Being badass doesn’t mean wearing a faux-leather jacket and riding a Harley.

Our badass days are when we get out of bed in the morning, even if we know that the day’s going to be hard to get through.

Our badass days are when we ugly-cry and let out all that bad energy that’s been sucking our souls.

Our badass days are when we celebrate our small wins,

when we remove people with toxic tendencies from our lives,

when we have the guts to love and be loved,

when we aren’t afraid to be vulnerable,

when we speak our minds and refuse to be treated like a doormat,

when we protect our beliefs,

when we protect ourselves and our loved ones,

when we refuse to succumb to injustice,

when we fight for what’s right,

when we’re bold enough to stand in the face of our oppressors, whether they are people, our memories, or traumas,

when we choose to love our bodies, our minds, and our hearts,

when we stop pleasing everyone except ourselves,

when we are honest about what we’re feeling,

when we start setting boundaries to protect our mental health,

when we start giving ourselves permission to feel happy,

when we appreciate ourselves enough to know that we deserve happiness,

when we start fighting for what we want and what makes us satisfied.

Our badass days are not when we smoke a cigarette and don’t choke.

Our badass days are not when we drive fast and not get in an accident.

Our badass days are not when we date several people and manage to hide it from each of them.

Our badass days are not when we put on sunglasses at night.

Our badass days are when we are there for ourselves,

when, despite all odds, we manage to soldier on,

to be kind to ourselves,

to practice self-love,

to accept that we deserve this love,

from others,

and from ourselves.

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