**Originally published in 2013, but updated in 2017 for International Women’s Day**

Both men and women are unique in their capabilities and what they offer to society, but on International Women’s Day I took the opportunity to research some of my favourite quotes by empowered and successful women and ask lots of my blogger counterparts for reasons why they felt women were amazing.

1. Our strength at continually striving to be seen and heard for who we REALLY are, when all around us are those who want to put us into boxes… (Fallen Angel Fitness)

2. A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous – Coco Chanel

3. We’re at our best when we opt out of the game [of competition] and find the strength and kindness to support and encourage one another to be who we are meant to be. (Claire Wong Writing)

4. It’s not vanity to feel you have a right to be beautiful. Women are taught to feel we’re not good enough, that we must live up to someone else’s standards. But my aim is to cherish myself as I am – Elle Macpherson

5. Figure out who you are separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with. Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important thing in life. Find a sense of self because with that, you can do anything else – Angelina Jolie

6. A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. (Sanchali07wanderer)

7. Strong women do not allow their lives and relationships to be dictated by others.

8. Women from my Nana’s era, who went through so many changes in society and still remained strong, determined and gentle. (Global Housesitter x2)

9. Women are great listeners, and do so without feeling the need to fix something.

10. We possess the sixth sense of female intuition, which is often right.

11. What we do is one achievement after another, no matter how small. Surviving all that is thrown at us. Being strong when we don’t know how we do it. Forming networks of support with each other… (Jot to Jot)

12. Women are remarkable because of our ability to be resourceful, our adaptibility and resilience – we bend but don’t break. (Phaytea’s Pulse)

13. Our ability to be effective leaders.

14. The fact that we can embrace our seeming imperfections and turn them into a strength

15. They are the creators and nurturers of all. They are balls of emotion feeling happiness and sadness, love and hate, energy and exhaustion all at once, yet still cope with what the world throws at them. They are the support network, many a time, singlehandedly, for their family, often with only another woman friend to turn to for understanding and support. (But I Smile Anyway)

16. Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others – Amelia Earhart

17. We can organise a household, a family, ourselves and still manage to work full time.

18. Women are just normal human beings whose strength is derived from their history (Oriana’s Notes)

19. When she knows that she is amazing but is graceful and classy about it. There is something very powerful about knowing your own strengths and choosing when to use them effectively…

20. Ordinary women with compassionate hearts might not always get the highest paid jobs or the respect that they deserve but don’t forget the wonderful daily jobs that they do. (Kyros Magica)

21. Why do people say “grow some balls”? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding – Betty White

22. The ability to look amazing in whatever we wear, be it a cocktail dress or sweats…

23. While we may not always be physically stronger than our male counterparts… pregnancy and childbirth.

24. Women are amazing because every day we have the resilience to prove that we are equal to men – be it through intelligence, strength, power or pay bracket. Women change the world, deliver life and inspire each other. (The Wandering Darlings)

25. A fulfilling life does not require the dependence on anyone else but herself.

26. I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity – Michelle Obama

27. The ability to problem solve and the flexibility to admit when she doesn’t have all of the answers.

28. A strong, independent woman has a strong financial independence.

29. Women can express themselves creatively by embracing their own style.

30. Our ability to multitask. (BlondeWriteMore)

31. I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life. – Oprah Winfrey

32. A woman follows her heart, understands who she is and develops and cultivates her own passions and interests.

33. Strong women like to challenge themselves, without growing complacent, they don’t ever stop learning and always know that there is the potential for improvement.

34. Our flexibility in dealing with whatever life throws at us, our resilience and strength to continually fight battles that we shouldn’t have to fight. (Deb’s World)

35. A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water – Eleanor Roosevelt

36. The ability to speak her mind and from the heart, not being afraid of the opinions of others.

37. They are strong, empowering, emotional, loving and fierce (Motivate Me!)

38. Life is never boring – a strong woman finds the laughter and happiness in many things

39. I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass – Maya Angelou

40. The meaningful and lifelong bonds we form with our friends. Behind every strong woman is a whole team who has her back.

41. Our resilience and support for each other. (Just Another Blog)

42. Self-confidence, emotional independence and self-validation.

43: The ability to find things – we always know where lost items are.

44. One is not born a woman, one becomes one. – Simone de Beauvoir

45. W-oman’s worth O-ften underestimated M-ostly unappreciated A-lthough they N-ever give up caring

46. I like being a woman because I think the answers now are so much more varied and exquisite then they would have been even twenty years ago because we have come so far as a gender. I love the way I know my body so well, I love that I can talk freely about any subject without embarrassment or bravado bullsh*t that guys often do, that I can be a chameleon, that I can be proud of my gender and that everywhere I turn there are women all over the world making and breaking the rules. (The Slipped Ink Blog)

 

What about you guys? What makes women amazing?

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