MSN Lifestyle's Most Influential Women of 2008

Every year, we here at MSN Lifestyle assemble our list of influential people, and every year we end up asking ourselves the same question: What does "influential" really mean? Does it apply to someone living in the spotlight? Or is it meant for someone less well-known, working behind the scenes but motivating and inspiring just the same?
While it's never easy to define "influence," there are some things we can say for certain. This year's election felt so omnipresent and rife with historic implications we had to resist the urge to fill these lists with politicians and pundits. But even though politics took over our TVs, magazine covers and Web pages for many months, it wasn't the only game in town. The Olympics featured performances that shocked us with raw athletic brilliance. Advances were made in finding solutions for climate change. And celebrities continued to earn our attention.

Here are the women that made 2008 so memorable. See the Men's list

Sarah Palin

Palin's acceptance as the first female Vice Presidential nominee for the Republican Party stirred up emotions across the country. McCain's picking the Governor of Alaska was hailed and loathed by members of both parties, fueling debates in the media and at dinner tables across the continents about topics ranging from women in politics to working moms to teenage pregnancy and abortion. It was a whirlwind during the two and a half months leading up to the election. But as the sun set on the unsuccessful Republican ticket in November, this down-home gal packed up her upscale consignment wardrobe (and not the Neiman Marcus purchases that caused such controversy) and headed back to Alaska. Her dance card is wide open, with a rumored run for the White House in 2012. Will we be hearing more from Sarah Palin? You betcha.