LOUDER GIRL DECLARES JULY GOOD TROUBLEMAKERS’ MONTH
Jul 06, 2026
What if changing the world looked less like power and more like people?
A lot of mornings I grumble out of bed.
There are plenty of get-off-my-lawn moments in my life:
- Other drivers.
- The price of gas.
- One-ply toilet paper.
- Cigarette butts on the side of the road.
- Women still earning about 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.
- Leadership models built on domination, hierarchy, and power-over.
- The ASPCA commercials with Sarah McLachlan.
- No lemons for my iced tea at Starbucks.
And lately?
The 2026 World Cup.
Why Am I Grumbling About Soccer?
Image of World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will generate billions of dollars. Host cities will spend hundreds of millions. Tickets, hotels, and travel put the tournament out of reach for many ordinary people.
Meanwhile:
- Families struggle to afford housing.
- Millions need healthcare.
- Women still fight for equity.
- Childcare remains unaffordable.
- Women's sports continue to receive fewer resources and less investment.
Some days it feels like the world rewards power, money, and spectacle while ignoring people.
Grumble. Grumble.
The 95-Year-Old Man Who Changed My Morning
Image of woman waking up happy
Every Monday at 6:30 a.m. (which should honestly be illegal), I drive to Theresa and Rudy's house for the Monday Madness workout.
Coach Kelly—an Ignited Leader if there ever was one—shared a story about a 95-year-old man who has been married for 70 years.
She asked him:
"How do you stay so positive?"
His answer?
"I wake up every morning and say, 'Today is going to be the best day ever.'"
So, I tried it.
I greeted David with an enthusiastic "GOOD MORNING."
He looked concerned. "What's wrong?"
I danced with Buddy to Whitney Houston.
And for a few moments, joy won.
What Does This Have to Do with the World Cup?
Everything.
When I stopped looking at the money and started looking at the people, I discovered something unexpected:
Good Troublemakers.
Not the powerful.
Not the wealthy.
Not the celebrities.
Ordinary people creating connection, kindness, joy, and belonging.
And maybe that's exactly what the world needs.
Image of people connecting and celebrating
GOOD TROUBLEMAKERS OF THE WORLD CUP
The Scottish Fans: Joy Is Contagious
Thousands of Scottish fans filled Boston with kilts, bagpipes, singing, and laughter.
They turned strangers into neighbors.
LOUDER GIRL LESSON:
Joy disrupts cynicism.
Women are often told to quiet our joy, shrink our enthusiasm, and stop taking up space.
The Scots remind us:
Be loud.
Sing anyway.
Celebrate publicly.
Craig Ferguson: Walk Your Own Path
A 22-year-old walked 3,500 miles in a kilt to raise money for men's mental health.
Not for fame.
Not for money.
For meaning.
LOUDER GIRL LESSON:
Your journey can help someone else heal.
Your story matters.
Your struggles matter.
Your miles matter.
Japan: Leave Places Better Than You Found Them
Japanese fans stayed after matches to clean the stadium.
No cameras required.
No reward.
Just care.
LOUDER GIRL LESSON:
Leadership is service.
Good Troublemakers ask:
- How can I contribute?
- How can I help?
- How can I make this better?
Algeria and Lawrence, Kansas: Belonging Changes Everything
The University of Kansas marching band learned Algeria's national anthem.
Artists created flags.
Strangers became community.
LOUDER GIRL LESSON:
Make room at the table.
Belonging is revolutionary.
Women know what it feels like to be left out.
Good Troublemakers open the circle wider.
Transit Workers, Police Officers, and Volunteers
Across the country, ordinary people handed out water, directions, encouragement, and kindness.
LOUDER GIRL LESSON:
Small acts matter.
Leadership isn't always a title.
Sometimes leadership is:
- Offering help.
- Welcoming a stranger.
- Making someone feel safe.
WHAT GOOD TROUBLEMAKERS TEACH LOUDER GIRLS
Image of people picking up trash
- Joy is resistance.
- Community matters more than competition.
- Small actions create big change.
- Belonging is revolutionary.
- Kindness is leadership.
- Celebration is not frivolous.
- You do not need permission to take up space.
- Leadership happens in ordinary moments.
JULY IS GOOD TROUBLEMAKERS’ MONTH
This month, LOUDER GIRL will celebrate women, people, and organizations who are creating good trouble.
Not because they're famous.
Not because they have millions of followers.
Not because they're CEOs.
But because they:
- Tell the truth.
- Make space for others.
- Choose joy.
- Challenge harmful systems.
- Care deeply.
- Refuse to shrink.
- Lead their own lives.
Because maybe being a Good Troublemaker isn't about changing the whole world.
Maybe it's about making your corner of the world more joyful, more just, and more human.
And perhaps tomorrow morning, before the grumbling starts, we can all wake up and say:
Today is going to be the best day ever.
Even if the coffee is cold.
Even if the gas is expensive.
Even if peole don't use their turn signal.
And maybe especially then.
Join the FREE LOUDER GIRL Community of Good Troublemakers
A place where women:
- Cause Good Trouble
- Support
- Tell their stories, share their truths
- Lead their lives first
- Get creative
When You Join, You'll Receive:
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Weekly sparks of courage, storytelling, self-love, and Ignited Leadership.
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