The project that I have been working on that has been keeping me away from blogging here is really taking flight and I am so excited to share it with you.
I am currently working on a book for teen girls called, MY "NET" WORTH: EVERY GIRL'S GUIDE TO CATCHING SELF-RESPECT & KEEPING IT!
I started this book while sitting in Panera trying to solve the world's problems. It was one of those weeks where every news channel was covering a different teen suicide or bullying event. I started to think and worked from the suicide backwards to try to get to the root of the problem.
I landed on self-respect. No one with a developed sense of self-respect would treat someone that way. No one with a developed sense of self-respect would start a rumor or feed into gossip. No one with a developed sense of self-respect would pressure a girl for sex...and so on and so on.
I decided I would start with the girls (yes, that DOES mean I have an idea in my head how to do this for boys next). I sat and tried decide how to explain in my own quirky way, what self-respect looks like. What would be something that was beautiful but in today's world not all that easy to hang onto?
A butterfly.
Out of this conversation with myself was born
The Legend of the Butterfly Girls.
This book is a culmination of 16+ years of mentoring teen girls paired with the input of TODAY'S teen girls in the form of an Advisory Team that I oversee in a closed Facebook Group called The Butterfly Girlz. The book is chockful of journaling exercises, creative activities that illustrate a point, conversation tactics for those who hate confrontation, etc.
I focus on FIVE main character traits that we work on developing - COURAGE, INTEGRITY, ASSERTIVENESS, CONFIDENCE and RESTRAINT. I believe that of all of the character traits, these five embody a perfect recipe for a healthy dose of life-long self-respect.
My advisory team came together very quickly after a post on my facebook calling for teen girls who would like to be part of a self-respect project. I now have 25 AMAZING young ladies from 11 - 17 years old from all over the country. They have the opportunity to answer questions and I have their permission to use some responses for the book. They also start their own conversations, support each other and enjoy getting to know each other better. It is amazing to watch.
We are starting our own MINI-Magazine called
BUTTERFLY LANDING which we are just thrilled to do together! There is a teen residential care facililty in Missouri who has expressed an interest in having our new magazine available to their female residents.
I have had local groups ask if I would come speak to their teen girls and am planning my first large conference-style event open to the public.
Through our
BUTTERFLY GIRLZ BLOG, we have attracted the attention of Dr. Michele Borba, parenting expert seen often on the Today Show and Dr. Phil. We have gotten comments from Annie Fox and Tricia Goyer, both authors who focus primarily on teens.
So, there are so many of you who I would like to thank for staying faithful readers and followers. If you are as excited about this as I am please feel free to pass this link along. Facebook it. Tweet it. Email it.
I just read a statistic that scared me to death - 25% of today's teenage girls are in immediate danger from self-mutilation, eating disorders, violence, depression or suicide.
Help me reach those teens.
