International Women’s Day 2021
"It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you've been taught to be sorry for." -Amy Poehler.
I saw this quote a few years ago and immediately thought, “dang, if that isn’t the truth!” So I had to paint it. I was on a watercolor-painted lettering kick at the time, and seeing this makes me miss that hobby.
This piece hangs in my office today as a reminder to live my version of a bold life.
I consider myself extremely unapologetic, but it’s not without years of work. I had to get to a place where I honestly didn't care what others thought of me or my decisions.
Saying “sorry” is such a reflex for women. It’s an automatic thing we say because it’s what we’ve been taught to do.
I find myself saying to women all the time, "don't apologize for that. You have nothing to be sorry for."
It's like I want to catch them and correct them because it makes me mad that someone made them feel apologetic!
In case nobody's ever told you, you don't have to be sorry for being too much or too little of anything. You don't have to apologize for going after your dreams. And you damn sure don't have to be sorry based on someone else's opinion of your life or your choices.
You are worthy of taking up as much space as you want.
Your life should look precisely the way you want it to look. And if someone else doesn't like it? Thank them for their input, and move the hell on.
Shoutout to all the strong ladies who ain’t apologizing for shit.
And if you’re still in the process of unlearning, keep going. I’m proud of you.
Happy International Women’s Day.
