Growing up the youngest in my family definitely had it's pros and cons. I grew up behind 5 siblings that I wouldn't change for the world. But most importantly, my three brothers shaped me into the woman I am today. I think the best things these young men have taught me are this:
3) If someone is pissing you off, tell them; assertively.
That boy who keeps calling you names, the girls who are completely ruthless towards you for no reason; stand up for yourself towards them. I learned as a young woman, there is no room for letting somebody walk all over you just, just because you're small, does not mean you're not mighty. People are rude and will always be. But I learned at a very young age, that it's OK to stand your ground.
2) People like smart people, especially smart women.
As a twenty-something-year-old woman who is a senior in college, I can promise you that people love when you can hold an intelligent conversation. Men find it attractive, and women find it endearing. I learned how to educate myself by watching the news-yes, all channels not just FOX News or CNN. I learned how to do my own research online and draw my own conclusions-I learned how to stay informed. I learned that when people make themselves look stupid, it's not at all attractive. It's OK to be the educated woman in the room-EMBRACE IT.
1) The person in the mirror; they're beautiful. I promise.
I grew up very self-critical of my appearance. There were times where I didn't even want to leave the house because of how I looked. I wouldn't eat for days because the woman on the TV was SO much skinnier than me and I thought that's what men found so attractive. Until I realized what actually made them so attractive-confidence. No, I'm not a size 0. I can fully admit to that. I can fully admit that I wish I still was like back when I was 14. But I can also fully admit that I know now, as a twenty-one-year old woman, that it will never actually be reality. I'm confident in my own skin. I would hear my brothers talk about how beautiful all these girls are and I remember wishing I looked just like them. But it wasn't the makeup, it wasn't the PPehotoshop-it was their confidence that made them so beautiful.
So to every girl out there that wasn't lucky enough to grow up behind brothers, I promise you this. These three things will help you take on the world with so much grace. I was lucky enough to learn on my own. And to my brothers: thank you for making me the bad ass woman I am today.
