17 Women On The Thing They Most Admire (And Often Envy) In Other Women

1. “Right now I’m trying to quit the habit of saying ‘sorry’ all the time. It’s so silly that so many of us feel like we need to do this. When a woman walks into a room and is so confident and doesn’t apologize for being clever/smart/the boss/whatever she is, I respect that so much. I want to be that woman.”

-Carey, 29

2. “Women who know how to do practical stuff – changing their oil, fixing their tire pressure, sewing, putting together shit from IKEA, jump starting a car, etc. I don’t want to have to rely on someone else for that stuff, especially a guy. I’m pretty jealous of women who just seem to know how to do anything and everything.”

-Ariel, 24

3. “I clam up in social situations with new people. When I’m with my friends I’m a pretty comfortable, fun person. But with new people my brain freezes and it’s like I can think of nothing interesting to say. But there’s always that one woman at the party who knows everybody and seems really comfortable and can talk to just about anyone. I wish I had that skill.”

-Andrea, 27

4. “Most of my best friends from college know what they want to do with their lives and they’re so sure about their life path. I wish I had that. But I have no confidence in terms of what I want to do for a living. So I’m usually thinking about them while I’m at my boring admin job that’s leading nowhere.”

-Chelsea, 22

5. “A woman who’s really beautiful but doesn’t feel the need to remind everyone else about how attractive she is every three seconds. I had a couple friends in school who just HAD to tell you every time a guy hit on them and it came off as very obnoxious. I really admire women who are confident in their own skin but don’t have to tell everyone how gorgeous they are every minute of every day.”

-Kate, 25

6. “I really do wanna get in shape but I have no willpower and I’m just exhausted constantly. Every time I’m driving to work and I see a woman who’s jogging super early in the morning, I always wish it was me and that I had that diligence. But I hate exercising so it’s kind of a catch 22.”

-Claire, 28

7. “That one friend you have who’s always so gracious and sweet. Always sending thank-you notes, always giving you a nice card or gift on your birthday, always remembering the names of everybody she meets. Making everyone feel welcomed and cared about. I’m the worst at that stuff.”

-Maria, 30

8. “I have the worst sense of style. I love women who just freaking know how to put stuff together. I’m so jealous and wish I knew how to make my style look so effortless and chic.”

-Laurie, 29

9. “I’m gonna go with a shallow answer and say girls with long, thick hair. My hair is thin and whispy. Anytime I’m near someone with super long hair, I just stare at it and wish mine could be like that.”

-Mary Ellen, 21

10. “Women who are good at public speaking. I have to do it a lot in my job and I’m trying to get better at it. I’m always thinking about the best female public speakers I’ve seen every time I have to give a presentation.”

-Brandi, 28

11. “I have a lot of friends who do all sorts of cool things outside work. Crossfit, running clubs, pottery classes, blogging, photography. But I haven’t found my ‘thing’ yet. I feel like all I do is go to work and then come home and eat dinner and watch tv. So I’m really jealous of girls who have such cool lives going on outside of their job.”

-Mel, 24

12. “Curves. I have absolutely none.”

-Britt, 26

13. “My best friend has this beautiful, chestnut-brown hair color with little highlights of red in it that are actually NATURAL. It’s so frustrating. I love her to death but I tell her all the time that I want to steal her hair. Especially because I have to regularly spend money to get mine highlighted since the natural color is meh.”

-Mary, 21

14. “Women who can dance. Half the time I go out to clubs, I don’t even dance because I’m too busy watching other women on the dance floor and wishing I could be them.”

-Brie, 23

15. “Pretty much any woman who knows how to say ‘no’ to things she shouldn’t have to do (extra work shifts, weird requests you get as a bridesmaid, things she’s not comfortable doing at her job) without feeling bad about it is my role model.”

-Analise, 27

16. “A woman who knows exactly what she’s looking for in a partner, and will not lower her standards for anyone just so she can be in a relationship. (As long as she’s being practical and not snobbish or anything.)”

-Sam, 30

17. “Women who are confident, but not arrogant, about their talents. I love Tina Fey because although she’s a comedian it can apply to all sorts of professions and types of women. She’s confident about her capabilities and she can command a room, but she is equally humble and seems really down-to-earth. My passions lean towards digital marketing, but I always look to her as an example of how to conduct myself in my professional life.”

-Robyn, 26