Imagine being thrown into a game of competition with millions of other candidates. No one knows what the prize is or if there is even a prize at all. There are no real points given and you are your own judge. This competition is called life, and all the candidates are girls.

What weapons and strategies will be used during this game, and how successful will they prove to be?

One of the most powerful weapons that can be used is so easy to obtain, and maybe that is why it is used so often. The weapon of words may be the easiest way to break down an opponent. What one girl says to another can determine her worth, considering she is her own judge. Some commonly used words include ugly, worthless, fat, stupid; but the list goes on.

The strategy that goes along with this weapon? To make your opponent feel inferior which will ultimately make you feel better, stronger, and more important.

How successful is this combination? The answer is simple; it's not. This combination will lead to the false belief that you are better, stronger, and more important. Eventually, another opponent will come along and turn you into the inferior. If this cycle never starts, then there will be no reason to feel inferior. To be successful we must give what we want to receive instead of giving what we fear to receive.

What if we take the words away; will this strategy prove to be successful?

Nonverbal communication is the second weapon that can be used in the game. This weapon is also easy to execute. How is this weapon used? When one opponent encounters another she can use body language to make her opponent feel uncomfortable and insecure. The look she gives her opponent can express many things; an example would be the typical “up and down” look, or the “what are you looking at?” glare. Both of these are used to achieve a negative goal; to make the opponent feel inferior.

The same outcome is intended from both strategies, but they both create a negative, reoccurring cycle. If you give off negativity, you will receive negativity back; they both fail.

The next strategy that can be used is a technique that can be closely related to an old war tactic. This is called guerilla warfare, a kind of petty warfare. Although there won’t be physical harm, mental and emotional harm will take place. A small group of opponents bind together to target, ambush and influence another opponent. We call these cliques, and it is a superior way to break down an opponent.

The goal is to again make the lone opponent feel inferior. Does this strategy bring positive effects to any of the opponents? The answer is no. This strategy will ultimately fail because the lone opponent will be negatively effected, but so will the clique. Eventually the clique will start to go after each other because they are so used to feeding off of negativity.

Three strategies, but no success.

What needs to be changed to create positivity?

What if we take the weapons away; will the strategy be successful?

If we take away the “word weapon”, nonverbal communication and the guerilla warfare, what can we replace them with?

This strategy is one that differs from all the others. You are your own judge, so it only matters what you think of yourself. To excel in this game, you must love yourself for the person you are; this is logic. If you love the person you are before facing an opponent there will be no reason to feel like you need to be better than them which reduces the need to tear them down. If you are not tearing someone down that must mean you are building them up. This strategy also creates a reoccurring cycle but the difference is simple; it’s positive. If everyone is building each other up and no one is being torn down, then everyone is only going up. Everyone will engage in a positive experience. This strategy proves to be successful because it creates positivity for all opponents.

Some of you may understand this game because you have played it. If you catch yourself in this game always remember to use the winning strategy; nobody likes to lose.