The Courage to Shine

“Here’s to strong women: May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.”

On this International Women’s Day, I find myself reflecting on what it really means to raise strong women.

Recently, one of my daughters - a senior in college - turned in a written assignment she had spent a long time thoughtfully crafting. She reflected deeply, organized her ideas carefully, and wrote with clarity and intention.

When she received feedback from her professor, she was surprised and understandably upset. He told her he suspected she had used AI to write it because he had “never had a student write like this.” Her ideas, he said, were too well developed to be her original work.

She hadn’t used AI.

She had simply taken the assignment seriously.

She had taken time to think and write well.

Her first reaction was discouragement. She wondered if maybe she should change her writing in the future so it would sound more like what he expected from a student.

As her mom, hearing that broke my heart.

For years I’ve said to my daughters: Don’t let anyone dull your sparkle.

And yet, here was a moment where the pressure to fit into someone else’s expectations almost caused her to dim her own light.

Not because she had done anything wrong.

But because she had done something well.

This is one of the subtle challenges many women face. Sometimes excellence makes people uncomfortable. Sometimes confidence, thoughtfulness, or clarity is questioned simply because it stands out.

But the answer is never to shrink.

It is never to make ourselves smaller so others feel more comfortable.

Strong women keep shining.

They keep speaking thoughtfully, working carefully, and offering their best ideas - even when it surprises people.

And they encourage the women around them to do the same.

Today I’m grateful for the strong women who came before me, who modeled courage and authenticity. I’m grateful for the strong women in my life today. And I’m deeply grateful for the strong women my daughters are becoming.

When a woman refuses to dim her light, she doesn’t just illuminate her own path - she lights the way for others.

Here’s to strong women:

May we know them.

May we be them.

May we raise them.

And may we encourage them to keep shining brightly.