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.
Working Mom Self-Care During Back-to-School: 7 Research-Backed Strategies That Actually Work
The back-to-school transition doesn't have to derail your well-being. Working mom self-care during back to school is not only possible—it's essential for your family's success. By implementing these seven evidence-based strategies, you can maintain your wellness while supporting your children through this major transition.
Remember: sustainable self-care adapts to your changing schedule rather than disappearing from it. Start with one strategy that resonates most with you, then gradually build your back-to-school self-care routine. Your future self (and your family) will thank you for prioritizing your well-being during this demanding but rewarding season.
The key to thriving as a working mom during back-to-school season lies in preparation, boundaries, and the understanding that taking care of yourself is taking care of your family.
Your Phone-Free School Survival Guide: A Gen Z Gift to Yourself
Your school just banned phones and honestly? It might be the plot twist your mental health didn't know it needed. With 26+ states rolling out phone-free schools this year, millions of Gen Z students are facing the same reality: 7+ hours daily without your digital lifeline.
But here's the thing—this isn't happening TO you, it's happening FOR you. And we're about to show you how to survive (and maybe even thrive) in your phone-free school era while using this forced digital detox as the ultimate self-care gift.
The 15-Year Reality Check: Why Your Teen Is Actually Doing Amazing
The walk to daycare hit me with unexpected clarity. Fifteen years ago, I was in LA, working as an assistant principal, living what felt like a completely different life. And yet—fifteen years doesn't feel that long ago. It feels recent enough that I can still taste the coffee from my favorite café, still remember the weight of my keys in my hand, still feel like that person and this person are connected by something more than just time.
But here's what stopped me in my tracks: if fifteen years back doesn't feel like ancient history to me, then fifteen years forward from birth isn't that far either. That high schooler I worked with today? They're not that far from being brand new.
The Irreplaceable Gift: Why Teachers Matter More Than Ever
In a world where AI can solve equations and write essays, what makes teachers irreplaceable? Your students won't remember your binder system or the quadratic formula, but they'll never forget how you made them feel. While artificial intelligence can deliver content, it cannot look a struggling student in the eye and say "I believe in you." It cannot sense when a quiet kid needs someone to notice them. It cannot do what teachers do best: make young people believe they can achieve the impossible. The Wright brothers might never have invented flight without teachers who instilled confidence in them first. As another school year begins, here's a reminder of your true superpower—and why the human heart of education will never go out of style.
Cherishing Health: Lessons from Time with My Parents
After spending four meaningful days with my thriving parents, I reflect on the precious gift of health and the importance of never taking it for granted. Seeing others their age face health challenges puts everything in perspective and reinforces why gratitude for our well-being should be a daily practice.
My Exercise Identity Crisis: From Gym Perfectionist to Movement Explorer
A personal journey through fitness perfectionism, from obsessive CrossFit culture and disordered eating to discovering the freedom of being a "movement explorer." The author shares how spreading physical and emotional needs across multiple activities—CrossFit coaching, solo running, casual pickleball—prevents any single form of exercise from becoming everything and losing its joy.
From Aesthetics to Clarity: A New Way to Think About Exercise
A personal reflection on shifting from appearance-focused fitness to movement that serves mental clarity, emotional regulation, and daily performance. The author shares how discovering exercise's impact on focus and stress management—rather than chasing aesthetic goals—finally made consistent movement sustainable and genuinely rewarding.
Dreams Shift: My Hopes Five Years Out
Five years ago, my dreams were about external validation—titles, recognition, climbing higher. Today, they've evolved into something more personal and authentic. I hope to stay consistent with training because it keeps my brain functioning and stress manageable. I wish my son could find even one close friend—it would change his world. I dream of taking my family to Europe without budget constraints and reconnecting with my adventuring self alongside Casey as our kids become more independent. Professionally, I dream of getting my book published and seeing incredible things happen that I can't even imagine yet. The shift from wanting to be impressive to wanting to be useful reflects growth, not just aging. Dreams that feel too big to say out loud are usually the ones most worth pursuing.
An Elder Millennial's Taylor Swift Awakening
An elder millennial's journey from Taylor Swift skeptic to admirer after experiencing "The Tortured Poets Department" during a run and watching her masterful New Heights podcast appearance. This isn't fandom, it's sisterhood, celebrating a woman who grinds in private, leads with confidence, and demonstrates that true power comes from excellence, not performance.
The Hardest Summer: Navigating Life with a 14-Year-Old
I know child development theory, I was a high school principal. But knowing why your 14-year-old acts like a different species every morning doesn't make living with them easier. This summer has been brutal: constant emotional regulation, being the "dumbest person alive" who apparently knows nothing about high school athletics (despite it being my job), and absorbing all the frustrations of a kid shedding their identity. My therapist reminded me this might be the one thing that isn't easy for me. The mom guilt is real when you know the science but still lose your patience. Sometimes admitting it sucks is the first step forward.
My Summer Reading Stack: Books That Hit Different
This summer's reading wasn't just about entertainment—it was research. From Florence Knapp's "The Names" to Nate Bargatze's unexpected wisdom in "Big Dumb Eye," each book taught me something about authenticity, resilience, and what it means to show up fully. The best stories aren't about people who have it all figured out; they're about those brave enough to keep showing up when the path isn't clear. As leaders and women living full-size lives, we need stories that reflect our complexity—characters who struggle with staying true to themselves in systems not designed for them. Reading reminds me that the most powerful leaders are often still learning, growing, and brave enough to admit they don't have all the answers.
The Path Isn't Always Clear (And That's Okay)
Why do I put so much into the GRL Initiative—the posts, the vulnerability, the consistent showing up? Sometimes I don't know. But I'm not an overnight sensation; I'm a tugboat—consistent, stable, proven over time. I turn my real struggles into lessons that might help you feel less alone. I'm loud, tall, and a straight shooter, which isn't for everyone. But if you need someone to listen, ask good questions, and help your path feel clearer, I'm here. This isn't a numbers game; it's a heart game. Let's build a safe space for strong, loud leaders in a world that wasn't designed for us.
The Dress That Remembers: Pre-Performance Rituals and the Stories We Carry
A reflective piece about pre-performance anxiety, personal growth, and unexpected memory triggers. The author explores her midnight preparation rituals before keynotes and workshops, leading to a powerful realization sparked by an 11-year-old dress. From uncertain days as an assistant principal surrounded by LA's surface-level connections to confident speaking engagements today, this post examines how objects can serve as witnesses to our evolution. A vulnerable and inspiring look at the journey from searching to certainty, reminding readers to recognize their own growth markers.
The Sweet Spot: Why the Middle is Where the Magic Happens
The middle isn't where you wait for your life to begin—it's where life gets good. Written from the heart of a mid-career journey, this post explores why the middle phase of leadership, relationships, and life itself might be the sweetest spot of all. Like the cream filling in an Oreo or the perfect coffee temperature, the middle is where all the elements come together in harmony.
The Summer That Wasn't, But Maybe Still Is
A candid exploration of navigating a challenging summer while parenting a confidence-lacking teenager on the brink of high school. When constant travel and adolescent defiance threatened to derail the season, one moment of clarity led to goal-setting, research-backed confidence-building strategies, and the realization that sometimes the most transformative summers are the ones that force us to course-correct mid-journey.
Dear GRL, sorry I’ve been missing!
I’ve taken some time away from the blog to piece it all together into a book, from the middle, with a millennial voice in leadership. All too often books are written from the end, once goals have been crushed, and looking back on life.
Dear GRL: Let's Stop Calling Everything 'Friends' and 'Family'
It's time to stop calling everything "friends" and "family" in professional settings. This Dear GRL letter challenges the misuse of relationship language at work, explaining why your colleagues aren't your friends and your workplace isn't your family. Learn how companies weaponize "family" rhetoric to blur boundaries and why being precise with language helps you set better professional boundaries and expectations.
Dear GRL: When 300 Women Athletes Remind You Why This Work Matters
Dear GRL: Your Career Deserves a Mentor (and Here's Why)
Discover why finding a mentor is essential for millennial and Gen Z career success. This Dear GRL letter explores how mentorship transforms professional journeys, backed by compelling statistics showing that 68% of millennials with mentors stay at companies longer and experience 21-23% higher job satisfaction. Learn practical tips for finding the right mentor in 2025 and building meaningful career relationships that accelerate your growth.
Dear GRL: Your Grief Doesn't Have an Expiration Date
Grief hits different when you're navigating it in your 20s and 30s. Here's why your healing journey doesn't need to fit anyone else's timeline—and how to take care of yourself along the way.