It is seldom to find a teenage girl who is not struggling with insecurities. Being a teenage is actually a task in itself. A plethora of thoughts keep haunting teenage girls making them vulnerable to their self created insecurities. But it would not be completely fair to blame them solely. A lot of it caters to the media and the prejudiced society. Teenage girls often find themselves being compared to others, on the basis of looks; for example, skin colour, body structure, to their peers; on the basis of marks that they attain and the list is never ending.
How does one help a teenage girl deal with insecurities then? Following are the 6 guidelines in building a strong, confident and bold teenage girl who finds herself smitten with insecurities.
To imbibe the thought of self love and treasuring one’s identity
This actually encompasses a lot of things. Firstly it is imperative that you stop comparing your teenage girl with others. For example, “Look at her, she is so tall and has a fair complexion,” this needs to stop. By doing so, you end up creating an inferiority complex in your teenage girl. Instead, embrace her with positive thoughts, by saying, “Having a dark skin is beautiful and unique.” Through words of encouragement, every teenage girl will start loving herself in true spirits and will not devalue her identity.
Through instilling a fighting spirit, to challenge stereotypes
Being in the contemporary world where women face tremendous discrimination, it is important that a fighting spirit is instilled, to challenge the prejudices and societal norms that tend to hamper a teenage girl’s self esteem. Unfortunately in many young people’s peer groups, a lot of stereotypical notions exist, mostly about appearances that tend to make teenage girls feel miserable. However, a better way will be to engage in conversations about ideas that will make her critical about narrow media stereotypes; in terms of beauty and outward appearance that mentally oppress people, compelling them to think low and unworthy about themselves
Develop your listening skill towards her
Parents can develop listening skills towards their teenage girls so that they start having open conversations with them. It is important that teenage girls speak their heart out to their parents and do not become self-destructive and recluse. It is important to understand their mindset to foster confidence within them. Instead of treating their problem as futile, try to develop an interest in their conversation to establish a bond of trust. Through this behaviour, they will gain confidence and strength and will not feel neglected.
Validate her emotions
Rather than ridiculing her for the invalid reasoning she upholds, validate her emotions. Venting out emotions is a spiritual exercise. Hence the best way to eliminate the feeling of insecurity would be, to allow a person, to freely express her emotions. Human nature is complex and to understand someone’s perspective is a daunting task. Hence make your teenage girl feel comfortable with the thoughts that resonate in her mind by validating her emotions and not criticizing her for the same.
Usher her talent
Through the cultivation of talent, a teenage girl can certainly feel more confident and less insecure. The exploration period is quite enriching and will enable her to work towards her goal and polish her weaknesses. This will eventually make her excel, in the desired path. This ushering process will cultivate a positive attitude in her life, making the teenage feel courageous rather than insecure.
Focus on her behaviour to channelize her thoughts
Youngsters usually imitate their parents. Elders need to be their role models through their actions and behaviour. Parents can always tell their teenage kids that the essential part for every individual should be their behaviour towards others instead of their appearances and marks. Every act of kindness and compassion towards others can make the teenage feel happy and enable her to grasp the right attitude towards life.
All the above points will help in enriching human lives for the better.
