Everyone needs a little inspiration to start of the new year and a great way to end the first month of 2017 is to check out this list of bad-ass women. We all aspire to be bad-ass, but these women take it to another level. These women are powerful, motivational, smart, and have numerous talents. Warning: the first three women listed are featured in American Horror Story, a bad-ass show all on it's own.

1. Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson is the definition of fierce. Her recent rise in the public eye came with her appearance on FX's two hit television series's: American Horror Story and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. She's everything young women should aspire to be. She's intelligent, motivational, and confident.

2. Lily Rabe

Sarah Paulson's co-star on American Horror Story, Lily Rabe, is a beautiful talent. Her character in season three, Coven, "Misty Day" was innocent, but when it came to being strong, she was the symbol of strength. Basically how Lily Rabe is in real life. Look at this photo, it screams "confidence" and of course beauty.

3. Jessica Lange

One word: iconic. Jessica Lange is the baddest. She is a worldwide acclaimed actress, and is known for her attributions to film, theater, and television. She rose to fame in the film King Kong, has appeared on the first few seasons of American Horror Story, and is now going to be on FX's new show, Feud: Bette and Joan. In the new series, she co-stars with another bad-ass lady, Susan Sarandon.

4. J.K. Rowling

Does she need any explanation as to why she's bad-ass? I think not. Of course she's most known for being the author of the popular Harry Potterseries. A interesting fact about her past: she was a single mother and was inspired to write the popular series while on a delayed train. J.K. Rowling has created a magical world, with some pretty powerful characters.

5. Emma Watson

She has it all. Emma Watson is more than an actress and a model, she's an activist. She speaks out frequently about women's rights, and is a UN Global Goodwill Ambassador. She also created the campaign "HeforShe," which you can find out more about on here.

This is a short list of bad-ass women we should aspire to be not only in 2017, but in our future. Aside from everything going on in the world today, these women continue to entertain and be innovative for a brighter tomorrow. Nowadays, young women need some serious guidance within the pop culture. Of course, we all have different opinions, but I think we can all agree on this-- these women are pretty bad-ass.