"Here's to strong women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them."

To the women who have embodied the above quote, this is to you.

When life isn't what you expected and it turns out to be just plain hard, who can you count on? Honestly, I had no idea who my true support system was until college. Obviously I've always known that my family has my back, but aside from them, I didn't know who would help me back up when I was down. I have finally figured it out. I can pull my own self back up, but not without the help of some truly remarkable women.

I have some incredible women in my life, ranging from stay-at-home-domestic moms to raging, kick-ass-take-names feminists, and some who are a little bit of both. I've been blessed with the friendship of writers, athletes, musicians, outdoor adventurers, bookworms, and even a few that are a combination of a number of those categories. I'm lucky enough to call many of these women my friends and mentors. International Women's Day was on March 8th, so for the past month, I've been reflecting on what that means in my life.

I'll never be able to express enough gratitude to my mom for raising two daughters who are strong enough to stand on their own, but humble enough to ask for a little support when they need it. She was my first feminine role model and she managed to set the bar extremely high for those who would follow as future mentors and idols.

To the friends who have loved me unconditionally through some very transitional years, you're the real MVP's. I never deserved an ounce of your unwavering support and love, and yet you brought it to the table every single time (along with ice cream & wine). I thank God every single day for placing driven, compassionate, independent, and slightly rambunctious friends in my life.

You're missing out if you haven't met at least one crazy-inspiring female professor during your time in school. They will honestly make you question and redefine everything you've ever known as a woman. I hope that they push you to study more than ever, develop your intelligence and push your skills, and also offer some sympathy when you don't make the grades you had hoped and worked for, because let's be honest, life occasionally gets in the way of total academic success.

If you haven't already filled your tribe full of supportive, inspirational, over-achieving women, then I suggest you start looking as soon as, like, yesterday. It's inevitable to glide through life without a few hiccups and unplanned disasters, so be better prepared to face them with a handful of friends by your side. Cheers to the women who have pushed you to grow to be who you are today and who will still be by your side through whatever it is that the future holds. Without the strong women in your life, you wouldn't have grown to be one yourself, nor would you move forward to pass those valuable traits on to others.