We’ve all heard the phrase ‘I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.’ Well, there’s no wrong side to wake up on when you begin your day empowering your inner girl boss. The moments spent preparing for your day determine how your day will go. You can groggily drag yourself out of bed to brush your teeth and rush out the door, or you can get ready accompanied by an attitude that reminds you that you can take on the world. Here’s what a bSmart woman listens to in the morning to find that motivation and empowerment.
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Every woman needs to find a girl power anthem that works for her. I survived my senior year of high school by listening to ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ as I drove to school. (Loud, off-pitch singing was included.)
Kesha recently released a new song called ‘Woman,’ a celebration of being a ‘motherfucking woman.’ After Kesha’s struggles with sexual assault, she has triumphed with pride in her womanhood. In an essay published by Rolling Stone, Kesha wrote about her inspiration for the song: ‘I have always been a feminist, but for much of my life I felt like a little girl trying to figure things out. In the past few years, I have felt like a woman more than ever. I just feel the strength and awesomeness and power of being female.’ Sounds like the perfect empowering song to jam to.
So, find the girl power anthem that resonates with your soul, and play it in the morning to pump you up and remind you that you’re a powerful woman. Some of my other favorites include ‘I Got Nerve’ by Hannah Montana (it’s a classic!), ‘So What’ by Pink and ‘Bad Girls’ by M.I.A.
‘Confessions of a Bad Feminist’
This TED Talk by Roxanne Gay speaks to the insecurities of many women. Am I failing as a woman? Can I call myself a feminist if I don’t always act like one? Do I really want to call myself the ‘F’ word anyway? Gay reminds us that equality is for everyone, and loving pink, binge watching ‘The Bachelor,’ and wishing a man would kill a bug doesn’t make you any less of a feminist. ‘I am a bad feminist. I am a good woman,’ Gay said. ‘I am trying to become better in how I think and what I say and what I do without abandoning everything that makes me human.’ Listen to this in the morning to remind yourself that it’s okay to be human, and that we can be human and still demand better for women.
This spoken word poem is a reminder to women that we're not defined by how men view us or treat us. ‘You are a woman. Skin and bones. Veins and nerves. Hair and sweat. You are not made of metaphors. Not apologies. Not excuses,’ Kay says in her soothing, rhythmic voice. Listen to this in the morning if you need a reminder that you’re more than a man’s perception of you or if you need some calming morning motivation.
Babies, body image, women’s history, love, menstruation and sex are just a few of the topics covered by this podcast. Co-hosts Emilie Aries and Bridget Todd address the challenges women have faced throughout history and continue to face, backed up by solid research and paired with strategic solutions to these problems. To get a taste for the series, check out the recent podcast ‘Marriage v. Ambition,’ which tackles the idea of the ‘ambition/marriage trade-off’ that women face. Listen to this in the morning for an endless supply of educational empowerment.
Remind yourself that it’s okay to be human, and that we can be human and still demand better for women.
Hillary Clinton’s concession speech
For many, the occasion for hearing this speech was difficult, but it also contains so much hope, no matter what side of the aisle you stand on. ‘To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams,’ Clinton said. She reminded us that women can succeed in male-dominated fields. She reminded us to ‘never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it.’ Listen to this in the morning if you want a reminder that women have come so far, and we will go so much further.
With morning listening material that spans from Kesha to Hillary Clinton, you’ll start your days feeling empowered and ready to take on the world. A day that begins with positivity and girl power is sure to be a good one.
Elizabeth Guthrie is a student at Northwestern University pursuing a degree in journalism with a minor in sociology and a Civic Engagement Certificate. You can often find her exploring a new neighborhood of Chicago, reading Harry Potter in a coffee shop or meditating by Lake Michigan.
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