Girl Power Club_ : an invitation to girls to feel more powerful and be more confident. POWER STROKES * _Head down_ : leaning in slightly. * _Clench your fists_. * _Bend slightly at the waist, but keep your upper body upright_. ### SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL _I used to be one of the boys_ _When we all changed our names to boy_ _Like how I said, oh, let's all change our name_ _We can all be girls_ _All the changes that we are doing_ _It's making me feel like less of a boy_ _Like you know what it is, like you know what it is_ _Like you know what it is_ _I still like to go out but with my sisters_ _When I go out I feel more myself_ _I used to be like all the boys_ _But now I'm like all the girls_ _Being the girl that I am and I don't think_ _I'm ever gonna change_ * * * ## HONESTY ## (A GIRL ROCKS THE BOAT) One of the greatest lessons we learn from our parents is how to be honest. It is a life skill that allows us to be more authentic in any situation, with anyone. Being honest starts to become automatic as we grow up, and if we're anything like me, honesty becomes the easiest part of our lives! ### WHO IS HONEST? Being honest means having integrity and saying what we mean and meaning what we say. It is speaking up for what you know is right even if you are scared of the consequences. It is communicating an opinion that is not popular. In honesty, there is no perfect and nothing to lose. There is just the truth. HONESTY TIPS BODY LANGUAGE _Breathe out_ : if you are caught doing something wrong, breathe out and try to feel better about it. You can't be 100% sure that you haven't broken the rules but you can get close. * * * ## TIP It's also handy for telling when someone is being a bit sassy with you. Your breath will be a little deeper and if you look close enough you might catch some pink-red-purple lips. TAKE CHARGE Sometimes the most honest thing you can say is "it's none of your business." This is great for a lot of reasons, not least of which is that, no matter what someone says or asks, you can let them know that they don't have a right to know. _Breathe out_ : let's be honest, no one likes an awkward silence. It is easy to let things go and carry on as normal. However, it is always better to be honest and say, "no, it's not really my business" or "that's really not my business, but... I can tell you this." You'll get some odd looks, and possibly their silence will remind you that you were right. But don't worry, they'll forget, and so will you! _Cute smiles_ : showing your teeth when you smile is a really important sign that you are being honest and truthful. It doesn't mean you have anything to be worried about (even though you might be). It means you can be funny and cheeky and not afraid to speak your mind. Don't worry if you feel a little scared of being seen as rude, because nothing could be further from the truth! _Head up_ : this is for when you feel a little uncomfortable and don't want to show your feelings on your face. Think about looking down or burying your head in a book. You can still take charge of a situation but not in a way that feels threatening. _Poker face_ : you don't have to tell them what you think but keep it light and funny. I like it when girls are straight with me and come straight out with their opinion. This is how friendships are formed! _Open palm_ : it looks like you are asking for help but it's actually your way of getting the real message out. _Wide smile_ : if you want someone to know something, tell them without words, you know, you might learn from looking at a puppy. ### HOW DOES IT FEEL? This tip is all about feeling what the truth is, rather than thinking about how you are going to communicate it. It's the reason that honesty is so powerful and such a powerful tool. * * * ## MARTINA I was really shy, so communicating this was hard for me. I felt everything I said was a lie because I didn't want to disappoint everyone else by not being true to myself. With time though, I found this really helps me to find my voice. What I would say and think to myself to make me more comfortable: I can tell you what I'm feeling. You might not like it and that's OK. I might feel like a jerk but at least I am speaking up for myself. * * * ## HONESTY GAME This game is just for fun, but sometimes when you are speaking to your best friend you might want to tell them something before you tell your mum or dad. It is one of the best things that you can do to communicate with each other, because you can be as straight and honest as you can be and not worry about what you are saying to them. #### **I** _Choose a friend who will be honest with you_ _Tell them all the things that you are_ _not allowed to tell anyone else_ _They'll tell you if it's not right_ _Be their best friend_ #### **II** _Ask your friend to tell you a secret_ _Tell them what it is that you are looking for_ _Ask them if you can keep their secret_ _Their secret will only be theirs to tell_ _Don't worry, we all have a little secret_ #### **III** _Choose a friend who will be honest with you_ _Tell them all the things that you are_ _not allowed to tell anyone else_ _They'll tell you if it's not right_ _Be their best friend_ #### **IV** _Find something secret about one of your friends_ _Don't worry, it can be something embarrassing or funny_ _But they have to admit it first_ #### **V** _Tell your best friend that you have something to tell them_ _Get a secret promise that they will not tell anyone_ #### **VI** _Talk to a friend you can trust and who can be honest with you_ _If they promise to keep it secret, you can tell them anything_ _You know that they will never tell anyone_ ### TEND AND BECOME BORED Boredom is a strange thing, because it makes us want to do something that is fun and exciting. It might not seem like fun, but the truth is, having time to do nothing can make you fun and exciting. HOW TO GET USED TO YOUR HAPPINESS I don't really know what it is that can make me bored. Being bored is when I feel bored! Boredom just brings boredom. Do you get me? I've found that a lot of the time it has nothing to do with what I am doing or how busy I am. It is more to do with how you look at things. This is what you can do to make yourself more exciting and interesting. ### WHY AM I BORED? It could be because I have not been on vacation yet, so I think that if I didn't have anything else to do then I'd enjoy being busy for a while. Maybe it is because of my friends, maybe I have been at home too much and not out on adventures enough. Maybe it is because I have no energy or am tired. It could be anything, but I think that I just have a strange way of thinking. ### LOOK AT THE POSITIVE THINGS There are a lot of good things in my life that mean that being bored isn't as bad as I think it is. * * * ## TIPS 1. Think of the best thing you ever got to do for the rest of the day. 2. Remember that feeling of happiness that you got when you were doing that thing. 3. And remember how great it felt to know that the first thing you had to do was spend time with people who love you. * * * ## LOOK AT THE LITTLE THINGS When I'm bored I get bored easily. Do you? It's easy to forget all of the little things that make us happy. I think that sometimes we can get so lost in what is happening around us that we forget to live our life moment by moment