Learning to appreciate womanhood has been a journey for me, but I can now confidently say that I love being a woman.

Here are some of the reasons why:

I love my body

There are a lot of things about being a woman that aren't very fun (periods, shaving, plucking, makeup, long hair getting caught in the door, etc....). For some reason society expects a lot from women physically. There are always new fashions, trends, and pressures, and it can be exhausting.

But it's also really great to be a woman! I love the feeling of freshly-shaved skin. I love dying my hair and doing cool up-dos. I love wearing beautiful dresses and high heels. I love my curvy legs.

A woman's body is INCREDIBLE. A woman has the physical capacity to create and sustain human life. How amazing is that? And, after conception, a woman carries and births a child and then creates means to nourish it. That is SO COOL!

I love being a woman.

There has never been a better time to be a woman than now

Looking back on the history of the world, I am sure grateful to be a woman right here, right now. I love that I am valued by society. I love that I can vote and drive and travel on my own. I have a say in societal issues, and my voice matters. Our world still has a long way to go toward gender equality, but I am grateful to be a woman right now.

I love that I can do anything I want. I can go to college and study in any emphasis, and I can seek a career in any field. I have the ability to choose how I live my life.

I love that I can play sports and keep up with the boys. I may be picked last for teams, but I can hold my own in any sport, and I can school any guy on the soccer field. I can take dance classes and then get down and dirty for flag football. I can ride dirt bikes and shoot clay pigeons and go hunting. I can do anything.

I love being a woman.

I love that I have a distinct femininity

I can't quite put my finger on why or how, but women are inherently different from men with different strengths, qualities, and tendencies. I love my deep, natural capacity to nurture and love and care. I love my sensitivity and tenderness. I love that I feel hurt when I see other people hurt, and that I cry when I'm really happy.

I love being a woman.

I love other women

I love that I can be best friends with strong, beautiful, brilliant women. I get to associate with them and see their majesty from such a close perspective. I love the challenge of following my mother's example and living up to my grandmother's standards. I love the sisterhood that exists among my sisters, aunts, cousins, and friends.

I love being a woman.

I love men

I love that as a woman, I get to fall in love with a man. I get to see his heart. I get to invest everything I am into him. I have the opportunity to take my strengths and abilities and combine them with his. Together, we can create life, build a strong family, and change the world.

I love that I can be my daddy's girl; I can admire him and follow in his footsteps. I love having brothers and uncles and grandfathers. I learn so much from them. Men are incredible and do amazing things.

But I love being a woman.