A lot of girls are paying less attention to appearance than adults might think.

New data from Girl Scouts of the USA found 85 percent of Girl Scouts surveyed between the ages of 5 and 13 said they admired people for what they can do, not how they look.

“That statistic is an invitation for adults to take a deep breath and ditch the pressure to be perfect,” Sarah Keating, Girl Scouts’ vice president of girl and volunteer experience, told Good Good Good.

Keating said girls are showing adults what matters to them.

“When adults model self-compassion and put the focus on effort, learning, and contribution (instead of appearance), we give girls permission to do the same-and we all end up feeling more confident and free,” she said.

The data also looked at how children and young teens feel about getting older. It found 54 percent of girls said the idea of becoming an adult feels scary or overwhelming.

That feeling rose with age. It was reported by 41 percent of girls ages 5 to 7, 62 percent of girls ages 8 to 10, and 60 percent of girls ages 11 to 13.

Keating told Good Good Good that girls are taking in a constant stream of information.

“Girls today have more access to information than ever before,” Keating said.

She said that includes current events and social content showing people reacting to those events.

“That kind of constant input can be a lot to carry,” she said.

Keating said girls are absorbing what is happening and how it is affecting other people, and that can make the future feel hard to face.

For adults trying to ease that pressure, Keating said the first step should be a gentle, face-to-face conversation.

“When young teens seem worried or unsure, the most supportive first step is to get curious and listen,” she told Good Good Good.

She said adults should ask open-ended questions to better understand what is behind those feelings.

Keating said that can include current events, social dynamics at school, or doubts about their own abilities.

She also said adults should respond once they have identified the source of the anxiety.

According to Keating, that means normalizing how girls are feeling, reassuring them that they are not alone, and sharing age-appropriate coping tools.

She said those tools can include grounding techniques or taking a break from the news.

Keating also told Good Good Good that Girl Scouts has added programming aimed at helping girls manage those pressures.

“Girl Scouts recently added new programming, like Mental Wellness patches and Body Appreciation badges designed to help girls build healthy coping skills and a positive relationship with their bodies,” Keating said.

She said the activities and discussions are designed to help girls manage stress, build self-confidence, and respond to unrealistic messages about appearance.

“Through guided activities and discussions, girls practice ways to manage stress, strengthen self-confidence, and push back on unrealistic messages about appearance-skills that support them well beyond their Girl Scout years,” Keating said.