I’m strong, smart, ambitious as hell and pretty badass — and I’m proud of it. I work hard to build the life I want and if I’m going to let you into it, you have to be able to keep up. If you’re intimidated by me or can’t handle my strength, don’t bother to waste my time.
- I want to be around other badasses. Surrounding myself with strong, independent, ambitious people can only lead to good things for me. If I’m too worried about what others think of me, I’m not going to attract the people I need in my life. I’m going to attract a bunch of people who I don’t respect or trust or understand. Give me the people who will challenge me to be even better. That’s the kind of inspiration I need.
- Your insecurities? Not my problem. Does my confidence and strength make you uncomfortable because you don’t feel that way yourself? That’s too bad, and I’m sorry. I hope that you get to a better place someday. That doesn’t mean I’m going to hold back or suffocate who I am as a person to make you feel more at ease. You need to turn inwards and look at why you’re reacting the way you are instead of projecting your feelings onto me.
- I don’t suffer fools. I don’t mean that in a rigid, mean, or judgmental way. I simply mean that I don’t mess around with people who aren’t committed to being positive and uplifting the lives of those around them. I love my friends and I would do anything for them and I know they would do anything for me. If you’re selfish, pessimistic, negative and petty, there’s absolutely no room for you in my life.
- I have no time for drama. Literally. I’m busy living my life and trying to be the best I can be. I don’t have a single second to waste on superficial, stupid BS. If you thrive on this type of energy, then yeah, we aren’t going to get along. You’ll probably decide that I think I’m better than you, but that’s not the case. I don’t think anything like that. I just have no patience for your silly crap.
- If your presence holds me back, go away. You’re using your own fears and insecurities to try to tear me down and discredit the way I live my life. You’re threatened by my strength and ambition, so you try to undermine it. I won’t stand for such behavior. Again, not my problem. I’m going to do what I’m doing regardless of what you think. I won’t spend time with anyone who tries to undermine my happiness.
- I’m not your therapist. Yes, I will be here for you if you need to talk and offer advice or just support if that’s what you need. However, I won’t be your only source of advice and comfort. It’s too much of a burden. You need to pay someone for that. I also will not be a place for you to spew your negativity, hate, and bitterness.
- I don’t respect people who are intimidated by me. It makes me feel uncomfortable and ill at ease, like you think something’s wrong with me because I’m the way I am. I don’t want to feel that way around anyone in my life. How can I see eye-to-eye with you when you’re clearly in a much different space? I’m not saying you’re weak, I’m saying it’s disrespectful of me as a person to try and muffle who I am. If that happens, I can’t respect you either, so where does that leave us?
- I refuse to change who I am. Like I said, I worked really hard to get here. I finally feel great about being me. Why would I give that up because you don’t like it for some shallow personal reason? Sorry if you feel threatened, but that’s something you’re going to have to figure out. It’s not on me to adjust and bend simply because you can’t handle me.
- My strength is not a character flaw. Society still has a huge problem accepting independent, ambitious, tough women as role models. Stop putting us in some stupid box where you decide we’re just bitches or ball-busters. I am strong. I am ambitious. I am fiercely independent. I am also soft, tender, loving, loyal, and silly. I’m not going to let you put me in some one-dimensional category. I am proudly complicated, just like every other human being.
- Your outdated perceptions are not my responsibility. A lot of people still think that women should behave in a certain way. How quaint and old-fashioned. It’s time to accept that women can do everything men can do, and that we deserve be treated exactly the same way. I don’t know when society is going to catch up with us, but I’m not going to let that limit me. If perceptions need to change, I plan to be on the forefront of that shift.
- I’m awesome and I have awesome people in my life! I’m so lucky to have found a group of people who love me and accept me and think I’m rad exactly as I am. They are the reason that I can keep on doing what I do. They give me all the support and encouragement a person could ever want. That’s my crew. If you’re a naysayer, leave me alone. I can’t have that in my life, and I won’t accept it. I don’t care who you are or what you think I need from you. I don’t need it that badly, trust me.
