Tough Cookie Mission

Despite significant historical achievements in women’s rights and gender equality, women are still confronted with many prejudices and perils today – both external and internal.

We’ve come so far and yet we still face so many threats.

Not least of which is the constant harassment and judgment we face when going after our dreams, explore new worlds, or put ourselves in new situations. It doesn’t help that we already judge ourselves plenty. We may have more rights and opportunities than ever, but we still need to embrace the power within ourselves to feel worthy of them. And to defend them when others challenge or threaten that right. Find the strength to decide what’s right for each of us and then go after it, fight for it, regardless of what others might say or do.

At the most basic level, we should all have the inalienable rights of safety, security, and control over our own bodies.

Whatever the arena or locale, many women still worry that owning and fighting for these rights means sacrificing that sweetness and sensitivity that makes us female. Or that it could put us in greater danger. So instead, we’ve been taught to be afraid, ignore our intuition and just submit, keep our heads down and mouths shut, and fail to stand up for ourselves and our fellow womenkind for fear of making things worse. At the same time, women are systematically more likely to be harassed, assaulted, and abused wherever they go, whether staying at home, going to work, or traveling somewhere new. The statistics are shocking and they don’t paint a very hopeful picture. Well if that’s the playing field we’re stuck in…

It’s about time we changed the game.

There is a better way to travel as a woman in today’s world. A better way to be as strong and adventurous as you want without compromising your sensitivity and sweetness. You CAN be a go-getter with empathy and grace. You CAN be girly without compromising your power and strength. You CAN balance the fierce and the feminine. That’s how Tough Cookie came into being. By no means am I saying you don’t need anyone else or can do it all on your own. Nor is it simply a matter of being harder, better, faster, stronger. It’s actually rather the opposite. It takes courage to be vulnerable. Intuition to detect danger before it strikes. Empathy to anticipate what may happen. And humility to handle it safely and intelligently. I want you to be confident in yourself and build strength in your body, mind, AND spirit. Confident enough to ask for help and help one another. So strong that you lift others up with you. Courageous AND compassionate. Firm AND gentle. Strong AND sweet.

Tough AND Cookie.

A rising tide lifts all boats AND vaginas. There are already numerous examples emerging around us – incredible forces of womanhood who kick ass and then hug each other. But we need more women to step up to the plate and challenge what we’ve been taught about being a modern woman. Let’s prove that you can be badass AND vulnerable at the same time. And that life is easier to navigate when you are.

That how Tough Cookies Travel.

Stronger, safer, and badass-er. All thanks to (and not in spite of) our innate sensitivity and intuition. The way I see it, we’re all doing the best we can, and we can all do that stronger if we do it together. You have a lot to give, boo. If you are brave enough to share that, to live and travel the Tough Cookie way, it can change your life. The Tough Cookie way means living (and traveling) by these core values:

Embody Strength Believe in yourself and your inner (mental) & outer (physical) strength. Take ownership and responsibility for your power, reject victimhood, and choose to see your worth. Find your inner Tough Cookie and let her shine through and identify with other Tough Cookies around you. Strength is a mindset.
Embrace Sensitivity Value the softer side of yourself – your intuition, your caution, your compassion – and shift your mindset to also view these traits as strengths rather than weaknesses. Then you can identify and respect these valuable sensitivities in others as well.
Evince Truth & Justice Speak your truth and stand up for yourself and for others. Find the courage to ask for help. Fight for everyone’s right to be heard and believed. Be so strong that you lift others up with you. All that injustice needs to thrive is for good people to do nothing.
Express Kindness & Joy Always lead with love and positivity. Keep it respectful, humble, and open-minded. View humor as a healthy release, and setbacks as opportunities. Welcome other points of view and strive to put yourself in others’ shoes. Prioritize peace over violence. And you’ll be stronger for it.

We also believe in and uphold our Community Guidelines. If these all resonate with you, then you are precisely who I created this program for, and I know you will fit right in like a fish to water and be swimming like a pro in no time! Join me and make it your mission too – be you chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or snickerdoodle. You can put on that frilly apron, bake your cake (or cookies), and eat it too. Let’s form a new team, take to the fields all across the world, and change how this game is played. It’s time we gave a voice to the Tough Cookie in all of us, with all of us, for all of us. We Are All Tough Cookies.jpg