#BeAFriendMonth: Be Yourself!

(L to R): Rachel and her best friend, who is someone 

she can be herself around! 

As I have gone through middle school and now I am a junior in high school, I have realized how important it is to have friends beside you. I have always been friends with a lot of the girl groups in my grade, but this year I have become very close with a couple of girls who are now my best friends. I have learned what it means to be a friend as well as have friends who support me.

I think the most important quality in a friend is being honest with each other. Someone who can make you laugh, someone who listens to what you have to say, gives good advice and someone whom you know will always have your back, no matter what. I am the kind of person who does not like rumors, and gossiping, and being mean with one and other—so I definitely say NO DRAMA!! Its important to surround yourself with people who aren’t looking for drama or trying to cut each other down.  

Just a simple smile may start a conversation and friendship. You never really know someone until you start talking to them- and you may realize that you have common likes and interests. Always be nice to everyone because everyone wants a friend! I know that personally--I have made a lot of friends who I never thought would be my friend just by starting to talk with them and learning more about them. 

 You must always be yourself because there will be people out there who like you for just the way you are- and those people will be your true, lifelong friends in life.

Rachel is a junior in high school, a Girl Talk Leader, and a member of Girl Talk's National Teen Advisory Board! She wanted to be involved with Girl Talk so that she could give back to her community, become a stronger woman, and voice her opinions. Rachel hopes to inspire girls with her involvement with Girl Talk.

No Drama Wednesday: Standing Up to My Bully

Anti-Bullying Month is all about standing up to your bully and being heard.  There are three different types of bullying: physical, verbal, and mental.  All can happen in person, over the Internet, or the phone. 

Recently, I was bullied over Instagram, and it really hurt.  It hurt so badly, that I wanted to delete my account.  Then, I realized that I wasn't going to let this bully ruin my fun.  She posted a very mean comment on one of my pictures, but instead of giving her control, I responded back very nicely.  I told her I didn't want any drama, but I also let her know that I wasn't going to tolerate her mean comments.  By responding in a nice way, instead of a rude one, my bully's response changed.  Not reacting in a bad way can cause your bully to think twice about their actions.

So, whenever you're being bullied, try to kill your bully with kindness.  It worked for me and I am very thankful I took this route!

And remember, that no matter what anyone says about you, it is their opinion and not true. You are you and you should be proud of who you are!

Everyday Inspirations: Running Into Hope

Hey Inspiring Folks!

Who's excited for the first edition of "Everyday Inspirations"?! Today, I'm sharing with you guys an inspiring moment that happened in my life recently. I hope you all enjoy it!

For starters, I love running and competing in races! Running always helps me relieve stress, organize my mind, and it's great exercise! I ran my second half marathon at the happiest place on Earth aka Disney World!! That's right, I ran in the 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon! I didn't perform my best, but it was still the most fun I ever had while running 13.1 miles!

Yes, that's me jumping and high-fiving Goofy at the Finish Line!

 

Even before the race, my knee had been bothering me a little bit, but I didn't think it was anything serious and not to mention, I was not going to forfeit Disney World! I did my best to ice it, but the race definitely made my knee worse. A week after the race, I decided to take a break from running. It really broke my heart, but I knew that I it'd be better to take a temporary break from running rather than being forced to take a permanent one later on down the road.

That was in March and now it's the middle of April, and I still can't run too much. I was telling this to one of my friends at church who is also a runner.  The next day, I received a Facebook message from her filled with encouragement and positivity. It made me feel so loved and, of course, inspired!

It really inspired me to never forget to provide kind words to others because it really could make someone's day!

Excited & Inspired,

Anne