Dove Walk the Talk Rally for Self-Esteem #DoveInspired

The weekend of October 5^th, Dove is holding the finale of their Movement for Self-Esteem with a Walk the Talk Rally. The focus of the gathering is the fear that girls and young women have about their looks. Dove wants to inspire females of all ages to be confident about whom they are inside and out.

Dove Rally

Held in Times Square with mentors and members of the Girl Scouts and Boys and Girls Club of America, the weekend will begin with a rally to help boost self-esteem. Then a silent walk will take place to replicate the fear females have about discussing their issues with their looks. You can follow the walk virtually on Twitter by following @Dove and the hashtag #DoveInspired.

The Reality

When girls don’t like the way they look, they may miss out on the activities they love like gymnastics, dancing, swimming and cheerleading. They may not answer questions in school or eat food in front of others. They feel inferior and ugly. And many won’t discuss their feeling even with those closest to them.

Visit the Dove Social Mission Facebook page to read the statistics about girls and their beliefs about beauty. You will also find conversation starters by Dove Self-Esteem Ambassador Jess Weiner. These suggestions can get you talking with a girl in your life. Today Dove is introducing their Let’s Talk Toolkit on Facebook which goes into more detail about how to start these life altering discussions.

The Means to a Change

My tween daughter and I have always had open talks especially about her feelings, but Dove helped me recognize the overlooked signs of a girl who worries about her looks. I’ve learned to:

• Praise her about specific qualities such as her kindness to others
• Talk about all the work that goes into making fashion models and celebrities look perfect
• Discuss the changes her body is going through without embarrassment, allowing her to tell me what bothers her
• Listen to music, watch shows and read books that conquer the subject of inner beauty and being different

I’m also working on not putting myself down, especially where she can hear. I’m happy to say that she tells me to stop. She is learning quite well that confidence comes from within and that beauty is more than skin deep thanks to taking part in Dove’s Self-Esteem campaign.

Remember to get the Let’s Talk Tool Kit today and to take part in the Walk the Talk Rally either online or start your own. Visit the Dove website for other tool kits and get talking with the girls in your life about inner beauty.

What do you do to improve your daughter’s or another girl’s self-esteem?

Disclosure: I am partnering with Dove for the Dove Movement for Self-Esteem Campaign. Although I am being compensated for writing posts, I strongly believe in this project.