Word of Wisdom For The Girls. Episode 2

> The next generation of women are
bombarded with so much pressure
from the media and their peers. More
than ever before, they need positive
messages from healthy role models.
From the inspiring book, Daring to Be Ourselves by Marianne Schnall,
female celebrities share their advice
to young girls.

Anyhow, what I'm doing here is putting
together some things to keep in mind as
you move on in your life Journy. Some of this stuff you already
know. Partly because you're wise and
partly because they're things I've been telling you before now. Now Take My Advice? No?
Well, it's a working title. We can always read.




* On self-esteem ->
It's easy to love other people, but much, much harder to love yourself. Love yourself, even when it's not easy. When
your face is broken out and your nails
are chipped and raggedy and some guy
ditched you and your best friend blew
you off to hang out with someone else --
love yourself. Your value isn't tied to how tall you are (or aren't), whether
you're good at music or sports or art,
and whether some random guy or group
thinks your face fits on a particular day.


* On boys ->
They will come, and they will go. Many
times. You will break hearts and your
heart will be broken. Just remember -- when you have to break a heart, do
it with kindness and compassion. You would want someone to treat you
the same way. And when your heart is
broken, I will always be there with a
pint of the ice cream of your choice to
listen to you vent, hold you while you
cry or just sit in silence with you. Never forget who you are and
where you came from. Remember the tiny wartime house we lived in
when you were first born, the one
where the furnace was behind a fake
wall in the living room. It will keep you
humble and grounded in reality.
Remember that your parents worked hard for you to have the things we have,
and that our parents worked even
harder before us. Be grateful for the
sacrifices made for us, and for you, and
take none of it for granted, because we expect you to earn your own way in the world.

Don't squander money, talent or time. A day on the couch with a book is not squandered time. A week on the couch is.

Challenge yourself to meet new
people and learn new things.

Don't let anger or negativity rule
your life. An hour wasted in anger is 60 minutes you can't get back. Your life
expectancy is about 82 years. That's
718,797 hours. That may sound like a lot,
but factor in time for sleeping and it's a
lot less. Why waste those hours on
letting someone else make you miserable?
Be kind. It costs you nothing and means the world to people who are the recipient of your smile, words of
encouragement or aid. Be patient with others, like small children, the elderly or people who don't get things as quickly as you do.

Remember that you were young once, will one day be old and don't know
everything as well as you think you do.
Sleep in on weekdays when you
can. Wake up early on weekends when you can.

Laugh at yourself, but laugh with
others.

Keep your word whenever
possible.

When you have to let someone down apologize and offer an
explanation.

Never spend more than you earn or
give more than you have. One is a sign of greed; the other is a way of
showing off. Neither is a good way to
live. Share your wisdom, your
experiences and your chocolate.

Remember that your success in life
is limited only by your willingness
to work hard, dream big and
occasionally fail.

Accept failures at face value for
what they are -- opportunities in
disguise. Don't take the easy way out of
something. It may save you time and energy, but you won't get the same
experience out of whatever you're
doing than you would if you did it the
right way.

Don't make things harder
than they need to be, but don't look for
shortcuts so you can hang out with your friends an hour earlier. You won't have
to ask if you had done the best you
could, because, in your heart, you'll
already know. Settle for anything but the best
effort from yourself or people
you're working with and you'll get
exactly what you deserve. That doesn't mean you should be a drill
sergeant, but it does mean you should
encourage people to work to their full
potential.
Choose your friends wisely. Over the next several years they will
influence your decision about guys,
school, jobs and hobbies. C
hoose friends
who share similar values to your own
and will respect your decisions, even if they disagree with them.

Be respectful when you disagree with theirs, too. A cup of tea, warm blanket and a
loyal pet are sometimes all you
need to make you feel better on a
day when you feel down.


If I think you are making a mistake,
I will tell you. If I think you are
wrong, I will tell you. But I will
always be on your side to support
you, because I love you.


Stay cool and humble!