As a blossoming teenager, my MySpace page was full of cute little pictures and inspiring quotes. Most of those inspiring quotes, which also followed me to the early days of Facebook posts, were from Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn. Lots of young women look up to these beautiful movie stars who had such inspiring things to say. And who didn’t want EVERYTHING in the glittery-pink section of Claire’s that was adorned with one of these leading ladies’ faces and a quotation? I know I did when I was 15!

While there is nothing wrong with looking up to Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe (I still have an Audrey poster on the wall in my office), I have come to realize there are some other impressive ladies who are worth looking up to as well.

Frida Kahlo: “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.”

Not only was Frida unknowingly a pioneer of the full eyebrow movement, she was a pioneer for modern day feminism. Kahlo was an artist, and most of her artwork dealt with issues women faced but were not permitted to talk about, like miscarriages and mental illness.

Coco Chanel: “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.”

Many of us are familiar with the name Chanel, but perhaps less is known about the woman behind the world famous brand. Coco Chanel began her life in an orphanage after her mother died and her father couldn’t take care of her. Here she was raised by nuns and taught how to sew – a critical skill that started her career as a fashion icon. Her first business was selling hats at the age of 20, all of which she made by hand herself. From there, her business expanded and she began selling clothing and perfume that still today is synonymous with luxury.

Madame Curie: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

Madame Curie was a badass lady scientist in the late 1800s – early 1900s. In 1903, Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in physics for her work in radioactivity. She even coined the term itself, after she proposed that the continuity of uranium rays were due to the element’s atomic structure. She also made portable X-ray machines used in medicine during WWI. Curie accomplished all these things while raising two daughters and dealing with the death of her husband on top of it!

Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but she significantly changed the role of the first lady while her husband was in office. Eleanor Roosevelt participated actively in politics before and after her husband had suffered an attack from polio in 1921. She often spoke out for children’s causes and women’s rights. She also was dedicated to helping the poor and standing against racial discrimination. After her husband died, Eleanor Roosevelt became a member of the United Nations and focused heavily on activism for human rights.

Maya Angelou: “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

Maya Angelou was a multi-talented woman, as she was an author, actress, screenwriter, dancer, poet, educator and a civil rights activist. Angelou was close friends and worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. She devoted her activism to making life in the United States a better place to for African Americans and women of all races. I have personally read some of her works and would highly recommend them.