Guest Post: Jenni from "Story of My Life"

Aloha Friends and Happy Tuesday!  Today's post is the final installment to the Girl Power series; I hope you enjoyed reading what these ladies have had to say and that perhaps you've made a new blog friend or two in the process.

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My guest blogger today hails from Austin, Texas and is well-known here in the blogosphere as the lovely Jenni from Story of My Life.  In a short amount of time, Jenni has become a very good friend of mine;  I adore her and look forward to the day that we have the opportunity to meet in real life.  She is supportive, kind and so incredibly genuine.  I'm grateful that our blog-paths crossed and am honored to count her as a friend!

Hello readers of Angie!  Before we begin, might I just say how terribly flattered I am to be here?  Angie is one of my favorite bloggers.  Such an inspiration to me.  And I'm betting she is to you, too. So, um... in keeping with today's theme... I hope you like me? :P

I'm going to talk a little bit about what it means to be a strong and confident woman.  And just to kick off this thing right, please read the following poem I wrote at the tender age of 11:

"No one will ever like me!"

Said Jenni (lastname) one day
When my hair finally does look right

For certain it won't stay that way!

My glasses take up half my face

My pimples own the other space

My bangs do never stay in place

"No one will ever like me!"

One ear is bigger than the other

"You're beautiful!" says lying mother

I know I'm not,

It's clear to spot,

"No one will ever like me!"

AHEM.  So.  Clearly, self-esteem has not always been my strong point. However, I'm happy to say things have improved dramatically since the angst-ridden little girl cranked out this rather pathetic piece of poetry. So what has changed in me since I was that little girl, distraught and certain that no one would ever like her?  As I thought about this, I realized that since then I've learned to look inside myself for strength instead of always to someone else.  I've realized my own power over my circumstances.  I've realized that I'm not a slave to what other's think of me.  I've realized that most of what I dislike about myself can be changed with a little bit of determination, and the rest?  Well, if it can't be changed than it's not worth the energy it takes to fret over it. 

I certainly don't consider myself a perfectly strong and confident woman just yet, but I'm trying!  Women who are strong and confident aren't completely immune to what other's think of them--they still have feelings and insecurities and imperfections.  But they've learned to stop pointing fingers and making excuses and allowing others so much control over how they feel.  I believe that WE paint this beautiful portrait that is our life.  We should be gentle with it, and forgiving of its flaws, but we should also hold it to a high standard. 

Strength and confidence are certainly a journey.  I bet there are very few who have it just right.  But it's a goal worth striving for, that's for sure!

Annnd that's all I have to say about THAT. :)  Angie, thanks for having me over!! 

To read more of my ramblings, visit me anytime over at Story of My Life. :)

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If you're not already following Jenni's blog, you need to remedy that right now. And since you're already online, be sure to check out her Etsy shop here, follow her on Twitter here, and Like her Facebook page here. I think that about covers it. :)