A powerful lesson from Dr. Maya Angelou
Self-esteem was an issue for me, and no more so than when I was in my 20’s.
While I was certainly less awkward as a twenty-something than I was as a teenager, I still struggled to feel good about myself. There were times when I didn’t feel beautiful or good enough to be truly loved and liked by others.
Kind of sad, but I think a lot us, particularly in our twenties, feel that way.
When it came to school or work, I certainly had my fair share (or perhaps an abundance) of confidence. I was an absolute go-getter, who was driven and ambitious.
But I just didn’t have the same level of confidence when it came to my self-image or relationships.
I knew this was something I had to work on and get over! And I’m happy to report that I did.
So today, I’d like to share with you something I used to help me; a poem from Dr. Maya Angelou, who we lost today at the age of 86. A poet, author, educator, historian, actress, singer, playwrite, civil-rights activist, leader, role model; she leaves a tremendous legacy of wisdom, beauty, courage, inspiration, and leadership.
I printed and framed this poem, hung it up in my room next to the mirror, and read it daily. You see, these words helped me to see that my beauty came from the inside out and that the key to others recognizing it, was seeing it in myself.
Please enjoy and share!
Phenomenal Woman By Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Maya Angelou, “Phenomenal Woman” from And Still I Rise. Copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.
Source: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (Random House Inc., 1994)
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