Empowering Girls with Shannon Addison

The Optimized Mind

In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with entrepreneur and Mom, Shannon Addison. The discussion focuses on the evolution of Shannon’s brand – My Crumby World. Central themes which emerge through this powerful conversation include – the importance of empowering girls towards kindness to combat bullying and mean girl behavior, the far reaching implications of bullying on the self-esteem and self-concept of girls, the importance of teaching girls to embrace and appreciate individual difference, the impact of social media on girls, the importance of creating connection with our kids through activities, and helping girls to embrace the importance of failing as part of the process of learning.

Author Shannon Addison doesn’t consider herself a writer; she thinks of herself as someone who enjoys writing and has been doing so for most of her life. She finds inspiration for her writing through journaling, which she believes allows her to explore ideas without feeling constrained. Her love for journaling has inspired her to combine stories with journaling in her Breadcrumbz Presents format. Shannon believes that encouraging young girls to start journaling will help them express their feelings, address difficult questions, and receive positive messaging. Shannon's first story idea came from personal experience. While having lunch with her daughter at her school, she observed the interaction between girls at the next table and how easily and quietly they manipulated and bullied others without being noticed. This behavior was troubling and familiar to Shannon, prompting her to reflect on her own experiences at that age. She realized that little has changed in how young girls treat each other, and with today’s access to cell phones and social media, they have even more capable tools to inflict harm. This inspired Shannon to prepare girls for such conflicts and help them navigate them through better communication with parents and peers.

Shannon hopes that her books’ stories and problem-solving packets enable young girls to deal with friendship, feelings, conflicts, and failures, empowering them in the process. Her aim is for young readers to relate to the characters in her stories, accept themselves and others, and find their true inner strength, kindness, and generosity of spirit. “My Crumby Guide to Baking and Friendship Making” is the second book in the Breadcrumbz Presents collection. The first book, “My Crumby Guide to Failing,” is currently available on Amazon.

@mycrumbyworld

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