GRL Pep Talks: Real Conversations for Real Growth
Your go-to space for leadership, confidence, identity, team culture, and the everyday challenges young women and student-athletes navigate.
GRL Pep Talks is where honest conversations meet practical support. Whether you’re a student-athlete, a young woman finding your voice, or someone building confidence and belonging, these Pep Talks are designed to help you grow in ways that actually fit your life.
You’ll find stories, worksheets, research-backed tools, and quiet reminders that you’re not alone in what you’re navigating. This is your space for clarity, connection, and the kind of leadership that starts from within — on and off the field.
The Science of Connection
After realizing connection was the missing ingredient in my life, I went searching for answers. The research is clear — belonging and connection are not nice-to-haves; they’re biological necessities. From Harvard’s 80-year happiness study to the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning about loneliness, science proves that real connection keeps us healthier, happier, and more alive.
The Burnout Watch List
Burnout rarely shows up all at once—it leaks in slowly. In this practical GRL Initiative guide, Dr. Lauren Young shares her personal Burnout Watch List: the emotional, physical, and mental warning signs that tell you you’re running on empty. Learn how to recognize the drift, reset your energy, and protect yourself before you crash. This isn’t about weakness—it’s about awareness.
The Cadence of Work: Why Leaders Need “Healing Days”
Leadership isn’t just about how hard you can go—it’s about how well you can recover. In this essay, Dr. Lauren Young reflects on the quiet crash that follows high-cadence seasons, when your brain is still buzzing with logistics and your body is begging for rest. Backed by research on burnout and recovery, she explores why “healing days” aren’t a luxury but a necessity. This post reminds ambitious women that rest is not something to earn after you’ve finished leading—it’s what makes powerful, sustainable leadership possible.
Working Mom Email Templates: 15 Scripts That Save Time and Preserve Boundaries
Save time and maintain professionalism with these 15 email templates designed specifically for working mothers. Copy-paste solutions for common workplace communication challenges.
Why Your Body Image Gets Worse When You're Stressed (And What Actually Helps)
Carrying Water: Finding Balance and Embracing Rest
As athletes, students, and leaders, we juggle a lot—training, school, responsibilities, and expectations. But without balance, the weight of it all can lead to burnout. Just like carrying water, we need moments to pause, reset, and refill.
In this blog, we dive into the importance of rest, why it looks different for everyone, and what research says about preventing burnout. Plus, I share my personal approach to rest—how true recovery means creating space, slowing down, and reducing the mental load.
Read more to learn how to protect your energy, find balance, and keep moving forward—without spilling your bucket. 💜
Creating a Dopamine Menu: A Personal Guide to Finding Joy and Recharge
A menu for the soul. Dopamine is chemical created by the brain that brings us joy. It’s important to identify the things that release that chemical in order to feel that in times when we really need it. Doing this work ahead of time can be beneficial to our well being and our ability to bounce back.
Do More Things That Feel Selfish
Life can feel like an endless to-do list, especially when you’re balancing responsibilities at home, school, or work. But taking time to do something just for you—something that feels selfish—isn’t indulgent, it’s essential. Whether it’s resting, laughing, or doing something purely for joy, these moments recharge your soul and bring balance to your busy life. This blog reminds you to lean into those “selfish” moments and embrace them as a vital part of your happiness and well-being. 💛✨