Self-confidence is a core value here at Girls on the Run (GOTR). For Danielle Fuligni, it is what defines her work. Fuligni created MyGirl Coaching to teach her own daughters and now thousands of girls every year how to build their self-confidence. A bestselling author and ICF-certified professional coactive coach, Fuligni attests that the “first step…in [her own] confidence journey was volunteering for Girls on the Run.”
Fuligni always loved running, and competed collegiately in cross-country and track at Harvard University. She had no role models in the sport growing up to show her how to translate her confidence on the track to other areas of her life. When she became a parent, she was determined to set a good example for her girls to follow, and that started with finding her own confidence in all areas of her life.
She found GOTR, and said that the program’s message “brought her to tears.” She felt like GOTR was the resource for confidence strategies she was missing throughout her life and wanted to get involved. However, the only position open at her site was Head Coach. Instead of shying away from the leadership role, Fuligni embraced the challenge, and brought her daughters to practice to watch their mom step out of her comfort zone.
This experience inspired Fuligni to found MyGirl coaching and become an author in order to help others like her understand what it means to be confident. She wrote the bestselling book Girl on Purpose to help parents become positive role models for their daughters. This book is for parents to read and then share the ideas with their kids in order to establish a common language to talk about confidence, choices, failure, and community.
Fuligni wanted to publish a book that focused on the positive aspects of raising girls and give parents simple strategies for instilling self-confidence in their daughters. Defining self-confidence as “the ability to do what you want to do and be yourself in the process,” many of Fuligni’s ideas and strategies align with the GOTR philosophy and coaching curriculum. Helping girls find their strengths, use positive self-talk, and choose friends are lessons found both in Girl on Purpose and the GOTR curriculum.
Fuligni’s book stands as a testament to both the impact GOTR coaching has on its participants and the effectiveness of the curriculum. Fuligni grew her own self-confidence through GOTR, and you can too!
Sign up to coach here: https://www.gotrbayarea.org/coach
Get Fuligni’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Purpose-Build-Self-Confidence-Meant-ebook/dp/B07C5924FC
Want to learn more from Fuligni?
Read her Huffington Post article on confidence in girls here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/these-6-things-could-be-k_b_8154378
Read her Medium article on advice girls give themselves here: https://fulignidanielle.medium.com/what-advice-would-you-give-your-younger-self-90efc5ff1e3d