Talking Confidence on International Women's Day
It’s no secret that social media has changed the fabric of society and had profound effects on the way we communicate, build relationships, and establish communities. It has both pros and cons, giving voice to otherwise disenfranchised groups and allowing socially isolated individuals to confidently connect with others and feel a sense of belonging.
On the flip side, it is now well understood that the impact on teen mental health is significant, with constant ‘comparison-itis’ eroding self esteem and creating a vortex of empty, superficial aspirations.
In the face of such change, the question is confidence. How do we instill a sense of confidence in young people given the barrage of information they receive every day telling them that they are not enough? That they need to be bigger, smaller, smarter, less interested in learning, more interested in sound bites, more invested in their appearance, and Just. Not. Good. Enough.
Although this applies to all young people, today is International Women’s Day and it seems an opportune time to talk about confidence in girls. How we nurture it, build it, promote it, and hopefully send them out into the world with enough of it to weather whatever is thrown their way.
One way to encourage this confidence is to foster an environment of support and gratitude in our schools. A culture of acknowledging and celebrating not just academic or sporting achievements, but also those small moments of care and support shown for each other. The little acts of kindness and thoughtfulness that mean just as much as straight A’s or high level sport representation.
At TAP, we love to learn about like minded organisations and their people, making change in the mental health space and improving wellbeing outcomes for our youth.
So, today, we would like to say thanks to NSW Australian of the Year 2025 and kindness advocate, Kath Koschel.
Kath overcame enormous adversity after learning that it was likely she would never walk again when she broke her back twice. Not only overcoming these challenges through incredible mental strength and resilience, she has also gone on to establish the Kindness Factory, creating and delivering the Kindness Curriculum to schools across Australia, USA, and UK.
Kath is an example of the women of confidence, drive and resilience that stand as a reminder to girls of the strength they each possess to overcome their own challenges and thrive in a world which increasingly prioritises superficial attributes. Thank you, Kath, for your vision of, and dedication to, creating supportive and inclusive school communities.
Happy IWD to all the young women out there! Hoping 2025 brings you a bucket load of self-belief and many opportunities to champion your own strengths, whatever they may be.