What does exceptional mean to you? Who have you encountered in your life who struck you as exceptional? And what was it about that person that left such a lasting impression on you?

I’ve been thinking long and hard about these questions and I have identified 15 qualities that the exceptional woman possesses.

1. The exceptional woman knows how to dream big, how to imagine bold things for her life and has audacious aspirations – and rightly so. The exceptional woman does not settle for what other people think she should want to aspire to: she is clear on what she wants and is prepared to do the work to make those desires her reality.

2. The exceptional woman knows that the road to realising her goals is unlikely to be straightforward and with hurdles and obstacles. She expects them and has a place in her plan for the times when she does encounter hurdles, obstacles or setbacks. She knows that every failure she has is an opportunity to learn: either something about herself, about the world, about other people – the list is endless, but the exceptional woman finds the lesson in failure and uses it for her.

3. The exceptional woman does not stop once she has reached her goal – she will make another and then another. Not because the things she has already achieved aren’t enough for her; it’s quite the opposite: the exceptional woman recognises that where she is now is good, incredible, amazing and she is excited to see what else she can achieve/create.

   The exceptional woman does not want to get to “over there” because where she is isn’t good enough. That’s a thought born from a scarcity mindset and if that doesn’t get cleaned up, when you get to “over there” you’ll find that it’s no better than where you came from because of the mindset and thoughts that got you to “over there” in the first place.  

4. The exceptional woman shows up when things are hard, or when she simply doesn’t want to show up. But having said that, she is in-tune enough with her body to know when she needs to rest/re-charge/take a step away and have some downtime.

5. The exceptional woman is not afraid or too proud to ask for help. She knows and accepts what it is she does not know and she does not let that get in the way of her achieving her goals.

6. The exceptional woman lives every day from her future, informed by where she is going, not where she has come from. The exceptional woman creates her future one day at a time.

7. The exceptional woman is not afraid to reinvent herself. In fact, she knows that self-reinvention is imperative if she is to achieve the goals she has set for herself.

8. The exceptional woman does not let her past define her, allow it to act as a ceiling as to what’s achievable in her life, and nor is she embarrassed by it. She is grateful to her younger self, because without her she wouldn’t be the woman she is today. The exceptional woman owns her past unapologetically, proudly makes it part of her story and uses it to help her grow even more as she strives towards her goals.

9. The exceptional woman knows her worth, and knows that her worth is not connected to the amount of money in her bank account, the foods she eats, the supermarket she shops in or what designer her handbag is. The exceptional woman knows that she is enough just as she is. And she also knows that it is not her job to convince everyone she meets of this.

   The exceptional woman knows that the value she offers will not align with everyone; the exceptional woman knows she will not be liked by everyone and she does not try to be.

10. The exceptional woman is authentic. She knows the essence of what makes her her, what sets her apart from any other woman you may meet.

    The exceptional woman knows what her values are and she uses those values to ensure that the things, the people, the experiences, the places she brings into her life are aligned with those values.

11. The exceptional woman does not waste her time participating in idle gossip, complaining or moaning.

    If she finds herself in a situation she would rather not be a party to she will make one of two decisions: leave or stay. Whilst her choice is important, what is just as important, is what she thinks about and tells herself about her decision. If she decides to remain in the situation, she acknowledges that it is her choice to stay and that gives her power. She is there because she chose to be there, she does not indulge in self-pity and entertain thoughts of “I don’t want to be here but so-and-so made me stay”. Acknowledging her choice allows the exceptional woman to retain her power and act from a place of power.

12. The exceptional woman takes exquisite care of herself. She knows that that’s imperative if she’s to bring her A-Game.

13. The exceptional woman will help others and give of her time, expertise, advice and other assistance…but not to her own detriment. She knows that she is best placed to serve others when she is fully taken care of herself. And sometimes looking after herself might look like having to say no to a request from someone.

    The exceptional woman does not feel guilty for putting herself first. She knows that in doing so she can focus on herself, thereby allowing her to be of greater and more effective assistance in the future.

14. The exceptional woman is kind, not only to others, but to herself. She knows she is doing her best and shows herself love, patience, kindness and grace when she needs it most.

15. Finally, the exceptional woman does not follow trends. She is happy in her choices and is confident in her ability to make lifestyle decisions that align with her and which she feels fully express her authenticity. And she does this unapologetically.  

Of course I couldn't sign off without saying that it goes without saying that the exceptional woman smiles, she laughs, she celebrates life and herself. And she has fun. Lots and lots of fun.

Let's all practice being extra-exceptional this week. 

I hope you enjoyed this read, If you’d like to carry on the conversation just drop me a comment; I’d love to chat more on this.