Recently, I was so lucky to have a group of girls from the Girls, Inc. program in Worcester visit our office. They came in as part of a four-week program and were immersed in all things STEM and business to help them prepare for life after high school. When I was asked to host them for a day, I decided to do something a little bit different and focus on self-esteem and confidence. Having good self-esteem and knowing your own worth is critical to everything that follows, regardless of your chosen profession. The Dalai Lama said, “That sort of confidence is not a blind one; it is an awareness of one’s own potential.”

One of the activities I had them do was to go through a bunch of old magazines and brochures and find pictures which represented them as unique individuals, made them feel empowered and sparked happiness. They cut these photos out and glued them to a foam core board. I also provided markers so they could write in anything that inspired them. I thought it would be a fun activity for teenage girls, and it was something they could take with them and look at when they needed that boost.

It got me thinking, though … why not do this activity as adults, too? The act of creating something gives us freedom. Maybe we have lost sight of what makes us so great. Maybe we need some extra inspiration for a job we are interviewing for or a confidence boost before a tough exam. Maybe we just need a reminder of all the things we are and love. With this said, I challenge people to make these boards for themselves. We did them on an 11- by 14-inch board, but any size will do. When you are done, take a picture of your board and e-mail it to us – we would love to see what you’ve done and maybe we can include it in a future story!

Remember: There is no wrong way to do this. We all have old magazines and things lying around. Take what has meaning for you and create!

The pure light in me respects and honors your unique light. Namaste.

Jennifer Russo