Seeds Of Confidence: Teri Thompson On Raising Leaders

Send us Fan MailWhat if the first place we prevent harm isn’t a policy or a program, but a sentence a child says to themselves: I am enough. We sit down with Judge and author Teri Thompson to unpack how early identity, steady mentorship, and practical storytelling can change a life’s arc long before a courtroom is ever involved. Teri draws on 32 years in law to reveal the patterns she kept seeing—lost self-respect, borrowed identities, and decisions made from empty places—and how that led her to write books that put power back in kids’ hands.We walk through the heart of Girls Who Rise, an evolving movement that includes a core book, mentor-friendly workbooks, and new volumes that amplify young voices. Teri makes a simple, radical case: confidence is infrastructure. With it, kids resist peer pressure, choose growth, and lead—whether that means launching a business, pursuing college, or serving their community. Without it, even high achievers can burn out chasing approval. Along the way, we talk about practical tools you can use today: daily affirmations that stick, consistent check-ins that build trust, and the small rituals that help belief move from words to posture.One story from a Ghana classroom captures the magic: a single coloring page—“I am beautiful just the way I am”—sparked a roomful of kids to claim their worth out loud. That’s the blueprint Teri brings to her Confidence Lab workshops in Alabama and Atlanta and to her online community at We Are Girls Who Rise. If you’re a parent, educator, mentor, or community leader, you’ll leave with concrete ways to show up, speak life, and help the next generation lead with integrity and joy.If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who mentors youth, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Your support helps more kids hear the words that can change everything.Connect with Teri Thompson and make sure you follow her and support her children's books. website: girlswhorise.comBuy the Book - Girls Who Rise: GIRLS WHO RISE: EMPOWERING GIRLS TO BECOME LEADERSEmail:  [email protected]: @wearegirlswhoriseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/teri.thompson.792Stay tuned for the next episode of  Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson. Subscribe - Follow and Like Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson