CLASSIC (non-faith-based version): VOL 3

GROW IN CONFIDENCE. KNOW YOUR IDENTITY.

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urney

FOR GIRLS

BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL (CLASSIC) Copyright © 2023 Releasing Generations Published by Releasing Generations Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

All articles, art, and photographs have been published and printed with the permission of their creators.

ISBN: 979-8-9862965-2-4 Art Direction and Graphic Design: Ahava Design, LLC. Photos by Unsplash and Pixabay.

BRAVEANDBEAUTIFUL.WORLD Brave & Beautiful is a publication created by Explicit Movement, a Christian faith-based movement that heals and empowers youth and young adults to walk in sexual integrity and healthy relationships. We provide faith-based resources that equip youth, young adults, parents, and church leaders to have conversations concerning healthy dating and navigating sexuality issues with confidence, leading the way for young people to thrive in relationships.

CREDITS COVER Floral pattern: Maria Galybina. 3 Photography by Luminous: Emily Ganiko. Dreamstime and Unsplash.

WELCOME BACK TO

Brave & Beautiful — vol.3

REAL TRUTH.

REAL LOVE.

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Bave  Beauful Jurney

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Journey 01

Journey 02

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SHE IS BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

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SHE RELEASES

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SHE DISCOVERS

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SHE STANDS

30 SHE ACCEPTS

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SHE CRIES

40 SHE BELIEVES

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SHE PERSEVERES

58 SHE EXPRESSES

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SHE PROTECTS

70 SHE SPARKLES

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SHE BLOOMS

76 SHE RESTS BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

Celebr ate s

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Journey 04 Listen

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PORNOGRAPHY

20 SHE LOVES

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SEXUAL ABUSE & TRAUMA

30 SHE GIVES

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SEX TRAFFICKING

40 SHE DREAMS

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VOICES OF FREEDOM

48 SHE CREATES

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HOPE RISING

SHE CELEBRATES

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PART 1

Ever feel discouraged, disappointed, or overwhelmed

Part of loving is giving from a generous heart. It can be

with life’s dramas? Pausing to find what you can be

challenging to love others when we struggle with our

thankful for can lift you up from that dark place, high

own selfish desires from time to time! Why be generous?

enough to take a breath of fresh air. Being grateful is a

In this section, we will explore these topics and learn

key to growing in your emotional health. Thankfulness

about the power of being young women who celebrate

will help you to relish good times, give you extra

life, love others, and are generous givers.

strength to deal with trials, and can even improve your relationships! Celebrating the positive and being thankful can fuel your heart—but it is not always easy!

Perspective changes things.

“

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD

How do we love others well? It is easy to love people we like and feel comfortable with, but what about when it is difficult to love?! And what does it mean to be a good friend? How do we love in healthy ways?

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She She She

Celebrates Loves Gives

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E CELEB RATES

Celebrate the blessings in your life.

Be thankful!

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 14

rates.

focus on whatever is good, inspirational, noble, beautiful, excellent, and positively noteworthy!

“One small positive thought can change your whole day.”

ZIG ZIGLAR

10 10

BRAVE && BEAUTIFUL BRAVE BEAUTIFUL

A HEART OF GRATITUDE

BY JENNIFER FINULIAR

I

n today’s world where information and images are at our fingertips, it is easy to be swept up and carried off into the whirlwind of thinking we need MORE, we should be doing MORE, we deserve MORE!

That whirlwind can cause us to see only what we do not have, rather than being grateful for what we do have. If we are not careful to put gratitude at the forefront of our hearts, it will be challenging for us to make room in our lives for “much,” or for the “more,” in life that our grateful hearts do desire.

Gratitude is simply defined as the state of being grateful.

It involves expressing thanks or appreciation for something, from a gift to life itself! A heart of gratitude recognizes the positive things in life and how they affect us. This can range from acknowledging a beautiful rainbow in the sky after the rain, or a fun time you had with a friend, to the feeling of thanksgiving that comes from escaping a serious illness.

It is important to practice a heart of gratitude to keep us positive and help us shut the door on the negativity, the lies, and the shortcomings of life that will only steal our joy!

Be intentional to live a life that will bring you joy in return!

Participate in activities that you love to do to use your gifts!

Take in the beauty of your environment. Hang out with people who truly exude love and positivity—people that you enjoy being around. Be thankful for your gifts and your surroundings.

There are many fantastic benefits to having a heart of gratitude!

• Do you desire to be successful in life? Be grateful!

“Research on the effects gratitude has on our biology shows how being thankful increases our longevity, our ability to use our imagination, and our ability to problem-solve.” - Dr. Caroline Leaf • Gratitude changes our outlook from negative to positive and can help lift us out of depression.

• Our mental and emotional health will improve. We will be able to bounce back quicker after going through sad, frustrating, or troubling situations in life if we meditate on what we can be thankful for and celebrate the good!

• Our physical health can be positively affected! It is a known fact that our mental and emotional health has a profound effect on our physical health, especially in the long term.

• Our relationships can thrive as we become joyful and pour that joy out rather than have a complaining, negative attitude.

• We will begin to remember how much we are loved and live every day with fresh hope and excitement!

The concept of being thankful is nothing new! Having a heart of gratitude helps us remember the good things instead of dwelling on the not-so-great things in life. There will always be imperfections, but when we cultivate within ourselves the attitude of gratitude, we quickly remember that there will also always be something to smile about. This simple mindset adjustment can help keep us healthy and thriving in more ways than one!

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

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The Gratitude Project.

The brighter side of life.

GRATITUDE Without pausing, list 20 things you are grateful for (big and small):

What is something you are grateful for that you did not have 3 years ago?

Jot down the nicest thing someone said to you in the past week:

LIVE WITH A GRATEFUL HEART:

Do one or more of these action steps this week!

• Before you go to sleep each night, write down or meditate on at least 3 things you are grateful for.

This may help you have a peaceful and restful sleep!

• Send a thank you text, message, or make a phone call to someone who has done something nice for you or said something helpful.

• Pay attention to the little things in life like the beauty in a flower or a bird’s song! Take that moment to be grateful that you have eyes to see or ears to hear something beautiful when there are people in the world who do not have this privilege.

• Tell a person in your life that you appreciate them and share why.

• Express your gratitude to someone—even if it simply means giving them a hug.

• Focus on the good in your life. Every time you feel discouraged or down, take a pause to reflect on what you can be thankful for despite your circumstance.

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” WILLIE NELSON

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Draw something that represents celebration in your life.

doodle

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Pay attention to unexpected miracles.

Noticing a picture perfect nature scene before you.

A moment of surging confidence knowing you will be fine.

Finally finding a solution to a big problem.

Finding the right words that comforts someone’s shattered heart.

An ‘aha’ moment where you learned something.

A timely text from someone that lifted your spirits.

Finding something you were frantically looking for!

A belly laughing moment that took away your depression.

A perfect song that verbalizes what is in your heart.

A fulfilled desire, hope, or dream.

slow down and smell the

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roses.

ACTIVITY

In the clouds above, jot down some favorite minor miracles you have experienced.

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BY MICHELE OKIMURA

H

ow can we celebrate the good in life when the dramas of life can be SO hard at times?

Becoming a thankful person involves renewing our minds and reframing how we think about the situations we go through.

“

Everything can be taken from a man but…the last of the human freedoms– to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances...”

VIKTOR FRANKL, PSYCHIATRIST

Reframing means seeing things in a new way. Reframing is a way of changing the way we look at circumstances and therefore, changing our experience of them. Reframing can help turn a stressful situation into a challenge that can be bravely overcome.

to tackle their dysfunctional thought patterns, they had fewer bouts of depression, anxiety, anger, grief, shame, jealousy, and all other toxic emotions…

It just takes intentional and consistent effort.”

HOW ARE YOU REFRAMING SITUATIONS THAT YOU GO THROUGH? A changed perspective has the power to:

• change a test into a TESTIMONY. • change a mess to a MESSAGE. • change a trial into a TRIUMPH. • change scars into STARS.

REFRAMING TAKES EFFORT.

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO.

Don Colbert, M.D., author of the book Deadly Emotions: Understand the MindBody Spirit Connection That Can Heal or Destroy You, writes “I've worked with countless people who have discovered that once they made a sincere effort

I personally need to be around people who are positive and hopeful. If you surround yourself with negative people who complain a lot, your thinking will probably be negatively affected over time.

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How do you respond to your mistakes and failures? Do you beat yourself up inside? Are you quick to become defensive and blame others? Do you get depressed easily?

Despite what negative things others may say to put you down at times, hold on tight to positive perspectives on things.

Yes, take responsibility for your mistakes and choices, learn from them, and then focus on the good that can come out of situations. Become thankful.

SOMETIMES YOU WIN. SOMETIMES YOU LEARN. John Maxwell wrote a book entitled: Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn. It doesn’t have to be “sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” In any trial, reflect and ask yourself what lessons can be learned to better yourself and grow. That is a win!

For example, recall how many attempts Thomas Edison made to invent the lightbulb. A reporter asked Thomas Edison, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The lightbulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Thomas kept positive, persevered, and learned from each attempt!

In a similar way, how could you reframe a failure you experience such

encouraging quote on it. She later took this framed photo to a local art store who agreed to sell her work.

One day, a customer walked in and noticed Linda’s framed photo of wildflowers. Right away, she frantically asked the store owner to please get her in touch with the photographer! She desperately wanted to purchase the framed photo but could not afford it.

as doing badly on a test or project?

Instead of being angry at yourself, you could reflect on this situation as an opportunity to learn and grow in studying more effectively. You could make an appointment with your teacher to gain helpful tips to achieve better success next time. If you performed poorly in a sports game, could you reframe the situation as an opportunity to grow from any new insights?

Ask yourself at the end of each day, “What did I learn today? What will I do differently?” Be thankful for the little life lessons you gain each day.

LET’S REFRAME! Becoming a thankful person is a process. We must be pro-active to reframe our thinking. Our thinking affects our emotions which affects our actions and choices! Learning how to reframe situations will help us to celebrate the good and be thankful in the midst of our hardships.

Now this doesn’t mean that we should never get angry, anxious, or sad! Having such emotions makes us human.

However, we can always work on reframing the situation differently to see what we can be thankful for or what good can come out of even the worst of situations.

DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Reframing a situation can help you to see opportunities in front of you that you wouldn’t have otherwise seen or realized. For example, a certain photograph, a painting, or a circumstance can mean different things to different people.

The following is a true story that shows how reframing can lead to amazing, unexpected outcomes.

One day, a woman named Linda took pictures of scenery as she was hiking near a cliff in the city of Waimea, Hawaii. She was amazed at the beauty found in the hard places along the trail.

In one of her photos, she captured some wildflowers growing along a stone wall. She framed this photo and, using her skill in calligraphy, wrote an

Linda was contacted immediately and made her way to the store. This customer then explained to Linda that she recently had contemplated suicide and had decided to kill herself while walking on that exact same hiking trail that Linda took pictures of. However, as she was walking near the cliffs, she thought more deeply about what she was about to do. A positive quote she had memorized in her past came to mind that helped her to decide not to kill herself. That exact quote was written on Linda’s photo of flowers!

Linda ended up giving the framed photo to this customer because it meant so much to her! The positive quote that was written on Linda’s framed photo reframed this woman’s perspective from painful despair to being hopeful for the future! Thoughts and even pictures have the power to shift us into having an attitude of hope and gratitude.

Let’s reframe!

—

Let’s be thankful and celebrate the good every day!

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“The most important words we will ever utter are the words we say to ourselves, about ourselves, when we are by ourselves.” –Al Walker

ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR WHO YOU ARE & ARE BECOMING? Reframing How You See Yourself

BY MICHELE OKIMURA

R

ecently, I realized I had a certain perception about myself I wasn’t aware of. While working on this amazing Brave & Beautiful publication, I was finding myself swimming in uncharted waters regarding my experience! Though thrilled about this project, I also felt the weight of decisions I needed to make behind the scenes.

I realized that I saw myself as someone who wanted to serve you, the reader, so you would be uplifted…but I was fearful of failure! Yikes! To be honest, I have often found it difficult to see myself as a confident, courageous woman…although I desire so much to be just that! What I didn’t know was that I was about to strongly address this negative belief I had.

On a particular Friday, I engaged in meetings with many people throughout the workday. I was shocked, as throughout that day from early morning to late afternoon, a total of 6 different people (independently of each other) initiated in telling me the exact same thing!

As I conversed with each person about work topics, every one of them paused at one point in the conversation and initiated in telling me that they wanted me to know that they see me as a courageous, brave woman. One person even said my courage and confidence inspired them! I was very surprised!

Sometimes other people can see the gold in you that you can’t see yourself.

Later that same day, I decided to re-read some encouraging messages from people that I had collected over the years. A now-distant friend, Rabson Chandaro from Tanzania, Africa, had shared with me several years earlier an affirming message.

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I didn’t realize until I read what Rabson had shared that I seriously needed to change my perception of myself!

Here is an excerpt of what Rabson shared with me:

“…Its about how your view yourself.

If you have a small view of who you are, you will build something that equals your view of you.”

I was deeply moved and so encouraged. I hope that what Rabson shared rings true for you too, as I believe it relates to your life as well! What kind of life do we want to have? A life that counts and makes a big difference in the world, or a life that is insignificant? Let’s take the limits off of ourselves and dream big!

I was also encouraged to be thankful for the life I have and how I am uniquely designed. I encourage you to do the same.

Brave and beautiful you, take a moment to be thankful for your life, even if in this moment it may be hard to see the good.

REFRAME HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF. We are learning an overcoming lifestyle.

Instead of being overwhelmed with what we are not, we can be overwhelmed with the goodness of who we are! Reframe how you see yourself and celebrate your growth each step of the way!

From Sad to Celebrating We all experience failures and make wrong decisions at times. We are all in the process of maturing.

With humility and a humble heart, start this process of reflection: • Take time to reflect on the situation

• Admit when you are wrong

• Decide you will learn from mistakes

Then ask yourself these questions: • What went wrong?

• What lessons learned can I take with me

• What was my contribution to what

• What can I be thankful for and celebrate

• Why did it go wrong? went wrong?

going forward?

in this situation?

Reminder: When we experience a loss due to a failure or wrong decision, it is healthy to take time to grieve.

Take time to cry and release your pain and sadness. Forgive yourself. Then reframe the situation and see the good that can come out of what happened – like lessons learned and wisdom gained!

SEE THE BEAUTY OF WHO YOU ARE. BELIEVE IT. YOU HAVE GREATNESS WITHIN YOU. YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER. BE PATIENT AND GENTLE WITH YOURSELF. YOU ARE A GIFT.

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She loves people well.

She Lo

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E LOVES

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 15

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oves.

BEING A GOOD FRIEND

BY JET NELSON AND MICHELE OKIMURA

IF YOU HAVE EVEN ONE CLOSE FRIEND, YOU HAVE A PRICELESS GIFT—SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOU­—THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY—AND STILL IS LOYAL AND FAITHFUL. • Someone who cares, listens, lends a hand, and will stand by you through thick and thin.

• Someone who will speak the truth to you…even if it hurts.

• Someone who makes your day brighter.

• Someone who you have shared losses, laughs, hopes and dreams with.

• Someone who believes the best in you and fights to support the best for you.

You can be that friend to others!

How can you learn to be a better friend?

Be open, yes. Be available, of course— but choose to love and trust friends who value what you value, and those people will be at your side for life.

LOVE BY LISTENING

Listening is not just polite. It is a way of loving, honoring, respecting, and connecting with someone else.

Listen with intention!

“I felt it shelter to speak to you.”

EMILY DICKINSON

• Give the speaker your full attention (put your phone away).

• Show that you are tracking with what they are saying through your nods or brief comments/phrases.

• Mirror back what the person is saying from time to time by rephrasing their words back to them. For example, if your friend is telling you a story about a time when they were stressed out, you can respond by commenting back, “WOW! So you were really stressed out!”

• Maintain good eye contact.

• Don’t interrupt.

• Listen without wishing to speak yourself.

LOVE BY GIVING

Especially if you know one of your friends needs some encouragement—maybe they are struggling with doubts, a hurt, confusion, or discouragement—reach out and be there for them.

• • • • • •

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Text, call or visit them.

Help them with a task.

Take them out for a run or walk.

Give them a much-needed hug.

Get them a gift—could be small like their favorite candy bar!

Think of creative ideas to encourage them.

LOVE BY BEING INTERESTED

Ever felt especially cared for when someone took a genuine interest in what you were saying?

How did it feel to be heard?

Reaching out to make new friends or to initiate and carry on a conversation can be described as engaging in the art of conversation. Sometimes it can be easier to talk about ourselves during those awkward silent moments in a conversation—but instead, have some hip-pocket questions you can ask a person to show you are interested.

Ever been in a one-way conversation where you showed interest in what he/she was saying, but they didn’t show interest in you? It can be tough during those times to be loving and patient, but it can also be a good opportunity to practice listening.

How wonderful it is when there are those fun and heart to heart conversations where both you and your friend flow in a two-way conversation!

Showing interest is a great way to connect you to others!

• Have a heart that cares. Being a good friend starts with a heart attitude that truly cares about others.

• Smile when you greet others. Smiling at appropriate times can cause people to feel more at ease with you. Sometimes we can forget to smile.

• Take interest and find common ground! Ask questions to learn more about the person you are talking with. Try to find things in common so you can have a lively conversation about a topic.

• Make the other person the star of the conversation. Be sensitive to not dominate the conversation.

• Encourage. Empathize. Validate feelings.

LOVE BY SPENDING TIME

Another simple way to be a better friend is to make the effort to spend time with your friends.

When a friend comes to mind, you can either call them right away or set up a reminder to yourself to call them later. It's a simple but a brilliant action step! So often we think of someone and then forget to text or call them.

You can initiate plans to get together to just hang out or do an activity together.

It takes straightforward intentionality to let our friends know that we’re thinking of them. Giving your friends the gift of your precious time can mean a lot!

LOVE BY BEING REAL - THE VULNERABILITY FACTOR

The friendships that last the test of time are the ones that have deep roots. This doesn’t necessarily include your oldest friends that you’ve known since kindergarten—this is about the depth of emotional vulnerability you share with someone.

It can be more comfortable to keep the ugly and raw details about your life hidden from the people in your life, but if you desire close friends, then honesty is vital.

Being open about the struggles and messiness in your life with someone that you trust and love will strengthen your bond with that person. Your closest friends will love you even at your worst, and they will encourage you and lift you up in those times.

Be a loyal and trusted friend to others as well. When your friend shares vulnerably with you, keep their confidence and don’t tell others without their permission unless they are planning to physically harm themselves or others (get help for your friend in those cases!).

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“

You know you are with true friends when they lift, encourage, correct, and then spur you on.

LISA BEVERE, LIONESS ARISING: AWAKEN THE POWER OF THE UNTAMED LIFE

“

Close friends are truly life’s treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves.

VINCENT VAN GOGH

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for real!

be a safe person.

The Power of Empathy

BY VICKY WONG, MSCP, LMFT, LMHC, NCC, AND MICHELE OKIMURA

I

t is not always easy to know what to say when someone is vulnerable and tells you something very personal.

There is power in words which can encourage and uplift or hurt and destroy. Careless words keep people isolated and silent for years. Supportive words can be healing and can also give people courage to share more deeply about themselves.

After someone shares something vulnerable, it can be very hurtful to not say anything, quickly change the subject, or make a joke/comment to lighten the mood. When appropriate, a hand on shoulder, a hand squeeze or a hug also can communicate comfort and empathy.

Don’t start immediately sharing your experience that is similar. This time is not about you. It is about listening and connecting. Giving advice and encouraging words comes later after they feel validated and heard, and you sense they are ready for that.

Lastly, keep their confidence and ask for their permission before telling anyone else. The exception would be if they are about to hurt themselves or another person.

Here are some tips on what to say vs what not to say when someone is opening their heart to you.

WHAT NOT TO SAY: • You just need to let go and move on.

• Why can’t you just let it go?

• Other people have it worse than you.

• You’re making too much of a big deal of this.

• You just need to trust things will be fine.

• Are you just trying to get attention?

• I can’t believe this really happened.

• Tell me every detail and don’t leave anything out.

• Did you enjoy it? (the abuse)

• What are you going to do about it now?

• At least...(minimizing issue)

WHAT TO SAY: Sounds like you are feeling really (angry, sad, excited, shocked etc.) by what happened.

• I don’t know exactly what to say right now except that I’m here for you.

• I’m so sorry that happened to you.

• This must be so tough for you.

• Thank you for having the courage to share that with me.

• You are very brave and courageous to talk about what happened.

• I am here to help you through your sadness.

• I care about you. I am here to listen and help you in any way.

• I am so glad you are sharing this with me.

• You are not alone.

• I believe in you!

• I’m so sorry that awful thing happened to you.

• You didn’t deserve this (abuse, hurtful situation)

• You are not to blame. This is not your fault (if they were a victim of abuse) • Healing is possible! You can be whole again.

• Healing for such a deep hurt is a process and will happen over time.

• What I hear you saying is…(reflect back what they said/reflect back what you sense they are feeling).

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LOVE BOUNDARIES

F

riendships are ever-growing and ever changing. Some friendships may last a lifetime, while some close friendships may last only for a season. Friends move away, or you move away. People go through different life stages. New friends can come into your life unexpectedly. Unfortunately, conflicts or misunderstandings can happen that may change a relationship.

Through it all, know that there are boundaries in love and in relationships.

It is normal and healthy to have various levels of closeness in relationships.

Friends and family members would fall in one of these categories. It can be helpful to think of relationships in three different groups.

OUTER CIRCLE RELATIONSHIPS First, there are people in the outer circle of your life that would fall into the category of acquaintances—people you may have met once to a few times, but you really don’t know each other.

These could be people who you met in passing. Maybe you had a few short conversations with them, but you spend very little time with them, if at all.

MIDDLE CIRCLE RELATIONSHIPS Secondly, there are people who you would consider pretty close to you.

These relationships would fall in the middle group, as they are closer to you than mere acquaintances. People in this group could be people in a group of friends you hang out with sometimes or often. Maybe you do certain activities with these people such as sports, dance, music or other extracurricular activities. They could even be your favorite shopping buddies. Though you

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have a good level of trust with these people, they do not know you deeply.

the bad, and ugly about you yet still accept and love you!

INNER CIRCLE RELATIONSHIPS

“The more others encounter us honoring the boundaries we have set for our lives, the more they will know that they

Hopefully, you have people in your life that you would consider in your ‘inner circle’. It could be just one to a few people who you feel safe with and who will keep what you share with them confidential. If you are in great need, people in your inner circle would be the first people you would call. The level of loyalty runs strong with these relationships. You would gladly sacrifice for them, and they would gladly sacrifice for you. It can be a challenge to find and develop such deep, trustworthy relationships where you connect at a deep heart level. They know the good,

can trust us with their lives.”

DANNY SILK

You want to use wisdom and not allow just anyone into your inner circle. You don’t want to have ‘walls’ in building relationships either. However, you only have a limited amount of time and energy to invest into relationships.

Continue to make new friends. You never know if a new friend may later become an inner circle friend! If you

feel you do not have inner circle friends presently, be patient and look for opportunities to get to know others. We all need those close, supportive people in our lives.

ACTIVITY

On this circle grid, write in the names of some of the people who are in the outer, middle, and inner circles of your life. This could change over time. Doing this activity can help bring love boundaries to your awareness which can be helpful!

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Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.

J.M. BARRIE

DID YOU KNOW? Check out YouTube videos by searching for 'Rice Experiments with Words' and 'Water Experiments with Words.'

“Words can inspire. And words can

destroy. Choose yours well.”

ROBIN SHARMA

– Call Out the Gold –

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“Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.

“Words are powerful.

They have the ability to create a moment and the strength to destroy it.”

“The magic of words is that they have power to do more than convey meaning; not only do they have the power to make things clear, they make things happen.”

CARL SANDBURG

UNKNOWN

FREDERICK BUECHNER

BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

What is Love?

Love celebrates the good.

Love is compassionate and kind.

Love perseveres and endures.

Love comforts and heals.

Love is unselfish and sacrifices.

Love is loyal and true.

Love forgives.

Love gathers and unites.

Love is full of hope.

Love is a fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand.

MOTHER THERESA

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She G

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E CON N ECTS

"The most truly generous persons are

those who give silently without hope of praise or reward."

CAROL RYRIE BRINK, AMERICAN AUTHOR

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 16

Gives.

31

the power of generosity.

Are you open-handed or tight fisted when it comes to being generous to others?

When it comes to giving, you can give away your time, your money, material things, and your service to others.

But why does generosity matter?

BEING GENEROUS HELPS YOU TO FOCUS OUTWARd Being self-centered and self-absorbed are not positive character qualities. Let’s face it! How many of us like to be around stingy people who only think about themselves?

When you are intentional about being generous and helping others to succeed, you will experience the positive payback of loving and serving others—and gain a greater sense of confidence and value.

YOU WILL BE REFRESHED We all know that to increase our chances of living a long healthy life, we need to have a healthy diet, manage our stress, and exercise.

Interestingly, a 2003 research study at the University of Michigan found that being generous may increase our life span! The researchers discovered that people who regularly did volunteer work had a lower death rate than those who didn’t volunteer.

“True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations.” SUZE ORMAN

ADDING VALUE TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” MAYA ANGELOU

Imagine this…you are 80 years old. You are at your birthday party. People are coming up to the mic to express their birthday thoughts to you. Let’s say you did pretty good financially in life up to that point. Will they say that they were so impressed with your grand house or the amount in your bank account? Probably not… What would you want them to thank you for? A good guess might be you would want them to thank you for the ways you made a positive difference in their lives. That’s the stuff that makes a life worth living and worth remembering.

When you are generous towards someone, especially someone in need, you will probably feel a sense of joy and fulfillment that you made a positive difference in this world. Your sense of purpose receives a boost!

“Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.”

It has also been found that people who struggle with depression will usually feel uplifted after volunteering to help others.

MARGARET CHO

“It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”

MOTHER THERESA

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BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

If you had the resources and you could practice radical generosity, what are some of the things you would want to do to benefit others and your community?

ACTIVITY

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON

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“Give and give again. Keep hoping, keep trying, keep giving!

People who give will never be poor.” ANNE FRANK, WRITER, HOLOCAUST VICTIM

PASSING ON YOUR WISDOM On a separate paper, write a letter to your younger self of 3 years ago. What life lessons would you want your younger self to know? What wisdom have you gained from your experiences? What lessons have you learned that can be passed on to encourage and help someone else?

Write one to three names of those peers or younger ones in your life that come to mind below. Make it a point to encourage them. Pass on your wisdom! You never know how one conversation could change a life for the better!

What are some important mistakes or wrong choices that you have made that you hope others will avoid? Next to each mistake listed, briefly jot down what you learned from that mistake or wrong choice.

Look for an opportunity to share some of your wisdom with someone younger than you to support and help them through life. Share stories from your life and lessons you learned.

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BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

MODEL GENEROSITY EVERYDAY 10 Things You Can Give Away

How about making it a point to do at least one generous act daily?

This practice can change your life and impact others!

1. SMILE. GREET OTHERS.

We sometimes forget to smile. Smiling can be contagious and has amazing physical and emotional health benefits! Smiling also helps to spread positivity and makes you look more attractive.

2. HUG. GIVE A HANDSHAKE. PAT SOMEONE ON THE BACK.

Hugs and loving touch can help reduce anxiety and fears (while being sensitive to what is appropriate in each situation). Just look up YouTube videos on the power of hugs to learn about this amazing phenomenon!

3. SHARE A KIND WORD TO COMFORT, ENCOURAGE, OR CHEER ON.

Kind words can literally brighten someone’s day and have the potential of impacting someone for life! Speak it, text it, write it!

4. COMPLIMENT.

One of the most generous things you can do is give someone a compliment to communicate love, respect, affirmation, value, honor, and gratitude!

5. DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE. HELP OUT.

Serving others makes a difference in this world and leads to having a sense of purpose.

6. MAKE SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE. BE CREATIVE!

Write a poem, make a card, bake cookies… there are many creative things you can make to encourage someone.

7. SHARE OR GIVE AWAY WHAT YOU HAVE.

Sharing fosters connection between people.

For example, you can share a funny story to spark some laughter (good medicine for the soul), you can share your food or material things with others, and you can share your wisdom. Sharing is love in action!

8. GIVE YOUR TIME TO SOMEONE.

We can lose, kill, and waste time, but we can also invest time into someone or serve a good cause!

Everyone only has 1440 minutes in a day. Let’s aim to make our moments count.

9. PURCHASE A SMALL GIFT—EVEN IF IT’S SOMEONE’S FAVORITE CANDY BAR!

Buying gifts does not have to cost much! This small gesture communicates you were thinking of the person and wanted to bless them!

10. DONATE FINANCES TO A WORTHY CAUSE. Whether you have a good amount of money or very little money to donate, there may be opportunities for you to donate money to a worthy cause OR be a part of a fundraising campaign.

Be creative! Some people even do a fundraiser for their birthday sharing with friends and family that instead of giving you a gift, they can donate to a worthy charity of your choice.

35

M IND F UL LET T ERING Trace the lettering - it does not have to be perfect! Enjoy the process of creative lettering

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Action Steps

YOU GO GIRL! LET’S WALK IT OUT. she is Brave & Beautiful you!

••

She Celebrates.

She Loves.

She Gives.

CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS STEPS: 1. Spend 3 days in a row journaling about 3 different positive experiences you’ve had in your past (one

• What is something you are thankful for that happened to you recently?

those experiences.

• What is something sad or upsetting that happened to you recently?

per day). Express your feelings and thoughts about

2. Every day for a whole week, do one random act of

kindness for someone. Think up some creative ideas.

Sometimes it is fun to do acts of kindness in secret!

3. Practice the art of purposeful gathering by creating moments to help people feel known, honored,

loved, and appreciated. Initiate planning a simple gathering with friends, such as a movie night, a

small party with a purpose or theme, or a picnic.

Activate your imagination! Maybe have a short list of fun questions everyone must answer. For example: • Where did you love going to as a child?

• What was something embarrassing that happened to you?

• What made you feel brave recently?

4. Create a Gratitude Journal and daily list three or more things you are grateful for.

5. Search for a free ‘Five Love Language quiz’ on the internet to discover your top love language. Take

the test with a friend(s) to discover how they best

receive love. Be mindful to show them love in their

top love language so they really feel it! It is also good to become self-aware of how you best receive love from others!

6. Consider volunteering and giving your time to serve a good cause in your school or community.

• What is one way you’d want to be more like your parents and one way you’d want to be different?

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37

PART 2

Ever wonder…

•

What is my potential?

•

What are my dreams that are waiting to be fulfilled?

•

What gifts are inside of me that are yet to be discovered and nurtured?

•

What problems will I creatively solve?

•

What useful, innovative ideas am I going to contribute to improve things?

•

What lives will I forever impact for good?

People are like that. If they are placed in limiting, harsh, negative environments, their growth is hindered. But if they are placed in an encouraging environment that promotes growth, then they have a greater chance of reaching their potential!

Welcome to this next section that will create a space and place just for you to launch towards your incredible potential! This section will call out the gold in you in more ways than one!

Prepare to be activated. Get ready to dream more!

These are great meditations for you.

Whoa Girl! Arise in the splendor of your beauty. You are created to be a History Maker in your own right! Yes, that is you, but maybe you don’t believe it quite yet.

Did you know that some species of fish grow to the size determined by their environment? If you put them into a small aquarium, they will forever remain small, but when released into a lake or stream, they grow very large according to their intended size!

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BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

Open your heart to embrace your creativity that is part of your intricate design. Your creativity has the potential to solve problems, invent new products or strategies, impact the world through the arts, and so much more!

Your story is meant to release something powerful to this world—something so beautifully brave.

She She She

Dreams Creates Arises

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She Dr

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E DREAMS

Dream on. Dream big. Discover your dreams, then take action.

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 17

41

reams.

“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.”

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

OPRAH WINFREY

AUDRE LORDE

WHAT AM I HERE FOR?

“Dream big, dare greatly, and shine brightly.”

ROBIN SIEGER

THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU TO BE WHO YOU WERE DESIGNED TO BE AND DO WHAT MAKES YOU...FULLY ALIVE! TAKE COURAGE...IMAGINE...IMPACT OTHERS! SPEAK YOUR DREAM OUT LOUD.

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BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

WHAT ARE YOUR

DREAM BIG.

PASSIONS?

There is so much more for you!

“ THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS.” ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

WHY

ENVISION. TAKE ACTION.

BE A DREAMER?

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dreamers are welcome

BY MICHELE OKIMURA

Are you willing to go on a journey to unlock the dreams within you and unleash your passion and beauty in greater ways? Maybe, just maybe, there is an untamable, bold, wild dreamer inside of you that has yet to be awakened!

What is a dream?

It is a picture of the future that you want to live someday. It involves our aspirations and hopes. We can have all kinds of dreams - even the fun ones!

Why dream? Because YOU WERE DESIGNED TO DREAM! Imagine a blank white canvas in front of you. What would you do if someone told you, “Go ahead and paint! I am excited to see what you come up with!” I wonder what would appear on the canvas of your imagination.

Sometimes our dreams are forgotten…but they can later be brought back to life.

I believe we human beings were designed to dream! You and I have the ability to envision, imagine, and dream!

WHY DREAM? YOU ARE A HUMAN TREASURE BOX WITH HIDDEN RICHES INSIDE. What things are slumbering inside of you that needs to be awakened? Dreaming can be like pulling to the surface some of the most unique and greatest parts of who you are—the gems within you!

WHY DREAM? YOUR DREAMS CAN POINT TO YOUR PURPOSE What moves your heart deeply will most probably be part of your life’s mission and calling. Have you ever done an activity, and after you were done, you had the feeling, “I was born to do this!” If you haven’t yet, you are on a journey to discover

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what it is! It is a profound thing to see people joy-filled and fully alive as they do what they were made for.

Why dream? Your dreams could change the world.

What if you were purposed to be a part of something that is meaningful and bigger than yourself? All great world changers and history makers started with having a dream.

And so can you.

Your dreams just may have the potential to impact the world and the lives around you in a big way! Picture the possibilities that can lie within a dream. An entire nation was changed under one man’s dream to be president. That man was Abraham Lincoln.

Every invention in the world was dreamed up by its inventor.

The following is a true story of how one dream changed the lives of numerous women in a city devasted by a terrible natural disaster.

In 2011, a destructive tsunami hit Japan. Sue Takamoto, a missionary from America, was helping to clean up the wreckage when she noticed a pile of broken dishes. Suddenly an idea hit her!

A business dream was birthed. Sue’s idea was to make jewelry out of the broken dishes! The Nozomi Project (nozomi means ‘hope’ in Japanese) is a business that brings income, dignity, and hope to the women in Ishinomaki, Japan, by training women to make jewelry out of broken pottery. The women working at Nozomi lost their livelihood in the tsunami, so this created a way to provide jobs for them. But there is more! As broken dishes were being transformed into elegant treasures, lives were being renewed with dignity and hope.

here!

Note the meaning we can glean from this story – BEAUTY CAN ARISE OUT OF BROKENNESS! This is true for the broken dishes in Ishinomaki and for our lives.

that in mind, know that the phases of life you go through can all help to prepare you to pursue your dreams.

CREATING A DREAM Culture.

How would it feel to not only have someone believe in you and your dreams, but also have others work alongside of you to help those dreams come true? Such a culture would be amazing! Let’s cultivate that kind of culture where we are!

Dreaming involves risk… it costs something.

Dreaming involves risk… it costs something. There is also a sobering side of dreaming. REMEMBER— greatness often comes through serving the needs of others!

Pursuing dreams requires sacrifice, perseverance, pushing through trials, picking yourself up when you fail, and overcoming negative judgments other people may make about you and your idea. It also means we must be willing to take action steps towards making the dream come to pass!

Dreams may not turn out as expected.

Dreams may not always turn out as expected. For example, maybe a person dreamed of owning their own business, but once they had a business, they experienced unexpected challenges! But we grow through those surprises. Even if we do achieve our dreams, we still need to continue forward with new dreams and visions for the future.

DISCOVERING YOUR DREAMS How do you discover your dreams? It is a process, a journey of discovery that you need to choose to begin. Your present abilities will probably not take you to the finish line. With

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, “Why not?”

– George Bernard Shaw

DreGa!m BI

45

GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT There are treasures within you. It takes time to learn which dreams are part of your purpose and calling in life and which dreams may be just a hope for this season. There may be dreams hidden in your heart waiting to be discovered! It can be helpful to do the following activities on your pathway to discovery.

ACTIVATION 1: What are some personal dreams for yourself? (for example being a great friend, be physically fit etc.)

What are some dreams for your family?

What are some dreams for the people in your community?

ACTIVATION 2: Your destiny and purposes may even be found in some of your dreams! Brainstorm some dreams in these following categories for starters to activate your dreaming: List 5-8 things I would like to have:

List 5-8 of your FUN DREAMS (for example I would like to bungee jump someday...dream big!):

List 5-8 places in the world you would like to visit someday:

What are some skills you would love to master? (for example, cooking, volleyball, play an instrument, fix a car)

What are some of your EMOTIONAL DREAMS? (for example, overcoming a particular fear, forgiving a person who really hurt you).

ACTIVATION 3: THE CONCERNS OF YOUR HEART The special concerns you have for society may also give you a clue to discovering your passions and dreams.

If you had the power and resources needed to solve 3 problems in your community or world, what would those problems be?

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ACTIVATION 4: WHO INSPIRES YOU Sometimes we see something in someone else that inspires us.

Who Inspires you, past or present?

Why are you inspired by this person? What qualities do you admire about him or her?

ACTIVATION 5: MORE!

SHINE MORE. CARE MORE. GIVE MORE. MORE JOY. I WILL BE: (circle all that apply to who you want to be or be more of!)

Adaptable

Cooperative

Grateful

Kind

Productive

Adventurous

Creative

Grounded

Loving

Reliable

Articulate

Determined

Honest

Motivated

Responsible

Assertive

Enthusiastic

Hard-Working

Merciful

Secure

Brave

Encouraging

Imaginative

Organized

Stable

I AM NOT A HAS-BEEN. I’M A WILL-BE.

Balanced

Flexible

Influential

Patient

Self-aware

Lauren Bacall

Compassionate

Focused

Innovative

Persevering

Strong

Confident

Forgiving

Insightful

Positive

Visionary

Content

Generous

Joyful

Prayerful

“

“Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”

- Louis D. Brandeis “While some may see them as crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - “Think Different” (Apple Computer Ad) “Thousands of perceptions, hunches, ideas, and intuitions race through our brains every day. Some are pure genius. Give them the red light for at least long enough to write them down.” - Ralph Ford

47

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human

resource of all. Without creativity,

there would be no progress, and

we would be forever repeating the same patterns.”

EDWARD DE BONO

She Cr

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E CREATES

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 18

reates.

your creative f low Are you in your creative flow?

Some of you reading this may have experienced a situation where you stepped out creatively and were criticized or rejected...which made you hesitant to risk again or even think you are creative.

Here are thoughts to ponder:

Every human being is creative in their own unique way.

Do you agree? If you disagree, hopefully by the end of this chapter you will agree!

Whether a person is a *Parent *Mechanic *Doctor *Landscaper *Musician *Photographer *Business person *Artist *Athlete *Hairdresser *Mathematician *Cook *Construction Worker *Technician *Engineer *Teacher *Architect *Plumber *Government official *Electrician *Student *Farmer *Manager or in any role, creativity is required.

Everyone needs some level of creativity to • solve a problem • resolve a computer issue • write a paper • compose a text on your phone (especially if you use emojis!)

• create a social media post

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• dress themselves for the day • make a sandwich • make a chart • organize items • create a speech or presentation • decorate a room • put on make-up • plan an event

THE FUN FACTOR When you find yourself in your creative flow and create something, you will typically feel a sense of fulfillment, satisfaction, and probably experience a dose of joy and maybe even excitement.

Creating can be fun.

In this section, be open to embracing your creativity in new ways AND disregard any notion that you are not creative!

“ “

Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.” ALBERT EINSTEIN

The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” JULIA CAMERON

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” MARY LOU COOK

Do Something Creative Every Day.

YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE!

BY JAN TETSUTANI

Many people struggle with believing they can be creative.

Usually, creativity is associated with the arts, but I assure you, it is so much more than that! Think about it. A smartphone started with an idea in someone’s imagination before it ever existed. The same can be said with a medical procedure, a new business strategy, how to bring unity in the midst of conflict, advancing technology, sports, science, stories, visual arts, poetry, or even helping someone in need. Creativity looks beyond the obstacles and sees the possibilities.

The majority of the time the purpose of something is determined before it is created. The creator did not create a chair, and then think it would be for sitting.

A paintbrush wasn’t made to stir soup. Just as a ladle wasn’t created to paint. You are made with a purpose!

You are uniquely made with different gifts, talents, passions, experiences, perspectives, and stories. You have a unique expression like no one else. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the comparison trap.

Sometimes we can feel of little or no value, because of the way we’ve been treated. We may feel stomped on, rejected, and discarded. But this does not change your value. If a hundred-dollar bill were to drop on the ground, get trampled on, and get into the gutter—would it still carry its value? Of course! Because its value has never changed, despite what it has been through. Your value never changes!

In the art world, what makes a masterpiece so valuable is its uniqueness and beauty. It can cause the admirer to pause, reflect and be inspired. When you reflect on the

vastness of an ever-expanding universe, recognizing the beauty of the stars in the night sky, it can cause one to wonder. Like the stars in the sky, you too, can cause people to wonder, to pause, to be inspired. Copycat paintings are not as valuable because it is not the original, but, you—you are THE original, one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

TAKE SOME TIME TO REFLECT 1. Take some time to lay on the ground and look at the stars in the sky. What does it cause you to think or feel?

2. What is unique about yourself (what do you feel passionate about, what are your gifts & talents, your skills, your unique perspective, your experiences)?

3. How would you feel about your friend trying to be someone else? Why would that upset you? Have you been comparing yourself to someone else?

4. What are some ways that you can dream and creatively express yourself this week? Could you paint, write poetry, compose a song, write out the business idea you have been thinking about?

Could you figure out a solution to a problem your friend is facing? Have you been facing a problem? Could you brainstorm some ideas to bring a solution?

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Creativity surrounds me.

Art is seen in nature.

COLOR

A painted, glorious sunset in the sky.

Sitting on that mountain rise,

The symphony for eyes is prepared.

My eyes drink in beauty.

Dare I believe with a humble heart

I watch the river flow.

Flowers of every kind.

Captured color.

Intense, vibrant saturation and soft wispy pastels.

Crazy colors in iguanas, birds,

saltwater fish, butterflies, and fruits.

Maybe, just maybe… no, surely, surely! that I bring gorgeous color to the world?

Yes! My uniqueness is the essence of creativity.

I am designed with beauty, personality, Intelligence, and mystery!

I am a masterpiece bringing the gift of who I am to the world.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

CONQUER THOSE CREATIVITY KILLERS! There are obstacles that can put a limit or downright stop our creative flow. We can become more aware of creativity killers and overcome them by changing our perspectives.

Be open to looking at your beliefs or character issues that are stunting your free flow!

Let’s take a look at the Dirty Dozen creativity killers.

Check off the ones you struggle with the most and focus on overcoming those hurdles.

o LIES AND LABELS: Specifically

surrender any beliefs you have that

BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

of your creative design. Taking baby steps out of your comfort zone may lead to open doors and you’ll grow your capacity to create!

say you are not creative or intelligent!

o FEAR of failure: Creating anything

in your own unique way!

to fail. With each experience, you

Believe that you are a creative genius

o RULES to ‘color in the lines‘:

University professors, even at the most elite ivy league schools,

encourage their architect students to forget the rules to ‘color in the

lines’ that they learned in childhood!

By freeing their imagination, they

puts yourself in a vulnerable position will grow and learn things as you

keep your heart teachable. Making a mistake does not make you a

mistake! Remember that Thomas

Edison had numerous failures before he finally invented the light bulb that changed the world!

are then able to envision the most

o ANXIETY, STRESS: Creativity can

considered works of art! Set your

clear mind, peace in your heart,

amazing buildings that can be

imagination free—it’s like a muscle

that needs to be exercised. See what

is possible! May your childlike wonder and curiosity rise once again!

o FEAR of being judged and

rejected: Being afraid of being

judged or rejected will freeze up your

flow more freely when you have a a positive outlook, and an

expectation that inspiration will

come. Seek help if you suffer from chronic anxiety. Do activities that

can help decrease your anxiety, such as deep breathing, exercise, and meditating on positive quotes.

creative flow. Despite the fact that

o DEPRESSION: Seek help if you find

work, take steps of faith and explore!

of sadness and lethargy. Focus on

some may judge you or dislike your

52

It is worth the risk to discover more

yourself depressed and in a tailspin

being grateful and celebrate what blessings you do have.

Be in community with other people who will walk with you to victory.

o NEGATIVITY: Stewing in negative thinking can hinder your creativity due to the swirl of dark thoughts filling

your mind. If you struggle with disappointment or feel

disillusioned towards a situation or person, pursue getting help. Practice gratitude.

o PEOPLE PLEASING: You cannot please everyone. Yes, it can be helpful to consider feedback from others, but do not let your motivation be to please others.

o PERFECTIONISM: Valuing excellence in whatever we

do is a good thing. Yet, the stress and drive to be perfect

is unhealthy and damaging to overall health. Silence that harsh task master’s voice inside of you!

Creating and innovating takes time. Some helpful tips to overcome this hurdle are:

• Write down some goals.

• Set priorities: what are the most important tasks today or this week?

• Write a to do list to follow.

• Find a time and place with no distractions for creating.

This may be necessary for some creative projects. This can provide self-care. Creating can fuel your soul and inspire others!

o MENTAL BLOCK: Sometimes we can get so familiar with looking at things and situations in the same way.

Sometimes, you need to challenge yourself to think of new options and to ask yourself the question, “What if…?” Think

o PRIDE: Humility will keep you teachable and ever-

out of the box. Do something new or learn something new

equipping from others. Humility will also aid you when you

to us when doing non-linear things like walking the dog,

Other people’s ideas may spark even more creative

need a mind break from over analyzing to get creative.

growing. It requires a humble heart to consider input and

to stretch you mind. Remember, inspiration often comes

need to collaborate with others for any creative project.

washing dishes, or talking a walk! Sometimes, we just

directions and ideas in you.

o LACK OF TIME: Ever find yourself too busy or exhausted from constant activities? Do you tend to procrastinate?

Do you have difficulty managing your time so you are not productive when you should be? How many hours do you spend on social media? Are you addicted to your phone?

53

COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES “

Gutenberg connected the coin punch with the wine press to create the printing press. Mendel connected math with biology to create genetics.

Fred Smith connected the hub and spoke idea of the wagon wheel to the U.S. Postal Service and created Federal Express. The roll-on deodorant was modeled after the ballpoint pen. Drive in movies inspired drive-in banks. The common cocklebur inspired the design for the billiondollar Velcro industry. You have the power to connect—use it!

ROGER VON OECH

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BE A COURAGEOUS CREATIVE! The world needs you WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? • Crack jokes to make people laugh?

• Act in a play?

• Develop a new recipe?

• Draw or dance?

• Solve a math problem?

• Strategize to score points for your sports team?

• Capture a moment with your camera?

• Write a poem?

• Create a thought-provoking post?

• Produce a film?

• Sing or play an instrument?

• Do science experiments?

• Organize a mess?

• Create an offensive strategy in a sport?

Getting in touch with your creative identity may involve looking back to your childhood when you were probably the freest to express yourself, when you didn’t care if you were being silly, you enjoyed play, and often used your imagination.

EXPLORING YOUR CREATIVE MIND Let’s explore. Maybe you will discover something about yourself you can appreciate.

How did you use your imagination and creativity as a child? What activities did you enjoy doing in your playtime? What toys did you play with? List down the ways you expressed your creative mind:

“

EVERY CHILD IS AN ARTIST. THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO REMAIN AN ARTIST ONCE HE GROWS UP. PICASSO

Presently, what activities do you gravitate towards doing? What do you enjoy doing?

Check off and briefly describe activities that you connect with: Visual Arts: Media: Health: Crafting: Producing: Math: Designing: Organizing: Technology: Performing Arts: Communication: Culinary: Music: Problem Solving: Sports: Writing: Science: Other:

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It is your time to ARISE.

Shine! Live out loud your inspired life.

She A

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B RAVE & B EAUTI FU L JOU RN EY: SH E ARISES

JOU RN EY 03 • CHAPTER 19

57

Arises.

She arises.

Unfurling her wings to fly.

Daring to be powerful.

Her hopes and dreams are a flaming torch in her heart.

She celebrates others as they arise.

Behold the brilliance Of her ARISING. I am her.

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THE LIONESS ROAR IS ARISING!

BY MICHELE OKIMURA

T

“She is a Lioness. Let her believe in herself!” AVIJEET DAS

he lioness is truly an amazing animal. We all have heard that the lion is the king of the jungle – that makes the lioness the queen of the jungle. And like a good queen, she serves, fights for, and cares for her community.

It has been said that the lioness is a symbol of strength, beauty, elegance, and passion. I propose, there is a lioness inside of each of us…we each have our own kind of roar we bring to the world.

Maybe there is a wild side in each of us—something untamed and limitless waiting to be discovered and unleashed!

A lioness is a creative word-picture that can inspire us. Here are some interesting facts about the lioness that speak to our lives:

STRENGTH AND POWER DISPLAYED Did you know that the lioness is the one that hunts for the pride? She is the one that does the main hunting and provides food—which calls for fierceness, strategy, and instincts. They are faster and lighter than a male lion, making them effective hunters. All of

us can display courage and fierceness for good things like justice issues and standing up for the disadvantaged. We have sound minds to think, strategize, plan, and implement. And I do believe there is such a thing as women’s intuition—an instinct that enables us to sense things in our gut that often times are accurate!

“These women are talented and gifted, fearless yet honoring, connected yet self-contained, present yet far reaching, compassionate yet fierce, pure but not naive, strong and gentle, simple yet highly strategic.”

LISA BEVERE, LIONESS ARISING: WAKE UP AND CHANGE YOUR WORLD

TENDER NURTURER The lioness cares for her young and protects them. Some of us are naturally more nurturing towards little children than others, but in our own unique way, each of us has the capacity to care, bring comfort, safety, and encouragement to others. We can also ‘birth’ new ideas, movements, solutions, inventions and so much more! We can care for our families, teams, businesses, workplaces, and more.

Search for some YouTube videos of a lioness hugging their owner and you can see the level of affection they are capable of! In the same way, your hugs can bring much love, healing, and comfort to people as well!

TEAMWORK The lionesses also work together to bring their prey down—they operate as a team. Imagine being a company of teenage girls and women of all ages who celebrate each other and cheer each other on without comparison or competition! We can learn to grow in valuing the gold in each other and work together for the greater good. We each have our gifts, talents, and abilities that are so varied and powerful. Together, we can accomplish great things!

“In groups, lionesses become a creative and strategic force to be reckoned with, acting as one to change the world around them.”

LISA BEVERE, LIONESS ARISING: WAKE UP AND CHANGE YOUR WORLD

Awaken that lioness inside of you and release your roar!

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as you arise...choose wisely.

Ever hear of crab mentality?

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here is a story about a bunch of live crabs that were piled up in an open bucket. Each time one of the crabs attempted to climb out of the bucket and was almost to the top, the other crabs would pull it down!

This can be related to some people who pull down those who try to grow and improve themselves, who do something different, and who aspire to reach for

their dreams. Like the crabs, they can criticize and be negative in an attempt to discourage any positive change within their friend who wants to arise.

As you arise, choose your friends wisely.

We can have various layers of friends, ranging from those who we are super close with to those who are more like acquaintances…and everything in between!

Friends can greatly influence you in the right ways or the wrong ways. Your life will be impacted greatly by the people who are running beside you in life, who link arms with you, who lift you up (not pull you down), who have your back, and who challenge you to grow!

Choose wisely!

SOME FRIENDS… • MAY BE IN YOUR LIFE FOR YEARS OR FOR A BRIEF SEASON • MAY BE IN YOUR LIFE FOR A SPECIAL REASON • WILL BE YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY BUDDY • MAY BE A FAR-AWAY FRIEND

• MAY BE SO DIFFERENT FROM YOU

• MAY HAVE A LOT IN COMMON WITH YOU • REALLY ‘GET’ YOU

• STRENGTHEN YOU WHEN YOU FEEL WEAK

• HELP YOU TO REACH YOUR HIGHEST POTENTIAL

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ARISE IN CONFIDENCE

BY DENNISA BUMGARDNER

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or as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with confidence. In fact, most girls do, according to studies on what social scientists refer to as “the confidence gap.” There is a major difference in confidence levels between genders. Most girls are significantly less self-confident than boys of the same age. Spoiler alert: we already knew that!

Let’s face it, whether it’s the impact of the objectification of women in our culture, the bullying from internet trolls or the comparison trap we get stuck in because of social media, it is becoming increasingly hard to find confidence on our own. For me, 2020 truly magnified the intensity of this struggle. After losing lifelong friendships, being gossiped about, and slandered, my confidence was at an all-time low because there’s nothing like the critics of the world to make you feel insignificant. It was the perfect storm of self-doubt and comparison that ultimately turned into major depression.

based on the amount of likes I get, the number of followers I have or the brand of clothes I wear. It’s not in a number on a scale or the size of my waist, but my confidence is knowing and believing in my heart that I have immense value just by being me.

If you are struggling with confidence, I encourage you to meditate on positive quotes about your value and embrace the fact that you are truly special, gorgeous in your own way, and are a treasure!

“

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.“ ANNA FREUD

Sis, the good news is when you go through hard things, you learn a lot about yourself. What I learned from my experience was that I wasn’t alone in my struggle. I was reminded of countless women who historically struggled to see themselves as strong and confident.

You see, my confidence is not in who I am or how well I perform. It isn’t

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SHE ARISES VICTORIOUS

BY SILVIA HOFFMANBECK

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here are two most amazing days in our lives—the day we were born, and the day we discover why we were born. I was lost in Computer Programming and Information Technology when the glorious moment arrived. I thought I had my life figured out, but I was wrong. A significant event changed my life forever, and I decided to become a warrior and change the world one soul at a time as a counselor.

I realized I was born to help others.

Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist imprisoned in the Death camps of Nazi Germany, where he lost everything. His entire family was destroyed before his eyes. They took him to the death camps where he wondered day by day if he would live or die. He daily witnessed the horrors committed against humanity.

One day, the soldiers separated the prisoners to the right and left. Viktor was sure he would die. They had to

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undress and stand in front of the soldiers. His captors sent the people in Viktor's group to the showers, and he almost fainted in disbelief when he felt actual water running over his head! He then realized that the other group to the left marched to their death.

After the shower, a soldier gave him an old and rugged coat; in the pocket, he found a note that helped him to have a purpose and love life with all his heart, soul, and strength. Viktor Frankl realized that war could take everything from him except the last of human freedoms. He was free to decide how this would affect him.

He chose to have a purpose, and this changed his fate forever. After three years in the death camps, Viktor Frankl emerged victorious and stronger than ever, whereas others lost their heart.

Love, and zest for a purposeful life, even in the worst circumstances, kept him alive to help others to find meaning. Viktor Frankl was a Holocaust Survivor, psychiatrist, and founder of “Logotherapy.” He wrote the book “Man's Search of Meaning” and went on to help millions. He said that we have the freedom to choose how we

will react to adversity in order to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

When we are young, we think we have little power to make a difference around us, but we couldn't be any more wrong.

Young people can positively influence their surroundings.

Here are some mighty warriors that can inspire you:

ROSA PARKS refused to give up her bus seat to a white person in Alabama in 1955. Her courageous act inspired millions and sparked a turning point in the Civil Rights movement that continues today.

SUSAN B. ANTHONY was a great advocate for civil rights and social justice, the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, and women’s property rights. Her involvement led to the 19th amendment, which gives women the right to vote.

MARIE CURIE: First woman professor of General Physics at the University of Paris in 1906, developed the X-Ray Unit and won two Nobel Prizes in 1903 and 1911.

DR. MAE JEMISON: American Physician, first African American female NASA astronaut in 1987.

MOTHER THERESA: At the age of twelve decided to help people worldwide, and in 1979, received the Nobel Prize for her work.

AMELIA EARHART: The first aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone in 1928.

ROSE MCGOWAN: Activist who spoke out against her sexual abuser, studio head Harvey Weinstein, and women were empowered to share similar stories, ushering in the era of #Me Too and #TimesUp.

ADA LOVELACE: She passed away long before the computer age, but her mathematical algorithms and analytical engineering skills in 1840 gave her the title of “First Computer Programmer.”

MARGARET HAMILTON: Computer Scientist and business owner credited with coining the term “Software Engineer,” Hamilton designed the Apollo Space Program's flight software.

NANCY PELOSI: Democratic Leader of the United States House of

Representatives, the first female to serve as Speaker of the House.

QUEEN VICTORIA: Taking the throne at the early age of eighteen, enforced a law that every child had to attend school.

SALLY RIDE: First American woman to go to space and the youngest astronaut to have made the trip.

GRACE HOPPER: Computer Scientist who developed the idea of programming code as having its own language, popularizing the still used COBOL computer coding language.

SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR: First woman to serve as Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, on the bench from 1981 to 2006.

MAYA ANGELOU: Activist and poet, worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to assure equality for all.

RUTH BADER GINSBURG: Female Justice of the Supreme Court who made a significant impact on equality, civil rights, and social justice, critically acclaimed for the films RBG and the 2018 biopic “On the Basis of Sex.”

KAMALA DEVI HARRIS: The United States' first female vice president, “Breaking the Glass Ceiling,” the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, and the first African American and Asian American vice president, serving as the 49th Vice President of the United States.

HELEN KELLER: was an American author, a political activist, and the first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree, proving that the only obstacle in achieving one’s dreams is yourself.

And all you girls in the world, pursue a meaningful life with your own dreams and purpose. Wherever life finds you, take one step at a time to make a difference.

Imagine yourself breaking stereotypes and not limiting yourself. Find a compelling cause and be an example for all the strong, wise, brave, and beautiful young women like you. You have the power! Choose wisely and arise victorious!

Peaceful Ocean by Asia Brynne Anderson

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need new glasses?

Maybe you need new glasses—new lenses for new vision. As little

girls, many of us had curiosity and boldness to explore our world

and express ourselves…before insecurities, intimidation, doubt, lies, negative words, and comparing ourselves crept in to distort our

ability to see clearly. As we envision our future, let’s get some clarity about how we see ourselves and the world so we can dream

and envision with eyes of hope and anticipation of the good!

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GOT VISION?

BY MARY COLBURN

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an we be real for a moment?

Being a teenager ain't easy, I know. I became a teenage mom at 19-years-old and today, I’m a mother of five children and a wife to my high school sweetheart.

I grew up running barefoot through overgrown sugar plantation fields in the North Kohala countryside on the Big Island of Hawaii. I was confident, brave, and free. At eight-years-old, I would pretend to be an official giving important speeches from a grand stage.

Imagine me shouting to an imaginary audience - sometimes my dogs - with my tiny voice echoing in the streets while they howled in applause.

My vision was to become a great public speaker; someone who had the ability to capture people’s attention and keep them entertained. It was a bold and unapologetic vision that came from the truest version of myself.

However, life often brings unexpected change. At 13, my family abruptly decided on moving to the dizzying Honolulu city on Oahu Island. I did not like this move. I was heartbroken

to leave the rural comforts of my hometown and the carefree lifestyle we had.

In this new town, I was confronted with a very different way of life. It wasn’t easy. People who I thought were friends proved to be untrue. I was constantly reminded that I didn’t fit in. Taunts like, "You’re too skinny," and "You’re too pretty,” were hurtful to me, especially when I’d never questioned myself before. The vile negativity from people, including those close to me, felt as if the world was conspiring to bring me down.

As most teenagers, I wanted to be liked and to fit in. Was I tempted to pick up a cigarette to fit in? Yes. Was I pressured to the point of drinking alcohol and partying? Yes. But did I ever succumb to the pressure? No, never!

However, the more I believed the dark lies about my worth, the more the vision of life dimmed and diminished.

That innocent girl who dreamt of someday becoming someone special had slowly faded away because of the critical and callous voices that were allowed in.

I knew I needed to get up, get moving, and start living again. Questions swirled and filled my mind. How do I find the momentum and dream again?

How can I possibly overcome the chorus of negative voices that seemed louder than the still and quiet voice of truth? Fortunately, I was able to reaffirm my life’s vision by actively working on the following:

MY MIND It’s not surprising that people nowadays spend too much time staring mindlessly into electronic devices.

When we misuse our time streaming TV shows, movies, and idling on our favorite smartphone apps, we become disconnected from what’s important.

I’ll admit that I’m not perfect, and

there’s a chance that sometimes, my screen time can get excessive.

I am not opposed to taking mental breaks by shifting focus to entertainment. However, staring blankly at a screen all day is not ideal.

Focus on content that helps you grow in positive ways and makes you smarter. For example, set time aside to read a good book, listen to a podcast, or watch an online video course. In time, you will develop a sharper and more capable mind that will improve your life.

MY HEART It is easy for our hearts to be discouraged when we watch mainstream news reports filled with conflict, contention, and pessimism.

And of course, there’s an ever-present social media that can be a dangerous path into criticism and endless disagreement.

This is why you need to invest in your heart. Take breaks to meditate and examine your thoughts. If they are overly negative, you need to change them. Negative thinking will degrade your heart and lead your life downwards.

I spend time to invest in my heart, but you should find what works for you.

For instance, you can start a gratitude journal or use an affirmative mantra.

Regardless of what you do, make time nourishing your heart because that is the essence of who you are.

“

Ones vision is not a road map but a compass.“ PETER BLOCK

Investing wisely into your mind and heart will ensure a successful journey to developing a vision for your life.

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ACTIVITY TIME: YOUR VISION Journal your thoughts below.

1. GETTING STARTED What do you do in your free time? Why do you do those things?

2. DISCOVERING YOUR PASSION What is a topic you love talking about? Why do you think that fires you up?

3. DEFINING SUCCESS Why do you exist? What do think your purpose is? What are you good at?

4. CORE VALUES Reflect on what is important to you. List 3-5 core values.

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time.

Vision with action can change the world.” -Joel A. Barker

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5. CASTING A VISION • • • •

What is your why?

What are you passionate about?

What would you like to accomplish?

If you are not sure how to answer these questions—be patient! This is a process of discovery!

6. FIND THEMES Now, look back over everything you have written. Do you notice any similarities or themes from your answers?

Record these below.

7. YOUR PERSONAL VISION STATEMENT Write a personal vision statement.

• • • • • •

It does NOT have to perfect.

Have it express what matters most to you, what you stand for, and the kind of person you want to be.

It can be a sentence or a paragraph.

Your vision statement will continue to evolve over time, but you can begin here.

Write it in present tense.

Review your vision regularly and make changes as you grow and mature.

I

“Write your goals down. Write your goals on paper and not in your mind.

That makes the vision plain. Spend quality time with yourself and review your life.”

-Oscar Bimpong

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here you stand.

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Maybe…someday? The buzzing and swirls of a busy life with schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, family life and our social life can distract us into so many directions! Yikes! We can’t avoid those unexpected twists and turns of life but we don’t have to be at the mercy of our circumstances either.

We can take time to remind ourselves that we have purpose.

Finding your purpose can feel overwhelming and out of reach. It is a journey of discovery that involves reflecting on what is in your heart along the way.

Here are some projects that can serve as a daily compass to keep you moving in the right direction towards your future, while staying true to yourself.

BRAVE & BEAUTIFUL

Your Values

list 3-10 values you have.

LETTERS TO YOURSELF

• YOUR VALUES: It is good to recognize what values you feel especially strongly about. Values help us to grow, and they guide us in our decisions. Our strong beliefs can also give us clues to our unique purpose on what we are meant to impart to this world.

It could be values such as: honesty | creativity | cooperation | peace | compassion | nature Take a few minutes and write down your values. Print them out and put them somewhere where you will view them often. You can get creative and add graphics or drawings to your list. You can frame it if you want to!

• LETTERS TO YOURSELF: How about writing a few letters to your future self? Fill those letters with words of encouragement, faith, strength, and hope. Ask a friend to mail these to you monthly or quarterly—whatever you decide! It's like giving yourself a pep talk and it may just work out where you receive the encouragement just when you need it.

MAKE A VISION BOARD

• MAKE A VISION BOARD: Creating a vision board can be a fun project to do by yourself or with others. It can inspire you to keep going towards your goals. Create a vision board with items such as photos, graphics, magazine clippings, quotes, words—selected items that will remind you to live purposefully. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Get creative! Then keep it in a location in your room where you can look at it from time to time!

• FOCUS WORD -OR- WORDS: See if you can express your vision for the year in just one word or a short phrase. For example, you may choose the word ‘generosity’ as an attitude you want to live out. It could be a verb, adjective, or noun! Spend time meditating on this word and do some research to unpack its meaning for you.

FOCUS WORD -ORWORDS

You can write it, paint it, or sketch it. You can take a photo of what you created and make it the background image on your devices or place it on your mirror, so you see it daily.

Examples of verbs: breathe, connect, heal, nurture, love, dance adjectives: pure, simple, healthy, wild, creative, peaceful nouns: freedom, compassion, gratitude, generosity, courage

Truth cards

• TRUTH CARDS: Part of growing, thriving, and arising is believing the truth. It is vital to replace negative beliefs with positive truths. What are the conversations you have with yourself?

Create small cards on cardstock paper with your favorite short messages to yourself.

Keep these tiny cards in your wallet or bag and look at them when you have time during the day, when you are waiting for something or have any down time! A quick read can help keep your attitude and perspective positive and renew your mind!

They could be quotes that keep you inspired and encouraged.

Little girls with dreams become women with vision.

ANONYMOUS

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Taking a risk & stepping into the unknown.

Vision - Step. Photo by Asia Brynne Anderson

As you reach for something Brave & Beautiful, you might just discover something that will change everything.

Taking a RISK can be scary! Risk exposes you to the possibility of loss, failure, or danger, but it also exposes you to unlimited rewards and possibilities. And it can change your life for the better. You, the butterfly, can emerge through the struggle from your cocoon more magnificent and breathtakingly dazzling than ever before.

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how will you give something Brave & Beautiful to the world?

M IND F UL LET T ERING Trace the lettering - it does not have to be perfect! Enjoy the process of creative lettering

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Action Steps

YOU GO GIRL! LET’S WALK IT OUT.

she is Brave & Beautiful you!

••

She Dreams.

She Creates.

She Arises.

CHOOSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS STEPS: 1. Become a bigger dreamer by learning about a

famous person you admire. Research their backstory and learn about their life journey—the victories, the setbacks, and hardships they pushed through.

Journal your discoveries:

3. Creativity expresses itself in unlimited ways—

through math, science, writing, business, a sense of humor, problem solving, the arts, fixing things, inventing things, and the list goes on! Reflect on

ways that you express your creativity. Pick one of the expressions you have. Explore opportunities around

• What positive insights/truths have you gleaned from their story that moves you to dream?

• How did their story capture the nature of risk?

• In what ways were they beautifully brave?

2. Explore the arts! Whether you are actively involved in the arts or not, we are all created to appreciate artistic expressions such as an eye-catching

you to develop and grow in that creative expression— maybe it is taking a class, doing a project, starting a blog, or talking with a person who is creative in the

same way to glean practical help to develop yourself to a more excellent level in that area!

4. To arise means to be brave and take a risk—to make a choice to grow and stretch yourself out of your

comfort zone! Try one or more of these actions this

painting, photo, a good movie, an amazing song

week…push forward instead of pulling back:

yourself to something creatively artistic and glean

• Speak up in a conversation even though someone may disagree

or dance—or nature itself! Get inspired by exposing meaning and insights from art. Here are some ideas: • Attend a live music or dance performance (or watch a video) • Go to see a live play • Visit an art museum • Watch a good movie • Visit the aquarium or zoo

• Reach out to a person you would like to get to know and initiate a short conversation • Share an idea you have that you haven’t told anyone before • Is there an idea you want to act upon, yet you find yourself hesitating? Say YES! Take baby steps to do it and start your adventure!

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