The women that inspire me

Monday was international women’s day (yaaay!) and as I am writing this I am still trying to get over the excitement of Piers Morgan leaving GMB, finally, so I thought I would take this opportunity to celebrate the women who inspire me most. Here at The Lifestyle Change we are all about being the best you can be and to do that you have to have positive role models, don’t be afraid to steal their best traits and incorporate them into your own life.

So here is a list of just some of the women who inspire me most;

Alexandra Cane

For those of you who don’t know who Alexandra is, she first came to the spotlight when she appeared on season 4 of Love Island UK (that one with Dr Alex and when Dani & Jack won), entering as a bombshell, for me she was a refreshing take on the traditional islander. Fast forward to now and she is a successful entrepreneur with her own fitness plan, Happy Body Plan, and her own fitness clothing brand, MILA.

On her instagram she constantly posts motivational material and often speaks very truthfully about her own struggles, this is someone who does not hide behind the glamour of being an influencer. She inspires me due to her pure drive to reach her goals, and, as a fellow preacher of being happy when single, she constantly talks about the importance of loving yourself! A driving point for me was seeing her go on her solo travel trips including one to Cuba, something which is now a personal goal of mine one day!

Jameela Jamil

Star of The Good Place, Jameela has been an inspiration of mine for quite a while, during a low point in my life (don't worry we won't get to deep) when I was suffering terribly with my body confidence, I found her 'I WEIGH' campaign which essentially teaches that you are the sum of your best traits and achievements... not just your looks. Jameela speaks frankly about the issues that matter and doesn't shy away from an argument when it is warranted. I have listened to heck of a lot of podcasts she has guest starred on and always find myself feeling super empowered.

Sarah Paulson

On any list like this, I feel it is important to include someone who makes you laugh, and for me that is Sarah. Despite the fact she is an incredibly talented actress, American Horror Story doesn't even scratch the surface, she is all round someone I find hilarious.

Do you find yourself falling down a YouTube rabbit hole watching random interviews? I do and mine often include Sarah, she comes across as someone with an energy that can electrify a room. I inspire to always stay grounded like her and promise to always embrace my weirdness.

Sansa Stark

Why would this list be limited to just real people?

Important note, we are talking about the TV adaptation Sansa, seeing as George doesn't want to give us the last book yet. I would say spoiler alert but if at this point you haven't seen Game of Thrones then I assume you have no interest in doing so. For me, Sansa had one of, if not the best, character arc of everyone - she goes from being a little brat with fantastical dreams of love and fairytales to going through the worst torture imaginable. Sansa puts herself back together and every time comes out stronger for it, if that not the definition of inspirational... I don't know what it is. And that's the tea.

Kamala Harris

So, just to let you in to a little secret, me and Jade have to constantly resist the urge to turn TLC in to a Kamala stan account because THIS WOMAN! Whether or not you follow

American politics this woman is worth talking about, regardless if you agree with her policies, Kamala is a role model for everyone, not just women.

This is a woman whom holds herself to the highest standard, remember that time she wouldn't be interrupted in the vice presidential debate... not bad ass, just standard.

Kamala has given millions of young girls hope to dream, she understands that pressure and takes it in her stride. There is nothing about this woman that isn't an inspiration!

Quick bonus - Meghan Markle

Whether or not you choose to keep up with the royal drama, no matter your opinion, you can not deny that it takes a lot of guts to give up your career, your country and an entire life just for someone you love. Meghan highlighted that it doesn't matter how happy someone's life may appear on the outside, it doesn't mean their mental health is perfect. Speaking openly like that, and giving impressionable viewers a voice, is inspirational to me.

---

I don't think you lot understand how difficult it is to narrow down a list like this, and this I need to give some honorary mentions in this instance;

Wendy Carlos: A very talented musician who created the soundtracks for Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971) & The Shining (1980), Wendy suffered from gender dysphoria and, even after going through gender reassignment surgery, continued to pretend to be a man until she gained the confidence to come out.

Hannah Whitton: A YouTuber who never says away from taboo topics and inspired me to research more about sex and relantionships.

Audrey Hepburn: Not only an extremely talented actress but she devoted a large portion of her life to her humanitarian work.

My sisters: We may act like we all hate each other but my sisters have dealt with so much and are coming out stringing from it. One makes me laugh so hard it hurts and the other one proof reads my work to ensure I don't embarrass myself.

Lastly, way to many of my friends to mention, but they all inspire me every day, my girls be out there slaying!

Anyway, thankyou for giving this a read, I honestly would love to know which women inspire you and why. Don't be afraid to comment here or come over to our instagram and join in the conversation!

Peace, love & Adios

Joanna