Keepin' It Kate: What my Girlfriends Should Know

I recently posted a blog in which a girl gave '25 tips for every woman'. One of my guy friends txted me and said that the writing was so great, he thought I did it (ok, just kidding about the writing being so great) BUT he really did text me and he really did think I wrote it (it's just he left out the 'it was so great I thought you wrote it' part).

So, I got to thinking after he txt me. If I had advice to give young women (because I am a young woman and I could most certainly not give advice to older women for I have not lived their experiences or gained their wisdom) what would it be? Here are some things I came up with.

1-Not every one's going to like you. You are going to hurt people, you are going to make people mad, you'll probably annoy some people, and someone will probably always have something negative to say about you. So what? As long as the majority is in agreement that you are totally kick ass, then the few in the minority can 'you know what.' Do your best to be a good person, right your wrongs, apologize, be better next time, and at the end of the day call it square.

2-You'll probably always have something negative to say about your body. Do I want to look like a Victoria's Secret Model? HELLZ TO THE YEAH. Do I want to give up Taco John's soft shells, extra bacon with my breakfast on the weekends, any type of starch or carbs, or eating chocolate when that crazy little devil talks me into it? HELLZ TO THE NO! I've come to realize there's a stigma attached to  eating like a man. Well, I'm here to say I'm happier because of it. Do I need to exercise more and be more healthy? Yes. Will I start? I certainly have every best intention to. Be healthy and happy. Love yourself and enjoy yourself.

3-Which leads me to my next point. Learn how to dress your body type. I'm a curvy girl. I've got hips that don't lie. Whatami' gunna' do about it? I'll tell ya what. Dress to bring out my best features! I've really started focusing on expressing myself through my wardrobe. I have a 'I look so darn fly' day once a week. I suggest you do, too! Dressing the part is half the battle. Dress like a confident, attractive girl who has it all together and you'll be halfway there.

4-I literally froze walking to the office the other day because I realized I was turning 24 and that's close to 25 which if you round up-I figured out that I'm practically turning 30 already. While getting older has it's draw backs, I've never been more of who I want to be than who I am right now in this part of my life. With every year comes more mistakes, more memories, and more knowledge. All of these things transform me as a person and more importantly, as a woman. I vow to not look at it as turning older, but instead view it as turning bolder.

5-Do more of what you love. This one is pretty self explanatory but for some reason I don't think women do enough of this.

6-Be a strong, driven woman. Sometimes, I still feel like a child. I then proceed to look at my life the past five years, I look at the multiple college degrees I have, I note the big kid job I obtained, and then I think- maybe you're more grown up than you give yourself credit for. Nothing is more empowering than setting goals and reaching them. Don't be the victim. Repeat after me, "I am woman, hear me roar!"

7-Drinking isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've had very few sober experiences throughout my life where I thought, " WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" However, I've had a couple intoxicated experiences where I thought, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" I've never made a decision so bad that's it's changed my life forever, a decision that I've never forgiven myself for, or a decision that hurts others-BUT why put myself at risk to increase the chances of making a decision like that because I am too intoxicated to choose what I normally would? Go out with your friends, have fun, but realize you aren't in college any more. My days of party hardy are now a careful balance of drinking and hydrating (yes, while still at the bar) because although I could still party like a complete rock star, I cannot say I still recover like one (on all levels). You are leaving the year of the party dragon and are entering the year of the tigress. Be the empress you are and own your new maturity.

8-As you get older, I hope you become more of yourself, and I hope you fall madly in love with the person you are becoming. Once this happens, you'll find an amazing young man who will fall in love with that very same person-and there you'll both be in this crazy awesome love triangle. I don't think we truly know what we want or NEED in a partner until we know what we want or NEED to be ourselves. Adore yourself. Be happy with yourself. It is only then, that someone else will be able to. Trust me, you want and DESERVE to fall in love.

9-Embrace the weird. Bottom line, I'm weird, real weird. I often have an internal debate with myself always asking if I'm weird or if I'm just nerdy because I think there is a difference. And while I could explain to you all each heading, subheading, rebuttal, and closing statement that takes place in this internal debate-I'll spare you the details. I love Star Wars. I love The Twilight Zone. I've currently got a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon poster above my bed. My laugh is way out of control, I make bad jokes and I make my boyfriend watch foreign films on Netflix. Embrace your weird. It might not be 'the best' part of you, but it's BY FAR the most interesting part of you. People like to be entertained. Dazzle them with how unique you are.

10-Be Kind. Be personable. Be observant. How great does it make you feel when someone stops you to say they love your shoes or that you did a great job on x,y.z? It always makes my day.  You, YOU have the power to make someone else's day. So do it. Be the most influential person you know. Remind others around you about the type of woman you are, and in doing so, remind them to be too.

Now that you've finished reading this:
1-Call up your best friend. Tell her she is more beautiful than Cinderella, smells like pine needles, and has a face of sunshine.
2-Have a drink (none of that Skinny Girl low cal crap)
and
3- Give yourself a pat on the back. It's not easy being wonder woman. The wonder isn't so hard-it's the woman part that gets tough sometimes.

You are all beautiful and loved. Never forget it.