Even though women have come far in gaining equality, they still have a lot to worry about. Stress, finances, and an endless array of lists take a hold of them on a regular basis.

Here are 10 things women wish they didn’t have to worry about:

1. Showing too much cleavage.

Women strap their boobs tightly into a constricted garment as not to insult anyone. Even though our society has advanced in not judging a book by its cover, we still worry about a simple thing as putting on a shirt on a daily basis.

2. Others misinterpreting them as rude.

The assertive woman gets the bitchy title. If a man is assertive, we accept it as being a man who knows what he wants. When a woman is forefront in what she wants and how she wants it, she’s considered rude and impossible. Women worry about this at work, on dates, even with their families.

3. Running late to appointments.

Women invented the word “multitasking.” The list of things to do everyday is outrageous. Running errands seems to be something that never ends. Women are constantly looking at their clocks to make sure they have ample amount of time to get from here to there. On some days 24 hours is not enough!

4. “Bleeding through”

Women worry about the bed getting full of blood several times a month. We worry about how to dress for those “special days.” We worry about pads, tampons, and panty liners showing. God forbid a man knows we are on our time of the month. For five days every month, dressing accordingly dictates our lives.

5. What to eat…or not.

Women worry about weight gain day by day. We are constantly comparing ourselves to the magazine model, the woman next door, and anything that will make us feel like we are not competent enough to be the best just as we are. We worry about food, sugar intake, calories, and every single thing that is put into our bodies. The more we worry, the more we overeat.

6. Making sure to have a hairless body.

While this is only true for social environments, many women will shave their arms, pits, and every other surface that may insult another. Come spring time, the razors and waxes come out to control every wardrobe we wear. Every eyebrow and chin hair is being monitored. Hair controls a lot of a woman’s image in this world that we live in.

7. The future.

Women worry about getting married or staying in an unhealthy marriage; having kids or if they are good enough to become mothers; bills getting paid and stories to tell the creditors; promotions or demotions; and every single thing that cannot be controlled at 2AM every morning. The future is a constant source of stress full of uncertainties and unknowns.

8. Being flirtatious.

Women worry that if they are being too nice, they are viewed as flirtatious when they are just being kind. There is a thin line that gets used as a jump rope when men are concerned. We worry that giving a compliment may be taken as sexual innuendo. Women will hold out in giving a kind word to a stranger just in case it gets misunderstood.

9. Saying no (even when they want to).

Women worry that they hurt others by not giving in to their demands. Women spend their lives doing for others while worrying that if they stop their peers, friends, and family members will dislike or fail to accept them. But, we have no problem saying “no” to our needs, dreams, and ourselves.

10. Holding on to the past and regrets.

Women worry about things they can no longer change. We agonize, with full blown anxiety, of not making the same mistakes while second-guessing ourselves on a daily basis. Women let go of the past with one hand, and before the matter is out of sight, they grab on to it again with the other.

Even though these things are ever-present in a woman’s life, she continues to move with tenacity into the world and all that is asked from her. These are just a few of the many things that twirl and twist in her mind.

And above all else, she must never forget the fact that she is truly a Divine Goddess.

Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”~ Corrie ten Boom