Dress Challenge Day 4: Sucess can be scary as S**T!

Happy to report: very few doubts today. :)

Dress Challenge Day 4: Success can be scary as S**T!

As of three weeks ago, Girl Warrior used to be just my workout mantra. So, it's a little surreal to hand out cards with this phrase printed on it and try to be all cool about it while inside I'm doing my own personal victory dance-off/panic attack. 

Because, let's be honest: success is one of the scariest things around.

Let me be clear and say that this post doesn't come out of any sort of personal vanity. It is my sincere belief that just reaching one girl is a success. Before I launched this project, my goal was to get 5 girls to sign up for photoshoots and maybe a few body image stories. Since then, I've captured the beauty of almost 30 girls and luckily I've got more BABES ahead of me! 

 

I'm incredibly grateful. The Girl Warriors, who have banded together with kickass girl attitude, have made this project possible. I have YOU to thank. So, thank you! I appreciate you and I'm grateful.

Girl Warrior has become successful in a very short time, which is just smashing and frightening all at the same time! When I log onto Facebook and see a slew of new messages, it seems like I'm in a dream. It has quickly taken over a significant portion of my life, which has its overwhelming ups and occasional downs. It's like I just became BFF with 30+ girls and I'm simultaneously trying to plan them all a surprise birthday party on the same day. I love it, but it is overwhelming!

With that being said, I want to relate my own journey of success (or rather OUR journey of success, gorgeous) to the body acceptance journey.

In psychology, the "Stages of Change" Model describes the process of giving up a "bad" habit to adopt a healthier lifestyle. An example could be quitting smoking. Or in our case, body acceptance/loving yourself/finding your confidence. Essentially, the model presents five steps of behavioral changes that break down the entire process of making a change. It illustrates that change occurs in progressive smaller stages, rather than just happening overnight.

The Five Stages of Change:

1. Precontemplation: may not be ready to change and may not be aware there is a problem
2. Contemplation: acknowledging the problem, but may not be ready to change
3. Preparation: prepare to take action
4. Action: take the action/make a plan
5. Maintenance: keeping up with the change

This particular model comes from my old psychology textbook (The Science of Psychology by Laura A. King) and I like it well enough, but I'd like to present my own Girl Warrior Method that is specific to body image issues.

The Girl Warrior Method of Change:

1. Hanging Out: Stay here as long as you need, do not move on til you're ready.
2. Girl Brain Power: Use that beautiful brain to think about what makes you feel beautiful and what has historically brought you down. Journal your heart out. Scream when you want to. Cry and don't be sorry about it.
3. On A Mission: Get ready to jump in to the GW world.
4. Warrior Mode: Using all your amazing abilities, loving yourself, and loving others. 
5. Boss Level: You are so boss. Could you get any MORE boss? We don't think so! 

The Girl Warrior Method believes that you can be in two stages at one time, perhaps even three. Overlapping of two stages is also very normal, known as the "Transition to Kickass" period. We invite you to write down these five steps and plan out your own Girl Warrior journey. Change it, edit it, or whatever...after all, this is all about you.

It's my personal belief that SUCCESS is in every step. If people tell you differently, politely inform them that they will not be invited to your victory dance-offs. They would probably be the ones to bring the vegetable tray anyways.

Success can be scary and pleasant all at the same time. Every emotion we have comes with a variety of different experiences. Don't be afraid to go to BOSS LEVEL though, because girl, I believe in you.

In other news, a writer for The Daily Reveille (the LSU newspaper) mentioned Girl Warrior in her wonderful opinion piece, which can be found online at this link. She made me feel like a rockstar on campus today!

BRB, just sweating in my school newspaper 

What's that? MORE good news? We are having a great Thursday here at Girl Warrior. The lovely Jade has been one of the first girls to submit her own GW photo. She is basically the bomb, just like all the other fellow Girl Warriors! 

Her beauty declaration: "I feel beautiful when I tell my story and speak out against rape culture, because no girl should ever feel like the uninvited invasion of her body is her fault. As a writer, I want to change the world one reader at a time even if it means bleeding my heart onto the pages."

Hope you all have a fantastic Thursday, BABES!

XOXO 

Girl Warrior