In 2018, women's rights and feminism have come a long way, but it can still be discouraging sometimes to be a woman living in a man's world. In times like these we need to remind ourselves all we have accomplished and continue the fight, carrying the words of the trailblazing women who have come before us in our hearts. Here are 20 powerful quotes to encourage you to follow your dreams and be true to yourself. Remember that you deserve respect and equal opportunity, and you should never settle for less. And to all the women (and all the men) who use their platforms to fight for women's rights in 2018: Thank you.
1. "To all the little girls who are watching, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams." — Hillary Clinton
2. "I think women are scared of feeling powerful and strong and brave sometimes. There's nothing wrong with being afraid. It's not the absence of fear, it's overcoming it and sometimes you just have to blast through and have faith." — Emma Watson
3. "It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." — Madeleine Albright
4. "I raise up my voice – not so I can shout, but so those without a voice can be heard… we cannot succeed when half of us are held back." — Malala Yousafzai
5. "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." — Marie Curie
6. "'Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." — Oprah Winfrey
7. "There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." — Michelle Obama
8. "There is a stubbornness about me that can never bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." — Jane Austen
9. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead
10. "A woman is like a tea bag—you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." — Eleanor Roosevelt
11. "Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in." — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
12. "I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." — Madonna
13. "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." — Margaret Thatcher
14. "A champion is defined not by their wins, but by how many times they recover when they fall." — Serena Williams
15. "What makes you different or weird—that is your strength." — Meryl Streep
16. "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. Don't let the bastards grind you down." — Margaret Atwood
17. "I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself." — Beyoncé
18. "We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already." — J.K. Rowling
19. "A girl should be two things: who and what she wants." — Coco Chanel
20. "I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass." — Maya Angelou
