When we want to make some improvements to our lifestyle, we always go to the internet and look at self-help guides in articles. If we want to improve our diet we go to a health and wellness blog. If we want to improve our social skills, we go to a column that offers relationship advice. But what if we go back to texts that have been existing for generations? Can we still learn ways to improve our habits and life decisions from books from the 19th century?
The quick answer is yes. These are the important life lessons we could learn from our favorite heroines.
Emma: Never Settle When it Comes to Love
Jane Austen is the definitive guide to literary heroines of the 19th century. We can’t imagine what our idea of a heroine was from that time if it wasn’t for her. One of her masterful works is Emma. This novel centers around Emma Woodhouse. She’s a young woman who has a knack for successfully matchmaking her friends. She has quite the eye for seeing which of her friends would be perfect together. Although she’s not always successful, we learn from her experiences through the book that the most important thing when it comes to finding love is patience. You should never settle for someone that you don’t feel 100 percent about.
Find inspiration from Emma’s experiences. If you think that you’re ready to find “the one,” then inquire about an executive dating service. Don’t just wait around for your future partner. Take matters into your own hands. One day, you won’t have to merely settle.
Anne: Quench your Thirst for Travel and Adventure
Although L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is considered a children’s literature classic, it’s commonly enjoyed by readers of all ages. It’s what makes it such an impactful book for everyone who reads it. In it, we’re inspired by Anne Shirley. In the quiet pastoral setting of her foster family’s farm, her imagination is always running wild. She’s always curious about the world beyond her home. Yes, her wildness tends to lead to scrapes and bruises. But she’s always open for an adventure.
Because of Anne’s character, we can be inspired to go on adventures, too. The world has always been bigger than our homes, schools, and places of work. So, when you can, travel to various parts of the world. See other cultures. Meet new people. Enjoy different cuisines. The phrase “the world is your oyster” really does ring true.
Jo: Never Give Up on your Dreams
This lesson sounds cliche. No one could deny that fact. We’ve heard this time and time again. But there’s a reason why. And it’s because we tend to always forget it. When we’re faced with adversities such as financial problems, we start choosing to settle down. We go into a practical mode by pursuing a sensible, secure, and high-paying job. We let go of our passions and merely call them “pastimes.”
But with Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, we learn that it’s never too late to pursue our dreams. This iconic has no shortage of inspiring heroines. We have four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Then we have the mother and the aunt. But it’s Jo who inspires us to hold onto our dreams. With patience and hard work, it will eventually pay off.
So turn your passion projects into the career of your dreams. Do you want to be a writer, much like Jo? Then sit down at your desk and write. Do you want to become a business owner? Then start planning and saving up.
Elizabeth: Don’t Be Afraid to Defy Expectation
Sometimes, the greatest lesson that we can learn is to never apologize for who we are. This is what Elizabeth does in Austen’s seminal work, Pride and Prejudice. Yes, Elizabeth isn’t perfect. She makes mistakes by judging Mr. Darcy too quickly. She has her bouts of a quick temper. But she apologizes for these mistakes. But she never apologies for the way she defies the expectations of her society.
For example, consider her clothes. Unlike many women in her town, she’s not concerned about using the popular clothes, laces, and ribbons. This doesn’t mean that she doesn’t care for having a sense of fashion. Instead, it means that she’s not afraid to embrace her own taste in clothing, even if it’s not popular.
We can learn all about life and relationships from our beloved literary heroines. Although times have changed. The culture in these dated books is not the same as the culture now. It’s because no matter how much time has passed, the life lessons that we could gain from such books remain timeless.
