An Introduction

I was one of those girls that always got picked on. I was a B cup in the 5th grade, was never skinny enough, never a perfect student, never "athletic." I took it well on the surface, but it has caused long term effects to my self-esteem and confidence. As a result, I didn't let myself get close to many people. I was always too afraid of having them make fun of me too. My mentality was that with friends like that, who needs enemies? It was an avoidance strategy.

As I got older, I began to see how destructive my defense mechanisms really were. It was even more evident as I began to see other young women go through issues similar to what I went through. I became a sounding board for young friends to talk about their problems and to get advice. I shared with them experiences from my life in addition to finding ways to resolve issues that I had no experience in.

I am not a licensed therapist or nutritionist. I'm a business graduate. My therapy always has been and always will be my horses. But I do think that young people should be listened to if for no other reason than that their problems are important to them. I think that it is our job as adults to ensure that young people have the tools and knowledge they need to be successful in the world. I think that it is more important to be healthy than to be skinny. I think that parents can be firm and disciplined with their children without insulting them or putting them down. I think that for a parent to call their child fat or to tell them to lose weight is near to a form of child abuse. The key is education. Rather than telling children that they are fat or lazy, it is better to encourage them, teach them how to replace junk food with healthy snacks and find activities that they enjoy which will keep them active. It will not only give parents a better relationship with their children, but it will teach children valuable lessons that they will carry through their lifetime.

So, through this blog, I hope to provide those lessons which I feel so many young women are not receiving from their parents and "role models." I don't claim to be the foremost authority on how to date, eat, or exercise. Most of my blogs will probably be advice that I've taken from some other resource. I'll also include healthy food reviews and just general tips that have worked for me. I'll give perspective on dating and relationship issues that either I or someone close to me have faced. And I will hopefully provide that self confidence that all women should feel to be able to go out by yourself or be happy about yourself while being single.