Girls With Dreams Shares Advice at O’Fallon Library

Girls With Dreams shared the Seven Secrets from “The Powder Box Secrets: 7 Tips to Help Teen Girls Achieve Success” with teens last night at the Middendorf-Kredell Branch Library in O’Fallon

Girls With Dreams teen advisors Aubrey Gohl and Sarah Henke joined editor and art director Kate O’Toole and founder Carrie Silver-Stock to discuss the book and issues that teens face.

Can You Stop the Fat Talk?

I just found about this incredible campaign launched by Tri Delt to Stop the Fat Talk! Watch this amazing video to find out more, and click here to sign the pledge to stop Fat Talk in your life.

Thank You Tri Delt for reminding all of us women of this powerful message. I haven’t met one women or young person who isn’t happy with some part of her body. If we could all learn to love our bodies and focus on our amazing talents and beauty, imagine how far we could all go together!

Make a Difference with National Me to We Day.

Have you heard of the National Me to Day? If you’ve ever wanted to get in the world community but aren’t sure how to get started, this organization is pulling together young people from around the globe to make the world a better place.

This site is worth checking out because it gives you simple steps on how you can make a difference!

Holidays are Right Around the Corner!

Halloween is in about 20 days or so! Every year, it’s like Halloween comes and then Thanksgiving and Christmas fly by.

The hardest thing about the holidays is buying gifts. I feel like I think of the same ideas over and over again. My mom always gets lotion, my Dad gets the usual boxers and socks, my sister gets movies or picture frames, and last but not least, there’s my boyfriend.

He came home from boot camp in August and it’s been really fun having him home. For graduation, I got him a Build-A-Bear in an army outfit with dogtags and the whole nine yards!

I’m stumped, though. What do I get him for Christmas? I don’t have any ideas. What fun gifts have you gals given?

Make the Most Out of Any Vacation

Hey ladies! I just got back from my honeymoon in New Orleans and wanted to share how I prepared for the trip so that everyone can make the most out of any vacation.

Do Your Homework. I bought several books to help me figure out where to stay, where to eat and what to do. Preparing this way allowed me to map out the trip. I made a rough list of things to do for each day, including what sights to see and where to grab a bite to eat. Although we didn’t always stick to the list, it was nice to have an idea of what we wanted to do before we arrived so we didn’t have to waste time deciding once we got there. You’ll also learn a lot of good tips that are relevant to any trip, or specific to your destination. For example, one book suggested eating at a nice restaurant for lunch instead of dinner because you’ll pay less for the same meal.

Ask Around. See if anyone you know has been to your vacation spot. They’ll be able to share must-see attractions, favorite restaurants, and even places to avoid. Don’t limit this step to the people you know, either. Keep asking around for recommendations once you arrive at your destination.

Pack Smartly. Be realistic about what you really need. Depending on the duration of your stay, you probably won’t need an entire suitcase devoted to accessories. I like to pack slightly more than I need just so I have plenty of choices to pick from later. My secret weapon is Space Bags. I use them to store my dirty laundry because it always seems to multiply by the time I’m headed home.

Be Flexible. Make sure to consider what everyone wants to do when you’re planning your trip. Our trip to New Orleans would’ve revolved around food if I had my way, but Tim does not get as excited about eating as I do. He also likes to relax while he’s on vacation, but I like to see everything I can cram into a day. In other words, it’s important to reach a compromise that allows everyone to experience the vacation they want. No matter what someone else might want to do (unless it’s unsafe, of course) keep an open mind and enjoy yourself.

Be Considerate. Tim and I couldn’t pass up taking a Ghost Tour and a Swamp Tour while we were in New Orleans. We learned so much from the tour guides and both excursions provided such memorable experiences that we were so grateful to have had them. Whether you’re taking a tour or not, remember to be a respectful guest by being open to learning and expressing your gratitude for the experience when necessary.

Be Safe. As long as you follow the above steps, especially Do Your Homework, you should be fine. Just remember to always be aware of your surroundings, travel in groups and don’t attract too much attention to yourself.

Does anyone else have other travel tips to share or experiences they’ve learned from?

Help! We Both Like the Same Guy!

This weekend, one of our Girls With Dreams members asked us for some dating advice. She liked the same guy as her best friend and wanted to know how to handle the situation. This is a common problem! Here are a few tips to help you out if you’re ever faced with the same dilemma:

Your friendship is always the most important. Boys come and go, so think about how your friends have always been there for you.

Think about how you would feel if you were the other person. What are you going to do if this boy asks you out and not your friend? What if you are the friend that doesn’t get asked out?

Keep communication lines open. Talk about how each of you feel and don’t let competition or jealousy get the best of you. Both of you have beauty and grace, so use those attributes when deciding how you’re going work through the situation. Would either of you be okay if one of you was dating this guy and the other wasn’t?

Look for ways to build each other up. Remember that your value isn’t determined by whether or not this guy likes either of you.

We hope that helps! For more dating advice for teens or if you want to make a comment or ask another question, please contact us at info@girlswithdreams.com.

Live Life with a Purpose.

Life can throw anything at you that might make life easier or more difficult than it already is. Being prepared emotionally and physically can make a big differnce in how you handle these types of obstacles. Prepare yourself by bringing more purpose into your life.

I like to complete an everyday “To Do List”. The list could be for a week’s worth of projects or enough simply for a day. At the end of each day, whether you had a horrible day or a good day, you’ll be able to reflect upon how productive you were that day. You may not get everything done, but there’s always tomorrow and the rest of your life to keep working at it.

Do not let any day pass you by. There is always a way to make life easier on yourself, improving your time management for example. You always want to have more free time with your friends, right? Well create your own list and start living life to the fullest and with a purpose. Every day should be an adventure met with a smile. Never regret anything you do, and make tomorrow a better day by being productive.

Carrie Talks with Ingrid Vanderveldt of Club E

Find out more about Carrie’s entrepreneurial journey with Girls With Dreams when she talks to Ingrid Vanderveldt, founder of Club E Network and host of CNBC’s American Made. Visit www.powderboxdreams.com for more information about Girls With Dreams and Carrie Silver-Stock.

The Powder Box Secrets Book Club: Introduction

We had this idea at Girls With Dreams to start a book club based on our book, The Powder Box Secrets: Seven Tips to Help Teen Girls Achieve Success.

So, we’re launching our book club, while will include activities such as read-along ideas and journal topics. If you don’t have a book yet, you can order one right here at our site. If you’re not sure if you want to buy one, sign up for our newsletter and you’ll get the first chapter for FREE!

The first goal is to read pages 1-36: This is the Why I Wrote This Book, as well as the Introduction. I love the Introduction because you get to meet a few important people. In addition to meeting six girls just like you and learning about their ups and downs, you’ll also learn about the Seven Secrets! These secrets will be like your best friends. You can turn to them when you’re having a hard time or dealing with a problem you’re not sure how to handle.

As you get ready to read the first 36 pages, consider these questions as you follow along. Don’t forget that we would love to hear from all of you, so if you want to ask a teen editor or myself a question, please e-mail us at info@girlswithdreams.com.

Which of the six girls do you most relate to?

How does each of the girls have hope?

Pick your favorite girl and imagine how her story ends.

Which of the secrets is your favorite? Which is the easiest to use? Which is the hardest?

What other tips should be part of The Powder Box Secrets?

Turn the word ‘secret’ around. What secrets do girls keep? Why do girls keep secrets?

Join us soon for more Book Club Guide questions!

Boys Make Life Difficult…Sometimes.

This is my last year at Texas Tech University and guys have been an issue for me since my junior year of high school. Before this, I never really considered dating officially because I didn’t need a boyfriend. I already had two father figures in my life to protect me, my biological dad and my step-father. In the beginning of junior year, my dad got locked up for a year which lead to my need to start dating. My mother also left my step-dad, giving me another reason to date.

In my opinion, you can’t truly start dating someone unless you guys can actually go somewhere alone in your own car. I’ve been dating since junior year and my dad knew he would have to watch over me a little more when he got out of jail. I have learned to deal with them disliking some of the guys I like, but when is it actually fair for me to say, “they’ve gone to far”? Parents will always think their children can have someone “better than that”, but this time “that” is the guy I think I’m in love with.

This dilemma is spilling over into the rest of my life. I know it would be easy just to drop these two guys I like, but I really enjoy being with both of them. I’ve been seeing “guy number one” off and on for about two-and-a-half years. The only reason it’s been “off” and “on” is because my parents don’t like him. The characteristics I look for in a guy include a good personality, a sense of humor, gorgeous eyes, and good hygiene. But above all, the first thing I judge a guy by is his shoes.

Bottom line: I need a second opinion to help me sort this out. Guy number one is nice, makes me laugh, is good company, gives me attention when I want it and will do anything I ask of him, but my parents don’t like him because he’s a different person when he drinks.

I met guy number two a couple of years ago, about the same time I met guy number one. He was doing some bad stuff and I didn’t like that, but I knew he was a good person deep down inside. I let him go and do his thing and knew I would see him again if it was meant to be. I worked as a server at a restaurant and saw him eating lunch with his parents. We said hi and I knew I still had a crush on him. We traded numbers before he left the place even though I was still with guy number one. I didn’t keep in touch with him, though, because I moved to St. Louis. For the fall 2008 semester, I moved back to Texas to finish my last year at Texas Tech University. I came back because most of my credits would not transfer to an out-of-state school, setting me back another two years! So, I decided to see what my crush was up to. I didn’t have his number anymore, but I found out from some friends that he was in prison.

His fault, but I knew he might need someone to talk to so I wrote him. We’ve been writing back-and-forth for about three months now.

Who do you think my parents would let me date? I know if it were up to them, it would be neither.

HELP! I’m stuck between these two guys that have fallen “in love” with me and I like them equally.