11 Inspiring Quotes From Extraordinary Women

@pavonne via Twenty20

Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions of women to history, culture and society. We celebrate their courage and their strength to make their voices heard and their achievements noticed. And we encourage you to take a stand, to forge a path, to break the rules—to make a difference in your life and in the world.

Related: Why You Need to Embrace Your Ambition

Start with inspiration from these extraordinary women:

1. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” –Brené Brown

2. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” –Coco Chanel

3. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” –Nora Ephron

4. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

5. “Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.” –Oprah Winfrey

6. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton

7. “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” –Katherine Hepburn

8. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” –Jane Goodall

9. “The challenge is not to be perfect… it’s to be whole.” –Jane Fonda

10. “We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” –Marie Curie

11. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” –Amelia Earhart

Related: 10 Empowering Books to Read After You ‘Lean In’