A gladiator is a woman who is willing to work.

She is open and willing to change.

She works to better herself so she can make the world a better place.

She hugs fiercely and holds on to those she loves tightly.

She is a healer and a warrior for good.

A gladiator is a vault and a trusted ally.

She is intuitive and often senses the needs of those in her inner circle and knows them as well as she knows herself.

She is trusted like few others.

She knows she is not alone and this journey is meant to be shared.

She is a confidant and a safe space. She is a judgement-free zone.

She is love.

A gladiator is an ardent defender of her inner circle whom she all at once guards them and drops her guard around them.

She is a speaker of truth who is both willing to hear and willing to have hard conversations.

Her tolerance for bullshit is non-existant.

Her strong back and soft front afford her grace in difficult situations.

She is HardBeauty.

  ********************* 

The above was written by my OG Wendy Cann my “Original Gladiator,” about how she sees me. It’s one of the most humbling pieces of writing for me to read.  The HardBeauty Gladiator mindset has become my true north and how I walk every-single-day.  I accept nothing less of myself. I also surround myself with other gladiators. Fellow warriors who chose courage over comfort and there are not many willing to get into that arena.

Wendy is someone who is constantly in the arena with me getting her ass kicked to.  I am SO grateful to have her and others in my life that are brave, bold and who will not let me be small. We celebrate and support each-other no matter what we do.

You gotta get yourself some Gladiator Girlfriends. If you have them, send this to them and let them how important they are to you.

To all my Gladiator Girlfriends,

I fucking love you!!!