4 Inspiring Life Lessons We Can Learn From Famous Women

famous women

Ignore the reality shows and perfume ads. Here are surprisingly valuable things we can learn from famous women.

From the moment we’re born, humans learn by example. Life is continually full of lessons (some effortless, some difficult) for us to soak up like a sponge.

But what can we learn from famous women? These women are always in the spotlight, and are often judged and criticized by people they’ve never met. The truly classy ones still manage to emerge graceful and unscathed. As life lessons go, these famous women have more to teach us than first meets the eye.

4 Life Lessons from Famous Women

1. Speak Up for Your Beliefs

Fourteen year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head for her outspokenness on bringing light to the power of education for women. “In Pakistan, when we were stopped from going to school, and that time I realized that education is very important, and education is the power for women,” she said in an interview. “And that’s why the terrorists are afraid of education. They do not want women to get education because then women will become more powerful… I will tell him [the Taliban] how important education is and that ‘I even want education for your children as well.”

2. Beauty Comes From the Inside Out

As style icon Audrey Hepburn famously said, “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” It isn’t how much makeup we wear, how we dress or what we own, true poise is found is grace from within.

3. Always Look for the Best in Others

Arguably of the most outlandish famous women of the last century, Lady Gaga stepped into the spotlight with the release of her hit record when she was just 22. Yet to her fans she has always exuded an air of being down to earth, even through her over the top style. She says, “I feel like if you’re a really good human being, you can try to find something beautiful in every single person, no matter what.”

4. A Little Sass Never Hurts

As women we are told to conduct ourselves a certain way–even now in the 21st century there are pressures for women to conform. But first lady, activist and feminist, Eleanor Roosevelt said it best: “Well behaved women rarely make history.” By stepping outside of the boundaries, making our voice heard and following our heart and intuition, we can surely make a positive change in this world.

Related on EcoSalon:

25 Inspirational Quotes on the Power of Women

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image: Hannie85

Juliette Donatelli

Working in the field of sustainability for over seven years, Juliette is passionate about its intersection within the fashion industry. Juliette began studying ecological conservation, and led consumer awareness campaigns around the world from water usage in southern California, riparian restoration in South Africa, food distribution in Paris and bison habitat in the Great Plains. She has launched her passion--consumerism and sustainability--into a place where it hits home--fashion. Juliette is the founder and editor-in-chief of spadesandsilk.com, Director of Sustainability at Manufacture NY, and loves to read, dance, swim and enjoy the occasional glass of champagne.