Why It’s Important to Believe the Best About the Women Around You

Women comprise nearly fifty percent of the world’s population. With 7.6 billion people in the world, our total numbers are likely somewhere around 3.8 billion. We’re everywhere. We come in all ages, all ethnicities, and are found in every walk of life in every corner of the earth. We’re dynamic, complex, filled to the brim with mystery and passion. Some of the most remarkable individuals I know are women, and they encourage and drive me to grow in my own life as I watch them live theirs.

I didn’t always think this way. To be honest, during late high school and college, the number of guy friends I had far outweighed the girl friends I had. I used to frequently say that it was because guys “were easier to get along with” and that girls “caused too much drama,” and though I still had a handful of girl friends that I cherished, I was usually somewhat uncomfortable in a crowd of women.

I was pretty embarrassed to examine myself at some point and admit that one of the largest reasons I missed out on great female friendships was because of my own insecurities. I’m not proud to admit that being around beautiful, talented, smart women used to make me feel very inadequate. I’ve allowed comparison to rob me of so much over the years, and I feel confident that I’m not the only woman who has fallen under that weight over the years. (Check out Just Because She’s Pretty Doesn’t Mean You’re Not for proof!)

I’m thankful for that moment of clarity that allowed me to own up to my own shortcomings and face them. During my last semester of college, I really began to invest in the women around me and I was amazed to discover how much camaraderie and authenticity I found around me. I wasn’t the only one wrestling with self-image, purpose, and faith, and seeking answers. Some of our experiences were different, but many were the same. We were specialized support systems for one another because we understood one another. To this day, some of the most meaningful female friendships I hold come from that final semester of college. In fact, I just had the joy of being a bridesmaid for one of my dearest friends and it was such an honor to stand by her on her special day.

Here’s a fact: you can’t effectively be pro-women if you aren’t supportive of the women in your life. Gender equality is a hot topic right now, but there’s no use in using snappy buzzwords and hashtags about women being equal and valued if we aren’t treating the women in our lives as our equals and celebrating their value as unique individuals. As with any other overarching issue, our ability to enact change is quantified by the decisions we make in our every day lives. It’s easy to point fingers and identify the problem, but it requires much more effort on our parts to be the solution.

As women driven by both grit and grace, it’s our responsibility and privilege to seek out opportunities to support women around us. We have so many articles on our site that talk about the kind of women we want to be, so please take a minute to look over the list below.