What a crazy couple of weeks it has been in our house. Last week the girls came down with the nasty stomach bug, and since then we have been passing it back and forth through the house. And, on top of this, Arabella has been teething, so she hasn't been a happy camper, as she gets painful diaper rashes like Savannah did when teething. I wasn't sure if I would get this Feature Friday up in time, but after seeing a post on Yahoo News! tonight about an anonymous message left in a bathroom stall in a university bathroom, I knew I had to share these amazing t-shirts with you.
Before I share my thoughts on the t-shirts I was sent for myself and my niece to review, here is more on the anonymous message I just spoke of, that you can find at Yahoo News.
"A Reddit user posted a photo of a poignant message that she found taped to the stall in a women's restroom at her university.
The user, chellylauren, wrote: "In a girls' bathroom stall at my university, girls have written about some of their most horrifying life experiences. This week, somebody replied."
The reply, written on notebook paper, is anonymous.
The reply in full:
To the girl who was raped: You are so strong. I cannot fathom the pain you must have gone through. The fact that you have the bravery to write it (even on a bathroom wall) gives me hope.
To the girl with eating disorders: I promise you, although I don't know you, you are beautiful, you deserve your health. You deserve freedom from that hell.
To the girl with the alcoholic father: I am so sorry for the agony it must cause. Again, such courage is remarkable you must be such a strong person to see such pain.
To the girl whose father died: Missing them never goes away. The ache of their absence never goes away. But the love they had, the memories you share surely must last. I am sure, out of the bottom of my heart, the people who have left you in this world are exceptionally proud of the person you are.
Everytime (sic) I see these walls, these confessions, I feel so blessed to know I have the priviledge (sic) of seeing them. Your moments, these secrets, are all precious even though they are sad. To all of you (including those I did not mention, and those who have not yet written)
-You are worthy.
-You are strong.
-You are brave.
-You are loved.
-Somebody cares.
Written below that, somebody penned a quick response: "To the person who wrote this, thank you.""
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/anonymous-encouraging-message-posted-university-restroom-172524530.html
This encouraging message from a total stranger really moved me, and reminded me that girls/women need to be reminded that they are loved, strong, beautiful, and worthy -- just like this girl shared in her letter. When I first stumbled across Reflect Who I Am and learned about Tricia Price and Marci Hower's mission about encouraging young girls to love who they see in the mirror, I knew I had to share their story and t-shirts with you all. I was excited when I reached out to them and they agreed to participate in my feature. I had the opportunity to share their story with you this past Monday in my Spotlight on Mom feature. If you missed my interview with the Tricia and Marci, click here to read it now -- http://www.inspiredbysavannah.com/2013/01/spotlight-on-moms-tricia-price-and.html.
As young girls get older, they begin to develop self identity issues and oftentimes question their beauty -- both on the inside and out. I remember hitting puberty and struggling with the changes I was feeling on the inside, as well as on the outside. I was not alone, as most of my girlfriends also struggled with self esteem issues. Can you remember back to your middle school and high school years? Do you remember a group of girls who always seemed to make all the other girls feel inferior? Did you wonder how girls can be so cruel to one another? I remember my mother would tell me that they were just acting this way because they were self-conscious, or that they may have had issues they were trying to cover up at home. But, as a tween/teen, I couldn't see or understand what she was saying. All I knew was how bad these girls would make my friends and I feel about ourselves. We would question our looks, our intelligence -- pretty much everything about ourselves. I think this is why so many girls say that they would not want to relive their middle and high school years. Many girls, including myself, couldn't wait to graduate and go to college. We thought that a new school and new friends would bring positive changes -- but, when we arrived at college, we realized that it was the same story, just a different school. It wasn't until we really took a good look in the mirror and began to love who we saw that we could grow into our own identities and be ready to take on the world. And, now that I have two young daughters, and 2 nieces, I hope they will feel comfortable coming to me and talking about self esteem issues they experience, as they get older. We all go through this awkward stage, but if they know that they are loved and how special they are, maybe their journey to find their identities will be a little easier than ours were.
Thanks to Tricia and Marci's brilliant idea to create a line of t-shirts for girls and women to inspire and empower them to love who they see when they stare in the mirror, these t-shirts can act as a reminder to let girls everywhere know how special they are. Girls and women should embrace their unique individuality and not feel self conscious about themselves. When I shared the "I am Loved" t-shirt with my niece, her eyes lit up. I had her put the shirt on and then took her to the bathroom to look in the mirror. When I asked her to read what the shirt said, she was hesitant at first, but then said, "I am Loved." I turned her around to face me and told her that she was, and how beautiful she was both inside and out, and not to doubt it for one minute, even if someone else (boy or girl) tells her otherwise.
Youth “I am Loved” T-Shirt
"Let your special girl know how much she is loved! Bursting with
hearts, this t-shirt is designed to remind her how cherished, special
and loved she is every time she looks in the mirror. This special gift
is great for any special occasion or just because."
- Style: Baby rib, short sleeve, crew neck t-shirt
- Sizes Girls Youth: Small (6-8), Medium (10-12), Large (14-16)
Please note the baby doll style t-shirts are fitted and have a tendency
to run smaller. If you are unsure of measurements or want a looser
fit we suggest you order a size larger. See sizing chart for more details - The 1×1 rib has great elasticity and the custom, contoured fit clings to the body.
- Preshrunk, soft, highest quality 100% combed, ringspun cotton
- Cover-stitched baby bottom hem
- Set-in neck and sleeves
- Contoured side seams
- Care Instructions: Separate by color, wash in cold water, tumble dry.
My niece is just starting to deal with peer pressure and self esteem issues, but my hope that by reminding her that she is perfect the way she is and loved by many, will make her stronger and be able to believe it when she looks in the mirror each day. Now, I know that these are just t-shirts, but the unique message each has printed on the front in a cool mirror image design, is eye catching and makes the person wearing it take a double take when they pass by a mirror, as well as those on the street seeing it for the first time. Each t-shirt in the Reflect Who I Am collection is truly inspiring and will act as a reminder for girls/women everywhere about how special they are. Remember, it is not until you love yourself, that you can be loved by others.
I was sent their "I am Beautiful" t-shirt to review, and love it! It is not only comfortable to wear, but is a great conversation starter.
So, if you have a young daughter who would benefit from a self esteem and confidence boost, why not pick them up one of t-shirts Marci and Tricia created as part of their Reflect Who I Am line? If you have been looking for a way to talk to your daughter about self esteem issues, these shirts can be used as an ice breaker. I found that by giving the t-shirt to my niece, that she was able to open up more about the pressures she was feeling in school, and how she struggled to fit in, as the other girls seemed to be more popular, prettier or happier than she was. She has since told me how other girlfriends have complimented her on her Reflect Who I Am t-shirt when she wore it to school, and how she felt more confident when she wore it. Hats off to Tricia and Marci for creating these t-shirts and for encouraging girls/women everywhere to love who they are.
These t-shirts would make great Valentine's Day gifts for yourself or that special girl in your life. And, right now you can purchase any of the Reflect Who I Am t-shirts for only $14.99 each.
In addition to taking advantage of this special price until 2/14, make sure you also use promo code "INSPIRED" to receive FREE SHIPPING on your order. Act fast as this FREE SHIPPING promo code is only valid until the end of February.
--GIVEAWAY--
One lucky reader will win a Youth Size - "I am Loved" t-shirt to share with that special girl in their life. To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review. The views above are mine and mine alone.
No comments :
Post a Comment