I used to believe that strength had to look like sharp edges. Like staying unbothered, never crying, walking through the world untouched, unaffected, and completely self-sufficient. I thought softness was a liability—something that would make people question my authority or overlook my worth.
But here’s the truth no one told me: Softness is not the opposite of strength. It’s the birthplace of it.
Softness is what lets you feel. Stay grounded. Stay human. It’s what allows you to stay connected to your intuition in a world that profits off your disconnection. It’s what keeps you tender in moments when life tries to turn you cold.
I learned this the hard way. When I started showing up softer—more present, more in tune, more vulnerable—some people did fall away. But the right ones? The ones who could hold my full humanity? They leaned in. They saw me more clearly.
We’re taught to lead like men to be respected. To speak with edge. To hustle harder. To earn our rest. But the women I admire most don’t lead with force—they lead with presence. With inner steadiness. With grace that refuses to shrink, even when it’s misunderstood.
Here’s why you don’t have to harden to be taken seriously:
Because power rooted in love is louder than power rooted in fear.
Because boundaries set with clarity carry more weight than defenses built from trauma.
Because when you trust your own voice, you don’t need to mimic anyone else’s tone.
Because emotional regulation isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.
And here’s what softness can actually look like:
Saying no without needing to explain yourself.
Letting yourself cry when your heart is heavy—without shame.
Speaking from your center, not from your armor.
Choosing peace over performance.
Walking away from spaces that only value you when you’re performing strength.
Softness doesn’t mean shrinking. It doesn’t mean passivity. And it definitely doesn’t mean weakness.
It means standing in your power while still choosing tenderness.
It means protecting your peace without becoming hard to love.
It means honoring your emotions as sacred messengers—not things to silence.
This is your reminder:
You don’t have to become harder to be respected.
You just have to become more you.
Let softness be your rebellion.
Let it be the new standard for strength.
The Soft Power Journal 