5 Encouraging & Empowering Instagram Accounts Created By Badass Women You Need To Follow

By Isobelle Miller

Social media, particularly Instagram, can be a place where negativity can thrive, especially for females who feel under pressure to look a certain way or be someone that isn’t true to who they are. Scrolling through endless amounts of “selfies” from model-looking women or lifestyle shots from those who seem to have it all can make you feel like you aren’t good enough. In fact, studies have shown that Instagram is linked to mental health issues and feelings such as anxiety, depression and loneliness in 14-24 year olds as they compare themselves to others.

However, when used in a responsible and constructive manner, social media platforms can be a great place for people to support one another, spread positivity, empower others and use it as a platform to create change for the better. From celebrities like Beyonce who is renowned for being a strong female figure to well-known fashion brands such as Pretty Little Thing who support women and embrace all body shapes. I’ve rounded up five of the most women-empowering Instagram accounts that every female must follow to help lift them up during hard times, spread a little more positivity and lean on and get advice from others when they need it most.

Girlboss
With over 827k followers, @girlboss celebrates powerful and influential women by shouting about their achievements, and not just in the financial sense of the meaning. Girlboss also celebrate women who volunteer, who have a career that makes a difference to other’s lives or who are just generally doing a fantastic job, day-in, day-out. Their Instagram feed is filled with uplifting quotes, self-love, reassurance that you are not alone and relatable memes. Girlboss also host public talks and workshops for women around the globe, what is not to love?

Haley Weaver
@haleydrewthis is an illustrator who shares her incredibly honest illustrations that all women, at one point or another, have been able to relate to. They give an insight into how women’s minds work, so much so, that you may even find yourself thinking “that is me” without realizing it before! Laugh out loud and very addictive, her Instagram feed is a reflection of society and the women within it with a light-hearted undertone. This doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t recognize the important messages that are weaved within her feed about supporting those with mental health or holding the hand of those who are struggling to find a light at the end of the tunnel themselves.

Boss Babe
Boss Babe is the go-to Instagram feed for kick-ass, empowering quotes if you are in need of a little motivation, a bit of perspective or a dose of inspiration. Their no-messing, straight-up approach, with a little twist of humor in places, makes @bossbabe.inc one of my favorite grids to visit if I need to remind myself that I am fabulous and can face anything.

Lets Talk About Mental Health
Mental health affects both men and women, with approximately 1 in 4 people experiencing mental health problems at some point in their life. Despite this, the subject still largely remains a taboo. That’s why a woman named Jessica Walsh has started the Instagram feed @letstalkaboutmentalhealth to try and break down this barrier and implement change. There is no shame in not being okay, and the Instagram feed addresses this by sharing relatable content, personal stories from followers who, they themselves or those close to them, have experienced mental health issues to try and open up the conversation and support one another.

Mari Andrew
Mari Andrew is a writer and illustrator based in New York City, whose Instagram feed, @bymariandrew, is filled with visual representations and illustrations of how to deal with the ups and downs of life and emotions such as grief, fear and anxiety. She perfectly captures the complexities of the journey to adulthood as a woman and highlights that there is nothing wrong with taking your own path in life and discovering who you want to be and where you want to go. Mari’s quirky yet simple illustrations and pieces of text help females, and millennials especially, to pluck up the courage to be yourself, learning to love yourself and encouraging her nearly 1 million followers to approach life’s challenges head-on.

Isobelle Miller is a mature student studying business. It was during her first year of studying that she discovered a love for writing which sparked her desire to explore the world of freelance. Although fairly new to freelance writing, she already has an ever-growing and impressive portfolio having worked for a women’s loungewear fashion brand throughout university and writing numerous articles for a range of sectors, including fashion, business, travel and digital.