Why Didn’t They Tell Us? Self-Confidence Coaching For Teen Girls

High achievers often look confident from the outside while quietly running on fear, urgency, and the belief that their worth depends on never slipping up.   Leslie Randolph is joined by Pooja Venkatraman, an executive coach, former management consultant, and self-described recovered stressed-out high achiever, to unpack a pattern many confident teens and confident women recognize but rarely questi...

Self-confidence is built in the moments no one applauds, the awkward missteps and quiet choices that shape how girls learn to trust themselves long before anyone is watching.   Leslie Randolph sits down with journalist and author Rin-rin Yu for a grounded conversation about where confidence actually comes from and why the ordinary moments of childhood matter more than the polished highlights. Draw...

Self-confidence is not a personality trait you either have or lack but a skill you can choose to build and strengthen starting right now.   This conversation reframes self-confidence as something you practice through daily choices rather than something reserved for confident women or naturally confident teens. Leslie Randolph invites listeners to see confidence as a skill built with intention thro...

Raising confident girls starts with how moms regulate emotions, make decisions under pressure and talk to themselves when parenting gets hard.   This year-end episode reflects on self-confidence through the lens of motherhood, offering insight for raising self-confident girls who grow into confident teens and confident women. Drawing from conversations with Dr. Lisa Klein, Nina Badzin, Abby Gagerm...

What if the loudest voice shaping your confidence has never belonged to “them” at all but to the stories you’ve been telling yourself about their opinions?   This throwback episode takes a fresh look at validation and why so many of us treat other people’s opinions as the final verdict on our worth. Leslie Randolph breaks down how this instinct forms, why it feels so compelling, and how it quietly...

Positivity turns out to be less of a lucky personality trait and more of a skill you can shape with intention.   At the center of this conversation is a simple idea: confidence grows when you learn to guide your attention instead of letting your brain run on autopilot. Leslie Randolph explains why teens often slip into negative thinking and why women who want stronger self-confidence feel the same...

Mindfulness stops being a buzzword when kids learn to use it in real time to calm their bodies, name their feelings, and stay connected to their breath when life gets loud.   Leslie sits down with Julie Freeman, Executive Director of KNOWTICE, to talk about how mindfulness for kids can shape the kind of self-awareness that leads to genuine self-confidence. Julie shares how small, repeatable moment...

Confidence isn’t a personality trait you’re born with but a daily choice you make in the smallest moments.   Self-confidence doesn’t always show up with fireworks. Sometimes it starts as a mindset shift so small no one else can hear it, a quiet decision to replace old self-talk with something kinder. Leslie Randolph sits down with Simone Knego to redefine what it really means to become confident w...

We’ve all been there: standing at the crossroads of a parenting decision and wondering, am I making the wrong call? For many of us, the idea of letting our kids quit an activity feels like giving in—or worse, failing them. But what if the word “quit” is the problem in the first place?   In this episode, Leslie Randolph sits down with psychologist Dr. Emily Gordon to reframe what’s really going on...

We all crave comfort. But the truth is, self-confidence isn’t built in comfort zones, it’s built in the moments when we’re willing to be uncomfortable.   Leslie Randolph introduces the idea of deliberate discomfort and why it’s the key to both confident teens and confident women. Drawing from her own life and her coaching work, Leslie unpacks how stretching beyond what feels easy builds the emotio...

Some days feel heavier than others. Whether it’s a personal heartbreak or a tragedy in the news, the weight of the world can be a lot to carry. And if you’re someone who feels deeply, it’s not always clear how to keep moving forward.    In this episode, Leslie Randolph offers a thoughtful perspective on what it means to live with sadness, anger, and grief without letting them take over. She shares...

At every age and stage, we long to belong. But too often, that desire comes at the cost of abandoning parts of ourselves. True friendship isn’t about fitting in - it’s about finding your people: the ones you like, and the ones you feel good being around.   Leslie Randolph is joined by friendship expert and advice columnist Nina Badzin for a conversation about friendship and friend groups, especial...

Heading to summer camp? Confidence is the most important thing you can pack. Leslie Randolph speaks directly to girls (and their moms) navigating the nerves that come with starting something new, whether it’s sleepaway camp or a big life transition. Some girls are counting down the days with excitement. Others feel anxious, unsure, or like they’re heading off against their will. All of that is nor...

Most people wait for a crisis to start living with intention. This episode is your invitation to stop waiting.   After attending a funeral for someone who lived with “no wasted days,” Leslie Randolph reflects on how easily moms can slip into autopilot – checking boxes, managing schedules, and losing sight of their own joy. She shares how the loss of her father during the height of COVID became a t...

Your daughter’s self-confidence starts with yours because she’s watching more than she’s listening.   If you’re a mom raising teens, especially confident girls, in a world that constantly tells them they’re not enough, I recorded this episode for you. I want to help you see how your words, your actions, and even the way you talk to yourself can shape how your daughter sees herself.   I share what...

When my calendar’s overflowing and I still feel like I’m coming up short, I know it’s time to take a hard look at what self-care actually means in my life. And if you’re a mom who’s feeling burned out, even when you love the people and work you’ve said yes to, you’re not alone.   In this episode, I’m joined by Whitney Baker, the founder of Electric Ideas and a self-connection coach who helps women...

Self-confidence isn’t something you wait to earn. It’s a choice you make before there’s any proof you’ll succeed. But I know that choice isn’t always easy.   I used to believe confidence came from accomplishments, but I’ve learned that self-confidence is different. It’s believing in yourself even when you have no evidence to back it up. That belief fuels every risk you take, every dream you chase,...

Adulting isn’t something they teach in school, but Heather Redisch is here to help college graduates figure it out.   I see it all the time—young professionals landing their first jobs and feeling completely unprepared. Why does the transition from school to career feel so overwhelming? Heather Redisch, founder of The Talent Maven and creator of the Adulting 101 Masterclass, has spent nearly 25 ye...

Self-love isn’t about spa days or self-indulgence. It’s about the way you speak to yourself, the choices you make, and the belief that you are already worthy.   As a self-confidence coach for teenage girls, I’ve seen how the relationship we have with ourselves influences every part of life. But if self-love is so important, why does it feel so hard? Why does doubt always seem louder? I get it. I’v...

Most parents dread “the talk,” but raising confident, informed teens is less about one big conversation and more about a series of open, shame-free discussions.   Dr. Lisa Klein, pediatrician and co-founder of Turning Teen, joins Leslie Randolph to break down what kids really need when it comes to talking about puberty. Is there a right time to start? How do you make it less awkward? What happens...

“Setting a goal is a way of saying to yourself, ‘I want you to have what you desire, and I believe in your ability to create it.’” Leslie Randolph brings this idea to life as she talks about how self-confidence and intentions intersect with goal-setting in this episode of Why Didn’t They Tell Us?   Why do so many of us hesitate to set goals? Leslie tackles this question head-on as she reflects on...

“A lot of what our girls are experiencing today feels straight out of ‘Mean Girls,’” says Abby Gagerman, licensed social worker with her own private psychotherapy practice. Abby joins host Leslie Randolph to talk about the phenomenon of being “dropped” from friend groups. Social media, technology and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 lockdown have merely exacerbated the age-old phenomenon wher...

“It really shifts your thinking to things you wouldn’t give a second thought to,” says today’s guest Meredith Rivkin about the power of practicing gratitude. A junior in high school, Meredith serves as the president of the teen board at Gratitude Generation—g2—a nonprofit organization on a mission to instill gratitude in future generations through education and service. Meredith joins Why Didn’t T...

“I don’t want it to be a best-kept secret. I want everyone to know,” says Leslie Randolph on this solo episode where she announces an upcoming series she is launching in honor of her successful TEDx Talk being released to YouTube. The series of short-and-sweet episodes will be dedicated to unpacking the secrets of self-confidence and show you how to cultivate it. In this first episode of the self-...

“I didn’t slump over and start crying. I felt I had power,” says Samantha Golkin-Nigliazzo, an 11-year breast cancer survivor about receiving her diagnosis early thanks to vigilant screening and self-advocacy. More than a decade after her diagnosis, she now empowers others by serving as the vice president of The Pink Agenda and co-chair of the organization's Education Committee. The Pink Agenda is...