As a women’s health specialist, my practice is centered around nurturing, educating and healing women of all ages. As such, I am so very blessed to also be involved in some young women’s lives through an organization called Girls On the Run! 

“Girls on the Run® is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.

Meeting twice a week in small teams of 8-20 girls, we teach life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The 24-lesson curriculum is taught by certified Girls on the Run coaches and includes three parts: understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the world at large.

Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment. Important social, psychological, and physical skills and abilities are developed and reinforced throughout the program. At each season’s conclusion, the girls and their running buddies complete a 5k running event which gives them a tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. The result—making the seemingly impossible, possible, and teaching girls that they can.”

This wonderful organization teaches girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run honors its core values to:

• Recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making
• Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness
• Express joy, optimism and gratitude through our words, thoughts and actions
• Nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health
• Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent
• Stand up for ourselves and others

Not only does this organization empower girls with these core values, they are also taught about proper body mechanics and breathing! Proper breathing, especially when exercising, is so very important and such a wonderful thing to be teaching these girls at a young age!

I encourage all of my blog readers to get involved in your local Girls on the Run by coaching, volunteering, becoming a partner or donating! What a great opportunity to enrich the lives of these young women and maybe even learn a thing or two about yourself as well!