Guest Post with Author of "What's Wrong With Me?" by Daree Allen @DareeAllen

Currently author Daree Allen, MS is on her Official “What’s Wrong With Me?” Blog Tour. Over a 7 week period she will appear on 35 different blogs and websites.

Can You Be Your Own Mentor?

By Author Daree Allen, MS

With January being National Mentoring month, President Obama recently issued the following proclamation: “Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood. By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge, and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation’s youth for a bright future.” January 2012 marks the 11th Annual National Mentoring Month has the theme, "Invest in the Future: Mentor a Child." It highlights the importance of mentors and the need for every child to have the guidance of a caring adult.

Indeed, adolescence is a critical time for mentoring. Without positive role models, teen girls especially often face a “crisis of confidence” and are especially vulnerable to risky behavior and making bad choices with devastating lifelong consequences. I certainly could have used a mentor when I was growing up--I had no one to help me with certain "growing up girl" issues, or to help foster or reinforce healthy self-esteem. I didn't grow up around extended family or have "built-in" friends (like cousins) at school to have my back. God's grace helped me make it to adulthood.

But mentoring is not just for the kiddies. Could you use a little more mentoring? I sure could. Women in business (whether corporate or entrepreneurs) need professional mentoring too. And SAHMs benefit greatly from the camaraderie of other moms--everything from playdates to mom blogging can benefit from sharing tips and tools with other moms. (Technically I am both, since I work from home.)

You may not be a teenager, or have one, but maybe you need mentoring on a particular subject. How will you do it?

A couple of years ago, I picked up "Be Your Own Mentor" by Anne Bruce because I knew I was going to need help writing my book (a self-help book on teen mentoring, funny enough. And I have not read it yet, but I will!) One thing I can tell you upon skimming it is that it takes a lot of work and discipline to mentor oneself. I already know about self-discipline from working at home for the past 7 years with an 8-year-old daughter, but for most of us, we need accountability from someone we trust, and if that person can be a mentor or coach to us because they've been in the trenches before, so much the better.

Can you be your own mentor? If not, how will you choose one, when, and for what goal?

 

About Daree Allen:

Daree Allen is an authorpreneur, young adult esteem advocate, speaker, and goal-getter in Atlanta, GA. She has published articles on a variety of topics as a freelance writer and blogger, and is the author of the new teen mentoring book entitled, "What's Wrong With Me?" in which she discusses her own childhood dealing with self-esteem, premarital sex, family and personal relationships. Find out more about her work at DareesInsights.com, DareeAllen.com, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

Publisher: Kharacter Distinction Books (February 14, 2012)
Language: English

Genre: Young Adult/Self-Help

ISBN-10: 0983745501
ISBN-13: 978-0983745501
Buy it on Amazon

About "What's Wrong With Me?"

Premarital sex. Drugs. Dating violence. Dropping out of school. So many choices, good and bad, are available for youth in America today, and girls continue to be especially vulnerable. They often blame themselves for things that go wrong in their lives, even when it s not their fault. They ask, What s wrong with me?, or they hear, What s wrong with you?! and brace themselves for the denigrating comments to follow. It s a timeless theme: girls grow up in every generation struggling with self-esteem, confidence, body image issues, uncertainty about dating, and insecurity about their identities. Where do they turn for answers or role models? Friends and peers don t make for such great influences and mentors when they are floundering themselves. Images of women of color in the media (TV and music videos) reinforce an impossible ideal and lack of self-esteem. How do girls today make decisions that will positively impact their future and not become victims of their surroundings? How can they affirm their Christianity proudly and not succumb to the deteriorating values of modern society? In this empowering Christian self-help book, Allen weaves her memoir from 20 years of journaling with lessons that still ring true for girls today, about such topics as accepting their identity, adopting a healthy body image, dating relationships, dealing with toxic friends and family members, avoiding or delaying premarital sex, building self-esteem, developing a positive attitude, dressing for success, setting goals, spending money wisely, handling anger and depression, and embracing their singleness, discovering their life purpose, and keeping God first.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or

Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it

on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally

and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance

With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the

Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."