Women Who Inspire Me – Happy International Women’s Day 2022

Help #BreaktheBias on International Women’s Day by using the hashtag on social media.

Happy International Women’s Day 2022 – This year’s campaign theme is #BreakTheBias – something which we can all help do together whether in our families, local communities, or workplaces. Women face bias everyday in all aspects of their lives and it’s important to recognise when and where it happens to help improve the environment around us in which we live in.

There are so many small different things you can do to get involved in the change this year that can help. From sharing the #BreakTheBias pose on social media with the hashtag, sharing quotes from influential women who have impacted you, attending local or online events, talking about the women that inspire and motivate you, and even researching daily small changes you can make.

I want to celebrate, give a pat on the back or a virtual hug to the women that may need it. The women working all hours to provide for their families or to better themselves, suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, friends that offer a listening ear when they, in fact, need it more, the daughters, mothers, sisters, cousins, friends, nieces and grandmothers who go through life being there perfectly imperfect selves being happy and fulfilled building up their families and friends. They’re the women that motivate, inspire and make me encourage myself to be better.

From Rosa Parks to Marie Curie who shaped the life women are able to have today with their fight for equal rights, difference and also gave us the motivation to never stop fighting. To the girl sitting on the bus that’s yawning, the baby that’s crying, or the lady that’s in the hospital bed. We are all worth talking about and commending for life. We all go through our trials and tribulations but that’s a part of this world we live in and I believe we’ve done a pretty good job of shaping the world we live in today and will continue to do more.

This past year I’ve come to appreciate how important it is who surround yourself with strong women who will inspire and motivate you. From women I’ve met through Glow NI, The Belfast Girl Gang, Twitter, or those I knew already I feel so incredibly lucky to know so many independent, remarkable and hardworking women.

Below I’ve written a list of women who are inspiring to me and have made a positive impact on me over the years.

MY MUM

Of course, I have to say my mum, she has always been someone I’ve looked up to. It’s thanks to my mum I got into reading books as a teenager and also my love of writing and English. My mum has supported me so much in recent years when I’ve struggled with my mental health and I love spending any time I get with her as we always laugh at the silliest of things and are so similar in so many different ways. My mum supports me in all of my achievements and ideas and is someone I love sharing my positives with as she’s always so happy for me. My mum’s strength to shoulder so much and to always look out for those around her make her inspiring to me.

MY SISTER

My sister’s willingness to always learn and advance in her career makes me feel so motivated to always look for different topics to learn more about. She never lets anything get her down and her love of books and reading has definitely brought us closer over the years. As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate having a proper conversation with her and sharing any worries I have as I know she’ll tell me her honest thoughts and share any advice she feels I need.

SOCIAL MEDIA

I try to fill my social media feeds with as many body-positive and mental health advocates as I can, including bloggers who write and share about hard-hitting topics like domestic violence, equal opportunities, and those that fight for change in Northern Ireland. I’ve listed five of those accounts below that help motivate and inspire me daily.

• Abby @abby_fantaisie on Instagram (Body Positivity and Fashion)
• The Belfast Girl Gang on Instagram (A safe space for Girls and Women to come together and meet each other in a positive and enviroment to help empower and support one another.)
• Candles For Consent (Making Candles to fund conscent education in Northern Ireland)
• Glow NI – (Provides Opportunities to Women and Girls in Northern Ireland building confidence, self-esteem and meeting friends.)
• WhatLauraLoves (Fashion, Confidence building and shares alot of tips and advice on how you can live confidently)

JULIE NELSON

Julie Nelson is a Northern Ireland footballer who captains the Crusaders Strikers and plays for the Northern Irish National football team. She was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 and travelled the globe playing the much-loved sport. She is a huge inspiration to me and makes me appreciate being a fan of football.

MY BEST FRIEND

To keep their privacy I won’t disclose their name but I’ve known them for 10+ years and their strength is incredible. She is such a hard worker and so driven in her job that from the moment I met her she’s inspired me. I am so incredibly lucky to have a friend like her. Everyone needs a friend who will listen or be there when needs be but understands the silence between texts or messages that comes with mental health or having busy lives but nothing changes everytime you catch up with each other.

DANNI FAT BOO

DanniFatBoo is one of my favorites to watch on tiktok, her positive energy is infectious and I know I’ll always feel better after watching. She continues to raise awareness for so many different topics through her videos and social media.

Once again, Happy International Women’s Day, today kicks off a fortnight feature on Voluptuous Chatterbox where I will feature Interviews with inspirational women, highlight local causes or events, women owned businesses and more. #WednesdayWomen is coming soon.

What are you doing to break the bias? Which women around you are a positive influence? Let me know below!