04/05/2023
"They were pointing at me, laughing and snickering.
Then they started badgering me with questions ...
‘Why do you look that?
What’s that thing on your head?’
And giving me put-downs ...
‘You’re so weird!’
You know you don’t fit in, right?’ "
Those are the words no parent wants to hear their child share with them.
They pull at our heartstrings, spark anger, and maybe even ignite a flicker of fear for their future safety and well-being.
Yet, that experience is becoming all too common, because the fact is that we live in a world where judgment is rampant.
And while instinctively we may want to shield our children from the pain of being left out, ostracized, made to feel less than, etc., the truth is ...
Instead of trying to spare our children from social comparison and criticism, we need to prepare them for it instead.
How?
Listen to the rest of the conversation with my young coaching client to discover how she applied 3 principles in the BEing YOUr Light Student Shining Success Program to navigate through a demeaning situation and create an empowering one instead.
#1 – Know Who You Are (Self-Identity)
"Ms. Juranek, I thought back on how you guided me through identifying who I am as a person, and what I stand for.
I saw the list again behind my eyes of the words that describe who I am, what I value, and what makes me unique.
That really helped me to keep my eyes on HOW I SEE ME, rather than the way that they were seeing me."
I looked at them and simply said, "This is my hijab and it’s a symbol of my faith."
#2 – Love Who You Are (Self-Esteem)
"Then, I thought back on everything that was "right" with me ... everything that I offer, all the things that I appreciate about myself.
When they made fun of the color of my skin, I just said, ‘Really? I love the color of my skin. I think it’s pretty.’
They didn’t have anything else to say to that because everything that they said was different and ugly, I said was unique and beautiful."
#3 – Honor Who You Are (Self-Responsibility)
"I remembered the mantra you taught me, "Choose for me, as Me"
This experience made me realize that I’m a spiritual person and I like to express my faith. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to wear my hijab every day when I reach of age.
My sister was a little upset with me and was trying to change my mind because she doesn’t want to have to wear hers to school. She thinks that because I’m choosing to wear mine that then she’ll have to wear hers as well.
I just told her, "My choices are my choices, and your choices are yours."
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Denise , that session was beyond inspiring. I was so proud to hear this young person embrace, express, and be who she truly is .... so authentically, confidently, and powerfully.
I desire to see that in all of us, especially our youth!
If you share that vision and would like your child (or yourself) to experience it as well,
Schedule your FREE Clarity Discovery session with me Here now! Link is in the comments.
During the 50-minute call, you will gain clarity and insight, for yourself or your child, on who you are, what you’d like to create, and the direction of your next inspired action step to creating and experiencing it with greater confidence, joy, and purpose.