Maybe you were lucky enough as a young person to have a great woman in your life you could watch and learn from. But sometimes, young people are not that fortunate. All little ones can benefit enormously from having a strong, interesting woman as a role model. 

Now that you’re grown, why not become that woman yourself for some people, young and old? If you reflect on any female role models you have, you’ll recognize a common thread running through them all: they’re confident in their own skin. 

Whether they’re a mom, a CEO, or an English teacher, those women embrace their own lives and express their true selves in the process. 

And you can do those same things. When you’re able to accept yourself for who you are, from your strong points to your idiosyncrasies, you’re then free to be the woman you most want to be.

So how, exactly, do you go about this?

Try these tips to be a wonderful female role model to those around you:

Know who you are. If you allow your own self to emerge, others will notice that you’re genuine and will be drawn to you. When you avoid putting on airs, people are more comfortable around you. Plus, they’re less likely to put up a facade in your presence.

Be brave enough to show the world. To extend the idea in the suggestion above, those who lack confidence usually fear showing others who they really are. Demonstrate your confidence by letting people know the “real” you.

Express yourself through your appearance. The bottom line is that our appearance is a reflection of who we are. Although how you look isn’t the whole picture, it surely does complete the image. Let your inner self be represented in your appearance.

Listen well. One of the most useful behaviors to model for young, aspiring women is to pay attention and listen well to others. Developing the skill of listening is a lifelong process. Be assured that modeling this skill for young people is a huge contribution to their development.

Step up and speak up. When necessary, stand up for something that’s important to you or that you believe will make the world a better place. Speaking up just means that you express your thoughts in ways that people can best hear them, in a non-threatening tone using engaging language. 

Avoid criticizing others. Learn positive ways to provide feedback so that your comments do not come across as harsh criticisms. 

Let it be. Refrain from becoming involved in negative conversations and situations. Consider these events a waste of your time. We only get a certain number of minutes in a day. Why spend any of yours on negativity?

Show love freely. Demonstrating that you care about others and the world in general is a wonderful quality and a great example for young people.

Do your own thing. Reveal your innermost self. Do you love to cook, dance, and work with numbers? Then pursue all three. Immerse yourself in whatever excites you. When you feel great about yourself, you experience the freedom to participate in life in ways that increase your enthusiasm for it. 

When you do these things, you’ll not only live life to its fullest potential, you’ll provide every girl you encounter with a fascinating, approachable female role model. You’ll give them a lot to think about now and a better life later on, when they grow up and are able to show their own moxie! Happy Women’s History Month! 🙂