Moving Forward

The arrow—a symbol of strength, power and forward motion—is the inspiration for UPGiRL. The image came to me while slogging through an emotionally difficult time, during which I felt repeatedly sucker-punched as I faced one painful experience after another.

I was exhausted. Depleted. Running on fumes. I read something that stuck with me: that all of our experiences are neutral. That it is the meaning that we attach to them that dictates how we feel. Whatever we label the experience, that’s what it becomes. A friendship that fizzles, getting cut from the team, or not getting that role can be internalized as a devastating and dark hole, or as a bright opportunity to explore a different path. Like Shakespeare’s line from Hamlet: “…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

What we tell ourselves, we believe.

Every time I was struck with one of those unexpected zingers, I envisioned bending over to pick up the unsavory experience—but as I touched it, it became an arrow, gleaming with determination, protection and forward motion. I imagined tossing the arrow behind me into a bag of other arrows slung onto my shoulder, to be used at another time with confidence. In my mind, I carried that quiver of positivity with me everywhere. How empowering, how reassuring, how stabilizing to know that the arrows I gathered literally and figuratively “had my back.”   

I created UPGiRL to show girls how to claim their arrows. To support, uplift and strengthen them from the inside out. To inspire emotional vibrancy and physical wellbeing. To encourage less thinking and more feeling. To foster self-awareness, positivity and a deep trusting of the gut. To celebrate every girl equally, with deep respect and celebration for her individuality. To teach girls not to aspire to perfectly curated images on social media; but to simply show up and say, “I am here.”

To NOT strive to be “as straight as an arrow,” because this expression is not entirely true. At rest, arrows are straight. But in flight, they actually bend and twist their way towards the target. Flexible yet strong. Wobbly yet determined. Like girls can be. They can bend and twist as they move towards their goals, and remain calm, resilient and confident at rest.

Toss that quiver over your shoulder and let’s get started.