It’s been a year since I graduated, or a year since I WALKED in graduation. I actually graduated this December because I got a D in my last class and was given the news that I had to take a whole nother semester, which I ended up completing from home in New Jersey. This also meant I had to switch my major from International business, minoring in Entrepreneurship and Spanish, to Integrated Studies of International Business and Entrepreneurship with a minor in Spanish. Don’t ask why.
I hated that era. My parents were disappointed, and it took a lot to regain my status. Thankfully, I’m probably more up now than I’ve ever been. I’m probably the coolest I’ve ever been too. It took a lot of self-trust and riddance to become this aligned with who I am. I’m sure I won’t reach peak alignment until I’m 92 or so, but I definitely see the vision coming together.
Ever since I started Girl Hazard three years ago, I knew that it wasn’t just a product or service. It was a specific feeling, a persona, an attitude. One that everyone knows or has seen, but can’t quite name what it is. I feel that I have a responsibility to take care of this persona, to guide it and let it prosper.
By allowing myself to embody this version of my existence, I’m without a doubt able to get where I need to be. In a world where there are people so opposite of the Girl Hazard mentality, it can be difficult to fully step into it for yourself.
So I started thinking about what being a Girl Hazard actually requires.
I think it starts with being self-aware. You have to tune into your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Understand your behavior and why you’ve acted and felt certain ways in different situations.
Then, recognize your mistakes. Mistakes are human, and I don’t believe in not making them. You SHOULD make them, but you should acknowledge where you went wrong and learn from them.
And from there, you have to actually understand who you are at your core. Go into your room, sit in front of a mirror, and strip back everyone else’s character traits, but your own. Who are you when no one else is in the room, when you are completely you? Let that guide you, because that is you, and there is only one you.
And once you know who you are, let yourself dream harder than you ever have before. Let the fairytale you create in your head become the reality. Know that it CAN look like that, even if it looks nothing like that now. Dreams are powerful if fed. Daydreaming helps instill a mental mood board… use it to your advantage.
And that’s where taking care of yourself comes in. Fuel yourself like you are training for a sold-out world tour. Let your body and nervous system feel safe. Processed foods, sugar, and gums will slow you down. Give yourself the things you need to perform better and better every day.
Keep dreaming, learning, improving, and moving forward.
Girl Hazard is a feeling. The feeling that comes from knowing exactly who you are, even if the rest of the world isn’t caught up yet.
