12 unmistakable signs you’re a badass woman

You’re a badass and you know it.

And it’s NOT because you’re trying too hard to act all tough like some femme fatale—no, it’s because of the way you deal with life.

Want to know just how badass you are?

In this article, I will give you 12 signs you’re one badass woman. Find out how many you can see in yourself!

1. You know yourself well

You’ve spent half of your life getting to know yourself better because, as far as you’re concerned, it’s key to actually living a fulfilling life.

You know the things you like and don’t like—what things you’re willing to fight for, and what you’re willing to let go.

You know the kind of guy you’d like to date, the kind of friends you want to keep, the kind of suffering you’re willing to endure.

And it doesn’t stop there, of course.

You actually try your best to honor yourself because you believe that if you won’t fight for the things you want, no one else will do it for you.

2. You’re not scared to love

People think that “badass” women like you are tough because you simply don’t feel a lot—that you’re not emotional, fragile, or sensitive.

That’s rubbish, of course.

Being badass isn’t about NOT feeling things. It’s about not letting your emotions get to you.

And that means that you aren’t afraid to love, to face heartbreak, and to love again until you find the one for you.

Everyone faces pain and disappointment all the time after all… so why should you let yourself be so afraid of that pain that you’d deny yourself a shot at happiness?

3. You’re not scared to follow your dreams

And just like with love, you don’t let your fears or uncertainties stop you from chasing your dreams either.

It doesn’t matter to you whether your parents would think you’re wasting your time, or if your friends think you’re being delusional.

To you, anything is possible if you set your mind to it. We all only have so much time on this earth after all, so might as well reach out and shoot for the stars.

Not only do you work to follow your dreams, you also do it smartly (you wouldn’t be badass if you didn’t). If you wanted to be an artist, you’d read tutorials and join workshops instead of trying to draw the Mona Lisa on your own.

You just know that one day all the people who’re doubting you right now will eat their words.

4. You don’t depend on anyone

Although you love your family and friends, you know for a fact that ultimately the one person you can count on to be there with you is… yourself!

And so, as much as possible, you don’t rely on others for anything.

You don’t expect your boyfriend to pay for your meals all the time not only because you don’t want him to feel he’s being “used”, you just don’t want to make it a habit that you’re depending on someone.

You don’t ask your parents to rescue you every time you have a financial crisis because, well, you’re an adult now and you’re supposed to stand up on your own by now.

Sure, you’re fine with being given gifts and having people give you favors, but you won’t ever rely on others’ goodwill just to exist.

Not only do you not want to be a burden on others, you also want to make it clear that you can carry your own weight.

5. You’re totally okay being different

If you’re truly badass, you’re not scared to go out of the box.

In fact, a part of you is always itching to get rid of these boxes that society has put women in because it makes you angry.

If you’re a movie character, you’d be Wednesday Addams or Daria.

You’re totally fine with (and even a bit proud of) not shaving your legs even if people think it doesn’t look “pretty”.  You’re totally fine with dancing barefoot, eating with your hand, and doing “unwomanly” things.

You’re all the more free for it and boy, you wish other women thought the same way.

6. You freely express yourself

Some people say you’re #nofilter when it comes to your opinions, and many are scared of you because of how direct you can be.

You don’t mean to sound “badass”. You don’t want to be that lady who tears people apart with a sharp tongue—no, you just want to be honest. In fact you try to be as nice as you can.

But the thing with society is that it expects women would just stay quiet, be meek, and listen. Your honesty directly goes against that expectation, and that’s why you intimidate people.

You believe that it’s our basic right to express ourselves… and that is the truth. It’s for that reason that you don’t believe in the idea that women should remain timid and meek.

7. You don’t beg

You aren’t afraid of being vulnerable. 

When the situation really calls for it—say you’re about to miss a flight—you will of course still ask if there’s a way for you to pass through the baggage inspection quickly.

However, for more important matters such as relationships and work, you’d never beg.

You don’t beg to be accepted or respected, and don’t beg to get what you know you deserve.

Instead, you assert yourself. 

You give people a reason to accept and respect you, and you couldn’t give a damn if they refuse to give it anyways. It simply means that they don’t deserve your presence.

You know you will get what you deserve one way or another, and this makes you a badass.

8. You set clear boundaries

You’re anything but a “yes” woman.

You don’t agree to something just to be nice because you just don’t see any point in niceness.

You say yes to something when it’s really okay for you. 

That’s why when a friend wants to sleepover at your apartment when you’re having a bad day, you politely say no.

Of course, you try to be nice in the sense that you’re polite and try to give an explanation, but you’d never bend over backwards just to accommodate others.

9. You decide with your brain

There’s this cliché about how women decide with their hearts, and not their brains. It’s a load of bollocks, of course. In fact, we know so many men who follow their emotions when they cheat on their partners, amirite?

Fact is that all humans are naturally susceptible to getting swayed by their emotions.

Where you stand apart from the crowd is that while you may accept your emotions, you don’t let your heart make your decisions for you.

Instead, you take a step back to detach yourself and your emotions from the equation so that your brain can process the cold hard facts and thus come to a solid decision.

In doing this, you not only break the “‘women are emotional!” cliché, you also conquer human nature itself.

10. You have self-discipline

You aren’t going to pick up the phone and ugly cry at your ex just because you’ve been missing them, and neither are you going to break your diet routine just because you saw an especially delicious-looking burger on TV.

No—you know of the boundaries you’ve set for yourself and you aren’t going to break them easily. Not for a moment’s pleasure, and not even for a chance to win a million dollars.

In fact, were it not for your self-discipline you would not be as much of a bad-ass as you are now, simply because you cannot control yourself enough to actually uphold everything else on this list for long.

11. You don’t take yourself too seriously

With everything written thus far, it’s easy for someone to assume that being a badass woman means being some flavor of narcissist.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, you don’t take yourself that seriously. 

You brush off stuff that doesn’t matter with a smile on your face, and you have no issues laughing at your own mistakes.

You don’t see any reason why you should be stuck a mile up your own behind. 

The fun thing is that this is a good sign of self-confidence too, and that’s no coincidence! Badass women are defined by their good self-confidence after all.

12. You don’t look down on other women

There are women who think that being a badass means rejecting what people traditionally perceive as “feminine.”

They might judge someone when they’re too “girly”, too “slutty”, too “bitchy” or too “Karen”.

But not you!

You have high respect for women of all kinds because, as far as you’re concerned, everyone’s free to live the lives they want for themselves.

Final Words 

A badass is not defined by how they look or act on the outside, but who they are on the inside.

You can be as feminine and delicate or tough and manly as you want and it won’t take away from you being a badass or a woman.

What matters is that deep inside you have the strength, conviction, and principles to stand by who you are.