Women's History Month: Honoring Strength, Ending Forced Resilience

March is Women’s History Month—a time to celebrate the contributions, achievements, and resilience of women throughout history. But as we honor the strength of women, we must also pause and ask: At what cost has this resilience come?

Women have long been praised for their ability to endure, persist, and rise above obstacles. But too often, this resilience is not a choice—it is an expectation. An expectation to keep going, to hold everything together, to be the backbone of families, workplaces, and communities—even when exhaustion sets in.

Recognizing the Signs of Forced Resilience

Forced resilience is not the empowering strength we are often led to believe it is. It is a survival mechanism born out of necessity, not choice. It manifests in ways we may not immediately recognize, such as:

🔹 Feeling like you have no option but to push through, no matter how depleted you are.

🔹 Being praised for your strength when what you truly need is support.

🔹 Struggling to rest without guilt because you’ve been conditioned to equate productivity with worth.

🔹 Constantly carrying the burdens of others while neglecting your own needs.

These signs are often overlooked or dismissed, but recognizing them is the first step in breaking the cycle.

Calling Out Those Who Create Forced Resilience

Forced resilience doesn’t happen in isolation. It is reinforced by systems, workplaces, communities, and even loved ones who expect women to sacrifice without question. Too often, resilience is not an empowering trait but a burden placed upon women by those who refuse to share the load. It’s time to call out the individuals and structures that perpetuate this cycle of exhaustion:

🔹 Workplaces that glorify burnout but fail to provide real support. Women are often expected to take on additional responsibilities—both professionally and emotionally—without acknowledgment or compensation. Workplaces must reward efficiency, not exhaustion.

🔹 Societal norms that shame women for prioritizing themselves. When women set boundaries, they are called selfish. When they say no, they are seen as difficult. We must rewrite the narrative that self-sacrifice is a virtue and normalize self-preservation.

🔹 Families that assume caregiving is a woman’s role. Whether it’s childcare, eldercare, or emotional labor, women are expected to carry the weight. True progress means shifting these expectations and ensuring shared responsibility.

🔹 Narratives that celebrate suffering as strength. The woman who “does it all” is praised, while the woman who prioritizes rest is criticized. Strength isn’t about enduring endless exhaustion—it’s about building a life rooted in joy, balance, and sustainability.

When we challenge these forces, we break the cycle of forced resilience. We deserve a world where resilience is a choice, not a requirement for survival.

When we hold these forces accountable, we create space for real change.

Putting Down the Cape: Rest is a Revolution

For too long, women have been expected to wear an invisible cape—always ready to save the day, take on more, and bear the weight of everything and everyone. The world has glorified this endless giving as strength, as if the ability to endure exhaustion is a badge of honor. But let’s be clear: this isn’t empowerment—it’s exploitation.

Rest is not a luxury. It is not something to be earned after we’ve given everything away. Rest is a right.

Choosing to rest, to say no, to set boundaries, and to prioritize yourself is an act of radical self-care in a world that benefits from your exhaustion. Every time you refuse to push past your limits, you are rejecting the system that tells you your worth is tied to how much you can endure.

But resting is not just about pausing—it’s about reclaiming. When we put down the cape,

we reclaim our time, our energy, and our well-being. We show future generations that strength isn’t about how much we can carry, but how wisely we choose to carry what truly matters.

Rest is not weakness. Rest is a revolution. And we are long overdue for one.

"Take off the cape, turn it into a blanket, and rest." Dr. Tara Reed

Radiance Over Resilience: Choosing a New Path

Resilience is often painted as the ultimate goal—the ability to withstand hardship, push through adversity, and keep going no matter what. But what if we aimed for something greater? What if, instead of measuring our strength by how much we can endure, we focused on how much we can shine?

Radiance is about living fully, not just surviving. It’s about embracing joy, inner peace, and self-care without the weight of forced resilience. It is the freedom to exist without constantly proving our worth through struggle.

Forced resilience tells us that we must always rise, no matter how exhausted we are. It convinces us that stopping is failure, that asking for help is weakness, and that our value lies in how much we can carry. But radiance offers another way—a path that prioritizes thriving over suffering, self-preservation over self-sacrifice.

Radiance means:

✨ Choosing rest without guilt.

✨ Setting boundaries without apology.

✨ Releasing the pressure to be “strong” at the cost of your well-being.

✨ Living in a way that honors your joy, peace, and purpose.

The world doesn’t need more women proving they can endure; it needs more women who feel alive, whole, and free.

So let’s shift the focus. Let’s move from glorifying resilience to celebrating radiance. Let’s make space for thriving over surviving. Because we deserve more than just making it through—we deserve to shine.

The Importance of Ending Forced Resilience

Ending forced resilience is not just about personal well-being—it’s about changing the world for future generations. When we stop glorifying struggle and start demanding support, rest, and fairness, we redefine what strength truly means.

Here’s how we can move forward:

✅ Recognize that resilience is not an obligation. Women should not have to prove their worth through struggle.

✅ Encourage rest without shame. Rest is not laziness—it is necessary for sustainability.

✅ Challenge societal norms. Support policies that promote work-life blend, parental leave, and mental health care.

✅ Celebrate women for who they are, not just what they endure. Women’s value is not measured by how much they can withstand.

What does breaking the cycle of forced resilience mean to you?

A Call to Action: Rewriting the Narrative

Women’s history is not just about looking back—it’s about shaping the future. A future where healthy resilience is a choice, not an expectation. A future where women are supported, not just admired for their ability to keep going.

So, as we come to the close of Women’s History month, there’s work that still needs to be done. Continue to honor the women who paved the way, let’s also advocate for a world where resilience is no longer forced—but freely chosen.