others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.
—Shannon L. Alder, Mormon self-help author
Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions…. Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.
—Tina Fey, actress, SNL comedian, writer, and producer
You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.
—Diane Von Furstenberg, Belgian-American fashion designer
To lose confidence in one’s body is to lose confidence in oneself.
—Simone de Beauvoir, intellectual, writer, philosopher, and social theorist
I never loved another person the way I loved myself.
—Mae West, memorable actress, comedian, screenwriter, and sex symbol
I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.
—Madonna, iconic performer
I don’t entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I’m me. God knows, I’m me.
—Elizabeth Taylor, British-American actress and humanitarian
Self-esteem isn’t everything; it’s just that there’s nothing without it.
—Gloria Steinem, journalist, activist, and feminist founder of Ms. Magazine
They are called “SELF-worth” and “SELF-esteem” for a reason…we can’t let others decide what we are worth, that is so dangerous! Empower yourself!
—Jaeda DeWalt, author of Chasing Desdemona
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
—Audrey Hepburn, piquant actress, dancer, and humanitarian
A charming woman…doesn’t follow the crowd. She is herself.
—Loretta Young, Oscar-winning actress
Every woman is a queen, and we all have different things to offer
—Queen Latifah, royal rap star, actress, talk show host, and TV and record producer
Badass Divinity Oshun: Not Your Grandmother’s Love Goddess
Known in Africa as the Mother of the River, Oshun is the Yoruba goddess of love, sensuality, and beauty. Though she is said to have a fierce temper when crossed, she most often uses her powers for the benefit of mankind. During the creation of the world, the blacksmith Ogun became tired of working and abandoned his tasks, retreating into the forest. Oshun entered the woods to draw him out, dancing and beguiling him with her splendor. Ogun was so inspired by her loveliness that he took up his tools with more skill and power than he had ever shown before.
Oshun is also a deity of courage and determination. In ancient times, humankind rebelled against Olodumare, the Lord of Heaven, and refused to serve him. Enraged Olodumare brought a drought upon the earth, and the people were afflicted with famine. Birds were sent to beg for the Lord’s forgiveness, but none of them was able to fly high enough to reach his house in the sun. Oshun, in the form of a peacock, was the only one able to complete the journey; but by the time she arrived, her beautiful feathers had been burned black as a vulture’s. Moved by her bravery, Olodumare restored her and ended the drought, naming her an honored Messenger of his house. As the embodiment of love, Oshun combines sexual allure and beauty with a strength that can overcome all obstacles.
Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice.
—Nora Roberts, bestselling romance author
Love is the best medicine, and there is more than enough to go around once you open your heart.
—Julie Marie Berman, Emmy-award-winning television actress
He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.
—Bessie Stanley, writer and poetic author of the famed verse Success
To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be.
—Anna Louise Strong, international activist journalist
Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.
—Emily Bronte, poet and author of the classic Wuthering Heights
