Gumption: A Guide

I’m seated on my couch, snuggled underneath my current favorite blanket, a pastel, chunky-knit monstrosity that you may remember was an internet trend of yore. In addition to the throw, my tiny space heater hums in the corner because, while Spring my have sprung in Los Angeles, the uninsulated walls of my apartment complex refuse to acknowledge even a degree increase in the temperature until the sweltering highs of mid-July. To romanticize my current predicament, Nancy Meyers’ Christmas classic, The Holiday lights the dim room. It’s a film I’ve seen countless times and often catch myself quoting. Today, as I sip my spiked hot choclate-it’s important to really and truly commit to a theme-I assist Iris Simpkins on her lunch date with the adorable Arthur Abbot. We share one of my favorite lines. “You’re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life for God’s sake.” Sadly, the older of my two cats does not agree. Perturbed by my vocalization and roused her from her slumber, she slinks off to bask in the heater’s invisible rays.

Later in the movie, the British heroine comes into her own, finally slamming the door on the epitome of all situationships, after he questions what has gotten into her. In answer, she giddily cries, “I don’t know. But, I think what I’ve got is something slightly resembling gumption” to both the internal and external applause of all who watch. For someone who is constantly trying to insert herself into a Meyers, [Richard] Curtis or [Nora] Ephron quality romantic comedy (i.e. me, if you couldn’t ell by the blanket, hot chocolate, film and multiple cats), this begs a few questions.y? aracteristic for leading ladies, what exactly is it?

If gumption is a required characteristic for leading ladies, what exactly is it?

And, if one does not come by this personality trait naturally, how can one acquire it?

Let’s take a look.

According to my good friend Merriam-Webster, Gumption is courageous or ambitious initiative.

With a definition like that, it’s no wonder Ms. Meyers held it in such high esteem. Spirited self-worth is not hard to find amongst romanticly bent tales. Some heroines, such as Vivian Ward (Pretty Woman) and Andie Anderson (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) bound onto the screen auras resplendent in the stuff. Others, like Bridget Jones (Bridget Jones’ Diary) and the aforementioned Iris, earn it along the way. This is good news for members of both camps.

If you are naturally predisposed to gumption and its similar qualities, congratulations, you fall into the left side of our Venn Diagram. If, like the second set of iconic on-screen characters, you find asserting yourself, your dreams and/or your goals difficult, you will find fast friends in the eastern circle.

This Website (AKA: blog), The Female Main Character or “The FMC” exists to fill the overlapping area. Here, I will celebrate those who could teach a masterclass on the topic and champion the people just finding their footing. I will share ways in which I find that fictional feeling in the mundane (and how I fake it when I don’t), revisit trips and stories inspired by worlds that can be found on pages or broadcasted across television screens, chat to creators, friends, and business owners about their latest projects and inspirations and who knows what else.

The FMC is here because of my own ambitious initiative. I’m choosing to make Arthur proud and lean into it. Whether or not you know it yet, you, too, have a wealth of gumption inside which deserves to be fostered and celebrated. I hope you decide to join me as I uncover what being a main character is all about and the joy found in learning the “tricks of the trade.”