Hi gals,

I just wanted to share that I ran the Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday as a running buddy for Girls on the Run. If you’re not familiar, the Race for the Cure is the largest series of 5K (3.1 miles) runs and fitness walks in the world, with more than 1 million participants since 2005. Proceeds from the Races, which are held in cities across the globe, go towards breast cancer research and awareness.

Girls on the Run works with tween girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. I’ve been a coach with Girls on the Run for a few years, but this year, decided to be a running buddy instead. So my job was to run the Race for the Cure with a wonderful 4th grade girl named Stella. It was her first race, and we had a blast running and chatting and being a part of such an incredible day.

I hope you all enjoyed the first official weekend of summer!

XOXO Debbie

I just read an interesting article in Time Magazine about a new way teen girls are speaking out about unrealistic, thin body images in the media…”body activism.”

Researcher Eric Stice created the Body Project to empower high school and college students to stand up to the notion that you have to be thin to be happy or successful. Participating girls explore different media (magazines, TV shows, advertisements) and then write critiques about how women are portrayed.

From the article: “These people who promote the perfect body really don’t care about you at all,” says Kelsey Hertel, a high school junior and Body Project veteran in Eugene, Or. “They purposefully make you feel like less of a person so you’ll buy their stuff and they’ll make money.”

After critiquing negative body images in the media, Body Project participants move on to “body activism,” where they are challenged to come up with creative ways to speak out against unhealthy body images, like “slipping notes saying ‘Love your body the way it is’ into dieting books at stores like Borders and writing letters to Mattel, makers of the impossibly proportioned Barbie doll.”

According to the article, Kelsey Hertel and a friend posted signs in a school bathroom saying YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. DON’T BE SOMEONE THAT YOU’RE NOT. BE YOURSELF.

How cool is that?

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On a similar note, Seventeen Magazine wants to empower girls to come to peace with their bodies through their Body Peace Project. This project features a Body Peace Treaty, which encourages girls to vow to do things like:

• Remember that the sun will still rise tomorrow even if I had one too many slices of pizza or an extra scoop of ice cream tonight.
• Never blame my body for the bad day I’m having.
• Stop joining in when my friends compare and trash their own bodies.
• Never allow a dirty look from someone else to influence how I feel about my appearance.
• Quit judging a person solely by how his or her body looks — even if it seems harmless — because I’d never want anyone to do that to me.

While I love the idea of this Body Peace Treaty, I have to be honest and say that I feel Seventeen Magazine is seriously guilty of sending the wrong messages to girls through the page after page of ads and articles featuring impossibly thin girls. I like that they’re trying to unite girls around embracing healthy body image, but it might mean more if they took a real stand in what they featured inside the magazine. What do you think? Visit the Body Peace Project website and see for yourself. Would love to hear your thoughts!

XOXO Debbie

Smart Girls Know Affirmation: Smart Girls Know the Importance of BALANCE

Finding “balance” seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. You can’t turn your head without seeing a headline about balancing budgets, a food product promising you a balanced blend of carbs, fats, and proteins, or an article about how to balance work, life, and family.

But what is balance anyway? I like to think of it as a state of being where all the core aspects of who you are - mind, body, and soul - are being taken care of.

Sometimes the easiest way to define balance is to show what it isn’t. Here’s what being out of balance might look like:

• skipping meals when you’re stressed
• overeating to make yourself feel better
• getting so wrapped up in schoolwork that you forget to return a friend’s phone call
• putting exercise on the back-burner when life gets hectic
• spending so much time at your part-time job that your social life is nonexistent
• having trouble sleeping because you’ve got so many things on your mind

So what’s the problem with being off balance? Well, imagine walking across a tightrope. You’re doing fine when all of a sudden the rope starts to wobble and you’re so shaky that the slightest breeze could cause you to tumble.

It’s the same with life.

When you’re off balance, every little unexpected thing can throw you for a loop. But if you’re taking care of yourself and are in balance, you’re ready to handle the bumps in the road life throws at you.

So now the real question: How can you create more balance in your life? Here are a few ideas…

• Log your activities for a day (or a week) and see if you can notice any glaring imbalances (for example, are you all work and no play or visa versa?)
• Have periodic check-ins with yourself - every night before you go to bed, do an inventory in your head and see if you’re taking care of you (you ate well, you had some downtime, you did some school work, you laughed at least once)
• Discover the things that make you feel recharged (for me it’s going for a run, listening to the soundtrack for RENT, or hanging out with my girlfriends), and do one of these when you’re feeling like you need to get back on track.
• Start noticing what it feels like when you’re off balance so you’ll be better able to recognize the feeling and nip it in the bud

For more ideas on finding and keeping balance in your life, check out my new book Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You!

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This Month’s MUST READ!

I’m happy to recommend teen writer Sondra Clark’s new book, Snap 2 It: A Real Girl’s Guide to Keeping a Positive Outlook, as this month’s must read.

I first read Sondra’s writing when she wrote a story for one of Chicken Soup books I was working on, The Real Deal: School, and have been impressed with her writing, her tenacity, and her thoughtful perspective ever since.

At age 16, Sondra has already written five books, has been the spokesperson for international causes, and has traveled the world. Let’s just say she’s wise beyond her years, and that comes through loud and clear in her new book, Snap 2 It. This fun, readable book is all about tackling teen challenges from a teen’s perspective, and touches upon things like staying upbeat no matter what is going on in your life, fun ways to forget your troubles and make other people happy, checklists and quizzes to help you figure out what you want in life, and ideas for feeling good about yourself and taking control of your life in a positive way.

I love this book because it speaks to so much of what Smart Girls Know is all about - keeping things in perspective, setting and reaching big goals, staying positive, and knowing that anything is possible. Sondra’s attitude is infectious, and I guarantee that you’ll walk away from reading this book feeling inspired, motivated, and happy.

Congrats to Sondra on this amazing accomplishment, and keep up the great work! To find out more about Sondra, visit her website here!

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Debbie Talks about CHILL in Simon Pulse’s Podcast of the Month

Each month my publisher, Simon Pulse, produces a podcast highlighting an author talking about his or her book. This month’s podcast features yours truly! In the podcast I talk about why I wrote my book “Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You,” what I found most interesting while researching the subject matter, and why I think it will help teens everywhere reduce their stress and find more peace in their lives. You can listen to the podcast here or download it to your iPod. Check it out and let me know what you think!

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Contest Update

I’ve posted info on a bunch of contests and opportunities for teens on Smart Girls Know over the past month. Here are two opportunities with deadlines fast approaching. I’ll continue to post news of contests, competitions, and other cool opportunities as I find them! Good luck!

• Making a Difference Contest: Channel One (deadline May 9)
• The Nation Magazine Writing Contest (deadline May 31)

Channel One, the news channel broadcast in thousands of middle school and high school classrooms around the country, is sponsoring a contest for teens who want to report on a person or group that’s gone green.

The network is challenging teens ages 13-18 to find a local story about a person or organization changing the environment for the better, and then get your video camera and interview them about what they’re doing, how they’re addressing the issue, and what the result or goal of their actions is.

One grand-prize winner will receive $500; two runners-up will win $250 each.

Deadline: May 9, 2008!

Read the official Making a Difference Contest Rules here and good luck!

Today is the 12th annual National Day of Silence, a student-led day of action when concerned students - from middle school to college - take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying, and harassment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and their friends.

This year’s Day of Silence will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Find out more about the Lawrence King tragedy here.

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) sponsors the event, and encourages students to participate in cooperation with their schools. Some students may choose to be silent for the day, while others might choose to be silent for part of the day, during lunch, or at a community event. Some students may participate in “Breaking the Silence” rallies where students come together at the end of the day to express themselves and share their experiences.

Here’s a PSA featuring Lance Bass about the day:

Right after Lawrence King was shot and killed, Ellen DeGeneres spoke out against the hate crime on her show. Ellen’s passionate plea for people to be accepting of everyone was powerful, and something I think everyone should see. Check it out here.

Visit the Day of Silence website for tips on how to acknowledge the day at your school, or how you can participate if your school chooses not to support the day. And if you participate in this day at your school, please comment here and let us know what you did and how it was received!

I just found out about a writing contest that may be of interest to some of you! It’s from The Nation magazine, and is sponsored by the BIL Charitable Trust to recognize and reward the best in student writing and thinking. Here are the details:

“We’re looking for original, thoughtful, provocative student voices to answer this question: What have you learned from a personal experience that the next president should know before setting the agenda for the country? Essays should not exceed 800 words and should be original, unpublished work (the writing can have been published in a student publication) that demonstrates fresh, clear thinking and superior quality of expression and craftsmanship. We’ll select five finalists and two winners–one from college, one from high school. Each winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a Nation subscription. The winning essays will be published and/or excerpted in the magazine and featured on our website. The five finalists will be awarded $200 each and subscriptions, and their entries will be published online. Only one entry per student. Please send entries to studentprize@thenation.com.”

• Age Requirements: The contest is open to all matriculating high school students and undergrads at American schools, colleges, and universities.
• Deadline: May 31, 2008

Submissions can be e-mailed to studentprize@thenation.com. Please include the essay in the body of the e-mail. All e-mailed submissions will be acknowledged. Each entry must include author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail and short biography and school affiliation - and say “student essay” in the subject line. Email studentprize@thenation.com with any questions.

Good luck!

A HUGE congratulations to Indy car racer Danica Patrick! Danica made history on Sunday when she won the Indy Japan 300…the first time a woman has ever won an Indy car race!

It wasn’t that long ago that women weren’t allowed to even be a member of a racing pit crew, let alone compete in such races. Then in 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500. She writes about her racing career in her book Life at Full Throttle.

Today, Danica at 26 years old, is forging new paths of her own. Since coming in fourth place in the Indy 500 three years ago, she’s been trying to win…something that many didn’t think was possible. Even though she was gaining lots of attention for her racing skills, she was constantly faced with those who said she’d never capture that top spot.

In an interview with The New York Times, Danica talked about what her victory means to her: “This reaches outside racing. This is about finding something you love to do, and following through with it.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself! Congrats again Danica, and we’ll be cheering you on in the Indy 500 next month!  Visit Danica’s website to find out more.

Happy Earth Day! Today people all over the world are joining together to celebrate our planet and recommit to protecting its natural resources.

Every year, we learn more and more about global warming and its serious consequences. Scary, because unless we turn things around soon, life for all of us is going to drastically change. Good, because as we learn more about the impact we’re having on the earth, I believe we can ignite enough momentum and passion to actually turn things around.

I picked up my 3-year-old son, Asher, from preschool this afternoon, and I knew their teacher was spending the week talking about the Earth. When I asked Asher for ideas on how we might celebrate Earth Day, he suggested we eat more pancakes. His logic being, that since pancakes are round, they’ll remind us of the earth every time we eat them, and maybe that will remind us to take better care of our planet.

So, what the heck. I’ll eat more pancakes. But I’m also going to recommit to doing what I can to reduce my family’s ecological footprint. Here are some things I’m going to keep on doing (or do more of!):

• use reusable canvas bags when shopping (for groceries, clothes, whatever)
• unplug computers, chargers, toasters, and any other electronic gizmos that suck energy out of the outlets when they’re not in use
• take shorter showers
• turn off the water when brushing teeth
• don’t turn lights on unless it’s dark, and use low-emission light bulbs
• buy locally grown produce whenever possible
• walk, bike, and take public transportation more and drive less
• buy less new “stuff” - thrift stores are less expensive and are just another way of recycling

How about you? Have you made any big changes in your life to reduce your impact on the environment? Leave a comment and share!

For more info on Earth Day, check out these websites:

• Earthday Network
• Envirolink
• US Environmental Protection Agency
• Earthsite

Do you dream of being the next Steven Spielberg? Is the film industry beckoning you? If so, you can get a head start and valuable experience by trying out for the Fresh Films National Teen Filmmaking Program.

Samsung Mobile Fresh Films will give 99 creative and diverse teens from all over the country the unique opportunity to work on one of nine all-teen film crews challenged to create, shoot, and edit a short festival-quality film in seven days this summer. Fresh Films crews will be shooting in 9 different cities: Portland, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, New York City, Boston, and New Orleans.

Here’s what you need to know:

U.S. teens ages 14-19 can apply and no experience is necessary. Teens must submit a completed entry form, including 100 words or less on why they want to be a part of a film crew along with a sample film idea. Get all the details here.

Deadline: May 5th

Good luck!

I’m so excited to be taking part in ReaderGirlz first ever Operation Teen Book Drop (TBD) on Thursday, April 17! ReaderGirlz has partnered with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) to donate more than 10,000 YA books to teen patients in hospitals across the United States as part of Support Teen Lit Day.

While the books going to hospitals are being donated by book publishing houses, ReaderGirlz wanted to get authors involved too, so they have reached out to teens and YA authors everywhere and asked us to leave a book in a teen gathering spot in our community where the book will be found, taken, and read (i.e. a coffee shop, a park, a school, a bus stop).

I’ll be dropping a copy of my books Chill and In Their Shoes here in Seattle…I haven’t figured out the perfect place yet, but will do so by Thursday. And you can participate too! Share one of your favorite YA books with another teen by doing a drop of your own. You can download a bookplate from the Readergirlz site to stick inside the book you drop.

Everyone who participates in Operation TBD is invited to celebrate at the TBD Post-Op Party on April 17th on the readergirlz MySpace group forum.

Here’s to getting more great books in the hands of teens! Let me know if you participate in Operation TBD!

Cheers,

Debbie