From the moment she could talk, Hildegard knew she wanted to entertain, inspire, and uplift. And let\u2019s be honest \u2026 when you\u2019ve got wit, charm, enthusiasm, and a crazy work ethic, success is bound to follow.<\/p>\n
Up until now, she\u2019s won national and category awards at loads of arts festivals, participated in fashion shows and has had roles in various stage productions, including Beauty and the Beast<\/em> and Sleeping Beauty<\/em>.<\/p>\n And while many would be basking in the limelight, Hildegard keeps her feet on the ground. \u2018I like to celebrate my achievements, but I also quickly put them behind me. It\u2019s important to maintain focus and stay humble. The most important thing I\u2019ve learned is that success cannot be defined by just one thing. It lies in the months and years of experience that allow you to grow as a person.\u2019<\/p>\n When she\u2019s not on stage or camera, she\u2019s just a regular teen. Scrolling social media, creating relatable content, connecting with other young people, and figuring out what\u2019s next. Which eventually led to her dipping her toes into the world of social media influencing, excited to see where it could lead. And because she\u2019s forever learning, she\u2019s planning to take some writing courses while enjoying the last of her high school years.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s what makes Hildegard different. She\u2019s a teen who gets teens. Not just the fun parts of being young, but the tough parts too. She\u2019s not just another motivational speaker with generic advice. She knows what her peers are going through, because she\u2019s going through the exact same thing.<\/p>\n She\u2019s seen first hand how mental health is a daily battle for many teens. Not just because of school stress and social media, but because of each other. \u2018While it\u2019s easy to see external factors like parental pressure, teachers, social media, and academic performance as the biggest obstacles, I\u2019ve realised that the real challenge may be closer to the heart than we think (and hard to acknowledge). Teenagers\u2019 biggest enemy when it comes to mental health is, in many cases, actually each other,\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018Let\u2019s be honest about this reality. Our greatest challenges often lie in how we treat and influence one another during such a vulnerable time in our lives.\u2019<\/p>\n Which is why she shares her takes on some of the biggest teen challenges.<\/strong> \u2018So, if you feel like you don\u2019t fit in or think you\u2019re not good enough, remember that your worth is not determined by others. You are enough, just as you are. The new year isn\u2019t about becoming someone else to try and fit in; it\u2019s about reconnecting with who you already are. Focus on what makes you, you.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s wonderful to always be there for others as a good friend, but as a teenager, you also need to focus on your own journey. Don\u2019t lose sight of your own path in the process. It\u2019s important to surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you truly are and who genuinely care for you. And parents. You have an enormous responsibility to remind us of our worth and potential. Never stop inspiring us to follow our own paths with pride and determination.\u2019<\/p>\n After school, Hildegard would like to study homeopathy or dietetics in Europe (or Stellenbosch<\/em> if she stays local). \u2018I prefer a holistic approach aimed at the natural healing of diseases and have never been a fan of traditional medical fields. One of my biggest wishes is to have a significant influence and role in the media and still work with and help people.\u2019<\/p>\n Being a teenager isn\u2019t easy. Between the pressures, the expectations, and the social whirlwind, it often feels like a battle. But Hildegard is here to remind you \u2026 you are enough. Just as you are.<\/p>\n Details: Follow @hildegardhavenga on Facebook and @hildegard.havenga on Insta and Tiktok<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you haven\u2019t heard of Hildegard Havenga yet, it\u2019s only a matter of time. This Pretoria-born powerhouse is a student, model, actress, speaker, and writer. And she\u2019s just 16. By day, Hildegard Havenga is into all things oratory – debate, drama, and theatre. By night, and on weekends, she\u2019s a model with Steele Model Studios, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":21756,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[7128,8859,8531,924,671,8856,8860,7001,4382,8530,8858,3809,6595,6976,7321,7021,8857],"class_list":{"0":"post-21755","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-alanicka-lotriet","10":"tag-different","11":"tag-empower","12":"tag-entertain","13":"tag-get-it","14":"tag-hildegard-havenga","15":"tag-humble","16":"tag-magazine","17":"tag-model","18":"tag-motivational-speaker","19":"tag-obstacles","20":"tag-pretoria","21":"tag-teen","22":"tag-teenager","23":"tag-young","24":"tag-youth","25":"tag-youth-edition"},"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2025\/03\/Hildegard-SMALL-3-267x400.jpg\")
\n\u2022 The fear of failure. The pressure to always be the best at everything is exhausting. \u2018We set impossibly high standards and then punish ourselves for not meeting them.\u2019 The result? Anxiety, burnout, and self-doubt. Her advice is to see failure as growth, not disaster. Try something new without expecting perfection, just for fun.
\n\u2022 Social exclusion. Being left out stings. And let\u2019s be honest, teenagers are experts at making each other feel like outsiders. \u2018Instead of celebrating what makes us unique, we force ourselves into little social boxes just to fit in.\u2019 Hildegard encourages youth to embrace differences. True friends accept you as you are. And if they don\u2019t \u2026 find better friends.
\n\u2022 Cancel culture. One mistake, one unpopular opinion, and suddenly you\u2019re cancelled. \u2018The fear of social rejection is so intense, it stops us from speaking up, taking risks, and being ourselves.\u2019 She recommends to cut each other some slack. Mistakes happen \u2026 what matters is learning from them.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2025\/03\/Hildegard-SMALL-2-267x400.jpg\")