BRAVERY 52 | List 21

LIST 21 | List the people you compare yourself to.

"Comparison is the thief of joy" is an adage I adhere to every day. I don't want to be like anyone else. I've worked too damned hard at becoming the woman I am today. There is no one like me! Thank god.

Now, what strong, independent women would I like to have in my circle of friends - who are not there already? In no particular order: Anne Lamott, Chrissy Teigen, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah, Julia Cameron, Brené Brown, Stacy Abrams, Bonnie Raitt, Alice Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Annie Leibovitz, Carol King, Arlene Dickenson, SARK ... the list is well and truly endless. I am inspired to be better and show up more authentically by so many incredible women I will never have the joy to know in person, but I know them well enough through books, interviews, podcasts and online. My life is richer for their presence in it.

There are plenty of men who inspire me, too (of note: quote above is from Teddy Roosevelt whom I find incredibly encouraging.) But really I would never compare myself to a man, nor would I want to emulate a man in any way. I can love their words and concepts, but I generally don't want them around to mansplain their ideas. That sounded bad. I love men. I really do. I've raised two! I've lost one. I simply like the idea of being inspired by a group of people who have a shared experience that transcends race, socio-economics, education - a group who share the experience of gender.

I compare myself to no one. Do you?