Yes, that’s right. The world is tired of celebrating the go-getters, which is why we are celebrating the unsung heroines who are often mistaken as the champions of procrastination, sleep, and Netflix marathons.

But before diving into the grand celebration of mediocrity, let’s make sure we are on the same page about what an “anti-ambitious woman” truly is.

She is a woman with education, ability, and an alarming level of self-awareness, who chooses herself against all reasonable advice, because she doesn’t want to turn her life into just a success story.

It’s not that she hates the theory of ambition; she just doesn’t want to apply it in her life. An anti-ambitious woman is capable, though her family has difficulty recognising her capabilities.

And this is why she has been gently reminded every day, before lunch, by at least three different family members of what she could be doing at some point.

Her decision not to pursue every available opportunity is seen as deeply suspicious. Normally, her rejection causes hypertension in the relatives, and that silence may often be read as confusion and lack of motivation.

Suggestions like “do something” or “get married” are offered. But as a believer in “my life, my rules”, she denies them outright. Then someone may throw the last missile by mentioning a younger woman who is “doing so well” in life, which she also doesn’t care about at all.

Now, it must be responsibly clarified what “an anti-ambitious” woman is not. Mostly, she has been accused of being lazy, without any supporting evidence. She is not lost, though she has been constantly asked if she is “figuring things out”.

Despite the lack of awards, promotions, acknowledgements, and winning LinkedIn posts, she remains herself. She is not falling apart. Often her life may look like a drama from the outside, but she doesn’t like to narrate it as a heroic journey. She doesn’t issue a public statement announcing her withdrawal from the social race, nor does she launch a podcast on her love for slow living. 

Instead of running under the social pressure to make every move correctly, she enjoys little moments in her life without feeling the urge to post them on Facebook.

So, if you ever encounter an anti-ambitious woman, don’t worry about them. They are not in crisis, nor are they malfunctioning. They are simply going through their “awakening” period.

Have you ever looked around and found someone who does something ridiculously well but never felt the urge to exhibit it in public or to earn money by selling it? If you do, then congratulations, you have met our secret superhero.

Instead of bearing the burden of saving the world, she would prefer going to the kitchen, baking a delicious cake, and then feeling content by eating it. So here’s to my friend: the anti-ambitious painter who remains unattached to the whispers of the commodification of her artwork.

While others dream of galleries and collectors, she dreams of a cosy couch and snacks during her painting marathons. What can we call her, the Picasso of procrastination or the Monet of mundane moments?

Perhaps she is just the Van Gogh of vegging out while the world is busy in the rat race.

If further justification is required, one may look at the screen. Consider Frances, from Frances Ha, who runs through New York with great enthusiasm and very little direction, not knowing particularly where she is heading.

Or Fleabag, who breaks the fourth wall and looks at the audience as if she is already aware of the game going on but is reluctant to win it properly. Neither of them becomes an idol, nor do they turn chaos into achievements.

Instead, they wander, hesitate, fall in love inconveniently, open failing cafés, and abandon big success plans. Maybe that is the quiet genius of anti-ambitious women.

On a day when we celebrate women who break all barriers and write their own success stories, it may also be worth acknowledging the ones who pause, love to rest, enjoy the sweet mundanity of life, and refuse to climb the ladder. 

They may not be conquering the world like a warrior, but they surely are, stubbornly, living in it like a queen ruling her own “queendom”.