Brave & True Life

I loved this conversation with a woman doing the same thing I am with a girls' program (but she's across the globe in Melbourne, Australia!)Bio:  Michaela Fox is a parenting writer, blogger, mum to four girls and Founder of Girls Thriving. She also works as a social media strategist and shares her expertise in this area to help girls have a better experience online (and stay safe).In 2019 Michaela launched Girls Thriving to support young girls and the people around them. Her great passion is helping tween and teen girls (and their parents) navigate friendships, social media, anxiety and strengthen the relationships between mother and daughter.  Girls Thriving is committed to providing practical support, tools and tips to empower young girls and support their parents. Through online support and in-person events, Girls Thriving helps girls navigate the often-turbulent tween and teen years to become confident, calm and connected adults. Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girls.thriving/Facebook: www.facebook.com/girlsthrivingWebsite: https://girlsthriving.comShop where you can find Pick-me-up cards we talked about in the interview!

Marie-Nicole and Madeline are incredible women with vision--and they're not far out of college! Their organization offers free workshops to girls that focuses on leadership, public speaking and networking. They have trained mentors in different parts of the country and are doing all of this while working day jobs. I loved hearing how the got their dream up and running and also how much it has impacted their own lives.Visit Empower HerFuture on all media platforms

Going solo in this episode and talking about the steps that are getting me to my big dream I've been working toward. I get specific, and a little vulnerable and transparent for the sake of peeking inside the process in real time. What dream or goal do you have in that telescope of yours? Objects are closer than they appear! Especially when you use the right tools to get you there. Lots of resource recommendations in this episode as well.

After a life-changing solo trip to Italy, Kippi Leonard changed the trajectory of her whole life by pursuing art in earnest. She has had tremendous success and is a recognized artist for her beautiful ink & acrylic work. Her journey to finding her true path is an inspiring story and I hope it helps you dive into your own heart a little deeper to see your own dreams clearly.

This is a good interview to listen to with your daughter! Very inspiring. She answers the questions of "how do I own my gifts?" for the daughters and the question "how do I help my daughter get there?" for the moms.Bailey is an incredible young woman who has reached many goals in her 18 years. I loved hearing her hopeful, enthusiastic plans for the future. I also was inspired by how she recognizes what her parents did to cultivate her interests and passions. Besides co-creating a high school chapter of Girls Who Code, Bailey was a varsity athlete, STEM scholar and volunteer. She'll be going to Berkeley for college.

Hailee Parman is just beginning her journey in graphic art in her first year of college, but she's already had a lot of experience with the business of art. Her parents played a crucial role in her dreaming big, making doable plans and executing them. Her passion and excitement for this career is so evident...it is possible to choose a path at this age and stay positive that it will bring success. Also--Hailee has some fabulous advice for parents in this interview!

I had a blog in 2013 where I mustered up the courage to list the things I was afraid to tell someone...big truths I believed at the time. Fast forward 7 years and it's fascinating to see what's stayed the same and what has been remedied. I'm betting other women have the same issues, thoughts and feelings. Maybe it's age, maturity, experience or society changing its norms, but there are some surprises in there!

In my online classes during this COVID time, I've been taking notes about the common themes I'm seeing in my participants. There are some basic needs they have during this hard time (and non-pandemic time too). Sometimes as adults, we forget about them. Here it is--straight from the horse's mouth.More in the shownotes http://braveandtruegirl.com/blog

Jeanne Oliver uses art to tell her current stories and also those of growing up among gravel roads, cornfields and early life surrounded by open spaces. Through mark making, layers and mixed media, she hopes to convey that we all have a story to tell.Jeanne's online art network is a creative community that has been designed to inspire, encourage, and connect people with art around them and inside of them."We have created a beautiful and inspiring space where you will find easily accessible and affordable online workshops. A place where there would be no more excuses.This gathering place is for art + lifestyle workshops no matter your experience level. Let's give ourselves the permission to be amateurs and the gift of practice."Jeanne also speaks and teaches all around the country and sometimes she even gets to cross the pond. She was told that she needed to find that one thing but she doesn't like listening to directions so she embraces many loves and that has given her a sweet mash-up of family, art, and travel. Connecting with women and sharing that each of us has been creatively made is one of her passions.https://jeanneoliver.com

This conversation with Dr. Charlene Williams, Assistant Superintendent of our small town's school district, was important. I wanted to hear from an African American woman in a leadership position (specifically equity leadership) during this difficult time in our country. I was inspired and learned a lot. She co-wrote the book The Action Research Guidebook: A Process of Pursuing Equity and Excellence in Education. We talk about BLM, white privilege, and equity in our schools and the U.S. as a whole.

Jodie is truly one of my favorite creatives on the planet. How can you not love her even just reading her bio? She's also a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share ALL of it with new artists. Jodie King is an artist, instructor, speaker and kitchen dancer whose mission is to helpothers excavate their own authentic power and joy through the use of art and creativity.She possesses a combination of playful irreverence and spirituality with almost 20 yearsof art experience that resonates with her audience from around the world. Jodie's “Noone is the boss of you” attitude about painting, life, and creativity encourages the noviceas well as the experienced to create, in her words, “honest art.”

Vicki is the photographer I learned the most from 20 years ago. She and her husband, Jed, created magic with their studio V Gallery in Morton, Illinois. Vicki specializes in photographing people, pets, and commercial shoots. V Gallery has been everything from a small home based studio, to a large storefront with multiple employees, and everything in between.There were many twists and turns along the Taufer's journey, including adopting two beautiful kids from different countries. In this interview she shares her incredible story about her 6th month stay in Nepal. She is truly an advocate of the version of work/life balance that works best for her.www.vgallery.net  or on social media @vtaufer

Betty Hoeffner is the co-founder and CEO of Hey U.G.L.Y. She is the author of STOP BULLYING HANDBOOK-A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS & THEIR FRIENDS, DEAL FEEL HEAL-KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING AND HEALING EMOTIONAL PAIN, and HUE-MAN KIND-A BOOK TO END RACISM. She created, and facilitates, Hey U.G.L.Y.'s Stop Bullying Boot Camps, Hue-Man Kind Art Projects,  and the DEAL FEEL HEAL-Emotional Healing  Program for youth. She developed and wrote the highly-effective Stop Bullying Task Force Program™ in use at schools across the country and in Canada. The Stop Bullying Task Force Program enables schools to set up student-run stop bullying teams to deal with bullying situations and maintain an environment of respect, acceptance and inclusion throughout the school year. She created Bullying Bystanders Unite, Project Apologize, Cyberbullied Unite, Laughtercising(tm), SEEIT and the Stop Self-Bullying & Love Yourself Enough Campaign. She created and hosts a weekly radio show on WRHC-FM called CHOOSE TO CHANGE™. Visit http://heyugly.org/

Elida is like no other human you'll ever meet. I have the good fortune of calling her friend and also teaching retreats with her. Not only does she create beautiful art of her own, she teaches others' to tap into their creativity and learn something new. From her “Art Van-Go” kids' classes to her art tours of Italy, Elida has something for everyone.Visit her site for all of it: https://www.elidaart.com/For show notes: https://www.braveandtruegirl.com/blog

Brandee Sheldrake created Busy as the Bee, a community for people to start their health journey, creating good habits that will last. Her methods make so much sense.“I've lost weight before doing conventional diets, only to gain it back when “real life” came along. When I decided to take action in the direction of my health goals, I intentionally started slow. I knew we would eventually need to overhaul what & how we were eating & incorporate movement but I only committed to a couple walks a week at first. I made the conscious choice to focus on developing a healthy relationship with food & exercise instead of focusing on the scale as the barometer of my success. “Busy as the Bee.Com Brandee's leadership and guidance is so valuable on the journey.

Mooniek is a parent coach,  certified master coach, mom, international best-selling author and speaker.Her 7-week course Great Parents Empower has proven many times that any mom or dad anywhere in the world can become a beloved role model in their family.Mooniek has coached parents, families, business leaders and teams since 2002. She travels all over the world to speak and meet parents and still manages to set aside quality time for her daughter who is now working as a singer and actor in England.Mooniek's site: https://greatparentsempower.com

Jill is a psychotherapist, writer, clinical advisory member for HeyUgly, and organization dedicated to improving the self esteem of youth. She also is the advice expert for NewMoon.com, a magazine for preadolescent girls. In her private practice, Jill works with primarily eating disorders and she gives some great advice in this podcast about how to identify and support a family member going through this crisis.Her books include: "Picture Perfect: What You Need to Feel Better About Your Body" and "Dealing with the Stuff That Makes Life Tough: The 10 Things That Stress Girls Out and How to Cope with Them". 

Jen Rozenbaum s a portrait photographer, author, breast cancer survivor, hostess of the Shamelessly Feminine® podcast and the founder of the Reconstruction™ movement. Through her work, she is helping women celebrate their unique femininity and helping breast cancer patients and survivors put their lives back together after cancer.Her mission is to help kick-as women who need a kick in the ass. So many great pieces of wisdom in this interview. You will be inspired!

There are moments during this unprecedented disruption in our lives when I'm just not up for hearing "we'll be better on the other side of this".How I'm dealing as I enter the "acceptance stage" of this crazy season in our world.Visit Braveandtrue.girl on Instagram to see the latest coping mechanisms in graphic design. :)

The website Yourteenmag.com and the Your Teen podcast have been so valuable in the journey with my own kids. I recommend it to all parents who's daughters attend my workshops. On this episode we dive deep into the compilation of advice these women have received about supporting quarantined teens.  There are some golden nuggets of wisdom in here!

In the spirit of dreaming big when massive changes are happening (Hello, Quarantine Land), we are diving into creating that side (or not-so-side) hustle you've been dreaming of. On this episode we talk about creating your calling card---your logo and website. Graphic designer, Erica Stupfel, talks about how to set yourself apart when it comes to competing in the marketplace with a new business.

Diana wrote "Raising Humans in a Digital World" and created Cyber Civics, a digital literacy curriculum used all over the country. She also cofounded Cyberwise, an online safety and digital literacy organization. In our interview Diana gives many useful parent tips for how to navigate these turbulent waters with our children. Check out her site Cyberwise.org for the resources we discuss. 

During this COVID-19 pandemic, we all find ourselves at home with a strange pause in our lives. Although many of you are wrangling kids and homeschooling your offspring, there are still pockets of time to do three things to move that needle on a business or brand idea. I explain each one and give the pep talk needed to get moving!A free video series will be out March 23, 2020 for your entrepreneurial plan: opt in at https://www.braveandtruegirl.com/braveandtruemoms

I was introduced to Kimberly Wilson's podcast and brand in the early 2000's and she has had a tremendous impact on my own entrepreneurial journey. So much experience, wisdom and style coming from Kimberly's world!Kimberly is the author of six books, a psychotherapist in private practice, and designer of an eco-friendly clothing line. She also hosts the Tranquility du Jour podcast and serves as the president of Pigs & Pugs Project. She has master's degrees in social work and women's studies and has been called upon as a wellness expert for US News & World Report, The Washington Post, Fast Company, Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, books, TV, and radio. She lives in Washington, DC with four rescue pets, one human, and piles of books, journals, and fragrant tea.

I took a social media poll about what mothers wanted for their daughters' futures. Two things kept coming up in the answers: good communication skills & relationships and financial independence & security. Sometimes we have to face the tough questions when we think about what our daughters are seeing. Are we modeling solid communication? Do we have healthy friendships? Are we good with our finances? Here are some questions and strategies for being the best possible example we can for our girls,

Today with the pressure of keeping up with social media, the anxiety for girls runs high. There's FOMO, comparison with others' highlight reel, doubt about their bodies and looks, sleep deprivation--not to mention cyberbullying and predator danger. As moms, we are the first line of defense in helping her navigate it all, but many of us don't know how. We didn't have this growing up (thank goodness!) and are a bit hazy on how we can support. I've done the research and talked to the girls themselves...I've got five steps to help you get there.

Inspiration and dream building for moms....Lara Blair is a photographer who captures and teaches girls in her Brave & True Girl program at her studio. She also works with moms. This podcast is for them.One of the best gifts we can give our daughters is to be brave and true in our own lives. They are paying attention and will make many choices based on our example. Do you have unrealized dreams? Do you practice diligent self-care? Do you want to be brave and bold in your own life? Our podcast has informative and educational interviews to inspire and motivate you (and in turn, inspire you girl). Today we dive into your "Look! Something shiny!"