10 for Teens + Tweens

One of the topics you gals message me about most is friendships. And I honestly understand why. Friendships have a huge impact on you, and they're a big and important factor throughout your tween and teen years.

We’ve talked about friendships in multiple episodes– 011 Find (and Be) a Good Friend, 012 Extinguish Friendship Fires, 013 Make Friends Using Social Skills, and 051 Friendship Red Flags. 

Since it’s been a minute, we’re gonna talk about friendships again, specifically about who you surround yourself with.

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To help you, I created a "Surround Yourself With" poster. Get...

I’ve received several requests for an episode on anxiety. Just like the ADHD episode 112, this topic is personal to me because I’ve experienced it. I will preface this by reminding you–I am not a healthcare professional, I am not offering medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment. I still think it’s important you gals hear others’ perspectives, both so you’ll feel more comfortable talking about anxiety or seeking support if you need it, and also to help you better understand those who experience it.

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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for T...

One of the most-requested topics--Puberty. So check out my chat with Dr. Cara Natterson from Less Awkward!

Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett created a host of resources to help teens/tweens AND their parents be less awkward about all things puberty! We discussed common puberty concerns, conversation starters and enders, and solid advice to help youth and parents better-understand each other. 

Connect with them on social media @less.awkward and learn more about their books, social media, podcast, website, newsletter, clothes, skincare products, etc. at LessAwkward.com!

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A full tran...

Peer pressure can cause you to give in, go along with what others are doing, and make choices that don’t actually align with you. Let's explore some common peer pressure scenarios and help you strategize what to do when you face them.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 128 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

You ever feel like, no matter what you do, you just can’t win? You're not wrong. And you're not alone.

So do it anyway.
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To help you, I created a "Do It Anyway" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 127 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

What do cassowaries, giant clams, or parrot fish have to do with you?

There’s  something I want to share that connects how I’ve been feeling lately (and maybe you have too) with my recent trip to Australia.
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To help you, I created a "You Matter" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 126 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

To wrap up Women’s History Month, let’s recognize some women who made an impact with their inventions. Throughout history women who made an impact rarely received credit for it, and were often left out of history books. So I want to introduce you to some of those women.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 125 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

In honor of Women’s History Month, I’m gonna share some women’s history with you. I know, this isn’t school, but I bet you’ll learn something new. Women’s rights have come a long way over the past two centuries. We still have more work to do, so let’s remember Women’s History and be inspired to make our own history.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 124 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

I can't wait for you to hear my conversation with Jill + Mary from Girls Mentorship!

Jill and Mary are mentoring girls to thrive as bold leaders, confident friends, and connected community members. We discussed why mentorship is so important, what messages they focus on in their programs, and the transformations they've seen when girls feel empowered.

Connect with Jill and Mary on social media @girlsmentorship and learn more about their Pursue More Summer Camp, as well as their After School and Peer Leader Programs, at GirlsMentorship.com.

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A full transcript of our...

Because SO much of your life involves digital interaction, it’s important to know how to navigate it. Like I’ve said before, I want to add to your safety tool box because I know what it’s like to be in an unsafe situation online and NOT know what to do, and that can feel scary. My hope is that by talking about these safety tips, you can feel more capable because you’ll have learned what to do.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 121 show notes on EmpowerfulG...

I've lost count of how many times you girls requested Crushes + Ships pt. 2! So back by popular demand, this time we'll discuss what to look for in a crush, how to talk to your crush, what if your crush doesn’t like you back, and more.

Check out ep. 042 Crushes + Ships pt. 1 here!
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 121 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

A lot of voices are telling you otherwise, but you cannot hate yourself into loving yourself. For many of us, loving ourselves is not as easy as showing love to others. But you deserve the same love from yourself that you show to others. Let's explore ways you can practice self love.
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To help you, I created a "What I Love About Myself" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 120 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

You gals may have heard of, or experienced, imposter syndrome--which makes you feel like you’re a fake who doesn't deserve your achievements, even though you earned them.

How do we deal with imposter syndrome? The solution is probably not what you think, but so important for you to know.
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To help you, I created a "I Deserve It" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 119 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

My very wise friend invited/gently challenged my friends and I to take a daily hour of silence. Initially I thought it sounded fairly easy.

I didn’t know I had so much to learn. I want to share my experience to help you find time for silence in your life.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 118 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

You’ve probably seen the INs and OUTs trend videos, so to kick off this year’s episodes, I’m gonna share my 2025 INs and OUTs for teen and tween girls. We’ve got the whole year ahead of us, and I hope that these ideas help you look forward to it.

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To help you, I created a "2025 INs + OUTs" list. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 117 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

That’s a wrap on 2024. As you reflect on the past year, what might stick out in your mind are negative memories, what you didn’t get to do, and things you had a hard time with, failed at, or gave up.

The past year may have knocked you down a few times. But you got back up, and–you’re still standing. You’re still here. Even if you’re hanging on by a thread, keep holding on. Let's help you stand steadier.
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To help you, I created a "2024 Year Reflection" worksheet. Get your printable in th...

There’s a saying that goes, “Boys will be boys.” But I think it's time we rephrase that. This is a tough topic, but because there are boys your age who are being taught certain beliefs and behaviors, I think it’s important that you learn about this so you can recognize it.
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To help you, I also shared books that explore this topic in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 115 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving in the US, and we've already discussed gratitude in episodes 003, 049, and 079--could there possibly be even more to say about gratitude? Actually, yes. The reason I keep revisiting this topic is because practicing it can have a profound impact on your life.

Recognizing and appreciating the tiny glimmers around us can actually make a huge difference in our life.
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To help you, I created a "Glimmers List." Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 114 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

Sometimes you’ll set goals and reach them, and sometimes you won’t. So then what do you do?
 
You may remember, a few months ago I made a big hairy audacious goal to reach ONE MILLION podcast downloads by my birthday at the end of September. Did I get there by then? Actually, no. But I want to tell you what happened–and listen til the end for an update.
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To help you, I created a "When You Don't Reach a Goal" worksheet. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 113 show notes on Empower...

I’ve had multiple requests for an episode on ADHD. This topic is personal to me because I was diagnosed with ADHD 3.5 years ago, a few months after I started this podcast. I will preface this by reminding you–I am not a healthcare professional, I am not offering medical advice or a diagnosis. I still want to share my experience because I feel it’s important to talk about ADHD to spread awareness. Whether you have it too or know someone who does, understanding it better will help your relationships with others.

A full transcript of this e...

Media literacy is absolutely crucial for people to develop because we live in a digital world. And if you haven’t heard yet–you can’t believe everything you read OR see OR hear on the internet. So I want to cover some essential tools that will help you navigate news media in your digital life.
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To help you, I created a "News Media Literacy" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 111 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

Building Trust in relationships is like building a bridge; it takes effort from both sides–mutual trust between you and the other person. And similar to a bridge, Trust is built on pillars, like Honesty, Integrity, and Consistency. Our actions can either strengthen or weaken the bridge of Trust, and at times our actions can even damage the bridge to the point that it needs major repair. So let’s examine those Trust pillars.
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To help you, I created a "Building Trust" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 110 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

I’m eager to share my interview with Nisha Glenn--an author and the founder of Educated Girls Rock!

Nisha utilizes the knowledge she gained from not only her education, but also her life experience, to connect with and encourage girls to get an education. We discussed why education is important, what obstacles prevent girls from graduating high school, and how her nonprofit Educated Girls Rock helps girls overcome these hurdles so they can pursue their potential.

Connect with Nisha Glenn on social media @educatedgirlsrock and learn more about Educated Girls Rock programs at educatedgirlsrock.org.

Even if it’s the middle of the school year when you listen to this, I want to share my best advice  that can help you all year long.

It all stems off these two words: Own It. This was inspired by my dear friends and fellow girl empowerers, Jill and Mary at Girls Mentorship. I was able to tag along for a week of their Pursue More Summer Camps in Arizona–which were truly transformative BTW. One of the days we focused on Ownership, which is being accountable for your responsibilities, your choices, and your behavior. Let’s...

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Lexie Polevoi--an advocate for girls in STEM.

Lexie empowers girls to develop their STEM skills through after-school enrichment programs and workshops. We discussed the need for girls in STEM, what prevents girls from pursuing STEM interests, and what can help girls overcome those hurdles.

Connect with Lexie Polevoi at @learnwithmslexie and learn more about her programs at https://www.learnwithmslexie.com/

A full transcript of our conversation is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 107 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

Have you watched any of this Summer’s Olympic Games? Oh my goodness it’s been unbelievable watching the very top athletes from all over the world compete at their sport. On social media I’ve seen a joke saying each Olympic event should have an average person compete so we can see just how skilled these athletes are compared to the rest of us. While we might not ever make it to the Olympics, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from those who have been to the Olympics.
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To help you, I created a "Lessons f...

There’s a lot going in the world right now and a ton of opinions about it all. It seems like every day there’s another massive news headline which in-turn brings a flood of people’s opinions both online and in real life.

Two years ago I had Sharon McMahon, America’s Government Teacher, on as a guest. And we talked about how, even when we may disagree with people, we can turn confrontations into conversations. Sharon offered incredible wisdom everyone needs to hear (and she has even more wisdom in her upcoming book, “The Small and the Mi...

Are you a procrastinator? I am, too. Sometimes we procrastinate because we underestimated how much time something would take, or we got distracted, or we had multiple things to do, or we avoided doing something.

But honestly, procrastination isn't working for us. Let’s discuss some strategies that can help you prevent procrastination and get more time back.
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To help you, I created my design of "Covey’s Time Management Matrix." Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 104 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

You've grown up learning about safety, and I want to add to your safety tool box. I know what it’s like to be in an unsafe situation and NOT know what to do--that can feel scary. My hope is that by talking about these other safety tips, you can feel more capable because you’ll have learned what to do. Remember: your safety is THE most important thing. In this episode we'll talk about Code Words and Tricky People.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 103 show notes on Empower...

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Gitanjali Rao--inventor, social activist, STEM advocate, and author of  “A Young Innovators Guide to Planning for Success.”

Gitanjali wrote this how-to book to help high school students stress less and feel more prepared applying for colleges. As someone who just went through this process, she shares her unique and fresh perspective along with advice for struggling girls.

Connect with Gitanjali Rao at @gitanjaliarao and check out her book “A Young Innovators Guide to Planning for Success.”

A full transcript of our conversation is available in the 10 for...

Make room for new emotions! Let's discuss the movie “Inside Out 2”!

The first “Inside Out” movie came out nine years ago, introduced us to the main character–an 11 year old girl named Riley–and her emotions–Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust–and showed us how they all interacted and adapted to change after her family moved across the country. “Inside Out 2” continues Riley’s story as a now 13 year old adjusting to puberty and new emotions that come with it–Envy, Embarrassment, Enuui (like boredom), and Anxiety.

The movie explores a lot of things we talk about on the pod...

Can you believe we reached 100 episodes?! I’m beyond excited, I’m still pinching myself, but I’m also so incredibly proud of what we’ve created and accomplished together. Let's look back at our favorite episodes, the most-requested topics, and what's ahead for this podcast--like my goal to reach 1 MILLION downloads!
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A full transcript and links to episodes I mentioned is in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 100 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

 Some people want to box you girls up to be someone you’re not. They do this by ...

Girls, don’t get in the box.
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To help you, I created a "Don't Get In The Box" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 099 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

There’s a topic that I’ve touched on multiple times, yet it keeps getting requested. So let’s do a whole episode on body image. We'll discuss how to shift from wanting to change our bodies to accepting our bodies. This can be a sensitive topic for some, and the last thing I want to do is make you feel worse. So when you feel ready to listen, I’ll be here.
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To help you I put together a list of resources and related episodes in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 098 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Jen Swetzoff and Keeley McNamara, the editors of Anyway Magazine!

Jen and Keeley share how they created this magazine especially for tweens and teens, featuring articles by both experts and kids about teen culture, style, relationships, community, creativity, health, and wellbeing. Their greatest hope is that Anyway Magazine can help kids feel normal and understood as they grow up.

A full transcript of our conversation is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 097 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

Connect with Anyway Magazine @AnywayMag, subscribe at An...

 If you’ve ever had an embarrassing moment, you’re in good company. They happen to everyone, so let’s help you learn how to get through them.
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To help you, I created an "I Survived My Embarrassing Moments" poster. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 096 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

In case it’s hard to remember or believe sometimes, I wanted to remind you: You Are Still Enough.

Every day you get a barrage of negative messages from external sources that say, "You are NOT enough." In this episode, I want to help you grow a strong sense of self so you can withstand these messages and keep believing that You Are Still Enough.
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Nearly three and a half years ago I launched this podcast, and the very first message I shared with you was You Are Enough. That episode 001 just reached an in...

I’ll be exploring relationship red flags in this episode, and while this topic is sensitive and can get heavy, I think it’s really important to talk about so you girls can recognize the signs and get help sooner.
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A full transcript of this episode is available in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 094 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com.

Whenever you feel lonely, I hope you’ll listen to this episode. Because you are not alone.
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To help you, I created a "You Are Not Alone" poster and worksheet. Get your printable in the 10 for Teens + Tweens Ep. 093 show notes on EmpowerfulGirls.com. 

I’m excited to share my interview with Chelsey Goodan, author of this book, “Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls.”

One quick note: this book was written about teen girls and is geared toward them and their parents. While our interview doesn’t discuss anything sensitive in detail, tween listeners should keep that in mind.

Chelsey's book shares teen girls' collective wisdom on topics like perfectionism, sexuality, people pleasing, identity, friends, self-doubt, the media, beauty, shame, and power. It is a much-needed resource for today's parents and teen girls.

A full transcri...