Take a moment and think of three women you have never met whose lives you look at every day.
If you are one of the 100 million people who follow Kim Kardashian, she or someone from her family may have been on that list. Now, while I love a Kardashian Contour as much as the next girl, when I think about the top three women that are influencing my life daily I do not want a Kardashian to be one of them and here is why:
We live in a world where we are constantly looking at other people’s lives. Whether it is Instagram, Facebook, Youtube or whatever other social media platform you spend your elevator rides on, you are most likely spending at least 20 minutes per day looking at and comparing someone else’s life to your own. So, it is an easy conclusion to draw that the people you choose to follow on those platforms have a huge influence on your life. The most important people in this group being the ones that you idealize, the ones that you look at and think "I wish I could be her." This may sound like a dangerous thing to think when looking at someone, but it does not have to be.
From the time we are little we are asked questions like, "Who do you want to be like some day?" or "What do you want to be when you grow up?" These are all questions meant to give us goals to strive towards. Goals that we can accomplish with hard work and determination. For this reason I think it is really important to think about the people we chose to idealize and spend our time on.
When deciding who you should idealize ask yourself the following questions:
1. Does this person live a life that I would be proud to have?
2. Does this person inspire me to be a better person?
3. Did this person gain their success through talent, hard work, and determination?
4. With enough time and effort could I do what that person is currently doing?
If you cannot answer "yes" to those four questions, then what are you idealizing about that person? If the answer is, “How they look” then they really are not someone you should be idealizing. Other than excessive plastic surgery, which lets face it is never a good idea, you are never going to be able to be like someone that you only admire solely for their looks. Sorry Kardashians. You are beautiful, but what is that doing for me? So instead of setting yourself up for failure, why not idealize someone for qualities that you can actually obtain?
The following women are people who have worked hard for success, with qualities far more valuable than beauty alone. These are women that you can actually emulate and follow in their footsteps by working hard, rather than by magically becoming more "beautiful." I have chosen women from vastly different fields to further prove that whatever you are in to or good at, there is a woman out there you can look up to.
Here are 10 women (in no particular order) to idealize over a Kardashian:
1. MARY BARA
Chairman and CEO of General Motors, and ranked #1 on Forbes' "50 Most Powerful Women List" for the past three years. This a woman with serious power, carving the way for future women to dominate in a hugely male-dominated industry.
2. REESE WITHERSPOON
You probably know her best as an award-winning actress. But did you also know that she is also a producer, and now runs her own film production company called Pacific Standard, which brought audiences Gone Girl, Wild, and Big Little Lies?
3. ROXANNE GAY
A successful writer and author known for standing up for women's activism and positive body image. If you have not read her essay collection, Bad Feminist, and her most recent biographical book, Hunger then bookmark this page, go buy her books, and then come finish this article. Seriously.
4. SHERYL SANDBERG
Facebook COO and voice of the “Lean IN” movement and another regular on the Forbes "50 Most Powerful Women List."
5. CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
An award-winning author and powerful activist, her TED Talks, The Danger of A Single Story, and We Should All Be Feminists are some of the most viewed in the world. If you have not watched her TED talks please follow the same instructions listed for Roxane Gay's work, immediately. They will move you and possibly change your life.
6. EMMA WATSON
As if playing two of the world's favorite strong female characters (Hermione Granger, and Belle) was not enough Emma Watson has made a huge impact as an ambassador for the He for She movement and as an activist for equality.
7. STELLA MCCARTNEY
An extremely successful entrepreneur, she has had huge success as a Fashion designer, Creative Director for Team GB for the 2012 Olympics, and is a dedicated animal rights activist.
8. JULIA ENGEL
Known for being one of the most successful and highly paid fashion bloggers, she has taken her passion for travel and fashion and turned it into a successful full-time business.
9. HILLARY CLINTON
Political opinion does not matter when considering the success of this amazing woman. Secretary of State in the Obama administration, first female Senator of New York, author of five best-selling books, Runner-up in the 2016 Presidential election, and an advocate for gender equality and healthcare reform.
10. JK ROWLING
Forbes' 2017 #1 Highest-Paid Author, she is known and loved best for creating the Harry Potter Series. She is also the founder and president of the international children's charity Lumos.
I would like to challenge you to go follow at least one of these amazing women and allow their lives to inspire and influence yours daily!
