How to Be a Badass Woman (The Pearl-Inspired Version)

Did you think pearls were soft? Think again. Not only do they belong in the class of jewelry we call timeless, but we can also learn a lot from them. They stand for perseverance, being true to yourself, grit, inner beauty, self-care, mutual respect and getting on with the job and leaving the drama aside. In short, they are badass.

You may be having a rough week, or perhaps you’re at the top of your game today. But it’s always a good idea to remind yourself of how to be a badass woman. Here are the main attributes of badass women as inspired by pearls.

1. Take care of yourself first. You can’t be a rock to others if you are falling apart at the seams. So ask yourself: what do I need today to feel stronger? It could be as simple as a facial or a long, hot bath. Or it could be to make that deadline, call your mother, or get out of a bad relationship. Do you think an oyster could make a pearl while the shell is broken?

2. Don’t wish it, do it. If we all just thought about our dreams, who would realize them? Stop talking, wishing, thinking, dreaming, and start doing. If you’re dreaming of writing a book, then set aside an hour today to start. Or perhaps you want to get a promotion, spend more time with your kids, or start exercising. Stop making excuses and find a way to take the first step today. It’s just one step – but it’s a start. Oysters don’t think of perhaps having a pearl one day. They get down to the job and start laying down the first of hundreds of layers of nacre that eventually turns into a pearl.

3. Don’t wait for validation. Are you thinking of dying your hair? Or maybe it’s something bigger: you want to quit your job and start a company of your own. There is no one more qualified than you to tell you if it’s a good idea or not. Give yourself permission to make the decision alone and stop waiting for others to approve your ideas.  

4. Respect yourself and others. People respect those who respect themselves – and others. So, lay down your boundaries. Say no to things that cross these boundaries. And do it with as much respect for others as you have for yourself. Remember: saying no doesn’t mean having a fight, you can say it nicely. And if someone reacts badly, then that’s their problem. Oysters don’t get offended because other oysters are making pearls.

5. Don’t let the hard times get you down. When you respect yourself and others, when you know where you’re going, when you look after yourself and you’ve started on the first step of your important mountain to climb, don’t make the mistake of thinking that this road will be easy. Making a pearl is hard. The grain of sand or implanted bead inside an oyster that turns into a pearl is not something comfortable – it’s something that is worked at for months in order to get it out. It’s a happy accident that it becomes a pearl. And an important reminder that hard work is never wasted.

Now go and be badass like an oyster. Who knows, you might just look back in a few years and find a pearl.