My Womanifesto - Inspired by Jes at www.themilitantbaker.com

WO·MAN·I·FES·TO  

NOUN 

NOUN \ˌWO-MA-NƏ-ˈFES-(ˌ)TŌ\

 A written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, and views of its female author. May include themes of empowerment, independence, self love, consciousness, affirmation, and individual acceptance; your positive beliefs about yourself. Created to give self-described definition in regards to the innate beauty inside of every woman. Yes, even you.

I am free. 

I can run wild, start fires, make a scene, make history.

I can wrap myself up and hide in my shame, but I choose not to.

I can face bullies, challenges, fears, and insecurities head on.

I am free.

I am strong.

I can lift weights, move freight, build a deck, and sweat.

I can carry a child, cradle my love, bear the brunt of the World.

I can hold my past inside me, and filter it, so that it does nothing but benefit the woman I am today. 

I am strong.

I am loud.

I can look you in the face and boldly declare my opinion; no matter how controversial it may be.

I can educate you on all the things you don't understand and are too scared to read about. 

I can laugh until my throat is hoarse and my eyes are filled with tears. 

I am loud. 

I am free, I am strong, and I am loud. I can do anything but, more importantly, I WILL do anything I please. 

I give myself permission from here on out to really love myself. I am stepping down from being okay with myself and moving on to being floored by the person I am. I declare today the first day that I will not look at ANY part of myself and feel negatively about it. I will not wonder if those stretch marks will fade or hang that shirt back up because, God forbid, it shows what my body really looks like. I will no longer speak of my body as if it is almost there, nearly there, pretty darn close to perfect. Beyond that- I give myself permission to be proud of the person I am. I am going to be proud of my tenacity, my positivity, my hopefulness, my rowdiness, and my all together me-ness.

I am officially saying YES to everything that being a woman has to offer! I am sick and tired of avoiding make-up colors, hair styles, or fashion because it's too risky. I am now a risk-taker, baby. I am going to have more fun showing who I am on the inside with style on the outside. In fact, I vow to pick up those things in my closet and wear them. I am never again going to look at something on a hanger and decide not to even try it on because "It's not for girls like me." I am not going to make myself an exception any longer. 

I AM IN-BETWEEN. I am finally going to acknowledge this and EMBRACE it. I am normal, I am small, I am fat, I am muscular, I am me. Instead of "having" to shop at more stores than other ladies, I get to shop at more stores. I get to work the best of both sides and never again will I feel out of place in a store. I am never going to go shopping under the premise that I will not have fun. In fact, I will make it a point to try on stuff that is goofy or wild because I, too, am goofy and wild. 

I will no longer limit myself. I will apply for jobs that I am under qualified or barely qualified for. I will not look at doors as if they are closed to me any longer. All opportunities are mine for the taking. My success lies in giving my all. I will not half-ass my work, my house, my husband, or my friends. 

I allow myself to be 21, damnit. I say it's okay to show my midriff, go without a bra, get drunk, and go dancing. I can go to the beach and lay in the sun, go wind surfing, go rock climbing, and generally do whatever I want. I am young and I am spirited. I am going to be inappropriate, be clumsy, and tell bad jokes. I am going to make too many plans too close together and get burnt out. I am going to embrace my sexuality in whatever way I please. I am going to speak up when someone condones me because I am married or "blames" it on my sexual orientation. 

I will mess up. Every once in a while or...all the time. 

I will forget things. Really, I'll forget a lot of things. 

I will fall, both physically and emotionally. I will get back up.

I will worry. I will stress. I will plan myself to death. 

I will love as deeply as my soul will let me and then try to love a little more. I will never get as much love in return. I am okay with that. 

I will fight. Myself, my body, my emotions, my family, my future. I will fight and sometimes I will lose, but I will fight. 

I will hope. I will spend all day wishing on eyelashes, candles, and fortune cookies. All night I will wish on stars. 

I will dream. I will let my imagination take me wherever I'd like to go. I will use it as inspiration for my life. 

I will put good out into the World. Even if I must sacrifice to put that good out, I will do it. I will find a deeper sense of selflessness.