Stay True to You: A Poem by Miranda

This is a poem I have stuck in my head. I wrote it all down and here’s what it said:

Staying true to oneself is easier said than done.
Following the crowd can be just too much fun.

You forget who you are and what you might enjoy,
Moving on with the crowd, trying not to annoy.

All the while a talent, deeply hidden,
Goes undiscovered, a special gift you were given.

With each day you ignore your special gift,
The more you find yourself lost, adrift.

Strive not to please those who don’t truly care.
Work with what you love, the gift you can share.

By finding your knack, your niche, or your talent,
You succeed, you’ll win, and you’ll truly be gallant.

You’ll be grateful by the end of some stressful long day,
That you stayed true to you, no matter what others might say.

Have You Ever Felt Alone?

This post is for those of us who have ever felt lonely or been too hard on ourselves. This post is for everyone who has ever said, “I can’t”. Remember that you are all beautiful, smart, and just downright cool.

With every weakness comes a strength, and every strength has weaknesses. Our strengths help to define us and help us to stand out as individuals. Our weakness should not be viewed as detriments to our personality, but as opportunities to grow and learn more about ourselves. Overcoming a weakness will only take us one step closer to becoming the person we strive to be. Weakness, in a form, is our greatest strength. Acknowledging weaknesses allow us to move past the embarrassment and the feelings of inadequacy.

For every girl who feels unwanted, undeserving or insignificant, strive not to be “The Popular Girl”. Instead, strive to see yourself as special. Once you’ve achieved this, try to make someone else feel the same way. One person might not seem like much, but think of how much progress we’ll make if we can all do this!

Independence and love are the greatest gifts we can give ourselves, and the greatest hope we can offer to others around us. Be comfortable with who you are. You are unique and beautiful just the way you were created.

Five Steps to a Great Summer

Looking for ways to have fun with your friends this summer? Here are a few great ideas to make your summer sizzle!

• Have fun without spending a lot of money by following tips from Molly and Sarah.
• Think about some of your favorite memories and do some of the same activities from your past. Are you a movie-lover or beach-lover? Are sports more your style?
• What’s most important to you this summer? Hanging out with friends before they leave for college? Working? Relaxing? Spending time with your family? Figure out your priorities and organize your calendar around these.
• If you’re stressed about swimsuit season, don’t worry. Most girls are! We decided to do something about it. Join our Summer Self-Esteem Challenge. Will you help us spread the word?
• Most importantly, you worked really hard this year. Make sure you give yourself a little break this summer! Kick back, relax, and enjoy the sunshine!

Confessions of a Text-A-Holic Part II

Staying away from technology has been a challenge. Although my free time revolves around my laptop and cell phone, I believe that I’ll be a happier person without them.

I’ve made it a goal to cut back on the texting! I want to be able to create relationships with new people and hold conversations with them.

Here are my silly tactics keep me distracted:
I always have a new CD in my car stereo so I don’t text while I’m driving.

Once I get to work, I keep my phone in the back room so I can focus on my responsibilities.

When I’m at home, I keep my phone in a different room so I can concentrate on my homework.

I put my phone on silent during dinner so I can spend some quality time with my parents.

In the hallways at school, I listen to my iPod so I’m not texting in my purse.

Even though it’s a pain to stay away from my cell phone, I have more time for my friends. I can tell them what I’m feeling in person, and I can relate to them better. It’s going to be a long way to recovery, but a challenge always stirs things up.

If you want to read Confessions of a Text-A-Holic Part I, check it out here. Are you a text-a-holic too? Do you have any other ideas for other teens?

Are Boys Even Worth It?

What makes guys the least bit interesting? Why are opposite sexes attracted to each other? Are boyfriends even worth it? I decided to weigh the pros and cons:

PROS

Learning new things from new people. Meeting family! Having someone to talk to when days get rough. Knowing someone is interested in you. Being able to chime in when people talk about how cute their boyfriend is.

CONS

Balancing time for both friends and a boyfriend. Worrying about how your actions matter not only to you, but to another person. Becoming dependent on someone else. Potentially becoming too involved, to the point where you fall behind in school, with family, and friends. Feeling like you have to celebrate every “first” or anniversary. Getting jealous. Getting in arguments.

Whether you’re in a relationship or will be in one in the future, it’s good to think ahead and prepare for both the good and the bad. Do you have any other pros or cons to add to the list?

Distorted Body Image

Almost every teen I talk to seems to have some complaint about her body. It’s not always the same complaint; everyone seems to get hung up on a different body part. Think about it. How many times have you checked yourself in the mirror? When you look in the mirror, do positive or negative thoughts come to mind?

Unfortunately, many girls stress out about their appearance, which eventually leads to a distorted self-image. Some even develop eating disorders. This warped body image cannot be healed with the wave of a magic wand. Listen to these teens share their views about eating disorders.

Then, make sure to check out the other articles and tips we’ve shared at www.girlswithdreams.com.

Confessions of a Text-A-Holic Part I

I went to see a movie with an old friend this weekend. I hadn’t gone out with her in two years! I noticed that she kept checking her phone every five minutes and it bothered me because we could have been catching up during that time.

Technology is taking over our lives. I text instead of call, and I call instead of walking over to my neighbor’s house. I’m guilty of texting during class, while I’m on my break at work, and even while I drive!

I depend on my phone, but I’m not the only one. People are always texting when they’re talking to me. I even text while I’m already on the phone with someone else.

To be honest, I’m not completely sure I know how to talk to people anymore. I don’t know how to contribute to a conversation for very long because I’m so dependent on my cell phone and laptop.

I wish all of us could give the phones a break and talk to each other the real way.

Secret Tip 2 to Help Teen Girls Deal With Any Problem

So, what’s the second tip every girl needs to know? Find out in this quick video. You’ll be able to read all about the 7 tips in my forthcoming book, Secrets Girls Keep: What Girls Hide (& Why) and How to Break the Stress of Silence.

Make sure you know and build on your strengths. So many girls put themselves down or forget to look at all of the things they are naturally good at.

It’s really important to know yourself. Write down a list of 10 things you are good at. If you get stuck, ask your friends and people close to you for their input. Keep this list handy, or consider starting a journal so you can review your strong points often!

Secret Tip 1 to Help Teen Girls Deal With Any Problem

I guess you could say I’m letting out some of my secrets early, before the official release of Secrets Girls Keep: What Girls Hide (& Why) and How to Break the Stress of Silence.

I believe there are 7 key tips every girl needs to know. These key tips can help you deal with any problem that comes your way. I reveal them in my forthcoming book, but check out Tip 1 in this quick video.

Tip 1: You Gotta Use Your Gut!

To get started, practice listening to that little voice inside of you. Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. Put a plus sign on one side and a minus sign on the other side. At the end of the day, write down where you listened to your gut well on the plus side and write where you didn’t listen well on the minus side. Think about how you can improve for tomorrow. Don’t get upset with yourself if things are a little rough at first. The most important thing is that you’re paying attention to that little voice inside of you.

This Advice Could Save Your Life

Oprah recently aired a show about the dangers of being online. It was a segment that every teenager needs to watch. The experiences shared could happen to anyone. No one is safe, not even the girls who look like they have it all together, make good grades, and have good manners.

Oprah shared stories of teen girls who had been lured into dangerous situations by online sexual predators. The show was hard to watch. As hard as it might be, I encourage you to hear the girls talk about their experiences and listen to their advice. Sadly, not all the girls are still here to share their stories in person. Kristin’s mom shared her tragic story that ended in suicide.

Here are a few must-know tips for any teen online:

1. Remember, these experiences can happen to anyone.
2. You never know who you are really talking to online. That new girl that just moved into town or that cute guy might actually be an older man or teens playing a prank. Be sure you know who you’re really talking to when you’re online.
3. Be on guard for people behaving too nicely online. This is tricky. Of course there are good people online, but sexual predators have mastered how to be seemingly kind in order to lure their victims. Girls who shared their stories said the men would say things like, “You are so intelligent. You are so beautiful. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I love you”. It was so easy for young teens to fall for their kind words and sweet talk. This is often called ‘grooming’. Alicia, who was kidnapped and held as a sex slave, said her abductor talked to her while they were becoming friends. If she got into a fight with her mom, he said things such as, “You don’t deserve that, you’re so independent and grown up.” If she got a bad grade, he said encouraging things. The point is, he was purposely trying to seduce and befriend her in a very tricky and sneaky way, building her trust over time.
4. Never agree to meet anyone you’ve talked to online. Even if you think you are best friends and completely trust or adore this person. You never know what that person is really like or who that person is. Girls on Oprah’s show yesterday were victimized and raped after meeting their online friends.
5. Are you keeping something secret? If you’re not talking to anyone about this relationship or you’re hiding it from your parents, you could be in over your head.
6. Watch out for your friends. If one of your friends is engaging in any of these dangerous behaviors and won’t stop, you need to get an adult to help. It might feel like you are betraying your friend, but you could save her life.
7. Help me spread the word. These are tips that should be taught in every school and talked about in every home with a computer. Please forward this information to anyone you care about. You might just save your friends life!
8. Keep other kids safe by making sure the John Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act stays in effect. Find out more here about how your simple email can make a huge difference.

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