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speaker-0: Hi and welcome to Second Chances with Christy Bells Podcast. I'm your host, Christy Bells. Enjoy our array of talented, open-hearted guests and their thoughtfully curated stories of second chances, life-changing choices, and new perspectives. We are here to empower you on second chances in your life. A welcome to the show. Second Chances with Christy Bells. I'm just so excited about this episode. Let me introduce you to these two amazing women I have as my guest today. Leanna Clark has served as the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Colorado since May 2020, leading the statewide organization through six years of significant change and growth. Girl Scouts of Colorado currently serves more than 14,000 members and is supported by approximately 8,000 adults across Colorado. Before joining the Girl Scouts, Leanna built a diverse career spanning journalism, business, higher education, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. She was co-owner of one of Denver's largest marketing and public relations firms. She was the University Communications Chancellor at CU Denver and worked with Project Cure in philanthropic travel. Her leadership at Girl Scouts of Colorado has included expanding mental wellness and STEM programming. Opening the first Girl Scout Dream Lab in Denver and helping significantly grow individual and corporate giving. Liana herself was named Girl Scout of Colorado Women of Distinction before becoming the CEO and has received numerous leadership honors, including recognition by the Colorado Women's Chamber and Denver Business Journal. She announced earlier this year that she will retire after six years as CEO as she and her husband begin a new chapter together. Her successor, Dr. Amanda Kelly, begins August 24th, allowing for the transition period before Leanna's departure. And Meg Nichols. Meg was born with osteogenes imperfecta, brittle bone disease. Doctors measured her lifespan in months if she was born alive. But she kept pushing through. Diagnosed with restrictive lung disease at two weeks old, she was on oxygen for eleven years of her life. That was until she started singing. Singing was something she could do no matter how broken she was. And is what kept her smiling through all the tough times. But when she became a vocal music major at Denver School of the Arts, things really started to change for her. Even with countless surgeries and doctors' appointments, plus not looking like your normal kid, she still felt like she belonged. She joined DSA for sixth grade and has sung at the national anthem for the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche. She does acting, Girl Scout singing, and is a patient ambassador at Children's Hospital of Colorado. In twenty twenty six, she won the title Colorado Miss Amazing Junior Teen and National Miss Amazing Junior Teen Queen. She doesn't let anything stop her. Now in ninth grade at Denver School of the Arts, things aren't slowing down anytime soon. She plans to keep working hard to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, raise awareness for kids like herself. And make an impact in her community and share her voice with the world. Wow. Welcome, ladies. The crowd goes wild on how amazing you are. ⁓ the show is gonna be a little bit different today. I just gonna start as I normally do with something I call permission to pause. I think I need that after reading those introductions, kinda took my breath away. Let's just take a deep breath. If you are comfortable, you can close your eyes. This is just a moment to get yourself centered, bring yourself into this moment. And our audience listens along and learns that it's okay to pause. Yeah. Yeah, I just there's just that moment where you can feel the stillness and the silence. Just yeah, we're here. I love that. So, Meg, I'm gonna turn this over to you and you're gonna do a little interviewing with Miss Liana Clark at CEO of the Girl Scouts. And then we'll That sounds wonderful. Yeah. Well, let's why don't you take it over? Okay, Miss Liana, I have a few questions for you. So the first thing that I want to ask you is ⁓ since you're stepping down, I know that you has gotten a lot of kudos and love from girls and women who had had the wonderful opportunity to meet you. And so how do you feel with ⁓ the praise that they are giving you?
speaker-1: Well, thank you, Meg. It's been it's a little overwhelming and very humbling. And ⁓ I'm incredibly honored. I've had volunteers and girls reach out to me on social media, in person. ⁓ we've done a series of events around the state this summer with me and my dog and haven't had a had a chance to see so many girls and volunteers, and they've all been so gracious. And of course I'm I'm it makes me feel proud of the great things, the big things we've accomplished, like opening the first dream lab in the nation, increasing our visibility. building our fundraising, but but even more it makes me realize how much the little things matter. For example, Meg, I know the day I met you and you pointed out that what how did you say it when we when we met that I came up to you and I gave you a patch and I think it it said that you made made you feel made you feel seen. Is that accurate?
speaker-0: Yes. ⁓ it was a Girl Scout event and I I was recently new to Girl Scouts and you know I wasn't quite sure and I didn't look the same as everyone. but Miss Leanna came up to me and gave me a patch with her dog on it and I felt worthy of what I was receiving and I felt so honored to get to meet someone ⁓ with such power.
speaker-1: well and I in return, I thought you might because you do, you're the you're the only girl in the wheelchair. I thought you might feel alone or maybe a little scared. So but boy was I wrong because I gave you one of my patches and you grabbed it with all this confidence and gusto and you said, I'm gonna put it right here and you rolled off and I was like, What just happened? Who was that amazing girl? So if you noticed me sort of following you and your
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dad around later in that day, I had like an immediate girl crush on you at I think you were nine, Miss Meg. I think you were nine years old. And I was just blown away by you. So it just made it it really made me realize how much the little things matter because you didn't realize the impact you had on me and I didn't realize the impact I had on you. Something I really try to do in interacting with girls around the state is I try to notice one thing and name it ⁓ out loud, whether it's a girl had cool ombre glasses on the other day that were pink that faded to blue or the amazing craft that she's working on or that I've met her before. And I I do think just those little things that show people they are seeing are really important. And that doesn't go away as you grow up, as you get older. I had a really rough day a week or so ago and I had a good friend say, I'm on Team Liana. I had a good friend show up when I needed her. Probably felt like little things to them. They were the world to me. So I think it's Never underestimate those little things because you never know when something small is really something very big to someone else.
speaker-0: Truly. And ⁓ I feel like that kind of bridges well into my next question, ⁓ which is what will you miss most stepping down from Girl Scouts of Colorado? ⁓ whether it is the community or even just the little things, ⁓ what is something that you will miss significantly?
speaker-1: Yeah, most without a doubt, it's the girls. This job has meant a lot of nights, a lot of weekends, but when it's girl stuff like going to one of our programs or visiting a troop meeting or stopping by cookie boots, it it has never felt like work. ⁓ and it's not just our goal that we're Girl Scouts or Girl Scouts who are doing these amazing things. It's it's just girls being girls, their ideas, their questions, their their their silliness, ⁓ and sometimes their their lack of a filter and just seeing what's exactly on their mind, all of that. Has reminded me that every girl has something special about her and every girl is worth seeing for exactly who she is. And our volunteers, our troop leaders, cooking managers, parents. ⁓ they are the backbone of what we do, and it's a heavy lift. We ask a lot of them. And I I don't feel like we always appreciate them as much as we can. So that's something I've really tried to to do and show them because they've made such an enormous difference for me. And our staff, ⁓ 120 of them around the state, they are caring, hardworking, passionate, and I've feel like I've learned as much for them as they've learned from me. And I feel like I'm a better leader because of them. So I do want to say though, just because I'm retiring at ⁓ Ms. May, I expect invitations to high school graduation, to anything else that's going on in your life, ⁓ I'm not retiring from all of you. I'm just retiring from the role.
speaker-0: Yes, ⁓ that would be wonderful. Man, and you I know that you say that the girls are what you're gonna miss, but we are also gonna miss you because man, I remember the first time that you came new my cookie booth, I set up in my driveway and I was, you know, I was like, ⁓ my gosh, what is gonna happen? And you showed up at my cookie booth and I was like, and I called my Nana right when I was done. I was like, Nana. You will not believe who showed up at my cookie booth. I was like the CEO of Girl Scouts came to my cookie booth in my driveway, and it was so special for me. And so you will miss the girls, but the girls will miss you. And I know that you say that they have an impact on you. but you also have an impact on us more than you would know. So what is something That you want all Girl Scouts, past, present, or future, to know. ⁓ do you have any advice or words of wisdom that you would share with us?
speaker-1: You know, the one thing I want most for our girls is confidence because honestly that's that's where I see girls struggle the most. Sometimes you can actually see it with a girl. She'll kind of fold into herself and make herself smaller and speak so quietly that you can barely hear. And I just want to say, Don't make yourself small. You matter, your ideas matter, your voice deserves to be heard. And I tell girls this and I I really hope that they learn from this. Confidence is a muscle. And the more you use it, the stronger it gets. So the more you raise your hand, the more you speak up, the more you you speak with confidence, ⁓ the more you try something new, even when you're nervous, the more confident you become because it's like a muscle, it gets stronger. And take risks. That's one of the great things about Girl Scouts. Your troop is the safe place to try something you haven't done before. And even if you fail, you discover that you're still okay. So t then you take that confidence out into the world with you. ⁓ Competence doesn't mean being the loudest person in the room. It means knowing you belong in that room. So I ask girls to remember don't fold yourself up. Don't make yourself smaller. Take up space. Use your voice. Take risks because the world needs to hear what you have to say. I firmly believe that our girls will change the world, you included Meg. And we need your voices to to make the world a better place.
speaker-0: Thank you so much. Yeah. definitely for fellow Girl Scouts out there, ⁓ make sure that you are being yourself because Girl Scouts is a place to be yourself and be open. And we have wonderful people like Miss Liana and all these staff and volunteers that are here for you. So don't try to make yourself not yourself. Just be yourself and you will fit in. So As you are ⁓ stepping down, you are leaving us ⁓ with the AMP access fund. Can you tell us more about it and ⁓ how it will impact the Girl Scouts of Colorado Foundation? Yes.
speaker-1: So I'm I'm very proud and very grateful that ⁓ we have started the Liana Clark AMP Access Fund. AMP is my camp name, my Girl Scout camp name. ⁓ Kristen on our
marketing communications team, I think she she terms it because of the energy I bring to situations. My husband's is probably a little more how he describes it as that I tend to be a little amped up. So he's probably right. But mostly AMP refers to that I've always believed in amplifying the voices of girls and women. So that's really what the AMP Access Fund is about. It's about removing barriers so more girls can access everything Girls Girl Scouts has to offer. It's Girl Scouts is remarkably affordable to start with, but even an affordable program can be out of reach for some families, especially these days. Membership dues, uniform camp, program fees, all of those can be a barrier. Camp, especially, was so meaningful to me when I was a camp girl. So as I leave Girl Scouts of Colorado, I can't think of anything I'd rather have my name associated with than opening doors for more girls. So at at Women of Distinction, we will talk about the AMP Access Fund and we'll hope that people raise a paddle for it and and help me open those doors for girls going forward. And it just means the world to me and know that that this will continue ⁓ after I ⁓ am no longer in this role at Girl Scouts is really special.
speaker-0: So then I kinda have a follow up question to that, ⁓ that I will not be asking at women of distinction. But I am kinda wondering how can the girls or their parents find the AMP access fund?
speaker-1: So we're gonna we're rolling it out that night at Women of Distinction. We've done a couple mailings about it. After Women of Distinction, ⁓ it'll be on the website so that you can give to it. So we're kind of waiting for the drum roll of Women of Distinction to make it a little more official, but we'll make sure that the word gets out in all our various communications.
speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. So the last question that I have here is what do ⁓ what is something that you want people to know about Girl Scouting, whether it's like we're not just about cookies. We are, you know, or if it's we really are about making the world a better place, we're not just trying to like follow other people. We are trying to be our own people and be strong and have our own foundation as women in this world. ⁓ so what do you want people to know?
speaker-1: So you nailed it, Meg, at least one of them is that we're not just about cookies. Although I will always defend the Almighty cookie because as you very well know, girls aren't just selling cookies, they're setting goals, they're managing money, they're talking to people, they're hearing no and trying again real life skills that are going to carry them forward. Yes. That one, so I want people to know cookies are great and here's why, because what girls learn. And I really want them to understand that Girl Scouts, a lot of people don't think that Girl Scouts isn't about things like high adventure. I've met girls that ice climb, who plan and act execute multi-day backpacking trips, who do all of those things and really push themselves. And the important part, and you know this, Meg, that girls are doing it. Girls are running the show and Girl Scouts. Yes. You're the ones deciding what you're gonna do. You're making the plans, you're solving the problems, you're leading each other. These questions that Meg and I are talking about, Meg came up with. So the girls are really in charge. And I think that's just so important that folks understand that girls are driving this movement. And I'll tell you, if I'm ever, if ever I'm lost in the middle of nowhere, I want a Girl Scout with me. I I would trust a Girl Scout with me more than just about everything. ⁓ one of the things also I really love about this movement that I want people to understand is that we have this tremendous respect for the past and and where we've come from, even though while we evolve at the same time to meet the needs of today's girls. So the Girl Scout promise and law that you say today make was the same that your mom said. ⁓ we still have campfires, friendship circles, patches and badges. But today's girls are learning about STEM, they're learning about mental wellness, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, they're learning how ⁓ automotive repair. ⁓ so all of that. I love this sort of timeless way that we combine experiences in a timeless fashion, yet evolve to meet the needs of today's girls. So we're definitely more than cookies, although please keep buying the cookies.
speaker-0: Buying the cookies. yeah, no, I ⁓ a hundred percent agree with that. I think that it is important for people to realize how much it is girl led. You know, people may say, ⁓ yeah, it's girl led, but people may not realize what that means. And I think it's so important for people to realize that. Like it may be girl led. And like ⁓ I know that girls that really had an impact in my life was my big sister troop. And girls in my big sister troupe. And you know, we get to do everything. I remember for one meeting for my Girl Scouts, we had my brother and father come in and ⁓ teach us how to tie knots for camping. And you know, we really can do just about anything that we set our minds to. Cause if you think you can, you can. And ⁓ I feel like that is what Girl Scouts is about. That You can do anything. I'll tell you, I have to remark that I last year as a WAD recipient was interviewed on the Girl Scouts podcast by a Girl Scout named Rose. And I loved her so much. I invited her to be my guest at the event. And then at the event, I was talking to her and her mom, and her mom told me that she was already a published author. And I was like, that is so fascinating. So I said, Well, do you want to write a book with me?
speaker-1: Absolutely.
speaker-0: So Rose and I have co-created a book that we're gonna launch at WAD. It's called The Brick and the Sponge: Friendships, Feelings, and Finding Your Voice. Rose wrote the story. We've illustrated it. And I literally drove up north yesterday and handed her the
author's copy. And it'll go out on social media today, the picture of us in the book. But it's it's so cute. And I'll tell you the partnership and the love. I wanted to join the Girl Scouts as a board member because I'd been a women's empowerment coach for years. And I thought, you know what, I think in my legacy years I want to give back to a younger generation. So, you know, so powerful to be in partnership with you girls and see that you can do anything. Leon, I wanna go to you. When you hear her say what she just said, like we can do anything, what do you take away from that? What do you
speaker-1: ⁓ my goodness, it gives me goosebumps. I mean it makes me so relieved. I mean, it's hard these days to turn on the news or social media or anything. It's just it can be like such a downer. And that's why when when I have interaction with girls, especially Miss Meg and I go way back now. We've been we've done a lot together. But all the girls, even when I'm meeting them for the first time, just it gives you hope for the future. ⁓ and that that confidence, that that self assuredness and how they how they advocate for themselves and for others, how they take care of each other and how they realize that they have a responsibility. They think about the environment, they think about the future of our country. And thank goodness they do because we need ⁓ We absolutely need them to take the reins.
speaker-0: Yes, we do. Yeah. Women women will rule the future in my mind. Girls now are are you're coming on board to really do some significant work going forward. ⁓ so Definitely. Yeah. ⁓ Mike, what do you think adults underestimate about young women? You know, people may think that we're all about, you know, going to the mall and, you know, getting our nails done or whatever. But that is not true because we We get put up to the same things that everyone else does. You know, we do have to deal with social media and the backlash from that. And we do have to deal with school on top of extracurriculars, on top of, you know, so people may just see this, you know, out of touch, kind of just like I care about myself sort of person. But That is not who young women are today. ⁓ we I think that we truly care about our society and where it's headed and in a matriarchal, you know, world it's it's hard. And so I think the young women of today are seeing possibilities for the future and seeing where we can go and what we can do and how we could be a CEO or How we could go do this or that and ⁓ how we can really do anything that any man or person in general could do, while they may think that we are just kind of just we're just kind of there. We wanna make an impact in this world and we are looking to find places to do that. Yeah. So powerful, Meg. That's so powerful. All right, Lynn, I have this question for you. It kinda makes me laugh. But what if the girls taught you that no boardroom could ever understand?
speaker-1: Empathy and compassion. ⁓ and what I said about the little things matter, what you say matters, how you act matters, and just taking that moment to to notice someone and and and and and make it make a connection. And it doesn't have to be it doesn't have to be this long in depth conversation. It can be what I used to call drive by coaching, where it's it's it's quick, it's but but it you can have meaningful interactions and just remembering the girls each time, ⁓ they have taught me so much. ⁓ and mostly about just the power of sisterhood and and supporting one another. And I see the girls support one another, I see them support me, I see their their parents and their troop leaders support one another and me. And and it just is it truly is a community that ⁓ is so powerful and and they can do anything.
speaker-0: Yeah, they can. Yeah. True. ⁓ and I think sometimes we forget that. We've all been there, right? It's just like ⁓ yeah, it's hard. Life is hard and it's challenging, you know. That's why I love the idea of second chances. I my belief is that every moment's a second chance, right? You get to choose again, you get to to choose how you want to be, how do you want to show up, those types of things. So ⁓ gosh, this conversation's so fun. But I'm gonna take a quick break, we'll be right back Back with Leanna Clark and Meg Nichols on Second Chances with Christy Bells. Let me ask you something. Have you ever noticed how the same patterns keep showing up in your life, your work, or even your relationships? That's exactly why I created Uproot. Uproot is a transformational framework that helps you uncover the unconscious patterns running your life, reconnects you with your authentic self, and intentionally creates what comes next. For years I've taught this work in coaching, leadership programs, and workshops. And now, for the first time, Uproot is becoming an evergreen online course you can take anytime. If you're ready for a real shift, not just another inspirational idea, join the waitlist now at Christybells.com backslash uproot. Your next chapter starts with awareness. Welcome back to Second Chances with Christy. Bells, how much fun is this? Getting to talk with Leanna Clark, the current CEO of the Girl Scouts of Colorado and the amazing Meg Nichols. ⁓ just a remarkable young lady that is all that. I mean, I look back and think, God, where where do you guys get the confidence that you have today? The girls that I've been around in the last five years being part of the Girl Scouts have blown my mind literally so crazy. But we talk about second chances and second chances can be a lot of things to different people. But Liana, you set on a precipice of something really big, right? You've chosen to retire, your husband retired, and you are you're getting ready to step into a new chance, a new opportunity. What are you most looking forward to?
speaker-1: I I think just the breathing room, while I enjoy being really busy and I'm I'm good at juggling things all the time, I just the the concept of
waking up in the morning and not having to worry about my email immediately, sleeping in, sitting in the backyard with a cup of coffee and my husband and my dogs, just just a breath. Because when you start working, I mean I I realized the other day I've been doing that, I've been working for thirty eight years and that's that's in a career, not counting, you know, work in college and that kind of stuff. And once you start, you you really don't stop, you know? So just to to have that permission to pause, as someone very wise has once said to me, or twice or three times. ⁓ so I think just just that and then we want to travel more, things that I've always wanted to do and just have never quite had the time. I'd like to learn how to horseback ride better. ⁓ thinking about ⁓ Meg, maybe you can teach me how to play the guitar. 'Cause okay. And then you know, just just the the chance to to have have that time. ⁓ I will probably consult in some ways, but not much. But I wanna keep using my brain. I want to keep you learning new things. I plan to stay in touch with ⁓ a lot of the girls and a lot of the volunteers. So I think just that but just that breathing room ⁓ after after a long time of of working working really hard. So I'm looking forward to it. Yeah.
speaker-0: It scares you about it.
speaker-1: ⁓ what if I get in there and I'm like, I'm bored. So having Scott, my husband, go before me in this for ⁓ he just he retired December 1st and just seeing him blossom during it. I mean, he's happier than ever, healthier than ever. So that gives me real hope and confidence. But I do worry what if I get into this and I'm like tearing my hair out ⁓ because I need something to do. But I have a sense that I will, I will find those things.
speaker-0: I just ⁓ interviewed a wad this week who has recently retired. She said she's more busy than she was when she was working a full time, you know, gig at a major firm. So I don't doubt you're gonna keep yourself very busy. I wanna turn this back a little bit, Lean. We've we've talked a lot. I know a lot of your history, but I wanna just talk about, you know, not just in the last six years, was there a decision, unexpected turn, failure, loss, leap of faith, anything that you just feel like was a second chance that you got and you went forward and what was it and how does it how did it impact you as a leader and who you are today?
speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ so when I had my agency, which I I built into the largest agency in the reason region at our height, we had about thirty-five people on staff, mostly young women and serving really a ⁓ blue chip list of clients. In two thousand eight when the great recession hit, we closed our doors and that was a very, very hard thing to do and traumatic, you know, having to let people go, having to to do that because the economy was the economy. But in hindsight, that then opened the door to ⁓ the philanthropel work at Project Ture, I wouldn't have been able to do that otherwise. ⁓ so launching that division that takes people to developing nations to show them the the issues so that they want to give ⁓ money and help solve those issues in developing nations. ⁓ and then on to higher ed at CU, those things wouldn't have happened. Girl Scouts probably wouldn't have happened. So I it's you know, it as hard as those things are, it really is that second chance. And and even though in the moment things can be devastating. You gotta keep your head up and know that things are gonna work out and and you gotta keep on chugging away. So that was really a a second chance and if if that hadn't happened, not have realized some of the amazing things that I've been able to do since then.
speaker-0: Yeah, that's beautiful. I love that. You know, sometimes we think the door closes and we forget to look for the window, right? Because there's always an opportunity for something else. And usually those really tough moments are those precipice points of like, ⁓ what else is possible here? I write about them all the time. I've had so many second chance moments in my life. So so Meg, what do you think? You're you're much younger than most people ask this question. So let me turn around. What do you tell girls your age about giving themselves a second chance when they either screw up, fail, get rejected, or something doesn't go their way or the way they had hoped? I am someone who tries to be ⁓ very positive yet also honest, in a way that doesn't hurt somebody but helps them. So, you know, I I just say we all make mistakes. And that happens and it will keep happening because we don't keep learning if we don't make mistakes. But there's always a second chance because each day is a clean slate and something new can happen each day. And you can make a terrible mistake one day and be able to reverse your actions the next. So you truly never know what can come and there's never Something that can't be fixed. Mm-hmm. I love that. One of the things that my experience of writing this book with Rose has taught me is that, you know, a lot of times we want to placate and make okay. And, you know, and the reality is that we need to have boundaries, you know, we need to say sometimes like, you know, you really hurt my feelings and that that's not okay, or I trusted you and you you broke my trust and that's not okay. Right. We're ultimately responsible for ourselves. So like learning how to care for ourselves in those challenging times, but also holding the boundary of like, you know, that didn't feel good to me. And I think that's something that we pr we have to practice as women is being able to honor our truth, find our voices, as Leanne mentioned earlier, right? We have to be able to have the courage to do that. So I love that. Not just making it okay and being nice, but also saying, you know, that didn't quite work for me the way I wanted it to. So can we try again? That's a second chance too.
speaker-1: Yeah. And you know, Christy, you asked me what I learned
from from girls or from the the the job. And Meg, I I feel like I learned from you every every time I see you, every interaction with you. ⁓ Meg's sweet. Meg's been through a lot. Yeah. Meg's had a rough road. And yet she has a smile, she has a positive attitude, she looks toward the future. Every day's a clean slate. And you're just ⁓ truly an inspiration. So thank you for all that you have given me, sweet Megan.
speaker-0: Love it. So I would do something a little different here, I think, because I have the two of you. We'll wrap up with this question. Liana, you spent decades becoming the woman and leader that you are today. And Meg is at the beginning of that journey, right? With everything that she's learning and everything she's been through. So what's one thing, Liana, that you know now that you wish somebody had told you when you were Meg's age?
speaker-1: It goes back to the little things, but in this case, it's the little things that you think are so much bigger than they are, like, ⁓ I did this or I should have done that, or ⁓ I'm just beating myself up. And then you realize in a few years, I don't even remember that. What? Why was that so important? So just letting yourself off the hook when something goes wrong or something goes awry, because chances are it's not gonna be that big a deal down the road. And I also a good friend of mine once said to me. Sometimes you need to leave base camp to find the trail, which is a great Colorado hiking metaphor for you gotta leave the safety of your zone to find what's next to find the trail. So taking that risk, taking that chance. Meg takes chances all the time. ⁓ and you can't grow without that. So I I that's ⁓ something that's always stuck with me.
speaker-0: I love that. Leaf Base camp find trail, right? There's a old there's an old saying that says, ships are safe in the harbor, but that's not what ships are for. They're supposed to go out and sail around. Right. So Meg, what's the thing you think your generation already understands that Liana and my generation had to learn? I think something that has become I don't want to say more obvious, but more standout in today's community is that
speaker-1: Ooh, I like that.
speaker-0: Really to kind of think through what you say. Because, you know, it used to be where you would say something hurtful to someone and maybe they would remember it, but they would forget it a little while later as opposed to now with social media and all these online platforms, if you say something, it stays there and it's permanent. And people can go and look back and say, you know, ⁓ my gosh, this is awful, this person hates me. But it's really not the end of the world. And so I think just really like learning the consequences of what you say. Cause you know, sometimes when you just say something to a person, they'll be like, Yikes, that hurt. But then you make up. But with you know, all this technology and internet, it's so much harder to make up. And so just be cautious of what you say and again be willing to take chances. And give people second chances because that is where everything can change. Because you can, you know, you can forgive somebody for their actions, even if, you know, they've done like just be willing to open yourselves up. ⁓ but also be cautious in a way of don't hurt people and be more helpful than hurtful. But in the same way, also be open and honest with people. Because I feel like with mental health and everything that's just become so much more apparent in the past, you know, 20, 30 years, even just to make sure that you take the time and effort to make sure that what you're saying won't hurt somebody. And to make sure that you really do give people second chances.
speaker-1: You know, I never really thought about second chances as something we give someone else, but you're absolutely right, Meg. Yeah.
speaker-0: We're only human, right? That's that's the reality is we're all just human. We're all just trying to live in this crazy life that we're living, and we're not perfect, you know? Kind of brings tears to my eyes. We're just not perfect, you know. We all screw up, we all have moments, we all do stupid stuff, you know. It's like, so what do you think the generations can teach each other, Meg? I think that we can learn from each other's successes in a way of like. I think we can learn that not everything is the end. That, you know, 'cause let's think back, you know, a hundred years ago. There was, you know, the Great Depression and all this, and these people thought it was the end. ⁓ and looking to now, there is never an end. Cause you can always do something. And so I feel like we can teach each other to just be more open and to live every moment to the fullest because you never know when it could be the last moment and you never know, you know, when somebody could be having an awful day and they're just hiding it behind a smile. And so I think we can really teach each other just ways to look out for each other and you know ways to approach each other that aren't, you know, like, ⁓ my gosh, you said this to me. It's the end of the world. No, being able to learn from each other's past and previous successes and mistakes and you know being able to move forward and I think that we can really learn as people who have had more experience and people who haven't had as much experience, you know, going out into the world and doing things and trying to make a difference. I feel like we just need to learn from each other. How has being a Girl Scout influenced that thought process for you? When I started out Girl Scouts, actually my first interaction with Girl Scouts wasn't the greatest. And I was like, ⁓ no. I was like, what now? And then my mom started an all abilities troupe ⁓ for kids with, you know, neurotypical and quote, typical and physical disabilities, and you know, ⁓ and we were all able to come together and So my thing that I've learned is never judge a book by its cover.
Because, you know, people may say that and people are like, okay, whatever. But truly, you never know what someone's been through and you never know what they're going through. And you never know, you know, what happened at work, what happened at school. You don't know. But going over and just saying hi and ⁓ my gosh, I love your outfit. I like Just going over and saying something can really change somebody. We had a girl in our Girl Scout troop who would hide under tables during our meetings and ⁓ she was so scared and then one day someone went and sat under the table with her and ever since then she was able to sit at the chairs with everyone else and participate in the activities. Because she felt like she had a friend. And that's what matters is really just being there for somebody, even even if you have no idea who they are, even if you literally just saw them across the room and you were like, ⁓ I'm gonna go say hi. Mm-hmm. That can turn into a blossoming friendship and you need to take you need to take every opportunity that you're provided with and grab it right away. So beautiful. Thank you, Meg. All right, Leana. Last question before we just ⁓ wrap up today. When you walk out the door of the Girl Scouts of Colorado for the last time, what is it that you will be leaving behind? Not as CEO, but simply as Liana?
speaker-1: I mean, I feel like I've been leaving part of my soul behind because I truly have dived into this with everything I have, which I'm glad because it's not we're not producing widgets and it's not a corporate job. It is a it is a community and that makes it a much more heart, something you feel and not just something you do. So I really do feel like I'll be leaving part of who I am. And I hope that these girls will carry that forward with them because I know I will carry them forward with me. So yeah, it's been it's been an amazing experience. Every girl I've met, every volunteer I've met, I have learned so much and I've become a better person and a better leader because of it and because of the girls.
speaker-0: So cool. All right. Let's tell everybody that would like to be a supporter of the Girl Scouts how they can support. Lana, you want to give us the details?
speaker-1: You can go to ⁓ our website, girlscouncilcolorado.org. We are always looking for troop leaders. As Meg knows, sometimes that's the barrier. We don't have enough troop leaders to form troops so that that girls can have that troop experience, looking for volunteers for troop leaders, and we're always looking for donations. We are a nonprofit, and that's something that we're always looking for. And corporate partners, ⁓ we do patch programs with corporate partners where their company can be spotlighted. They can think about getting girls into their workforce, and our girls can learn new skills. ⁓ so all of those are ways that you can be you can be involved and sign up to be a Girl Scout at at six to eighteen, right, Meg?
speaker-0: Exactly. Mm-hmm. And during cooking season, even if you see a booth, just come over and say hi. Even if you don't want cookies. Because you can figure out how to help. And you know, you can always come over to a booth and ask how to get involved. And the leaders of the troop can help you. And some of the older girls in the troop can also help. ⁓ so really just like again, take every opportunity and you know. Realize that this is going to a good cause. You know, when you buy a box of cookies, it goes back to Girl Scouts Colorado and the troupe. And, you know, it all goes back into each other. And there's nothing that anyone will take for themselves. It is ⁓ it is a shared thing, Girl Scouts. And it is something that no robot could ever take over. Because truly it's something. That is so special and unique that it there's no way for it to be replaced.
speaker-1: And I will guarantee you if you go to Meg's booth, even if you didn't want cookies, you are leaving with cookies.
speaker-0: Cookies. That was one of my favorite parts of being a board member. I had board patches so I could go to Girl Scout booths and hand out patches. It was super fun.
speaker-1: And do you know who turns fourteen on the fourteenth and
speaker-0: Happy birthday. Golden girl. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I love it. Thank you. Thank you. Ladies, I am just so steeped in gratitude and big love for both of you. I so appreciate you taking the time to be here and to share this process with me and the audience. I know they're gonna just take away big full hearts as well. And hopefully we'll get some more support and Leaders for the Girl Scouts ⁓ of Colorado. If you want to learn more about me, Christy Bells.com, ⁓ by the time this podcast airs, the book, co-written with another of the young Girl Scouts, 13 year old Rose, will be published on Amazon. It's called The Brick in the Sponge, Friends, Feelings, and Finding Your Voice. So please tap into that. Proceeds are supporting the Girl Scouts of Colorado as well. Blessings to all. Thank you. I'll see you next time on Second Chances with Christy Bells. Take care. It is the joy of my life to showcase the voices of people and the messy details of life's journey. As you have experienced, my guests are thriving with purpose and style, but that does not mean that their life is easy and without challenges. I've dedicated my life to you and your journey. Thank you for listening to Second Chances with Christy Bells. Please subscribe and learn more at Christybells.com backslash second chances.