5 great inspirational women 2019

You may look at this title and be a little underwhelmed – I am!  When I first started thinking about writing this post, I toyed with a variety of words; influential; awesome; celebrated; powerful; stimulating even but my issue is that I feel these words denote a void.  A void between us and them, a void between possible and probable, a void between can and can't and I want to make one thing very clear.  There is no us and them.  There is no void, there is only hard work, determination, passion, planning and faith that separates one bank balance from another.  So on that note, I want you to read this article with a clear understanding of what I mean by inspirational.

Inspiration - uncountable noun

Inspiration is a feeling of enthusiasm you get from someone or something, which gives you new and creative ideas.

Direct from the good people at Collins English Dictionary.

So, now that we've established what exactly we're basing our inspiration on, let's get started.
In no particular order...

1. Oprah Winfrey

I'm sure we've all heard of this amazing lady.  Actress, host, producer, philanthropist and unofficial life coach to women all over the world.  Oprah didn't have an ideal start to life but she overcame adversity to become the iconic woman she is today and not only that, but she uses that experience and journey to empower others to overcome adversity and to demolish imaginary boundaries.

Sometimes listed as the most influential woman of all time, Oprah teaches us to love ourselves, love each other and do for others and those are three lessons that the world really needs right now.

2. Ellen DeGeneres

Staying with the T.V. theme,  Ellen DeGeneres is the embodiment of actions speak louder than words.  Risking her career to be true to herself, true to her fans and true to anyone struggling with their sexuality,  Ellen famously ‘came out’ on television much to the shock of her fans and co-stars.  Ellen bounced back in glorious triumph to become undoubtedly everyone's favourite T.V. host and a true ambassador of practising what you preach.  She fills our screens with kindness, laughter, generosity, recognition, appreciation and love for humanity.

Definitely someone to be inspired by in my book and definitely the kind of woman the world needs more of.

3. J. K. Rowling

Fun fact, did you know that J.K. Rowling was the first woman ever to lose her billionaire status due to charitable giving?  I mean, that in itself should show you why this woman is an inspiration never mind the fact that like the Phoenix from the Harry Potter novels, she rose from the ashes of relative poverty to become one of the most influential women of all time.

Author, producer, screenwriter and philanthropist she inspires all ages through her novels and ‘rags to riches' story.  Rowling's books contain the raw emotions, feelings and suffering that she endured throughout her life and turbulent relationships which just shows that if you pour your heart into something then it's destined for success and when you feel like you've hit rock bottom, then the only way is up.

A slightly more concerning interesting fact, did you know that Rowling also writes under a male pseudonym?  Is that because she doesn't want to be tied to a genre or because she doesn't want to be judged for her gender?  But that's a topic for another post!

4. Maya Angelou

Five years ago, the world lost the beautiful soul that was Maya Angelou.  Such a spirited and compassionate lady and as far as I'm concerned, she is still very much inspiring people all over the world today.  If you don't know much about her then I definitely recommend you look her up, the strength and love in her quotations and poetry are a joy to behold.  Maya led a difficult younger life yet bared all in biographies and developed into a wonderful poet, singer and passionate activist.  She is not the richest on this list or the most well known but what she has done and will continue to do for women through her works is truly special.

‘If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be,’ Maya's own words teach us to be ourselves, not to be forced into a box and not to let life and experiences define us and those are lessons that will always be relevant.

5. Malala Yousafzai

Finally, our youngest inspiration but don't be fooled because youth has no bearing on impact, mission or strength.  This young lady has risked her life for her campaign and message, she risked her life for girls' rights and recognition, she risked her life for education and freedom and she had undoubtedly changed lives.

She began her activism young and even being shot in the head in retaliation didn't stop this young lady’s fight for rights and justice.  Her campaigns have impacted the globe and she's already winning prizes and getting nominations, so what are you letting stop you?  Courage, integrity and unashamed determination and spirit have made Malala a rising name in women’s inspiration.

So there we have it.  Five great women, five great missions, five amazing inspirations, each unique but each borne from the character and determination of the individual.  What hurdles do you allow to stop you?  Which excuses do you tell yourself when you feel overwhelmed?  Which moments do you doubt yourself?  You have everything you need to succeed, to change your life and to change the world, you just need to believe and have faith and you will be unstoppable.

We each have our own purpose, our own mission, our own journey but don't ever doubt the importance of what you do, of what fills you with joy, of what motivates you.  It only takes one stone to create the ripple, be the stone!