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. Drawing from Rin-rin’s debut novel Goodbye French Fry, they talk about bullying, belonging, embarrassment, and the internal shift that happens when a girl realizes she can handle hard things. What changes when confidence grows from self-trust instead of approval? How do everyday experiences quietly shape a girl’s sense of who she is?

The conversation also explores identity, representation, and the pressure to fit in during the tween years. Rin-rin reflects on growing up without seeing herself in books and why normal stories deserve just as much space as extraordinary ones. Leslie connects these ideas to her work with teens and parents, offering a clear reminder that confidence is learned through experience, reflection, and support rather than perfection.

This episode invites parents to slow down and notice the small wins that rarely make headlines. What moments are shaping your daughter right now? And how might honoring the ordinary help her build confidence that lasts?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why Self-Confidence Is a Skill Teen Girls Can Learn

03:05 Goodbye French Fry and the Ordinary Moments That Build Self-Confidence

04:39 Why Representation in Books Shapes Identity, Self-Worth, and Belonging

07:56 Bullying and Self-Confidence: Standing Up for Yourself at Age 10

12:35 Embarrassment, Mistakes, and Resilience as Core Confidence Skills

14:54 Cultural Identity and Name Mispronunciation: Helping Kids Feel They Belong

21:55 Journaling and Daily Reflection as a Confidence-Building Practice

30:56 Curiosity vs Mockery: Teaching Kids to Respect Differences

38:49 Perfection Pressure and Self-Forgiveness in a High-Achievement World

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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 through how you speak to yourself, how you follow through and how you respond when discomfort shows up. The message is practical and grounded with reassurance that becoming more self-confident is possible at any stage of life.

Listeners are guided to consider what a truly confident year would look like in real terms. What decisions might change if self-confidence led the way? What would you stop tolerating? What would you try if fear did not get the final vote? Leslie breaks confidence into three core foundations: thinking highly of yourself, building self-trust and allowing uncomfortable emotions without letting them control your actions.

This episode speaks directly to moms of teens as well as the teens themselves with a reminder that confidence is learned through modeling and repetition. When adults practice self-confidence out loud young people learn how to do the same. The takeaway is clear and empowering. Self-confidence grows when you keep promises to yourself, trust your inner voice and take action even when doubt is present.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 What Self-Confidence Really Is and Why It Matters

09:57 The Three Foundations of Self-Confidence

14:51 How to Build Self-Confidence Through Intentional Goals

20:14 Choosing Confidence and Taking Courageous Action

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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 Gagerman, Emily Gordon, Heather Redisch, and Simone Knego, these moments stayed with me long after the mic turned off because they speak to what actually shapes confidence in real life, especially during the emotionally charged seasons of raising teens.

Again and again, the conversation returns to the same truth. Kids are still figuring themselves out emotionally and neurologically, which makes the intensity make sense even when it feels overwhelming. Belonging matters, but tying worth to approval creates fragile self-confidence. Painful moments do not need to be erased to be survivable. When we lead with regulation, patience, and repair, we give our kids something far sturdier than quick solutions.

The lens also turns inward. What happens when we release the pressure to make the perfect call every time? How does parenting shift when self-trust replaces second-guessing? The way we speak to ourselves quietly teaches our children how to respond to their own doubt, disappointment, and discomfort.

As the year comes to a close, this episode offers a steadier way to think about self-confidence. Not something to manufacture or guard, but something practiced daily through presence, perspective, and self-respect.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Reflections on 2025: Lessons and Growth

02:26 Understanding Tween and Teen Development

06:38 The Importance of Friendships and Community

13:51 Navigating Social Struggles and Emotional Resilience

19:40 Deciding When to Let Kids Quit

25:59 Building Real-World Skills for Independence

30:14 Practicing Self-Confidence Daily

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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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 chips away at self-confidence when we rely on external cues to decide who we can be. She invites you to question the idea of “everyone” watching or judging and to notice how often those fears come from your own inner dialogue rather than real people with real thoughts. What shifts if you stop assuming the worst? What new moves become possible when your own approval matters more than imagined commentary from the sidelines?

This episode offers a practical path back to self-confidence through stronger self-trust. Confidence expands when you give yourself the validation you keep seeking elsewhere and take action anyway—whether that means pitching the idea, wearing the loud dress, trying something new, or choosing a path that feels true to you. It’s a reminder that the most powerful relationship you build is the one you build with yourself.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Core Idea of Self-Confidence

06:09 How Others’ Opinions Shape Confidence

09:06 Why We’re Wired to Seek Validation

15:09 Caring About Opinions Without Losing Yourself

17:52 Identifying Who “They” Really Are

20:46 How to Challenge Assumed Judgments

23:56 Strengthening Self-Trust and Personal Confidence

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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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 pull. The mind naturally scans for what feels hard, yet the ability to shift toward positivity is always available once you understand that this habit can be trained.

From there, Leslie highlights the practices that make optimism feel real rather than forced. Catching yourself in a spiral, pausing long enough to ask a better question, and using gratitude as a grounding tool help confident teens and confident women build a steadier inner voice. Even small changes in daily conversation, like naming what went well, create a mindset that notices good moments with more clarity. The heart of her message is simple: positivity becomes a powerful part of your life when you choose it with intention, and that choice strengthens self-confidence in ways that last.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Quest for Positivity

03:45 Genetics vs. Choice: Understanding Positivity

09:29 Shifting Perspectives Through Mindfulness

15:13 Building a Daily Habit of Positivity

19:11 Positivity and Reality: Finding the Balance

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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 moments, like pausing to notice a feeling or grounding the body before reacting, help children manage stress, stay present, and access their best thinking. When mindfulness starts early, kids learn they have control over their reactions, which builds emotional strength that grows with them through adolescence and adulthood.

The conversation goes beyond quiet moments and breathing exercises to reveal how these early lessons create confident teens who trust themselves and understand their emotions. Leslie and Julie also reflect on how this work ripples forward into adulthood, showing up in the way confident women lead, parent, and care for themselves. By teaching kids mindfulness now, we give them tools to feel steady in uncertainty and connected to who they are - a foundation every confident person stands on.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why Mindfulness Matters Now

05:28 KNOWTICE Origin Story and Julie Freeman’s Path

11:32 Why Start Early Mindfulness for Kids and Brain Development

16:54 Classroom Basics Mindful Body Stillness and Calming Techniques

22:23 Mindful Parenting and Raising Confident Teens

31:24 The 90-Second Rule and Managing Anxiety in Real Time

43:17 From Mindful Kids to Confident Women

45:42 How to Bring KNOWTICE to Your School

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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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 women and raise confident teens, not through perfection or performance but through daily honesty and courage.

Simone’s REAL framework (Respect yourself, Embrace failures, Ask for what you want, Live without limits) turns self-confidence into something you can build like a muscle. She shares stories from motherhood, adventure, and loss that reveal how mindset isn’t just what you think, but how you recover, reset, and speak to yourself when things get hard.

If your inner voice became a loudspeaker, would it motivate you or tear you down? Whether you’re working on your own self-confidence or trying to model it for someone watching, this episode is a reminder that confident women aren’t born - they’re built one thought, one ask, one brave moment at a time.

Episode Breakdown

00:00 Why Self-Confidence Matters for Women and Teens

02:23 Simone Knego’s REAL Method for Building Confidence

07:45 How Self-Talk Shapes Your Mindset

09:02 Modeling Confidence for Children and Confident Teens

15:05 Climbing Kilimanjaro to Overcome Fear

20:08 Asking for Help and Breaking People-Pleasing Habits

26:39 Control-Alt-Delete Mindset Reset

32:06 Moving Forward After Setbacks and Self-Doubt

37:01 Daily Confidence Practices: Affirmations and Gratitude

Connect With Simone Knego:

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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

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 when kids want out of something. Together, they swap “quitting” for a new lens: detours, decisions, and opportunities to choose differently. The conversation is equal parts practical and freeing, with guiding questions parents can ask themselves and their kids to figure out whether an activity is helping or hurting, whether resistance is about the activity itself or just the transition into it, and how to know when it’s time to stay the course, or turn down a new road.

They also talk about the deeper goal behind these decisions: raising confident teens who know how to check in with themselves, build resilience, and trust their own judgment. From family values to tween autonomy to the lifelong practice of self-confidence, this episode shows how even small parenting choices can strengthen the foundation for confident women in the future.

The takeaway? There’s no universal “right” answer. There’s only the right decision for you and your family, right now.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Letting Kids Quit: Why It Feels So Hard

03:02 Meet Dr. Emily Gordon

05:03 Reframing Quitting as Taking a Detour

07:18 A Framework for Making Parenting Decisions

12:07 Parental Pressure, Fear, and Self-Confidence

14:22 How to Help Adolescents Name Their Feelings

17:09 Anxiety, Transitions, and Building Resilience

20:03 Balancing Parental Control and Tween Autonomy

29:07 Weighing Benefits, Costs, and Family Values

31:08 Protecting the Parent-Child Relationship

34:48 Confidence, Resilience, and Growth

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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm