List of Top 5 Credible Women to Admire
When I was a little girl, I loved to read. I still do. In fifth grade I discovered a children’s book series of biographies. I think it was called the “Famous American’s Biography series. I read everyone in the library. Even at that young age I was disappointed there were not more women heroes to emulate. When I was 29, I spent a year reading biographies of famous women. Sadly, many of the women I read about had horrible childhoods and or disastrous romantic relationships and marriages. When I got cable, I watched the biography of every single woman they featured. I was looking at their body language and listening to their voices searching for clues to being a powerful woman. I still look for feisty brave women to look up to and admire. While working on my first impressions book today. I wanted to give examples in the book of powerful feisty women. That task inspired me to create a list of the top 5 women who I admire. I would love your suggestions. What women do you think show any or all of the four first impression factors of credibility, likeability, attractiveness and power?
This list includes some of my personal heroes since I was a little girl. My list has lots of feisty women. I especially love women who have overcome adversity, physical pain and who have been the first woman to do something in their field.
1. Helen Keller - “Life is a daring adventure or nothing.’” That quote was on the wall of my teenage bedroom and later my college dorm room. She also said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” The story of Helen Keller has inspired millions: though she was deaf and blind after a childhood illness, with the support of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, she learned signing and Braille, graduated from Radcliffe, and helped change the world's perception of the disabled. I played Helen Keller in a play in Junior High. I studied all of the amazing work she did and watched tapes of her speeches. She had this amazing smile and energy and was so enthusiastic about life.
2. Laura Hillenbrand - she is the author of two non-fiction books, "Seabiscuit"and "Unbroken". If you haven’t read Seabiscut, go get it right now and when you're finished reading the book read about her life. For over twenty years, she has suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which at times interrupts her writing. She wrote much of Seabiscut lying flat on her back, as her illness often meant she couldn’t sit up at a desk. When her book was published I just happened to have an audience member that I was sitting with at dinner after my speech start talking about her and I gushed about how much I loved her book. By wonderous coincidence his wife was her publisher and she was their dear freind and they had been to her house and seen her upside down writing desk that allowed her to write lying down.
3. Marie Curie - scientist. I love that her husband helped her be successful.
4. Jane Austen - extremely talented, Victorian author of "Pride and Prejudice" and other marvelous books. She had a great relationship with her sister. She was also brave enough not to marry in a time when women had extreme pressure to do so.
5. Dr. Ruth Westheimer “Our way is not soft grass; it’s a mountain path with lots of rocks. but it goes upwards, forward, toward the sun.” I saw Dr. Ruth speak when I was in college. She sat on a small chair and hundreds of college kids sat on the floor at her feet. The audience was transfixed. She is wise, funny, warm and very very smart. I want to be like her when I grow up.
