So, I know I’m not really THAT old- 26 actually- but while I’ve been trucking along through this whole recovery thing, I’m finding out the “what I wish I had known/done differently/believed/learned” etc. One thing I wish I’d been able to grasp is that I am enough. I think that starting with that base would have helped me know who I was growing up, and maybe I wouldn’t have been a person with an eating disorder. But I never felt like enough- I look back and see how badly I treated myself trying to meet everyone else’s expectations and never acknowledging my own feelings. I know the truth now, but believing and knowing are two different things! I was asked to read a workbook, called “A Super Awesome You” by Ashley Wilhite. It’s the kind of thing I wish I had when I was a teenager growing up. Ashley has a website and business called Your Super Awesome Life that helps teen girls ask themselves some of the more difficult questions in order to live a super awesome life by having an identity, obtaining goals, and accepting who they are. Most adults don’t know the answers to many of the questions she presents, and I have to admit, I struggled with some of them as well. However, this workbook is well written in a way that walks you through discovering that super awesome person inside.
One of the things I like most about “Your Super Awesome Life: The Workbook” is that Ashley invites the reader to explore their feelings. That may sound silly, but it’s not- it is so incredibly important. Being able to identify how you feel, and more importantly, how you feel about yourself, is not easy. It takes a strong person to do this. I completely missed this step growing up, and I my biggest issue has been feeling deserving of love and a good life, etc. In her workbook, Ashley does a great job helping the reader believe they deserve all things good. She uses questions, quotes, and tips to help uncover one’s strengths and passions.
Ashley also discusses the process of becoming unstuck- facing fears and roadblocks to get where you really want to go. She raises the question “What scares you about being who you really are? What is holding you back?” I’m no teenager anymore, but this question stuck out to me, because even as an adult, there are things I let hold me back and things that scare me about being myself. The eating disorder holds me back from being myself. This is a tough question and may be an even tougher answer for readers, but to walk through that as a teenager would be so valuable. Ashley discusses the importance of self care and support systems, which was another topic that stuck out to me. Sometimes even realizing who you have by your side makes all the difference in the world.
I wish I could give a copy of “Your Super Awesome Life: The Workbook” to every parent for their teenage daughter. It allows girls to think for themselves and accept themselves. Just a tiny bit of guidance from this workbook could help change a teen’s outlook because it challenges girls to identify themselves in a positive light; to find their uniqueness and be proud of it. So often we don’t think about what we really want as we are growing up, and I believe that largely has to do with no one asking us. Before you know it, you’re an adult with no tools on how to deal with feelings, set goals, or recognize that you are super awesome! This workbook is a great tool for teenagers and I would encourage anyone, regardless of your age, to check it out.
A Super Awesome Workbook,
