Badass women stand out from the crowd.
They can be loud and proud girl-bosses, quiet and unassuming introverts, or anything in between.
There’s a certain magic about them that transcends superficial ideas of what it means to be strong or what a woman should be like.
And that magic comes from the fact that they embody traits that most women are usually too afraid to practice or embrace.
Here are some of the things badass women do differently.
1) They unapologetically love themselves
Badass women don’t shy away from loving themselves more than anything in the world.
And yes, this is the case even when they have kids and partners.
As far as they’re concerned, they can’t love others if they don’t love themselves first and are confident in their self-love.
They won’t let their men walk all over them for the sake of “love”, or curse their children with an unhappy, resentful, and needy mother.
So they love themselves unapologetically, and it’s not their problem if other people think they’re being selfish for doing so.
2) They pursue their passions with gusto
As far as they’re concerned, life is meant to be lived.
It doesn’t matter how busy their lives have become, or how old they are. Badass women indulge in their passions, whatever they may be.
They don’t care if their families think their passions are a waste of time, or if people think they should dedicate more time on more “practical” stuff instead.
If they love painting, then they’ll find the time to paint between chores and buy brushes and canvases when they have some cash to spare.
And if they like reading, they might wake up early to indulge in a spot of reading during the early morning hours.
3) They’re not afraid to be seen as “too feminine”
The idea of a badass woman often invokes the idea of a lady dressed in masculinity—tough, gritty butches, bikers, and athletes with muscles that could make you tremble.
But while one may think being a badass means trying to emulate this stereotype, ladies who are truly badass don’t care about being too “feminine” for the part.
They’re perfectly fine with going around town in a nice cotton dress instead of a rough and ragged denim jacket.
And they don’t feel like they need to be rough around people just so that people will think they’re a “badass”—they are perfectly fine with being gentle and nice.
That is to say, they don’t care if people consider them “girly” at all…because hey, what’s wrong with that?
4) They’re not afraid to be seen as “too masculine”
On the flipside, badass women aren’t exactly afraid of being seen as too “masculine” or “mannish” either.
They will happily swing an ax if they need some firewood, pay for their dates if they want to, and cut their hair short if they feel like it.
And in fact, they might even enjoy reading about how “mannish” women like them got men in the 20’s and 40’s in a panic for simply daring to wear tuxedos and pants.
In the end, they couldn’t care less if their manners make them look “masculine” or “feminine.” They simply want to be themselves.
5) They stand up for themselves and others
They’ll defend people they love from bullies.
They’ll ask for a raise if they feel like they deserve it.
And they’ll complain about unfair policies they’re subject to.
The truly badass people—including women—are those who are not afraid to stand up for themselves and others.
They’re all about fairness and compassion. They’re the ones who will lead a petition and join rallies on the streets for people’s rights.
Even if they’re normally inconspicuous and reserved, if they feel a need to speak up, then they’ll speak up.
6) They’re totally fine with being alone
Most people are scared (and some even look down) on the idea of being alone.
In fact, people even often assume that if someone’s a loner, that there’s something wrong with them.
“There must be something wrong with single, friendless people…or else, why would they be alone?” is an opinion way too many people have.
For a truly badass woman, however, this kind of opinion is nothing but noise.
They’re sure with who they are and what kind of people they want to be with, and because of that they won’t force themselves to socialize if they don’t feel like it.
If all their dates suck, then they won’t just go with the next one just so they’re not alone. They’ll wait til the right one comes.
If their friends have proven themselves to be abusive towards them, then they’ll go find new friends elsewhere.
7) They’d rather be disliked than live an inauthentic life
Most people don’t exactly enjoy being disliked, and that includes even badass women.
But if that means they had to choose between being liked and living an authentic life, they’d rather choose the latter.
So what if others think they’re being too “choosy” and “stubborn” if they won’t accept a high-paying but soul-crushing job?
They’d rather have a more relaxed job that they enjoy.
So what if their parents would stop talking to them if they stopped going to church?
If they really don’t really believe in religion—and maybe even despise it—then they’re not going to pretend they do.
In the end, they live their lives for their own sake, not to win the approval of others.
8) They aren’t scared to be vulnerable
Most of us have the impression that toughness is all about suppressing emotions and never showing weakness.
But this is actually cowardice!
Genuinely strong people embrace their weaknesses and aren’t afraid to show them.
What makes them strong instead is the fact that they have conquered these weaknesses. And badass women have done exactly that.
They’re not afraid to cry when they need to, and to ask for help if they can see they can’t do everything by themselves.
It’s no big deal to them because they understand that everyone has their weaknesses, so rather than hide theirs, they embrace them.
9) They’re confident but not cocky
Genuinely badass women are very much self-assured and confident, but they know better than to brag about it.
They’re quietly confident—if they know they can do something, they’ll do it. If they know something that someone else doesn’t, they’ll explain it without being condescending.
The thing with being cocky and even boastful is that rather than being a sign of confidence, they’re actually signs that someone is insecure.
And women who are completely self-assured simply don’t feel a need to boast or show off.
10) They leave when they find it necessary
I’m not talking about leaving the office during office hours.
I’m talking about leaving a relationship that’s already unsalvageable, or a party that’s already gone on for too long.
Most of us get hung up over niceties and stay around even when we don’t want to—but not badass women.
They will leave when they feel like it. And while most of the time they’d do the polite thing and excuse themselves, they will happily do the french exit when needed.
Most of us are too afraid to come off as rude or inconsiderate. But leaving by itself isn’t actually rude given that you’re being polite about it… and sometimes being “rude” is simply the best option.
11) They’re direct (without being rude)
People in general are often intimidated by badass women simply because they’re direct and not afraid to speak up when they want to. They’re also well aware that they can be intimidating.
But that doesn’t mean people have to feel that way, or even assume that they’re being rude—if anything, badass women also put in good effort into being polite and gentle when needed.
Badass women are well aware of how important good communication is, and they’d rather get straight to the point instead of beating around the bush and risking misunderstandings.
12) They bend—but only up to a point
Badass women are stubborn, but not unreasonably so.
Sure, they’re idealistic, passionate, and strong-willed, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stick to their convictions without consideration for others.
They’re more than happy to compromise if they need to, especially in a group setting where they need to work together with their colleagues or plan a trip with their family.
And when they compromise, they will make an effort to keep things as fair as possible, and will refuse to be intimidated into settling for less.
Final thoughts
There are many people who deride women for being “badasses.”
But if you think hard about it, being a badass is simply about knowing your worth and having the strength and confidence to assert yourself.
Of course, it’s also about not giving a damn.
The reason some women aren’t badasses is because they’ve never had the opportunity to grow into their own, with the people around them repeatedly putting them “in their place.”
But every single woman out there can be a badass if they desire it—and they should.
Everyone deserves to take space and be unapologetically themselves (as long as they’re not harming others, of course).
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