All I wanted was to be an inspiring example to a young, hopeful girl.
I had a pretty decent childhood, but I’m not naive. There are millions of other girls out there who’ve been abandoned or forgotten. And it occurred to me that each of those girls deserves support, but also some kind of childhood.
Even though I had love from my parents, I still knew the pangs of not belonging, especially when others treated me differently based on my appearance.
Life is full of unfairness, so I felt really dedicated about following through with becoming someone’s mentor.
But what came out of the process was eye-opening.
It wasn’t just the girl I began mentoring that needed some guidance.
I did too!
After everything played out, it dawned on me that I can only be an upstanding role model if I’m one to myself as well. How I feel and treat myself matters.
It also became apparent that I had this pollyanna view of taking someone under my wing and helping them fly.
Young girls aren’t injured birds without a sense of themselves. They have experiences, ideas, and speak truths that adults don’t always want to hear.
In turn, I had to stop playing a fake role that I thought was required to be a mentor.
The best, most effective way to inspire anyone is to be yourself.
All I did was squeeze my eyes shut, take a deep breath, open my eyes, and speak words from a real place. Taking those little steps is so freeing and truthful.
Once I became my flawed, imperfect self, honesty became laughter, and laughter became connection.
The reality is kids see through facades, so why not drop yours and be who you honestly are? Towards everyone you encounter, not just your own children.
What’s the worst that can happen?
Love,
Sammy
(SWF)
Images: Fotolia
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