Self-Esteem Today is a great time to be a girl. In the past, girls did not have as many choices as they do today. Girls were not encouraged to do the kinds of things boys did or have the same freedom to plan their lives. You are so lucky! You have many possibilities and choices. You can follow your heart and plan your future. You can make goals for yourself and develop your talents. All these choices are exciting, but they can also be a little confusing. How do you make the choices that are right for you? How do you get the life you want? Use your Girl Power! Deep inside of you is something called self-esteem. Self-esteem is the confidence or satisfaction you have in yourself. It is self-respect. Self-esteem is that voice inside of you that tells you that you are special and can achieve your goals. Self-esteem does come from the inside, but there are outside things that can affect your self-esteem, too. Here are some examples: Your Peers Everyone wants to have friends and feel part of a group. This is normal and part of growing up. It's good and healthy to have friends. But it's not healthy when it means giving into pressure just to fit in. Only you know what is best for you. Don't let your friends make decisions for you or tell you to do things that are unsafe, unhealthy, or unkind, and that you will later wish you hadn't done. Part of self-esteem is having the power to be yourself because you are such a special person. Your Parents and Other Adults Sometimes adults can get so busy that you may feel they don't even notice you exist. This is not how they really intend for you to feel. Sometimes the pressures of being an adult make it hard for parents to take the time that they would like to spend listening to and helping you. Sometimes they are so used to working and being with adults that they forget that talking to young people is different from talking to adults. When you start to feel that your parents are too busy, remember that the situation is temporary. In the meantime, talk to an older brother or sister, teacher, or another older person that you respect and trust. Ask your parents when a good time would be to talk and make a list of things you would like to talk about. Maybe you and your parents could choose a regular time to set aside just for you—a special time each day or week. Practice what you want to say to them and speak up! Future Goals What do you want to be when you grow up? What would you like to become really good at? What are some hobbies you would like to learn? If you put your mind to it, you can reach your goals. By setting goals for yourself and trying to meet them, you can feel great about yourself. Try a new sport, audition for the school play, or learn about careers in which you may be interested. Your self-esteem will improve when you have a goal to work toward. So go ahead, dream and plan. Reach for the stars! Positive Body Image Think about all the things your body can do. Have you ever thought about just how amazing your body really is? Take a moment and appreciate all that your body does for you—running, dancing, breathing, laughing, thinking, smiling, etc. Every day your body carries you one step closer to your goals. Bodies come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Your body type is uniquely yours, but your family genes may help to determine how it will be shaped. As you grow and develop, your body will begin to take on its genetically programmed shape. This basic shape can't be changed. It's all in your genes. Wear clothes that are comfortable and make you feel good about your body. Work with your body, not against it. Some people are shaped like a spoon. Their upper body is smaller than their lower body. Other people are shaped like an hourglass. This shape is curvy with a larger upper and lower body, but smaller waist. Another shape is a ruler. This shape is straight with not much difference between the upper and lower body. The lower body of someone who is funnel shaped is narrower than their upper body. No category is better or worse than any other, only different. Learn to like and respect your body the way it is built, and make the most of what you've got.