Resilience, Radiance and Redefining Womanhood

I am writing this week’s blog as a tribute to the strong women in my life. Join me as I explore how these influences have helped me navigate the expectations of womanhood and carve out my own space in the world.

If you haven’t already, check out the other blog posts I have made for Gary Kayye’s ‘MEJO 577: The Branding of Me’ class on my profile to keep up with my journey as I tell my story.

I was four when I first noticed there were different rules for boys and girls. That morning, I dressed myself, proudly choosing my long, plaid shorts and a blue shirt—one of my favorite outfits. I felt so good about my choice.

When I arrived at preschool, a boy looked at me, confused. “What are you wearing?” he asked. I stared at him, unsure of what he meant. I looked down, double-checking for a stain or tear. Before I could respond, he blurted, “Girls can’t wear blue.”

His words struck me like a bolt of lightning. I didn’t understand. Why couldn’t I wear something just because I was a girl? That confusion has stayed with me, marking one of the first times I realized the world had expectations for girls that didn’t make sense to me.

As I grew up, these subtle reminders of what was “appropriate” for girls continued. However, my understanding of womanhood was shaped more by the strong women in my family than by societal expectations.

My mom is the first and clearest example of strength in my life. I remember one night waking up to find her still working at the kitchen table long after she had put us to bed. She was raising three daughters, balancing work and family life, and getting a Master’s degree all at once. Watching her juggle all these responsibilities taught me that being a woman means being resilient. I remember countless nights when she stayed up late working on her assignments. She never let anything shake her, not even when times were hard. I felt a mix of awe and comfort, knowing she was the backbone of our family.

Whether managing our household or standing up for what she believed in, she faced challenges with determination and calm that made me feel everything would always be okay. Watching her, I learned that strength isn’t just about power or force; it’s about persistence, love, and leadership. My mom’s quiet strength grounded our family, and her ability to handle everything with grace is something I aspire to every day.

Then there were my sisters, both much older than me—one ten years older, the other six years. As the baby of the family, I spent a lot of time watching them navigate their paths to womanhood. It felt like I had a guidebook just by observing them.

My older sister, a teenager when I was still in elementary school, seemed to have everything figured out. She always knew who she was and never let the world change that. I remember sneaking into her room just to watch her get ready for school, marveling at how sure of herself she seemed.

Her independence was something I admired from a young age. She taught me that being a woman means owning who you are unapologetically and standing by your decisions. As I grew older, we became closer, sharing secrets and dreams. The lessons she unknowingly taught me have stayed with me throughout my life and on my path to womanhood.

My other sister, just a few years younger than her, brought a different kind of strength to my life. She was always there, balancing her teenage years with being a role model for me. I vividly remember her helping me with a school project late into the night, even though she had her homework to finish.

She showed me that strength also comes from vulnerability. She wasn’t afraid to show her emotions, to ask for help when she needed it, and to care deeply about the people in her life.

Her strength lay in her openness and empathy—qualities that society sometimes underestimates but that are truly powerful. Growing up with her guidance helped me realize that strength isn’t always about being tough; sometimes, it’s about being true to yourself, even when that means embracing your softer side. I know she wanted to bite my head off sometimes when I was younger, but she always let me tag along–and I continuously admire her courage for putting up with my annoying, childish self.

Having much older sisters gave me a unique perspective. I watched them move through life stages before I reached them, learning from their experiences, successes, and struggles. They shaped how I understood womanhood—not just in terms of what society expects, but in how each of us can define it for ourselves.

Even my dad played a role in shaping my understanding of womanhood. Outnumbered 4 to 1 in our household, he embraced the strength of the women around him. I remember him cheering the loudest as I cheered for the football team, always telling me, “You can do anything you set your mind to.” He encouraged us to be who we were and never made us feel like being girls was a limitation. He celebrated it.

My dad always told us that we could achieve anything we wanted, and his belief in us reinforced the lessons we were learning from our mom and sisters—that being a woman wasn’t about fitting into a mold but about creating your path.

Together, these strong influences in my family helped me realize that womanhood is multifaceted. It’s about resilience, confidence, and compassion. It’s about standing tall in the face of challenges but also about nurturing relationships and showing love. Each woman in my life taught me that strength doesn’t look the same for everyone, but it’s there in all of us.

Looking back, I realize that the boy in my preschool class wasn’t trying to harm me. He was simply reflecting the ideas society had already instilled in him at such a young age. His words, though simple, represented the unspoken rules society tries to place on women—rules I’ve spent my life learning to break. I’m grateful to have had the women in my life to show me how.

As I reflect on what it means to be a woman today, I’m filled with gratitude for the women in my family who showed me that there’s no one way to define strength or womanhood. They taught me that no matter what expectations society places on us, we have the power to define who we are.

Thank you to my mom for teaching me the power of resilience, to my older sisters for showing me the importance of confidence and vulnerability, and to the women around the world who continue to break barriers and rewrite the rules—thank you. Because of you, the next generation of girls will know they can wear whatever color they want, and they’ll know their strength isn’t limited by what the world expects of them.