I often {lovingly} refer to my youngest daughter as a tornado. She’s a force to be reckoned with on so many levels, and she always has been. I admire her reckless, carefree spirit—the way she unapologetically commands a room. Strong, fierce, and sometimes a little intimidating, she’s a whirlwind in the best possible way.

We often describe women who express intense emotions as a “tornado.” While this term is usually seen in a negative light, I felt compelled to reframe it in a more empowering way—one that encourages young girls to embrace their tornado tendencies with confidence. What if, instead of viewing tornadoes as chaotic or destructive, we recognized them as powerful forces of nature—bursting with energy, strength, and limitless potential?

While the Cambridge Dictionary defines a tornado as “a strong, dangerous wind that is able to destroy buildings as it moves across the ground,” and it’s often associated with chaos and the fear of losing control, there’s something undeniably breathtaking about a tornado. It is wild, untamed, and full of energy, moving with a force that cannot be ignored.

Our daughters are brought into this world to embody a similar essence. They are a whirlwind of emotions, ideas, and dreams, accelerating with every new piece of knowledge, experience, and confidence. They enter a room like a gust of wind, shaking up the space with their presence, their laughter, their questions, and their boundless curiosity.

Tornadoes don’t ask for permission to exist—they simply are. Our daughters, at their core, should be encouraged to carry the same unapologetic energy. They may be unpredictable, shifting between joy and frustration, determination and doubt, excitement and reflection—all in the span of minutes. Constantly evolving, they gather new thoughts and discard old ones, shaping their own unique identity along the way.

This unpredictability can sometimes be overwhelming for parents, teachers, and even for our daughters themselves. But within the chaos lies something extraordinary: potential. When guided with love and encouragement, they can become an unstoppable force for good, capable of changing the landscape around them.

Tornadoes, in their fierce and unpredictable dance, leave behind a landscape forever altered. They sweep away the old, the worn, and the familiar, making room for new beginnings and untold stories.

In the same way, our daughters challenge the world around them. With each question they ask, they challenge the very fabric of their surroundings, pushing against boundaries others have accepted without thought. They dare to envision a future beyond the limits of “that’s how it’s always been,” igniting sparks of hope and transformation. In their pursuit of truth. They embody the spirit of renewal, proving that even the smallest voices can be the catalyst behind powerful change.

It is our responsibility to help our daughters understand that they hold the power to break cycles, rewrite narratives, and rebuild stronger foundations. When our girls are taught to trust their voices, stand in their strengths, and embrace their unique energies, they become a force for positive change—one that has the capacity to uplift everyone in its path.

Some may try to quiet their storm, tame their spirit, or tell them to be “less”—less loud, less passionate, less strong. But just as a tornado cannot be boxed in, neither can our daughters. Instead of trying to contain them, we must guide them, teaching them how to channel their energy, wield their power with wisdom, and believe in themselves, even when the world tries to tell them otherwise.

She is not “too much.” She is exactly as she is meant to be-a force, a movement, a revolution wrapped up in the form of my little girl… of your little girl.

I say, let them spin. Let them shake the world. Let them rise like the storm they were born to be. For a girl who is free to embrace her own power will leave behind a legacy of strength, renewal, and unstoppable transformation.

And that? That is a storm worth celebrating.

So to all the fierce, unstoppable forces out there—whether you are young in years or young in spirit—I am here to lift you up… to ignite your fire… to remind you of the storm you were born to be. Let me encourage you, empower you, and embolden you to take up space, speak your truth, and shake the world in your own extraordinary way. You are the storm the world has been waiting for.

BE. THE. STORM.