I spoke to the different women in my life about the lessons young girls should be taught and the feedback was overwhelming. However, the consensus was clear on one thing: "education and self-sufficiency". When I think back to grade school, my favorite memory was career day. This opportunity to see beautiful, put together women with a passion for what they did was inspirational and awe-inspiring. It challenged me to set my goals high and reach for them without reservations or fear. Our girls need to know that they can be anything, pursue anything and take care of themselves. Finding a passion, developing it and discovering self-sufficiency is such a powerful tool to instill in young girls for many reasons. For one, they are the future mothers and leaders of tomorrow. Secondly, depending on someone else to take care of them for the rest of their lives is unrealistic. Last, BECAUSE THEY CAN!!!
 |
| Education is awesome! |
There is nothing more attractive or intimidating than a woman with intelligence, confidence and her own brand of beauty! Being empowered to me means being educated. It means taking the road less travelled and daring to be different from the status quo. When a young girl is given the right tools, there is nothing she cannot do. Those career day moments planted a seed in me that gracefully carried me through my education. My family has always stressed the importance of education, but all girls don’t have this blessing. Through my motivational speaking I strive to push girls to be better than average. Think of ways that you can encourage the young girls in your life to take their education and pursuit of their goals seriously.
 |
| This is a MAJOR lesson we have to give our girls! |
As an aunt to a teenage niece, I get to be a role model everyday. I expose her to life as much as I can because this is what sparks an internal flame of discovery. When I realized that she had an interesting and abstract sense of style, I encouraged her to pursue her love of fashion. She is currently participating in an internship that places her in prime position to develop exactly what she loves to do. I couldn’t be prouder! Every girl has the potential to be more than a baby maker, video girl, hustler, stripper, prostitute, etc. It should be our mission to point them down the right path. To show a young girl that her interests can result in a passionate and happy life is a plus. To show her how she can support herself from pursuing that passion is a super plus!
 |
| Being financially stable is essential. |
A friend asked me on Facebook how I felt about women who chose to stay home and be supported solely by their husband/partner. My belief has always been that a woman should know how to care for herself in every way possible regardless of her financial support. Another one of my theories is that a woman shouldn’t want a partner that cannot do more for her than she can for herself. Their is nothing wrong with being a housewife, but nobody should be subjected to ridicule and control regarding finances. With that said, every girl should be taught that having your own money, knowing what you can do well to make more money, and managing your money are key tools to peace and control over your life. Girls should never be taught to depend on their relationships for everything. Relationships can end for a variety of reasons from petty break-ups to unforeseen deaths. Regardless of the circumstance, a woman should be able to dust herself off and be self-sufficient when the time calls.
 |
| It's a sexy thing! |
Young girls need to grow up knowing that they can be both beautiful AND intelligent. The organ between their ears should be glorified and challenged daily. With no limit to where they can go, the world is theirs to conquer! If we don’t challenge them to discover their talents, they will be led to believe their only skills are related to their looks, the man they are with, their sexuality or their naivety towards everything in life. If you notice that a girl in your life is interested in something, uplift her and ensure that she experiences everything life has to offer. Besides, when you teach a woman, you teach a nation!
0 comments:
Post a Comment