the Story

It's HARD to be a teen. And not such a breeze being a girl either.
Peer pressure, emotions, PUBERTY, social challenges, and of course BOYS! Among trying to do well in school, enjoying something of a social life, and feeling the pressures of trying to look and BE like the celebrities and models out there... where's the hope of ever feeling GOOD ENOUGH?

Who SAID we're supposed to be skinny? Who said we're supposed to be tall? Or short? Or blue eyed? Or blonde? Or red head? Or anything???
And why do we care so much what other people think?

We just do.

We want to fit in, and we want to be accepted. We have created a belief system that dictates to us that these are our "supposed-to's", and we do what ever it takes to make them a part of who we are.

But are we ever really satisfied? Can we ever achieve those unrealistic expectations? The ones that just keep changing and getting more and more out of our reach?

When will we ever feel GOOD ENOUGH?

I felt the same way many teen girls feel today when I was a teenager. Many things were a struggle. Much more so than I needed them to be, but at the time it was all relative. As I grew up, things became more clear and I learned about making choices for what is best for me. Not easy. And I'm still learning. 

A mother of teen girls, it became even MORE important to help girls realize they can change their beliefs in a positive way that is personally empowering. There grew the idea for Girls Can Do Anything Magazine. A phrase I said to my own girls ever since they were toddlers.

Almost two years and hundreds of hours of research and preparation later (part time then, of course), that idea had grown into it's own entity. The logo, the plan, the mission, the vision... it became a reality.

I knew it was a massive undertaking, and something I didn't want to launch on my own. The group is stronger than the individual, I was told. So I built an incredible Advisory Committee of women and teens to come together regularly to share ideas and brainstorm on how to make the magazine the best it can possibly be. I carefully selected a group of incredibly talented and passionate writers who have since written and are still writing the amazing articles that make GCDA the empowering magazine that it is.

It is from the efforts of all of us that we present to you the product of hard work and great intention.

~ Jenifer Merifield, Founder

Come and meet us!