Our generation has been incredibly lucky to have some amazing, influential female characters on today's hit TV shows. The following TV women illustrate and teach strength, independence, diligence, and much more in a variety of settings and storylines.

1. Olivia Pope: Scandal

Definition of strong, am I right? She owns her own business (which is composed of "gladiators" who basically save the world every day), practically runs the white house, and is in a constant battle with her dangerous, controlling dad. Yet, she's always put together, and her smiles are never forced. We could all take some notes from her book.

2. Cristina Yang: Grey's Anatomy

The fireball of Grey's Anatomy. From the series premiere on, Cristina doesn't put up with anyone's nonsense. She is incredibly intelligent, confident, driven and (whether or not she likes to admit it) compassionate. Cristina Yang shows women all over the world that they are capable- capable of achieving their greatest and deepest desires.

3. Jessica Day: New Girl

An undeniably hilarious, charming character. Jess keeps us laughing with all of her crazy antics like dressing up in a turkey costume on Thanksgiving and crying over the cuteness of a puppy in a cup. Her passion for teaching is inspiring and her unapologetic weirdness is refreshing. We should all feel comfortable and confident in our own skin and nuttiness, especially with her as an example.

4. Kate Austen: Lost

The survivor of all forces. Kate is easily the strongest woman on the island of plane crash survivors, quickly finding food, shelter, and other resources for the group. But the flashbacks included in the show reveal a troubled past, one that builds her as strong in a different sense. Despite the many ill-fortuned events that took place throughout her life, Kate came out on top. Her drive and desire to continue and advance in life should serve as a model for us all.

5. Tami Taylor: Friday Night Lights

The undying voice of reason. As a mother, wife, and guidance counselor throughout the show, she does her job well in giving the best advice in every circumstance. Mrs. Taylor is able to bring her Coach of a husband back down to earth when he needs it most, help her daughter through heartbreak, and dedicate her time to assisting all of the kids at the school. She teaches us the importance of family and devotion to passion.

6. Brooke Davis: One Tree Hill

The cheerleader, the boy-crazed teenager, and the eventual owner of her own clothing business. As she lives out her high school days she appears strong and in charge while also revealing the endless insecurity of not being enough. But she wins against them, making her way to the top as her own boss. The truth is, when we look at Brooke Davis we see ourselves. She reminds us that we all have our insecurities and can beat them just like she does.

7. Michonne: The Walking Dead

Fearless, reliable, tenacious. It takes awhile for the original gang to trust Michonne and let her into their circle but as soon as they do she proves her worth. She takes Carl under her wing after he loses his mother, and does everything in her power to protect the rest of the group. Michonne motivates us to stay determined, remaining undeterred when it comes to achieving our goals.

8. Bonnie Bennett: The Vampire Diaries

The best friend on all of television. Bonnie suffers under the weight of witchcraft with everyone requesting help from her all of the time. She always puts her friends first, going as far as risking her own life time and time again. However, by the end she's found her own voice and the balance between helping her friends and taking care of herself. We would all be lucky to have a friend like her and would do well in practicing such strong loyalty to our friends as well as ourselves.

9. Blair Waldorf: Gossip Girl

The irrefutable sass-master of the show. She may be the villain of the show but you grow to love and absolutely adore her. Blair takes what she wants, doesn't put up with anyone's sh** (even the love of her life's), and works hard to prove her worth. She may do some questionable things (don't we all?) but she illustrates determination and always puts herself first.

10. Daenerys Targaryen: Game of Thrones

A resilient, intelligent, fierce woman of all the land. After battling with the deaths of many loved ones and controlling ways of her brother, Daenerys becomes determined to assert herself as a leader (goodbye gender norms) and take back the throne. If she can do this in Medieval Times, we can surely affirm ourselves as powerful, extraordinary women in the 21st Century.