My daughter is 3. She is so very, very 3. One minute I’m not sure I can handle any more of her “threenager” sass, and the next minute she’s snuggled in my lap and my best friend in the world. However, one thing about her is that she is always completely, unapologetically herself. As I’ve recently come to accept, she’s just so Olivia. At 3, she completely embraces who she is and totally works what her mama gave her. Crazy hair, don’t care, and sparkle and glitter for days. I naively hope this never changes.
I’m fairly certain the world has to watch out for my Olivia. I know she is going to change it one day. By letting her be who she is, she already has a very strong sense of self; she knows what she wants and how to make it happen. I hope we continue to instill in her the same values my parents taught me as a child: Embrace yourself, your individuality, and “just do you.”
However, I worry about the future. I worry that when she is older and exposed to much more, her sense of self is going to suffer. She won’t understand her true worth and will be in an endless cycle of comparing herself to her peers and celebrities, worrying she’s not thin enough, not good enough, not pretty enough. But no matter what her interests are, or how her body changes, she will always and forever be beautiful.
I do what I can now to help her understand that being a woman is an amazing thing. Whether it’s for a normal day or a special event requiring getting dressed to the nines, Olivia helps me dress and get ready. I have her come to the gym whenever the schedule allows, and I encourage her to participate when I work out and stretch at home. Part of the reason I do CrossFit is to feel better in my own skin, which I hope she understands and values. I never imagined that lifting heavy weights could help me embrace my femininity and feel better about who I am.
She now likes to tell everyone she meets how strong she is, showing off her muscles all the while. She tells everyone she’s funny and smart, and she completely owns who she is — 3. So very 3. And so very Olivia.
Dove is determined to celebrate every young woman — women like me, and girls like Olivia — and what makes her completely unique. That’s why their Take a New Look campaign speaks so strongly to me. I’m determined that my daughter reaches her full potential and never lets her insecurities hold her back. She can do anything she wants, as long as she puts her heart and mind to it. I never want her to feel like she isn’t good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to try her hand at anything she darn well pleases. And whatever I can do to encourage that along the way? You better believe I’m doing it.
If you want to help encourage self-esteem in any young woman in your life, be sure to check out the #TakeANewLookNovember campaign to learn more about how Dove is helping young ladies around the world develop a strong sense of self-esteem.
And don’t forget to stock up on some of your favorite Dove products at Shaws and Star Market! I’m a big fan of the Deep Moisture Body Wash (and so is my husband, shhhh), and I absolutely love the Advanced Care Deodorant, since I feel like it keeps me dry and presentable throughout my nonstop mom-of-three days! Support the Take a New Look campaign with a buy 2, save $2 coupon off my beloved body wash and deodorant, Daily Moisture Nutritive Solutions Shampoo, and Dove White Beauty Bars. You can head to the Dove site to take a quiz, find the best products for you, and learn about all of their amazing campaigns!
