True beauty can be found in your hands
	Your Self-Esteem Is In Your Hands My hands are beautiful because they create beautiful words, stories, and poetry. Elaise, 13 Put your self-esteem in your hands and email your thoughts on real beauty and self-esteem busters to submit@studio2b.org.

Finding Balance
Cover Girls

By Rande Bynum, staff writer

It's funny where you find real beauty. And who can boost your self-esteem.

Waiting in the express lane at my local supermarket, I am always struck by the images before me. Tabloids and glossy magazines seem to stare at me when I'm in my favorite old sweatpants, battered Pumas, and faded UCONN baseball cap. I chuckle and look into my basket at the chocolate covered doughnuts, Diet Coke, and microwave popcorn I'm toting. At these moments I question my own self-esteem.

Self-Esteem Busters

Below are some magazine "headlines" that taunt me in the supermarket and have become my "beauty don'ts." Included are uniquely ME! activities to boost—not bust—your self-esteem.

1. Lose 10 Pounds In Two Days!
   Food is fuel and eating healthy leads to healthy self-esteem. STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! Inside and Out offers support in your menu choices and awareness information about eating disorders.
   
   
2. Your Best Friend's Ex-Boyfriend—Your Friend?
   Friendship is an important part of your self-esteem. STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! The Real Deal gets down to business about friendship—from sticky situations to celebrations.
   
   
3. Perfect Thighs and Abs … And Eyebrows.
   A healthy body is everyone's goal but who has the time? STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! Inside and Out offers a step-by-step guide for the busiest schedules.
   
   
4. Too Smart For Your Own Good?
   Know your talents and strengths and what matters most to you. STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! Real Deal shows you that hiding your achievements to fit in is not cool.
   
   
5. Tomorrow's Fashion Trends Today!
   Discover your own style with STUDIO 2B Focus: uniquely ME! Inside and Out. Unique style is one way to tell people what matters to you. And it can help you feel good about yourself, inside and out.

Real Beauty Tips from Real Girls

Strong self-esteem comes from within and not from a magazine cover. I was reminded of that by some girls I recently met at a conference. Here is what they shared when asked what beauty meant to them.

Real Beauty is:

1. Being what you want to be
2. Whatever makes you happy
3. Being nice to your own body and being nice to people in their bodies
4. Finding your voice and letting no one silence you
5. Seeing laughter in somebody's eyes
   

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uniquely ME! THE GIRL SCOUT/UNILEVER SELF-ESTEEM PROGRAM was established in the fall of 2001 to boost self-esteem among girls ages 8 to 14. The uniquely ME! resources are available for all girls.