Here are a few foundational skills I believe every young woman should begin developing through her formative years and into adulthood. This list is not exhaustive, but it provides a strong framework.
1. A Firm Knowledge of Your Identity
First and foremost, know who you are.
This goes beyond destiny or future calling. It means understanding your present personality—becoming aware of what you enjoy, what drains you, how you respond under pressure, and the kinds of environments in which you thrive.
Pay attention to:
- Physical environments
- Social environments
- Emotional and mental climates
Learn what strengthens you and what hampers you. Self-awareness is not self-absorption—it is stewardship. When you understand yourself, you can navigate life wisely.
2. Understanding Nutrition and Your Body’s Needs
Learn how to nourish your body.
Develop interoception—the ability to recognize what your body needs in a given season. Understand basic nutrition. Know how food affects your energy, mood, hormones, and clarity of thought.
Your body is not separate from your spiritual life. Caring for it is part of honoring God.
3. Personal Hygiene and Bodily Care
Know how to care for your body well.
Recognize what each part requires—rest, cleanliness, protection, maintenance. Form habits that preserve your health long-term. Stewardship of your body reflects gratitude for the life you’ve been given.
4. Hair Care and Understanding Your Hair Type
Learn your hair—its texture, density, needs, and limits.
Understand how to nourish it, protect it, and present it well. Hair care is not vanity; it is knowledge and maintenance. It reflects attentiveness and care.
5. Facial Presentation and Grooming
Learn how to present your face in a tidy, refined way.
Whether that includes makeup or not is a personal choice. But knowing how to apply makeup skillfully—when appropriate—and in moderation is a useful skill.
“Best possible” does not mean excessive. Over-application can distract rather than enhance. Presentation should reflect balance, modesty, and confidence—not insecurity.
6. Dressing in a Way That Flatters Your Physique
Discover what suits your body type and personal style.
Presentation matters. First impressions are part of human nature. Learning how to dress modestly yet beautifully, in a way that honors your form and reflects dignity, is wise stewardship.
Every person has been made beautiful. Presenting yourself well is not pride—it can be a quiet offering of order, care, and respect to the world around you.
7. Learning to Cook and Prepare Nutritious Meals
Understand how to source and combine ingredients from nature to create nourishing food.
Cooking is both a science and an art. It cultivates independence, health, and hospitality.
8. Maintaining a Clean and Orderly Environment
Learn how to keep your surroundings clean and organized.
Your environment influences your clarity, productivity, and emotional state. Order supports peace.
9. Relational and Social Skills
Learn how to converse well.
Learn how to make friends.
Learn how to maintain healthy boundaries.
Not for the sake of impressing others—but to function wisely in community. Choose relationships carefully. Healthy relationships stem from knowing your own needs and values.
This list will grow as you grow. Some of these apply equally to young men. These are not rules meant to confine you—they are tools meant to equip you.
Develop them gradually. With humility. With grace toward yourself. With love.
Yours in love,
Theodora
