I was raised to believe there’s nothing I can’t do. There’s just one glitch: I’m not sure I have it in me to be that kind of woman. I have a strong desire to be someone truly incredible, but no matter how hard I try to convince myself I’m perfect just the way I am, there are still some ways that I want to continue to grow even more.
- I wish I were stronger. I would love to be physically stronger (who wouldn’t?), but I would also like to be mentally stronger. For better or worse, I take things personally, and sometimes it makes me feel weak. I truly believe being stronger would make me happier.
- I wish I were more resilient. As a perfectionist, I tend to focus on what went wrong instead of what went well. The end result is that after a setback, I’m much more inclined to jump ship than to try again. Resilience, combined with my stubborn streak, would give me the boost I need to try again. I’m pretty sure it would also help me find that that I envy so much in other women.
- I wish I were kinder. Interestingly, I also want to be kinder. I grew up a southern culture where women don’t HATE anything. They don’t even dislike people or things — they just don’t care for them. How demure is that? I’m not sure I could ever go that far, but I sometimes think that I should be a little bit nicer. I should be more patient and see the best in people — even the people that I really don’t care for.
- I wish I cried less. I’m a sensitive creature, and I cry a lot. I’m sure most people don’t care, but I sometimes wonder if it isn’t a huge weakness. I cry when I’m hungry. I cry when I’m tired. I cry when I’m in pain. I cry when I’m sad. I even cry when I’m happy. It’s a kind of release and always makes me feel better, but it still seems like something a grown woman shouldn’t be doing all the time.
- I wish I were more assertive. Some women walk into a room and automatically make everybody know they mean business, but I’m not one of them. I have a really hard time saying ‘no’ to anything, and I never want to correct people whether they simply say my name wrong or make a really serious error in judgment. I wish I had the balls to stand up for myself.
- I wish I were more resourceful. I don’t need to be MacGyver or anything, but I do wish I were a little more resourceful. There are women out there who can fix broken electronics or change car tires without any help, and I want to be one of them. I know that everybody has their own special talents, but I just wish I had some of the more practical skills I’ll need in life.
- I wish I had a plan for life. Don’t we all, right? But really, I wish I had a better idea of where I want my life to go. I know making plans can be a waste of time because life will throw me all kinds of curve balls, but even just a vague understanding of what I want for my future would be nice right now.
- I wish I were more creative with my personal style. I know this sounds ridiculous, but it seems like something every modern women should be. I wear the same ring, watch, and earrings most days. I have no idea when to match and when to wear contrasting colors. For some reason, the ability to style myself the right way is becoming increasingly important to me. It feels like a test that I must pass to be a strong, independent woman in today’s world.
- I wish I were more confident. I guess I have enough confidence, but I wish I had a bit more. I wish I could see in myself what everybody else seems to see. My friends and family are fabulous and always tell me how wonderful and intelligent I am when I’m feeling down. I just wish that I had the same belief in myself that they all do. Ideally there’d be a magic confidence pill, but I think it’s just going to take a lot of hard work.
- I wish I were less concerned with everybody else.Possibly my biggest downfall is the amount of time I spend worrying about what other people think. In order to be a bold, audacious woman who takes over her own little corner of the world, I’m going to have to stop caring about everybody else. If they like me and I like them, we can be friends. If they don’t like me, then I just need to move on to somebody who does. Simple right? Let’s hope so!
