Puberty as a Young Woman
Puberty can be one of the scariest times of a young girls life. I remember thinking that part of my life was me “becoming an adult”, and that it made me much older than what I was. Suddenly, my mom was going to force me to pay bills or I had to be in a hurry to fall in love. Of course, all of these ideas are far from the truth, and more than anything, laughable.
Then there were moments where I felt extremely moody, or uneasy because I had pimples on my face when none of the other girls in my class did. It made me nervous to see that my period had come on ahead of time and that I had to now look for training bras with my mother. I felt like my world had come crashing in and I didn’t know how to save myself, since I had felt all alone.
It’s safe to say that these things are normal, and (yes) I am not the only girl experiencing these kinds of conditions going on with my body. Around the age of 8 to the age of 13, this is when most girls start to experience puberty; it usually stops around age 14.
Puberty causes things such as an increase in height and an increase in the weight that you gain. According to www.teenswebmd.com, “starting at around age 9, girls begin to gain about 17% to 18% of their adult height.” Further support from www.girlshealth.gov stresses, “for one, between the ages of 9 and 13, girls grow much faster than they had been growing. This process, called a growth spurt, happens later for boys. That explains why you may be taller than the boys in your grade for a while.” Alongside these changes, your hips may become curvier, a weight gain will happen as your body structure widens and becomes accustomed to your body, breast growth, and body hair.
It is tough for most girls when experiencing this change in your body. It almost makes you feel as if you are disconnected from something, but you are not. As you begin to embrace the changes that come with your new body, your new image, I know that it might be easy to compare yourselves to the models that you see, but be hesitant about doing so. Again, being a woman comes in all forms and functions and allow this to be the time where you embrace all that you are. Some women go through serious eating disorders, or serious mental breakdowns from not allowing themselves to be the love that they need or having unrealistic expectations about their bodies and about those around them.
With all of these things going on, remember to get enough rest, keep exercising, eat a well nourished meals so that you can be healthy, and to keep a positive mindset. Young girls, and women all around the globe who are now adults, are going through this and it is a good time to remember that we all have each other’s backs on this journey.
