Our group was tight. We were thick as thieves. We did everything together! Hit the malls, never miss a dance, hang out in each other’s basements, crash bush parties, spend Sunday afternoons at the movies and yak on the phone for hours when we couldn’t be together.
Sound familiar? If you’re a Gen X kid like me, of course it does!
I LOVED my teens! Like totally and completely LOVED them! But . . .
Boy did I have angst! Seriously bad stuff was going on in my brain as hormones were changing and I was becoming a young woman. I was sick a lot because my nerves were shot, I missed school, my grades were not the best and sometimes I would miss a party just because I had a zit on my face. I was self-conscious to the point where it was crippling. My expectation of myself was to look perfect every single day and to be the coolest, prettiest, funniest, happiest, nicest, greatest girl in the room. No pressure!
I did all this to myself. It was the way I saw myself in the world. I had so many high expectations and they were self-created because, oh, I forgot to tell you, one of my favourite hobbies was comparing myself to others! Oooh boy, just cut me off at the knees and get me a wheelchair why don’t you?
Looking back I was finally able to save myself. That was with one thing . . .
Art!
Yup, that’s it, that’s all, end of story! Art made me find peace with being alone, art made me feel like I was connected to a power greater than myself AND, the big bonus? It made me feel like I could accomplish ANYTHING I put my mind to! The best confidence booster I could have hoped for.
By the time I was sixteen years old I had started my own T-Shirt biz! All the kids in my gang wanted T-Shirts with rock stars on them so I started with that. I’d spend family weekends at the cottage painting Elvis, Metallica, Nick Kershaw, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, Lighthouse, album covers on shirts! That was my thing, album covers! I felt so cool to have a thing. My friends bought these up at $20 a pop and it was the best feeling in the world!
As soon as all of this self-isolation, quarantine time and social distancing began I thought of the teen girls right away. No offence to my wonderful family but between the ages of 14-18 I was not interested in hangin’ with the fam jam! I wanted my friends around me all the time.
As we quarantine until further notice I have made it my mission to come up with some artsy activities for girls to do at home and share with their besties! I have started with my Friendship Necklaces and I’m working on other ideas for the future too.
If you happen to be reading this with your teen tonight, I would welcome any ideas from her about how she would like to zone out and get lost in an artistic project. I am all ears.
A big shout out to all of the teenage girls out there! You are all so brave, you will totally get through this crazy situation. It may be hard to understand now but I can assure you that hard times always make us stronger. We can use our pain as an opportunity for something really good. With that said, I am comforted knowing that you will be the powerful women who rule our future!
Girl POWER!!!
Monica XO
Click HERE to see our friendship necklaces now and share the love with a creative teen in your life! I’d also be happy to send a personalized note from you along with her package, just let me know what you would like it to say! XO
Also, you free on Tuesday? Join us for a Virtual Treat Yourself Tuesday where we will be chatting with Teresa Paul, owner of Hides In Hand! Click HERE to say you’re “going”
Sheesh these pics totally got to me.
So blessed that still in contact with many seen here and…
dang…
I miss that blue top and belt.
We were (and are) so damn fine my Monilein
You know it sister! WOW, those were the days! I feel so lucky. The stuff you and I got up to, it would have made the perfect after school special! XOXO