What if your girl has a big goal like "improve my grades" or "get into my dream college?" We want our girls to achieve their goals, not just because we are parents, but also because it improves confidence and setting goals is an important executive functions skill.

But why do some resolutions fail and others succeed? Author, Deborah Reber, offers 8 steps to support your girl with big dreams.

So what if it's not New Year's day. January 22nd is just as good a day to go after your dream as any other!

28 tips may seem like a lot, however, considering more Americans fear public speaking than their own death, I believe more tips are better than less.

Public speaking is a skill, not a talent. It needs to be practiced at all ages. Avoiding public speaking only exacerbates the problem by reinforcing the fear. Besides, if you never present, you’ll never realize that you won’t actually die!

In a nutshell, my daughter thought charisma was great if it was innate but if you tried to practice being charismatic, you were an imposter.

Girls are uncomfortable with anything that smacks of less than authentic. I get that. But I also know from my work with adult clients that executive presence, gravitas, and a certain energy are all qualities that leaders strive for, not to mention are evaluated on. 

Bosses encourage employees to gain these skills but my daughter and, it turns out, many women are wary of looking like imposters.

Researchers suggest charisma is simply connecting with people and, to connect, you must do three things...and they CAN be learned.

Connection isn't just authentic, it's powerful.

Research shows the most outstanding leaders take the time to reflect. “The more girls know who they are, the more they can believe in themselves, and trust in the power of their own intellect and intuition. This self-trust is the foundation of self-confidence, the foundation girls need to assert their voice and remain resilient, to rise up as leaders - and to keep rising." - Elizabeth Perlman, founder of the intuitive writing project.

What is the best research-backed method to reflect? Journaling. Although most introverts are naturally drawn to this exercise, everyone can benefit. Here are the best tips and strategies from the industry's experts.

Am I the lone voice in my daughter’s ears telling her it’s okay if she doesn’t want to pursue an interest in STEM?

Out here in sunny, tech-obsessed California, girls’ leadership often equals STEM (Science. Technology. Engineering. Math). Many parents look to STEM as the singular solution to the gnarly and complex problem of getting their girls into leadership positions, and this view always seemed limiting to me.

Thankfully, two new studies run by Google show that in order to be successful in technology you don't need to be a technologist.

Adam Grant says that leveraged well, procrastination can have powerful benefits like enhanced creativity and huge leaps in critical thinking.  This approach is especially good for unsolved tasks.

However, how should I explain this to my kids so that they don't feel they can continue allowing their rooms to look like bottoms of bird cages in the name of creativity?  How to ensure they don't start to believe forgetting or putting off projects and assignments is their ticket to intellectual brilliance?

The problem is that this isn't the kind of procrastination that's beneficial.  Procrastination only helps divergent thinking and incubation as long as you don't wait too long which, ironically, often happens when you are disorganized.

Goldilocks procrastination. That is the goal.