Love Catwoman? Here’s How to Channel Your Inner Feline

When I first saw the movie Catwoman (the Halle Berry version), I was captivated by her sexiness, her fearlessness, and her unwavering desire to be free. It was something that, as an eight year old, I couldn’t quite grasp right away. Though Catwoman may be a villain, that same spirit that desires to be free from any cage she is put into is inside every one of us. It’s kind of like the inner goddess that E.L. James describes in the great literary work, Fifty Shades of Grey, only way more badass.

Here’s how you can tap into your inner Catwoman and the fierce, fearless feline energy that comes with it.

1. Don’t Be Afraid

I realize that telling you not to be afraid in order to be fearless is a   little overkill, but hear me out. You don’t have to necessarily conquer every single fear (although, I certainly don’t advise against it), but step out of your comfort zone. Try something you wouldn’t normally try, like the edgy pixie cut Catwoman herself rocked in the movie. Pretty soon, you’ll feel like you can do anything, and what could be more empowering than that?

2. Know When to be Bad

It’s good to be nice and happy, but no one expects you to be like that all the time. Sometimes, it’s good to be bad. The secret is to be bad in a good way. There are times when it’s appropriate to misbehave a little to get the respect you deserve, and that’s okay! It’s part of the American spirit and psyche, so you’ll know what to do when the time is right.

3. Put Yourself before Any Man

In the movie, Patience has a great relationship with this wonderful guy, but in the end (spoiler alert) she chooses herself and the lifestyle of freedom and independence she’s grown to love as Catwoman. It’s a lesson we can all learn at different points in our lives, and it’s hard to live by, but well worth it when that’s the right path for you.

This advice is for the woman who chooses to put herself first in a world constantly asking the opposite of her. We spend our lives in different cages, and there is something inside of us that will always resent that. In the words of Catwoman, “freedom is power. To live a life untamed and unafraid is the gift that I’ve been given, and so my journey begins.”