Our mission is critical for outdoor therapy and healing in a supportive and encouraging environment.
We probably don’t have to convince you that going outside is a good thing. But how does time in the outdoors impact our everyday lives? Is it as simple as just finding a bit of time to unwind and disconnect? Or are we connecting with something much larger than ourselves?
The SheJumps vision is to unearth the potential of all women and girls through outdoor play and connection to nature. As humans, growth is in our nature, but the fear of failure can limit our growth. In Reshma Saujani’s book, ‘Brave, Not Perfect’, she shares, “Studies show that play choices for boys and girls can have lasting effects on how they view themselves and their abilities, including what they believe they will be good at professionally when they grow up.”
We started digging into the concept of ‘why’ we go outside and found some startling parallels in the world of economics of all places. Curious about why women were outnumbered 3:1 as economics majors, a Harvard professor discovered that if women received less than a B in their introductory economics courses, they were far less likely to continue on that career/study path. But what does that say about women as a whole? We tend to hold ourselves to higher standards. As a result, setbacks like a B in school is discouraging. According to an article by Elle, “women are more influenced by the negative feedback we receive and struggle to bounce back from failure.”
But SheJumps believes we can fix this, and with your help–we’ll continue to make it easier for women to bounce back from whatever life throws at them to build confidence-building habits. “When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making. It stops working so hard, or diverts focus to other tasks. So unless you deliberately fight a habit—unless you find new routines—the pattern will unfold automatically,” says Charles Duhigg, in ‘The Power of Habit.’
We asked some of our passionate volunteers and supporters how the outdoors have helped them overcome a fear of failure. The good news? Outdoor activities build resilience:
“Learning to deal with failure is not always the most pleasant feeling that we encounter but it is a great teacher of humility. It allows you to look inward, to realize what is truly important, and if something is worth it, you need to get back up and try again.” —Tracy B., SheJumps volunteer
According to TIME magazine, dealing with failure is a muscle that needs strengthening: “Failing well is a skill. Letting girls do it gives them critical practice coping with a negative experience. It also gives them the opportunity to develop a kind of confidence and resilience that can only be forged in times of challenge.”
SheJumps challenges the very notion that failure is...well, failure! Our programs start at age 6 and create a safe environment for failure. Does that sound like a failure? It’s actually the best thing we can do for ourselves—and for our girls.
Support SheJumps so we can continue to transform fear of failure into fearless action through impactful programs and events.
Will you consider making a $10 monthly recurring donation to help SheJumps? We need your help to reach and inspire more girls and women. We want to show all women and girls that nature provides a way for us to become comfortable with challenges; helping us to become resilient in the face of adversity. Our free and low-cost programs ensure that ALL women and girls have access to the outdoors, regardless of age, background, ethnicity, or race.
If you set up a convenient monthly donation of $10 or more to help SheJumps, we’ll send you a gift from EcoLips! As an added bonus, you’ll also be entered to win some amazing prizes from our generous partners.
Join us. Spread the word. Make a donation. It ALL makes a difference when we jump together.
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