Growing up, I was fortunate to have many female mentors and role models in my life who I could look up to, who often spoke life into me. I also saw examples of what I didn’t want to become too. However, the lives and words from the women who inspired me and gave me the confidence and courage I needed changed my life. Particularly during times when my self-esteem wasn’t the best. I was called smart, pretty, creative, gifted, and more, and I studied and modeled the adults I was around, stayed out of trouble, and benefited from all of them in rewarding ways. And I credit much of who I’ve become and continue to be to the women (and some men) in my life who told me things I needed to hear growing up.
If you have a little girl in your life, whether she’s your daughter, goddaughter, niece, mentee, or someone you babysit, speak words of encouragement over her. Tell her she’s smart. Give her great books to read. Let her listen to uplifting and age-appropriate podcasts. Show her documentaries. And teach her about the importance and necessity of having an education and how far that can and will take her. While it’s okay to tell her how pretty or beautiful or gorgeous you think she is, remind her that looks alone will never be enough. Her looks are just a complement to her brilliant mind. Don’t let her get brainwashed by the media or allow her to be lured by the false trappings our current world sells that conditions many young women to think that being popular, a reality television star, Instagram pretty, or an influencer with a large online following is the epitome of #goals. It’s not. No shade to anyone who’s into those kinds of things, though.
Teach the girls you meet that there’s more to life than pretty pictures, filters, or building an online following. Show them how to behave online and offline by setting a good example with your own online and offline behavior. Let them know the value of hard work and that nothing in this life comes free. Teach and tell them about saving more money vs. spending it. Encourage them to put money in their savings accounts now, so when they’re older, they have money saved and available for when it’s time for them to buy their first car, go to college, and move into their first apartment or home.
Teach the girls you encounter that kind women will always go further than mean ones. Mean girls who become mean women usually don’t go far in life at all. Also let them know that while it’s okay to want to settle down with the man of their dreams, teach them to be whole on their own first. So that if and when someone special does come along, they’ll have their own sense of self, won’t lose sight of who they are, and won’t compromise their values or standards because of a man. Yes, teach them to be open but also teach them to protect their hearts, minds, and bodies. And let them know that their goals and dreams are worth pursuing and accomplishing too. No matter who or what comes along.
As women, we have a massive responsibility to uplift and encourage the next generation of young women so that when it's time to pass the torch, we'll all be in good hands.