Author offers a cyber-age guide to female adolescence

By FRANCES BRENT

Total Package Girl urges girls to “Discover The Ultimate You for Life!” Author,  Grown-up-but-Girl-Scout-Forever- Kristi K. Hoffman is a long time Girl Scout volunteer serving and consulting at many levels. She has created a book/guide/manual/workbook that combines the old time values of developing body, brain and spirit while living in a world of hash-tags and snapchats and an evolving world of social media. Her goal is to help adolescent  girls acquire the self-understanding and skills to emerge from adolescence as self-confident, positive leaders.

As a young woman, Hoffman, University of Toledo graduate and former WTOL staffer,  took herself off to Boston University to earn a Master’s Degree, learn how to be self-sufficient in an unfamiliar environment and to find her purpose. She emerged as a young professional determined to make a difference in the world.

The mother of two teenage boys and a  fit former yoga instructor, Hoffman is an enthusiastic entrepreneur heading her own enterpriseTotalPackageGlobal.com that also works,  consults and trains in the corporate world.

Her book, “Total Package Girl,” is aimed at helping girls deal with the now of growing up in a Social Media world and looking at the long term picture of who they want to be and how they want to be. Worksheets and activities help individuals working alone or in a group setting develop a Total Package: Body, Brain and Life Plan.

Kristi uses the book in workshops and conferences sometimes as a pre planned program, such as the one upcoming at Notre Dame that will examine topics such as cyber courtesy and leadership skills. Sometimes it is a tool in crisis intervention after a suicide. The book, written in spritely language leaved by today’s techno gab, provides  guidelines on how to deal with a mean girl environment, and,  even better, on developing and using a support system and reaching out and supporting others.

Total Package’s  “Be a Force in the World” ideas will be showcased at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Peristyle on Oct. 16. Aimed at girls 11-17, with mentors and others welcomed, the workshop  will be an afternoon of sharing by Women Leaders, including Bowling Green State University President Mary Ellen Mazey. For information visit: http://www.kristikhoffman.com/leadership2016/

Total Package Girl’s format provides a useful springboard for group discussions and inter-personal skill building. It is also a perfect Grandmother present book, to be used and consulted by young women equipping themselves for a journey towards becoming “A Force in the World.” Available at local bookstores and Amazon.com.