Lisa Clark - Think Pink

Y’see, the popular girls wore their ‘too-cool-for-school’ badges with pride and the fit, football playing dudes of the playground were more than happy to live up to their ‘sports jock’ title. Nobody really questioned their labels, even the people with bad ones like shallow diva’ or ‘flirty floozy’ so how was I ever going to lose mine?

By being who I was destined to be without worrying about what people thought, that’s how. I know it’s easier said than done, but by ditching the pressure of what other people thought of me, I became free to be the sparkle-shine girl I’d always wanted to be, not who other people expected me to be.

There are some labels I’m sure you’d be more than happy to carry around, Prada being one of mine, but if you’re not digging the badge you’ve been given, hand it back and make your own!

What label would you like to ditch?

What would you like people to know about you?

As any successful, kick-ass chick will tell you, if you want to get ahead in life, you’ll need to be super confident, know what you’re good at and maximise your potential. So, forget big name brands like Nike and Coca-Cola, make ‘brand YOU’ the most successful, exciting and fantastically fabulous brand on the market. Check me out!

Brand:Lola Love – Pink Princess

Main features:Feisty, fun, fearless and fabulous

Unique Selling Point:My pink hair!

Packaging:In-your-face, original and creative

Content:Funny, unique, kooky, determined and genuine

Tag line:I Rock!

In order to tell the world how sparkly-gorgeous you are, you need to sell yourself baby!

Brand: who are you and what do you want to be seen as?

Main features: what makes you so amazing?

Unique Selling Point: What makes you stand out from everyone else?

Packaging: How would you describe yourself?

Content: What are your kick-ass qualities?

Tag line: How would you sum yourself up in one sentence?

Now read it and believe it, start believing the hype, because when you believe in yourself and all the things that make you great, you will rule the world!

For those moments when you don’t feel like the sparkle-shine glitter girl that you really are, mutter a marvellous mantra. A mantra is a few simple words, a phrase or a sentence that will boost your motivation and confidence and encourage you to Think Pink. I’ve got them everywhere, on my mirror, in my school books and I’ve even sewn ‘you rock’ onto my school bag – I’m so art girl! These are a few of my favourites, cut them out, tape them up and be inspired!

Last year, when the poster went up for the school production of Grease, I wanted nothing more than to play the part of Frenchy – she’s a fun and fabulous, pink-haired kinda girl who rocks my world. Angel, my best friend and real-life Frenchy (you’ll meet her later, she’s super sassy and allsorts of fabulous) was relentless and would not rest her shiny-glossed lips until I agreed to audition. Thing is, I was scared, super scared. I thought I would make a prize plum of myself and I doubted my abilities. So I faked it.

I pretended I was Marilyn Monroe, all graceful and beautiful and adored by millions auditioning for the role. You see, Marilyn was far too cool and talented not to get the part. So as I stepped up to the stage, I instantly became tall, proud and confident. Thankfully, acting like you’re confident tends to make you feel confident and once I had belted out ‘Beauty School Dropout’ I knew I was rockin’! It worked, I bagged the role, the play was hugely successful and I was so confident in my own acting abilities that I left Marilyn at home throughout the whole production.

This technique can be applied to any situation. If you’ve got a date with that oh-so-fine, hot-to-trot chico then pretend to be a celeb type who everyone admires for their sparkling wit and melt-heart eyes. If you’re nervous about a sports match, pick your favourite athlete and pretend to be her. Faking confidence is a great way to prove you can do it, get through it, realise you rock and have the real confidence to go solo next time!

1 Walk tall. I know it sounds like something your mum might say, but it’s true. Pull those shoulders back and move like you’re proud of who you are, soon enough you’ll actually feel it too.

2 Become an art girl and take some moody pictures with your camera, join a trampoline class or become a superchef – whatever you choose make sure it’s something you’ve never done before.

3 Think good thoughts. When you’re feeling a little bit nervy, remember good times for an instant boost.

4 Be nice to yourself. You’ll be hanging out with yourself for a long time so you’d better kiss and make up.

5 Smile. A lot.

I used to have one of those fabulously fab-like Magic 8 Balls, a destiny-deciding device that is ever so helpful when you’re as indecisive a person as moi…thing is, the ball didn’t always tell me what I wanted to hear so I decided to make me some sassy ‘Go Ahead’ cards to keep in my Think Pink vanity case. These sparkly-gorgeous little cards give me permission to do something I love every day – how cool?!

Directions:

1 Take a big piece of card and cut it into 10 sections

2 On each section draw or write something you would love to do

3 Place your set of cards in a bowl or bag

4 Close your eyes and pick one

5 Say after me… ‘Go ahead and….’

What you will need:

* Card * Colouring in facilities

* Scissors

If you need any ideas, here are mine:Wear false eyelashes…Take a nap… Beautify from head to toe…Play air guitar…Emulate the style of a 50’s pin-up girl…Shop…Read a book… Paint the town pink…

To shine like the superstar sparkle girl you truly are, take a tip from those celeb types.

* Wear shades at all times – pink, natch – the world is a truly amazing place when seen through these.

* Get a look that’s all yours – you need a look that’s completely YOU-nique for your moment in the limelight.