOD (First Only Different) *read the book to understand*, literally break glass ceilings that others can only dream of achieving and still can’t accept it nor celebrate it.

Why is that?

At first I didn’t understand it, but then I caught myself doing the same thing a few days ago. My friend called to give me birthday greetings and in the process started acknowledging how much I’ve achieved at such a “young age”. However, all I could do was try to change the subject. The only thing going through my head from hearing all those things was IT’S NOT ENOUGH. I knew I had more stuff on my “list” to accomplish before this age, and I felt like time was running out (or in this case ran out).

Funny right?

Why do we wave off others when they’re acknowledging our greatness? 

Here I was getting praised for accomplishments that may seem little to me, but would be major for others. It wasn’t that I was ungrateful or unappreciative, but I knew my true ability and I wasn’t living up to it. Is that human nature though? Not being able to accept what we have currently and always wanting more? On the other hand, aren’t you supposed to be striving for more? To be the best you possible?

*back to the mission of being a badass*

Perhaps we downplay our accomplishments in the light of others because we don’t want to be seen as cocky.  But why are we so worried about what people will think? Do people really judge you for achieving greatness?

Or maybe we’re worried about how our friends would feel? We all know where each other is in life, but should you have to keep your achievements to yourself? Is there a way you can all celebrate without someone feeling a way?And if they do, shouldn’t that be an inspiration for them to push themselves harder?

Shonda also went on to talk about how perhaps society made us this way; think about the language used to praise women. The whole tradition of Mother’s Day or greetings like “She was the wind beneath our wings”. Were they praising women for standing in the shadows?

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Ladies it’s time to stop hiding your magic and start celebrating YOU!

• Learn to ACCEPT and APPRECIATE compliments; don’t apologize, brush them off or negate them. It’s insulting.
• Need an extra push to believe in yourself? Strike a Wonder Woman pose! Fake it till you make it.
• Continue to work hard for what you want and take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Let them know: “Don’t call me lucky, call me a badass“
• LIVE LIFE SHAMELESSLY ~

 

Honestly, everyone’s got some greatness in them it’s just up to you to own it and believe it. Do you think all the famous people you admire wake up everyday worried about what other people may think? or that they don’t know they’re great? Look at Serena Williams, Oprah etc. You have to speak things into existence, change your mindset.

GOAL: No one is going to be as good as you

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Badassery, I’m discovering, is a new level of confidence – in both yourself and those around you. I now feel like I can see so many amazing things about myself and the people around me. It’s as if before, by hiding and worrying and being unhappy, I was not looking at the people around me and seeing how truly gifted and amazing they are. There was certainly nothing in me that could have been positive and uplifting or inspiring to them. Not when I was so busy hiding and trying to be smaller and a nothing.

Shonda Rhimes

*Feel free to let me know if I’m crazy and completely went off on a tangent.*