What to Watch if You Want to Feel Empowered

If you’re like us, you’re probably spending quite a lot of time bingeing content from your favorite streaming service(s) while hibernating indoors this winter. Why not use that source of entertainment as a form of professional development? There are plenty of women, fictional and non-fictional alike, who have championed success in their careers on the big screen that we enjoy turning to as role models when our workplace mindset could use a serious or lighthearted boost.

Here’s our list of top shows, movies and documentaries starring confident female leads that you can watch for career inspiration:

The Bold Type

(Freeform, Hulu, YouTube TV) – This four-season series follows the friendship of three 20-something girls in New York City who all work at Scarlet magazine. Each character has a motivational story to share, from Kat Edison’s (Aisha Dee) ability to climb the ladder at a young age, to Sutton Brady’s (Meghann Fahy) determination to follow her passion, to Jane Sloan’s (Katie Stevens) growth in developing a mentorship with her boss. It’s a show that praises being bold and outspoken, fighting for the opportunities you want and lifting up your friends.

The Devil Wears Prada

(YouTube, iTunes, Amazon Prime) – Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring journalist from the Midwest trying to make it in New York City, gets her world turned upside down upon landing her big break as the assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the editor-in-chief at a prestigious fashion magazine. This movie offers encouragement to all those working hard in a stepping-stone job who seek the satisfaction of proving themselves to anyone who doubted them, and frames the need to ultimately decide what success truly means to you and what sacrifices you are willing to make.

Girlboss

(Netflix) – Trying to make ends meet when she loses her job in Los Angeles, Sophia Marlowe (Brit Robertson) starts re-selling thrifted clothes on eBay and stumbles into entrepreneurship by building her own e-commerce site. This show, based on Nasty Gal Founder Sophia Amoruso’s autobiography, is all about being scrappy, starting your own business from scratch and discovering what it takes to be your own boss.

Legally Blonde

(YouTube, iTunes, Amazon Prime) – Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), sorority president of Delta Nu, takes on Harvard Law School in an initial attempt to win back her old-money boyfriend who thinks she is too blonde to be wife material. As Elle realizes she’s smarter than she gives herself credit for, this movie proves you can find your passion in the most unexpected of places and you can excel in whatever you set your mind to even if no one initially takes you seriously.

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Miss Americana

(Netflix) – Taylor Swift’s latest documentary will give you all the feels as it chronicles her journey over the last several years in finding the courage to live only for the approval of herself and stand up for what she believes in. You’ll feel invigorated by her example of embracing what makes you unique, believing in yourself even when others criticize you and using your voice to inspire change.

The Morning Show

(Apple TV+) – Co-anchors Alex Levy (Jennifer Anniston) and Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) are in for a bumpy ride at UBA in the wake of the network’s sexual misconduct scandal. This show covers some heavy topics in its focus on owning your power as a woman in the face of #MeToo.

Younger

(Hulu, fuboTV, Philo) – When Liza Miller (Sutton Foster) tries to re-enter the workforce as a divorced single mother in her 40s, she discovers that competition is fierce and ageism is real. Her solution? Brushing up her resume and reinventing herself as a 26-year-old millennial who lives a double life at a publishing company where she befriends up-and-coming editor, Kelsey Peters (Hilary Duff). This six-season show will give you the confidence to pursue your dream no matter how old you are and conquer your fears of starting from ground zero.

Erin Cornell is a twenty-something communications professional and blogger living outside New York City, still trying to figure out this whole “adulting” thing. Follow along at www.abrowneyedberry.com and @abrowneyedberry to read more of her wellness, style and career advice geared towards millennial women.