Who are your role models? Nicki Minaj? Selena Gomez? Angelina Jolie? Reese Witherspoon? How about a role model who is successful and makes positive contributions to our society? Your mom? A favorite teacher? We tend to pick role models that are skinny and pretty. But, what good does that do our world?
Recently, 4 women became astronauts out of a pool of 6300. In the history of astronauts, with 534 who have gone to space, only 57 have been women. These 4 women have truly beaten the odds! Instead of a role model who simply looks good, how about a role model that really makes history?! Girls who have done perfectly well in math and science throughout elementary and intermediate school grades, suddenly become unable to do well in math and science once middle school hits. It's just not attractive. It's a stereotype that girls do less well in math and science. But girls all over are buying into it. Why?
Staying true to what you like, are good at, and enjoy, that's what will make you happy in the future. Getting a good education and training in whatever interest areas you have and not buying into the need to seek popularity and good looks will make you a happy, successful adult. Idolizing singers, actresses, and other not so well-behaved famous folks will get you nothing but misery.
The song Brave by Sara Bareilles might help get you in the right mindset. Being brave is a big part of ignoring peer pressure, staying true to yourself, and becoming what you really want to be when you grow up. Speak your truth, live your truth, BE BRAVE!
Here's an activity to get you started: Take each letter in your name and write it in capitol letters on the side of the paper. Next come up with a word that begins with each of the letters in your name. Make that word a strong, confident, and brave kind of word. Hang it on your wall and remind yourself to be those words each day.
Here's Carmen's:
Creative
Active
Responsible
Mighty
Encouraging
Nice
Thanks for reading girls! Be brave!
Tammy and Carmen
Yoga For and About Girls
