Hey dolls , Today's article is based on how you can gain your self worth and respect as an individual.

English oxford dictionary defines self respect as - Pride and confidence in oneself; a feeling that one is behaving with honour and dignity.  I believe that self-respect is that inner deeper feeling we have about ourselves. Believing that we can have that power and knowledge as a women. Individuals need to also understand that self- respect is  earned it's an 'inside job' that no body else can do for us.  It's not something we can buy but its something we earn, How do we earn it? .... well having a vision is key , writing down your core values mindfully creating your life and simply reacting to your circumstances. Knowing who you are and what you want.  Choosing your priority's wisely and working on them , also make sure its something that's going to have a positive impact on your life or career . Taking action its simple. Do what you've set yourself to do. Our minds have a big impact on what we think and how we think so ignoring your thoughts is essential because it's one of the main reasons why we avoid taking action ( and therefore lose self-respect) Its the negative thoughts, limiting your thoughts and narrowing them.  Don't listen because it will not only make you lose respect for your-self but it will make you unsuccessful , it will point out all the reasons why you cant be successful and all the potential negative consequences of your actions.

I believe that it's possible to experience self- esteem while having very little self- respect. In fact , when other people respect us but we don't respect ourselves , it's very difficult to let that positive attention in . It's not until we truly love and respect ourselves , that we can begin to believe that we are worthy of another person's love and respect. 

One key message I would like to leave with the girl power movement member's and anyone else reading this article is, the next time you say yes to someone when you really want to say no, maybe your respecting them or scared of their reaction. Be aware of that because your sending the wrong feeling or you may be teaching the person that it's ok to take you for granted and treat you poorly. The next time you are spoken in a wrong or disrespectful manner and you choose to accept that by staying silent rather than standing up with yourself and speaking  your truth, Remind yourself that you can indeed make another choice and teach that person to treat you differently. 

The only actual thing we can change is besides living within us - such as our choices ,our attitude towards our selves and life in general , our decision making - We can then come out of our feelings of 'Victim' acknowledging that we are capable of taking control of many aspects of our lives

Remember - you alone are in control of yourself and of your life choices. 

Do you have a story to share or have you been through any of our topics and would like to discuss it. We are here to help if English isn't your first language email us on girlpowermove@gmail.com

"In recent years, women's body size have grown larger ( Spitzer , Henderson& Zivian,1999), While societal standards of body shape have become much thinner. Now this discrepancy has made it increasingly hard for most women to achieve this day an age socio culture "ideal".

Self - esteem issues does not only limit to women alone, however numerous studies reveal that women have arguably more pressure than men to look a certain way. Self-esteem is how you value and respect yourself as a person—it is the opinion that you have of yourself inside and out. Self-esteem impacts how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Self-esteem is about your whole self, not just your body.When you have good self-esteem, you value yourself, and you know that you deserve good care and respect—from yourself and from others. You can appreciate and celebrate your strengths and your abilities, and you don’t put yourself down if you make a mistake. Good self-esteem means that you still feel like you’re good enough even when you’re dealing with difficult feelings or situations.

Body image is mental and emotional: it’s both the mental picture that you have of your body and the way you feel about your body when you look in a mirror. 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape.  Educating ourselves about what "healthy" really is can be very beneficial. Knowing whats good for your body , skin, hair and nails and how to look after them is essential.

If you don't like your body its hard to notice the the good things and give your body the respect it deserves.  Body image and self-esteem directly influence each other—and your feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. If you don’t like your body (or a part of your body), it’s hard to feel good about your whole self. The reverse is also true: if you don’t value yourself, it’s hard to notice the good things and give your body the respect it deserves.

Feeling good about your body means having a healthier lifestyle , treating your body with respect, eating well balanced meals , exercising because it makes you feel good and strong about yourself,notice when you judge yourself or others based on weight, shape, or size, Ask yourself if there are any other qualities you could look for when those thoughts come up and dress in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, in clothes that fit you now.

Join our movement and be sure to email us on girlpowermove@gmail.com if you have any stories to share with us .

​​“Don’t mention a person’s past mistakes when they are trying to change. That’s like throwing rocks at them while they climb a mountain .”

Today our GurlTalk topic is Mental Health within our young people and what is being done in our communities for them. Mental Health problems affected about 1 in 10 young people. They include depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives (Mental health foundation).
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The emotional wellbeing of young people is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well – rounded healthy adults. A new study shows a worrying rise in mental health problems among young people in the UK. According to the Department of Education, which spoke to 30,000 pupils aged 14- 15, more than one in three teen girls suffer from anxiety or depression. It’s a rise of 10 per cent in the past decade.
 
Young girls today face a huge range of pressure. Here at girl power movement young girls told us that stress from school, body image worries, bullying , insecurities within themselves, early sexualisation, peer pressure mainly from social media.

”I think about my appearance more than anything when I’m going to school, I’m scared of what people think as you must have a certain look these days. Here at Girl Power we believe social media has a major influence on young girls from consultation young girls told us they would like help on self confidence and how they can build their self esteem whilst being active on social media .  (Make sure you fill the questionnaire on our free training that will be live soon http://bit.ly/2whS5lY  )   
Here are things that will help you

• Taking part in local actives for young people
• Being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise done
• Having friends that you trust
• Having time to enjoy a cup of coffee with your friend
• Joining a social club or sports team

 
Other factors include

• Feeling loved, trusted, understood and valued
• Having the strength to cope when something is wrong (resilience) and the ability to solve problems.
• Being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed
• Having a sense of belonging in their family , community and school

 
If you have a story to share or would like to be involved by writing an article email us on Girlpowermove@gmail.com

 The world can be a very dangerous place for young girls. The number of young girls under the age of 18 who have been the victims of sexual violence equals the populations of Germany and France combined - 150 million, estimated the World Health Organisation.

The physical trauma of violence may heal, but the emotional wounds often never close, creating a lifetime of depression , anxiety, suicidal behaviour, post traumatic stress disorder and low self esteem. Violence against girls ruin their futures , dreams and ambitions and be replaced with mostly drug addiction , prostitution , eating disorder, chronic health conditions. 

Emotional and psychological trauma on young girls living with domestic violence suffer emotional and psychological impact in a household that is dominated by tension and fear. These children will see their mothers threatened , physically or sexually assaulted.  They will overhear violence and conflict and see the aftermaths of the violence such as their mothers injuries and her traumatic response to the violence. 

Daughters are more likely to become victims then their sons ( Dobash and Do bash, 1979). Women abuse is also the context for sexual abuse of female children. Where the mother is assaulted by the father , daughters are exposed to a risk of sexual abuse 6.51 times greater than girls in non abusive families (Bowker , Arbitell and McFerron,1988).

Lastly , girls are the world's greatest prime resource. While they are not the ones responsible for ending the violence they are also not just victims ; they are the prime movers of their own features and the leaders of change within their communitites and globally.  By joining our campaign you can take action on issues like this one. We believe that education is key and in particular non formal eduction, it's critical for ending violence - we are experts in non-formal education. Non formal education can create a powerful force for change by empowering young girls and young women to understand and know their rights, this will be done by challenging root causes such as inequality etc. 

Here at girl power we would like you take part in our questionnaire to be enrolled in our free training on women empowerment. 

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