🌟 The 'Uniquely You' Challenge

3 simple steps to honor your unique self through song.

What song makes you want to break free from the cage of 'good girl' expectations? Which lyrics ignite your 'uniquely you' rebellion? What anthem dares you to turn up the volume and live unapologetically loud?

Let’s celebrate those empowering songs that remind you to:  

• Shamelessly embrace your imperfections and grow through them. 

• Quit people-pleasing and dare to put yourself first. 

• Break free of your silence and and let your truth be heard. 

The world needs your unique voice now more than ever. It's time to shake off society's 'good girl' expectations and celebrate each brave step toward being more ‘uniquely you’. 

How To Honor Your Unique Song 

Over the next 14 days, we’re inviting women from around the world to: 

• Step 1: Discover the songs that help you break free from society's 'good girl' expectations. Whether it's a classic anthem or a recent favorite, we want to hear what moves you.  

• Step 2: Listen for those powerful lines that call to your unique spirit - that moment when the lyrics make your heart leap and remind you who you truly are.  

• Step 3: Share a Substack comment below or write your own Substack note (tag Michelle McQuaid so we can like, share, and comment for you) with:  

  • The song name and artist. 

  • The lyrics that give you courage to break free. 

You can share one or as many comments or notes as you wish. Whatever feels meaningful and helpful to you and others. Let's turn up the volume together - every shared song helps break the silence of 'good girl' expectations. 

Please note, we are committed advocates of respectful conversations. The notes shared will be moderated with this collective goal in mind. 

Let’s get started! 

Why Songs of Resistance Matter 

Research shows that music does more than just inspire - it literally rewires our brains and bodies for change. When we hear powerful lyrics, our brains release dopamine and oxytocin, chemicals that boost our courage and connection. The rhythm and beat activate our nervous system, moving us from fear to action. And when we sing along, especially in community, our hearts synchronize and our cortisol levels drop, giving us the strength to stand in our truth. Throughout history, protest songs have transformed individual moments of courage into collective waves of change. When lyrics speak our truth, our bodies flood with energy, our spirits lift, and we find the power to break free from society's expectations. 

Of course, we understand that shaking off centuries of 'good girl' conditioning will require systemic changes—equal pay, accessible childcare, reproductive rights, and stronger protections against sexual assault and domestic violence. These shifts are crucial for creating a safer, more equitable world for everyone. 

But to sustain our energy in pushing for these changes, we must also focus on what's immediately within our reach. Music is something we all have access to—a daily source of courage and connection that can nourish our spirits and remind us who we truly are. Every time we turn up the volume on songs that call us to be uniquely ourselves, we add our voice to a growing chorus of change. 

Breaking Free Through Music 

When we listen to the stories women share from around the world, we hear how deeply 'good girl' expectations shape our lives. From an early age, we're taught three soul-silencing patterns: chase perfection to avoid criticism, please everyone to earn acceptance, and protect others by swallowing our truth. 

But music hands us a different microphone: 

• Instead of performing perfectly, we find anthems that celebrate our messy, magnificent journey - every stumble, every scar, every time we rise again 

• Rather than pleasing everyone else, we discover songs that dare us to disappoint, to put our wellbeing first, to stand tall in our worth 

• In place of protecting others by staying silent, we hear lyrics that crack open our careful quiet, give voice to our deepest truths, and turn our whispers into roars 

This is what women have told us it means to be ‘uniquely you’. 

Like all transformations, this journey isn't a straight line. There will be days when society's 'good girl' expectations feel too loud to resist. But that's when we need our songs the most - to shake us awake, to remind us who we are beneath those expectations, to fill us with the courage to choose ourselves again. 

Think of this playlist we're creating together as your daily dose of rebellion - a musical reminder that you're not alone in breaking free from 'good girl' rules to become uniquely, unapologetically you. 

Like all good research on human behavior, these insights and tools are still a work in progress. Our invitation is to use what we are learning to accelerate your knowledge, inspire your practices, pull these ideas apart to find what works, and be part of an ongoing conversation that continues to share our discoveries with each other. 

Together, we believe that our collective consciousness, compassion, and care may just be enough to change the world faster than anyone imagined. 

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Please note: We are mindful that ‘girl’ and ‘woman’ are socially constructed ideas of gender that can fall painfully short of defining the fabulous complexity of who we each are. If these are words that resonate with part of how you have previously or currently identify yourself then we would love to hear about your lived experiences. 

Please also note: We are mindful that while many women are groomed to be ‘good girls’, many men are encouraged to be ‘strong boys’. We are working with our colleagues who will lead a male version of this research and conversation in the future and we look forward to equally supporting their important efforts. 

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