Confident Girls  (0:00:00) According to reports, girls’ confidence and self-esteem peaks around age 9, and falls from there. We see it all the time, girls suddenly feel self-conscious of their appearance as their bodies change, they see women in the media and feel they need to wear makeup to get that airbrushed look, they hear gossip at sleepovers and feel they need to be the best at everything to stand out from the crowd and avoid being picked on. What can we do to help foster confidence in girls as they go through the difficult stages of middle school and high school? Here to talk us through it is Illana Raia: lawyer, lecturer, and CEO and Founder of Etre Girls, a mentorship platform for young girls. Overcoming Debt  (0:11:21) There is something nearly every American has in common, and unfortunately, that’s debt. We live in a spending culture and the average American has about 38 thousand dollars of debt, not including their mortgage. How do we get the motivation to even start digging ourselves out of this hole? Jen Smith, founder of Modern Frugality, understands this feeling all too well. She as her husband looked at paying off $78,000 of debt. Jen joins us to share how she and her husband found motivation to pay off their debt in under two years, and how that motivation is attainable for you. Recognizing Body Language  (0:28:43) Can we avoid threatening situations by simply learning body language? With as much as 80% of our interactions with others being nonverbal, learning to recognize potentially dangerous behavior through body language is a skill we all should develop. Whether it’s a suspicious person at the park, someone we’re dating, or even a child trying to be sneaky, body language can tell us exactly what we need to know about others’ motives. Former FBI agent and body language specialist Joe Navarro joins us to share how we can recognize potentially dangerous behavior in both strangers and people we know.  Paralympics  (0:48:54) Have you ever been inspired by the Paralympics or an athlete with a prosthetic limb or a debilitating injury? There are so many touching stories about these athletes that motivate people around the globe, but what goes on behind the scenes? Who helps pay for the costs of specially engineered devices? Who helps acquire prosthetics? Who mentors and empathizes with these everyday heroes? We have the Bob Babbit, co-founder of Challenged Althetes Foundation, who is one of the behind the scenes advocates that helps take care of all of those little details that go into giving disabled athletes the opportunity to live their best lives.  5 Gratitudes  (1:04:59) Studies show that expressing gratitude improves physical health, mental health and self-esteem. Therapist and author Lauren Cook suggests that whether it’s driving your teen to school, sitting around the dinner table, or before your child falls asleep at night, taking time as a family to share five things that you are thankful for makes a world of difference in your family dynamic. She joins us to discuss how we can incorporate gratitude in our lives and in our families. Fall Parties  (1:20:31) Fall is a favorite season for so many reasons: tasty food, new decorations, and fun holidays. You’ve probably considered throwing a party to gather with your friends and family, but where do you even begin? Well, maybe it doesn’t have to be that complicated, even if you’re a rookie party host. We are talking with Tara Bench, a food blogger who has spent over 15 years in the food publishing industry, about how to throw the perfect fall party. She’s here to tell you everything you need to know to impress your guests.