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It’s International Women’s Day! Ya know, just a day that marks a focal point in the movement for women's rights. No big deal, right?
More like, huge deal.
On March 8th, we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women everywhere. More importantly, International Women’s Day is a call to action for accelerating gender equality (like we said, big deal!).
That’s why we rounded up five women we think are one in a million, and simply just badass. These women inspire those around them to be better, show up stronger and continue to pursue their goals and dreams. And you should definitely get to know them ASAP. We asked each of these women a few questions about their impact, who inspires them and so much more. Take a look!
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup?
Being a momma! Watching my children discover the world has been an incredible gift. Their innocence and purity are a great reminder to me of what is truly important in life.
2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life?
Equality. Pure and simple. It is exciting to see the momentum behind this important conversation.
3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment?
I wish I had a great answer here, but the truth is that I just do my best to lead by example… ‘to be the change that I want to see’. I think it is important to lift up the women around you.
4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age?
I think that expectations of an older world are melding with those of a newer world, and rather than letting go of some expectations, we are just adding more to the pile. I saw this the other day and it rang true for me: “we expect women to work like they don’t have children and to raise children as if they don’t work.” We need to redefine what it means to be a good mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and professional, all while still being good to ourselves.
5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why?
My mother. She was a single mother who raised five children while putting herself through school and working full time. She taught me what it means to be a strong, independent woman and mother.
6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman?
It’s hard to pick just one, but this quote from Maya Angelou resonates with me: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I constantly overanalyze and second-guess what I say and do, but this reminds me to give myself some grace, and at the end of the day, what I want my legacy to be.
7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman?
There is a saying that my girlfriends pass back and forth to each other: “You are enough. You are so enough, it is unbelievable how enough you are.” It is a great reminder to all of us.
Meredith Piccin
Facebook: Honey Rose & K Jewelry // Meredith Herbert Piccin
Instagram: @honeyrosek
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup? My family and friends come to mind first when I think of what fills up my cup. My children are always my first passion as I look at them in awe each and every day. My work passion is creating an eco-chic style that's affordable and unique for my customers. It's important for me to know that I'm doing something that makes a small mark on creating a better world for my children. 2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life? It means that when you empower yourself and lead with your whole heart, you can create change in what you do. We should honor and empower women each day to create a better world with real equality. 3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment? First, I always say “yes” when other women ask me for advice or to meet them to share ideas. I believe you should help and collaborate with each other to create a better world for women. Share your gifts and magic! I also believe in sharing what other women are doing to make a difference. We have a blog at Honey Rose & K called What's in Her Bag?! where we interview women and peek inside their bags! It's a great way to honor all women from the stay-at-home mother to the ER doctors. We all matter, we all have a voice and we all connect through our unique experiences. I believe in stepping out of your comfort zone and getting to know other women who are different from you. We all have something to learn from each other. 4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age? Well, I'm in my 40s now and I think a big issue that women my age face is going back to the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom. Many women gave up careers to stay home and raise their children. Daycare and nanny costs are so high that women often feel like they have no choice. After being out of the workforce for so long, how do you go back? What does that look like for your family? Will you be doing something you are still qualified for and passionate about? I've been careful to build my own team with women who want a job that's fulfilling and provides balance for them. We are all mothers at Honey Rose & K, and among the four of us, we have eight children. I've created a flexible work/life balance for my team so that they can do it all. I also choose to use women for all my work needs, from my accountant to my photographer! 5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why? I look up to so many women for so many different reasons. Oprah always comes to mind, but currently I'm in awe of my sister-in-law, Casey Herbert. She's had a rough year taking care of my brother through his brain surgery and caring for her two young children. You never hear her complain or feel sorry for herself. She puts her best foot forward each day and she's always so positive. I really admire her strength. 6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman? "Create the highest, grandest vision for your life, because you become what you believe." - Oprah 7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman? You have to believe in yourself first. Love yourself first. If you can do that, you can find success and accept failure with grace. Learn to get back up with each disappointment and become better. I don't believe in easy or taking shortcuts. Too often, women ask me how did you do this or that and my answer is always the same: I never gave up or thought I couldn't.Megan Murphy
Instagram: @cocomeg
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup? My passion is people. Plain and simple. The growth and empowerment of others is what keeps me engaged and motivated in life. We can all do better and be better—I believe in demonstrating that for others. 2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life? #BalanceforBetter means discovering what a healthy work/life balance is for YOU, and protecting that. Put yourself first in order to be better for others. 3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment? I choose to work for two women, Manda and Lauren of The W Nail Bar, and a brand which completely embodies female empowerment. I strive to be authentic, strong, passionate and transparent in order to influence that mindset in other women. 4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age? Finding a way to do it all. Be a mother, a daughter, a friend, a sister, a partner, a wife, AND pursue your goals/dreams. I am constantly humbled and in awe of the incredible women I know crushing it in all categories. 5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why? Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. She was intelligent, fierce, talented, opinionated, self-assured. She broke boundaries for women in fashion, the workplace and socially. She created a brand and an empire, still influential today, all by simply staying true to herself. 6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman? “Do one thing every day that scares you” - Eleanor Roosevelt 7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman? Be kind to yourself.Rokki Bonner
Facebook: Personal Fitness Navigators
Instagram: @personalfitnavigators // @fit_to_navigate
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup? Being of service and spending quality time with loved ones. 2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life? It means always having time to care and connect with SELF in order to serve at my fullest potential. 3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment? We are currently sharing the stories of women who are in our Social Enterprise "Fit To Navigate" with the recurring theme of "How Fitness Saved Their Life." This allowed them to transform not just physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well. With that being said, there is a feeling of empowerment that is definitely a byproduct of such a transformation. 4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age? Managing personal expectations. The feeling that you "should" be at a certain place in life by a certain age. When in all actuality, you are exactly where you need to be to experience growth and expansion. 5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why? I look up to many different women in my life. Especially my mom. Why? The reasons are vast, however, mostly because of the spirit to prevail and overcome obstacles and be a victor and not a victim! 6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman? "The closest thing to God on this earth is a Woman’s body it's where life comes from." - Rupi Kaur 7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman? You have everything you need, just believe and Source will see you through.Erin Kelly
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup?
Being a momma! Watching my children discover the world has been an incredible gift. Their innocence and purity are a great reminder to me of what is truly important in life.
2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life?
Equality. Pure and simple. It is exciting to see the momentum behind this important conversation.
3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment?
I wish I had a great answer here, but the truth is that I just do my best to lead by example… ‘to be the change that I want to see’. I think it is important to lift up the women around you.
4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age?
I think that expectations of an older world are melding with those of a newer world, and rather than letting go of some expectations, we are just adding more to the pile. I saw this the other day and it rang true for me: “we expect women to work like they don’t have children and to raise children as if they don’t work.” We need to redefine what it means to be a good mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and professional, all while still being good to ourselves.
5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why?
My mother. She was a single mother who raised five children while putting herself through school and working full time. She taught me what it means to be a strong, independent woman and mother.
6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman?
It’s hard to pick just one, but this quote from Maya Angelou resonates with me: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I constantly overanalyze and second-guess what I say and do, but this reminds me to give myself some grace, and at the end of the day, what I want my legacy to be.
7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman?
There is a saying that my girlfriends pass back and forth to each other: “You are enough. You are so enough, it is unbelievable how enough you are.” It is a great reminder to all of us.
Cara Woodhouse
Instagram: @house.of.flow // @wood_house // @woodVhouse
1. What’s your greatest passion? In other words, what fills up your cup? We are being born into a new normal. We’re experiencing a new kind of society, having a new relationship with our earth, finding new ways to sustain, nourish and nurture ourselves. What we once considered to be normal isn’t coming back. We must shift into a new way of thinking. To feel our being first and foremost. To truly observe our reactivity and to find ways to breathe more fully. To encourage our connection to the universe so we’re grounded, that way the choices we make are influenced by our mindfulness and compassion. I find fullness in cultivating opportunities for people to find and explore the shift that transpires when experiencing a new way of thinking. Because wretched old thoughts don’t open up sparkly new doors, yo. 2. What does the International Women’s Day slogan, #BalanceforBetter mean for you in your work life? You don’t have to say yes to everything, hold space for the things that count. 3. How are you making a difference for female empowerment? My two sisters, Mom and I own a rapidly expanding business, Woodhouse Vegan, that’s comprised of kindhearted females that are deeply focused on attention and will. We encourage one another to create ideas where we were once stuck. We seek to continually take ownership for the energy we bring. We promote free thinking, push for total ownership of our decisions and demand complete and total effort. We honor a good conversation and seek to keep them coming. Our team is simply themselves, raised to their own highest potential. Icing on the cake? We’re making these money moves in a grossly male-dominated industry. Brick + mortar coming at ya Summer 2016 / 851 N 4th Street. Side Hustle / I spit mind-bending, body-shifting, feel-good flow several times a week at LIT Life + Yoga in Italian Village. 999 N 4th Street. 4. What do you think is the biggest issue today facing women of your age? We judge ourselves out of our magnificence. We buy into everyone else’s conversations and rules and regulations—totally unsustainable, by the way. We can only ever be who we are, and at some point, that has got to be good enough. We empower everyone else’s versions of us over our true self. Y’all, we are not our stories. We are not our past. Stop taking on the limitations of everyone else instead of believing in your unlimited potential. Girl, make them talk about you this year. 5. Is there any woman you look up to in particular? Why? My mother, Carla—or as the fam adoringly refers to her, the HBIC. She has softness and grit at the same time, and that completely astounds me. 6. What’s your favorite quote from a strong, inspirational woman? “do not choose the lesser life. do you hear me. do you hear me. choose the life that is. yours. the life that is seducing your lungs. that is dripping down your chin.” - Nayyirah Waheed 7. What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman? If you feel like you’ve lost your mind, you’ve just lost your breath. A huge thank-you to all five of these amazing women for sharing their empowering thoughts! Have a question for one of them? Leave a comment below!