Your Moyo Knows: The Body Doesn’t Lie

Why don’t we follow that still small voice inside ourselves?

Why do we ignore our hunches and urges?

Why do we not live the life we truly are?

Why? Because we were programmed NOT to.

I didn’t know this… until I learned that the body doesn’t lie.

The universe had to help wake me up from what now seems like a coma, to realize I had created a life that was not me. It looked like the wonderful life I had been programmed to choose, but it was not who I was or what I truly wanted.

After being hit by four different drunk drivers in a 20 month period, losing much of my recruiting business on 9/11, and a near death experience, I had to face the truth… I was not authentically being me and living an authentic life.

I then had to do the most courageous thing I’ve ever done: tell myself the truth and begin to listen to my own heart rather than the programmed messages and beliefs running inside my head. I needed to begin the work of finding my way back home to who I am. I had to learn to love myself fully and release the negative beliefs that I carried.

There’s a famous Rwandan Proverb that says, “You can outrun that which runs after you. But you can not outrun that which runs inside you.”

Neuroscience has discovered that we reprogram our brains. But we must first identify, name, and question the outdated beliefs that are running within us, and then exercise our will to DROP IT and replace the old patterns and beliefs with new alternative positive ways of being.

So, what runs inside you?

For me, it was a fear of being selfish if I did what was best for me, plus some old buried hurts that were unconsciously eating up my focused energy and vitality.

Here are some simple steps you can use to question your beliefs and replace your old thought patterns with ones that better align with your purpose:

  1. Name what is running inside you that doesn’t serve you. Allow your body to tell you the whole truth. What outdated thoughts do you have about your self or others, old hurts, excuses, fears?
  2. Feel compassion and empathy for where you are and where you’ve been.
  3. Identify how much time is spent running these old negative programs.
  4. Write the vision of what life would feel like if you could drop these programs and replace them. What might be possible when you are free and open to following your heart?

How to hear what your heart wants:

  1. Breathe into your heart space and feel your curiosity and openness to learn what your heart wants right now.
  2. Remember that the body doesn’t lie. You may be surprised by what it says.
  3. Receive whatever your heart says in this moment.
  4. You may dismiss what you hear as “crazy” or “impossible” if it’s something you’ve not imagined you would ever want or could achieve. Or you may not be up for taking action at this moment. It’s ok to acknowledge whatever is real for you as you listen to your heart.

The first time I tried this exercise, “song writing” is what my heart said it wanted to do. I will share with you the brief dialogue that came immediately after I heard this:

“I don’t have TIME to song write and I’m a single mom and need to make money, so no to songwriting.”
End of discussion.

Fast forward 2 years after my MOYO said “song writing,” and you’d see me teaching a group of executives to “listen to their hearts and reclaim their gifts and passions.” I felt my body cringe with hypocrisy… I had tuned my heart out even though it had spoken so clearly. So I picked up a pen and paper late that night and wrote the words to my first song, “Love Your Self.” It took 10 minutes. After laughing out loud at myself and my programmed resistances and excuses for not trying songwriting, I began following my heart more often. I had to let go of the program I ran inside that said “anything worth having or doing has to be hard.” In less than 4 months, the song became a complete album called Love Your Self. Then it became a one-woman show and benefit concert, and further evolved into a book called The Inner Traveler’s Guidebook to Moyo: Discovering the Power of Listening to Your Own Heart

I believe the most self-loving thing we can ever do is to choose to come home and BE who we are so we can live our authentic, passionate, and purposeful lives.

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days of our life are the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born.” Our soul’s purpose is what we long to fulfill for this lifetime.

Moyo means heart, spirit, and life in Swahili. Discover the power of listening to your own heart. It’s a practice in trusting that your Moyo knows and that the body doesn’t lie.

What would be possible for you if you could trust that your Moyo knows?

Miracles began to happen as I took the steps to reclaim my gifts and give myself what my heart wanted. The same thing can happen to YOU.

My whole life now makes sense. Everything I’ve ever done and all my gifts are now engaged in my life’s passion and work:

To help Inner Travelers™ emerge and become authentically who they are so they can live the life they truly are.

Learning to trust your MOYO is a practice. The more you engage, listen, and act upon the truth your hearts speaks, the more congruent you become.

***If you’d like to work with Linda, she is offering a 3 Session Coaching Package for Emerging Women for just $399 if you sign up by December 31, 2017. This is a 50% discount. Email her at Linda@LindaNewlin.com or phone her at (805) 729-1663.

Power Practice #18: Be Before Do

We all find ourselves off-kilter or off-center sometimes. And it can lead to self-sabotaging behaviors and default responses that we later regret. But what if we explored a different path?

Henna Inam brings her 20 years of executive coaching experience to identity the 5 step process that occurs when we are thrown off by a situation, and leads us in a guided practice to recover to our most authentic and adaptive selves when we are triggered.

Build your self-confidence, your courage, and your resilience in the face of criticism, insecurity, or fear with this transformative Power Practice from Henna Inam.

Play Power Practice #18 – Be Before Do:

Henna Inam is a sought after speaker, successful author, and CEO of Transformational Leadership Inc. Her unique workshops, tools, and online community help managers create innovative, engaged teams that drive measurable results.

Henna and her global partner team work with Fortune 500 companies to deliver executive coaching, leadership development, and team workshops. Clients include Coca-Cola, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, CNN, and Bank of America. Prior to starting her company, Henna worked for 20 years at Procter & Gamble and Novartis. She has lived or worked across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Like what you hear? Why not get in on four full days of power practices, movement, inspiration and collaboration at Emerging Women Live, October 5-8, 2017 in Denver, CO. Join us!

What it Means to be a Wild and Free Woman

“All good things are wild and free.” – Henry David Thoreau

Healthy women have a playful spirit, are powerfully devoted to those they love, possess immense strength of character, and draw on a rich heritage of instinctual and intellectual wisdom handed down by generations of women before them. They are wild and free in the truest sense: unapologetically and entirely who they are at their deepest, most authentic core.

When we are not free, we are held back, closed off, and we feel overwhelmingly stuck. Our voice is silenced — by the outside world or, more often, by ourselves. We live in the black and white margins of life, unable to feel safe in the gray areas.

To be wild and free means to live from a place of your inherent worth and value. It means owning your imperfections as much as your strengths as worthy and valuable parts of yourself.

Here are some things that wild and free women have in common:

1. She is constantly in a state of transition. 

In order for us to evolve, to move forward, to live our best lives, we must accept that women are designed by nature to be cyclical beings.

Our hormonal cycles are cyclical. So are the ocean’s tides. They both reflect the cycles of the moon. We have cycles of seasons in nature, cultural holidays and traditions that are celebrated and observed in cycles as well.

As women, our bodies and minds are designed to create. We are designed with the ability to create new life. More than that, we are designed to express ourselves creatively, to value the journey of creation as much as or even more than the final product.

Conversely, women who are wild and free also know when something they have created has run its course and must now end. This can be a project, a relationship, or even a set of values that no longer work for them. Wild and free women don’t hang onto things because they are afraid of what will happen if they let go.  

They trust the cycles of life that dictate that new beginnings are impossible without endings and endings are the foundation upon which new beginnings are brought forth.

2. She doesn’t engage in relationships that don’t work or are meaningless to her. 

They are devoted to their partners, their children, and their tribe, but they know that their relationship with themselves, specifically with their intuition, is paramount above all.

Without a relationship with intuition, we become lost, susceptible to predatory influences, and disconnected from ourselves and those around us.

Our intuition may show up as a still, small voice inside us, a gut feeling, or a sense of knowing or guidance. If we listen, it tells us how to best show up in the relationships we are in. When those relationships are no longer serving our best interests, our instinct tells us when and how to step away.

Relationships can be our greatest source of growth or they can be our greatest cages. Women who are wild and free know that the choice is always theirs.

3. She honors who and what she is.

Women who are wild and free know that their worth comes from who they are, not what they do. She creates because creating is an expression of her authentic self, not because she is looking for the love or approval of others.

She is conscious of her strengths and weaknesses and uses this knowledge to her advantage. She is comfortable with the concept of “good enough.” She values her own dignity and sovereignty above all else because she knows they are what keep her connected and autonomous.  

While she doesn’t strive for perfection, she is always looking to grow herself: her knowledge, her abilities, her talents, her strength and vitality. She knows that growth involves work, and often also involves fear, and she is willing to be brave and flexible to reach her goals.

Being wild and free is the birthright of all women. When we are led by our intuition, we will always be on the right path to freedom.

Loving the Lives We Are In

Five Easy Tips to Move from Theory to Practice

Have you ever started a new exercise regime to improve your health? Have you ever dedicated yourself to reaching a certain goal in your career? What about the dream of having a partner who is just the right fit for you?

Most of us relate to having dreams, goals and hopes for our lives. After all, these aspirations are what ignite the fire that drives you to get up and go after your deepest desires.   

I believe big dreams create the magic of your life and are meant to be approached with a curiosity and thirst to fully experience life—bumps and all. By opening up to the idea that the journey is the magic, rather than reaching the actual dream itself, you open the floodgates to love your life right now.

When you give yourself the gift of seeing and experiencing all that is amazing in your life at this very moment, you no longer need to delay happiness until you meet some future goal.

In an effort to simply love life exactly as it is right now, no matter what dreams are in the works, I made this list of reminders and inspirations to put into practice each day. I encourage you to give them a try and see which ones work best for you:

1. Self-Awareness

When you step outside of yourself and take a good honest look at how you are showing up, over time you begin to take yourself a whole lot less seriously. There is a real lightness and sense of ease that comes from being able to laugh at yourself and see the humor in a situation.

By regularly checking in with yourself, you may also start to notice the patterns in how you show up and where there may be room to shift and grow.

Being self-reflective in a healthy way helps to strengthen your relationship with yourself. It also builds your self-confidence and resourcefulness in trusting yourself to take steps that are congruent with who you are at your core. Meditation first thing in the morning and writing at any time of the day have become essential tools in building my self-awareness practice. Have fun choosing the tools that most suit your style in order to create meaning and consistency in your self-awareness practice.

2. Give

Give what you can, whenever you can. It could be spreading kindness through your words, smiles, and helpful acts, or merely being present for those you share space with. When you adopt a generous attitude, it becomes easier to let go of beliefs and judgments that create an ‘us against them’ mentality.

Giving without strings attached or ulterior motives not only brightens the receiver’s day, it also fills up your heart and the moments before you with joy. It feels good to give, so do it as much as your heart desires. If there are times where you can extend your reach out to your local or global community, then do that, too.

Approaching your life with compassion and love may very well be the greatest gift you could give yourself and your community. The ripple effect you create by being content and happy with your life will be felt and may very well become contagious.

3. Move

Your health and well-being is deeply connected to your feelings and overall attitude. When you feel good in your body, it becomes natural and easy to be happy with life.

We all vary in our abilities and the types of physical activities we enjoy. What may feel great for one person may not for another. The key is to engage in activities that you enjoy and movement that fits your lifestyle and needs. Do what works best for you to create a regular habit of moving your body to help you feel the very best you can.

4. Breathe

Deep, intentional breathing is one of the most powerful ways to calm yourself and ease feelings of stress and anxiety. The best part about this particular tool is that it is “built-in,” and pretty straightforward to engage! 

When you find yourself in a stressful situation, you are more than likely holding your breath. In these situations, if possible, take a few deliberate deep breaths, holding each for the count of four. Doing this helps calm your body and creates space to refocus your mind away from destructive or overwhelming thought patterns.

The more you practice focusing on your breath, whether that is through yoga, meditation or routinely scheduled times throughout the day, the more likely it will become a habit and natural place to go to transform stress.

Breath may not solve the world’s problems, but it certainly helps to soften the daily stress and tension that often accompanies a busy life.  
 

5. Gratitude

Gratitude is my number one favorite way to get out of any funk and into the joy of life. When you focus on what you are thankful for, you relive all of the beautiful stories and reasons why your life is worth loving right now–and that feels so good!

There are countless reasons to be thankful. Getting to wake up each day to the miracle of being alive is just one of them. There’s also the air you breathe, the sights you see, and the opportunities and possibilities before you. Your list of reasons to be grateful is as unique as you are, and is yours by design.

I love to start my day reflecting on three reasons I am grateful to be alive, and end it by reviewing three reasons I am grateful for my day. The more you engage in a gratitude practice, the more natural it becomes to scan your world and see new evidence of things to be grateful for.

Being genuinely thankful on a regular basis helps you to see why your life is worthy of loving right now at this very moment.

Don’t delay your happiness for later. Jump in and love the life you are in. You are worth it!

Wedding Photographers Vancouver Island
Emily Madill is an author, professional coach and motivational speaker. She lives on Vancouver Island, Canada, with her husband and two sons. She has a BA degree in business and psychology and completed her coach training through Erickson International College. She blogs for Huffington Post and has published multiple esteem building books for children. Emily enjoys an active lifestyle including running, fitness, yoga, and keeping up to the adventurous pace of her family. She is a firm believer in stretching comfort zones and Dreaming BIG! Check out her new book, Fall in Love with Your Life, One Week at a Time.

How Big is your BIG? – #emergingnow

Dear Emerging Women,

I love January because it is such an internal time of year. This is a time of curling inward to reach that deepest part of our selves that knows just what we need in order to feel that we are giving fully to the world. This is the source of all creative visioning, this place deep under the surface. And it is from this place that we are able to articulate our deepest desires.

All year, we have been gathering nuggets of insight, perspectives, goals and ideas for change, and we have buried them deep for the time when the hustle and bustle stops enough for us to sort them all out. This is a time to stay in the dream state a little longer, to enjoy the dive into the unknown, unfettered and without limit. It is a time for expanding our vision, without the hinderance of implementation and execution.

And for women, right here, right now – this is the year to dream BIG. As I have been collaborating with sponsors, investors, media and other strategic partners, I am always asked: “What is the long-term vision for Emerging Women?” And each time I come up with the most audacious goal I can imagine for Emerging Women, I ask myself….is that right? Could it have more impact? Could it help more people? Make more money? Could it be bigger? And then my sense of what’s possible stretches even further.

If you can imagine something, you can make it happen. So don’t hold back. Let the vastness of your inner landscape show you what is possible. And remember, not everything has to be big, big, BIG! all the time in terms of business. Sometimes “big” simply means “in alignment with our desires.” Sometimes just asking for what we want is big in and of itself.

No matter what big looks like for you, remember that you don’t have to do it alone. When the day-to-day reality of a bold new life path starts to set in, I can find myself shrinking under the weight of my lofty aspirations. I start to convince myself that my vision is too far-reaching, that I need to scale it back a bit, play it safe. And those are the moments I thank Goddess for my circle of power women.

Women have a special gift for reminding each other just how badass and capable they are. We help each other stay connected and inspired in the face of life’s challenges. We see each other, we listen to each other, and we inspire each other. As a new path begins to unfold in this time of reflection, tap into the wisdom of the feminine by circling with the women in your life, and ask each other: How big can we be in 2015?

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat

Founder, Emerging Women

PS – Registration for March Power Circles is now OPEN! If you’re looking for a facilitated circle that can help you create and execute your vision for 2015, join a Power Circle today.  Register HERE  to be matched into a group of women specially tailored to accent and compliment your process (spaces are limited).


 Super Early Bird Tickets are On Sale for EW Live 2015 in San Francisco!

We’d love to hear what you’re getting into in 2015. Let us know in the comments:

Transformation + Courage – #EmergingNow

Dear Friends,

One of the articles in this week’s Juicy Bites round-up of EWlive14 blog posts quotes me as saying, “Committing to authenticity takes immense courage, and I don’t believe it can be achieved alone.” This pretty much sums up not only the reason I founded EW, but also the reason I was able to found EW.

Transformation and transition can be upsetting if we don’t have anchors to help us stay true to and in alignment with our selves. When things seem to be moving too fast, I need the support of my community – specifically my women’s circles. I love to see that a lot of you already know this: we see circles forming of EW participants all across the US, and we’ve had requests to start them in the UK, Australia, and other exciting locations.

As you know we’re rolling out our Power Circle program starting next month, and registration ends this Saturday. If you’ve been carrying dreams in your heart but haven’t had the support to realize them, keeping your ideas, passions and goals in flow with a circle and trained facilitator will work wonders. I hope you jump on this opportunity with us!

Big love,

Chantal Pierrat

Founder, Emerging Women

Power Circle Registration Ends Nov. 1st!

  Juicy Bites: Your Voices ~ Sharing Experiences

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line in the comments:

Are You Stuck in the Waiting Room? – #EmergingNow

Dear Friends,

We’ve all experienced loss, whether through trauma, adversarial conditions, or transformation in our lives. Often times we get so stunned by the transition that we become stuck in what today’s podcast guest Christina Rasmussen calls “The Waiting Room.” And while the Waiting Room is a wonderful place for processing, we don’t want to stay there too long.

It helps if we can remember that periods of challenge and loss are also periods of opportunity: to see the world in a way we’ve never seen it before, to re-create ourselves and our lives. That’s what Christina helps people remember through her work – that we can raise the bar of life after loss, not lower it.

I feel that women in general have been “stuck in the waiting room,” for a long time now, especially in the business world. And with events like Emerging Women Live, I want to help women take action, leave the waiting room behind, and start to re-envision the way we can live, work and thrive in this new era of feminine power. Are you on board? Continue reading “Are You Stuck in the Waiting Room? – #EmergingNow”

Zainab Salbi – EWlive14 Featured Speaker

We are thrilled to tell you that Zainab Salbi has just been added to the stellar Emerging Women Live 2014 line-up of women living, working, and changing the world from a place of truth and alignment with themselves and with their powerful feminine values.

zainabsalbiewlive14promoZainab Salbi is an Iraqi-American humanitarian, entrepreneur, author, and media commentator who has dedicated herself to women’s rights and freedom. At the age of 23, she founded Women for Women International—a grassroots humanitarian and development organization dedicated to serving women survivors of war.

Her story is of how those women taught her to open up and live her truth, to live in alignment with herself, instead of bent to conform to others. She has done tremendous work for women worldwide, and we cannot wait to hear her share with us at Emerging Women Live.

“Allow yourself the space to become who you are. Allow yourself to express your creativity, to be true to yourself, and not do things out of societal pressure — do it all in pursuit of your truth.”

SUN0904 Zainab

Under her leadership (1993-2011), Women for Women International grew from helping 30 women upon its inception to more than 370,000 in 8 conflict areas, leading to a distribution of more than 114 million dollars in aid and loans. Her perspective on the role of women in war and peace times is progressive and profound, and we look forward to hearing more during her EWlive14 keynote, “Women, War and Peace.”

Salbi is also the author of three books: the national bestseller “Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam” (with Laurie Becklund); “The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope”; and “If You Knew Me, You Would Care.” Her books received support from iconic women writers such as Alice Walker and from several celebrities including Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, and Annie Lennox.

“As women, we must speak out, speak up, say no to our inheritance of loss and yes to a future of women-led dialogue about women’s rights and value.”

Sept_blog_imageIn 2010, President Clinton nominated Salbi as one of the 21st century heroes as featured in Harper’s Bazaar. Newsweek and The Guardian named her in the Top 100 list of Most Influential Women (2011) and The Economist Intelligence Unit identified her as one of most inspirational women (2011). Most recently, Fast Company included Salbi on the list of 100 Most Influential Women (2012), and PBS’ Makers series highlighted Salbi as one of the Women Who Make America.

Salbi has received extensive coverage in US, UK, and global media from CNN to The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Independent. Most notably, Salbi appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show 10 times. Salbi was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2007 and the Clinton Global Initiative Lead by President Clinton in 2010. Salbi is currently co-producing a documentary with Abigail Disney and Gini Reticker on the role of women in the Arab Revolutions.

Check out Half the Sky’s video of Zainab, where she names the single most effective place we can invest our money to insure a better future for the world:

Walking Our Unique Paths

At Emerging Women, we passionately believe that listening to the stories of successful business leaders helps us realize our own potential and possibility as we emerge. Below is the story of how our friend, Kathy Krumpe, VP of Operations for Future State Inc., was inspired to tailor a career that allowed her to live her truth. There are so many ways to go about crafting a life of authenticity and meaning. What are the necessary components for you?

Finding A Work Culture That Is True To Me

Kathy Krumpe

As we prepare for Emerging Women Live in October, I have been reflecting about Emerging Women’s tagline, “Live the Truth of Who You Are.” How does this resonate with my personal life and support my growth into a stronger leader?

I’ve spent 12 out of my 19-year career with Future State in many roles, ranging from project management, talent development, operations, marketing and strategic leadership. I left for a bit to travel the world, try new opportunities and spend more time with my children. I came back to Future State as it’s been an amazing anchor in my life. Why? Because it offered me:

1. leaders who support me bringing my true self to the workplace;
2. a corporate culture that shares my same professional and personal values;
3. a culture that not only allows me to bring forward my various talents, but actually requires it for the business overall to thrive.

Starting out my career, I quickly was inspired by the founder of Future State (back when our name was TechProse), a remarkable woman named Meryl Natchez. Meryl is a talented writer with a passion for technology. As she witnessed Silicon Valley’s rise, she knew she had something to contribute to the companies that were shaping this new land of innovation. But she wanted to contribute in a way that brought out people’s unique offerings, values and cultures.

Combining talent and entrepreneurial spirit, Meryl quickly built a consulting firm providing writing, communications, strategic change management, and learning and development solutions with a focus on the people side of transformation. She believed in core founding principles of strong female leadership, being of service to each other and clients, passionate problem-solving, ethics, trust and relationship.

Thirty years later, the company Meryl founded thrives, thanks to her founding principles. My professional career has grown alongside Future State’s because our culture ensures that I live my truth at work. We help clients solve operational transformation challenges impacting many thousands of people worldwide. We’re helping companies as they create cancer fighting solutions; designing leadership programs that foster a new generation of emotionally intelligent, compassionate leaders worldwide; and supporting businesses in developing internet operating systems that connect the world.

To make this happen for clients, I have to bring my authentic self to the table every single day. Client success doesn’t happen if I don’t.

“I have to bring my authentic self to the table every single day. Client success doesn’t happen if I don’t.”twitter

I’m now a member of the second generation of women leadership at Future State. My colleagues and I are excited to support and prepare new leaders through internship programs and talent strategies that give the same space, voice and value to the next generation of women leaders.

At the conference in October, I’m eager to learn from all of you about how you are walking your unique path and living the truth of who you are.

Brené Brown to Deliver Opening Keynote at EWlive14

We are thrilled to announce to you today that the one, the only, Brené Brown will be speaking at Emerging Women Live 2014 in New York City, Oct 9-12th.

Those of you who saw her at EWlive13 know what a tremendous blessing it is to have her back again this year. Brené’s has reshaped the way we think about our strengths with her groundbreaking research on shame, gratitude, authenticity and vulnerability. Her insight and compassion is evident in this conversation we had in 2013 for Origin Magazine. Soak up some classic Brené wisdom and humor, and then sign up to join us all in NYC to see what revelations she has for us this year!

Interview from Origin Magazine, photography from EWlive13 in Boulder, CO.

Chantal Pierrat: I want to start by saying thank you for being so real. Your work gives people permission to be themselves, and that’s probably the greatest gift that anybody could give.

Brene Brown: Thank you, that means a lot. We teach what we have to learn. It’s been an extraordinary journey that I couldn’t have done with not only the research participants but the community, the tribe that we’ve built of people who are also on this journey.

CP: Does community help with the work of vulnerability? Does it help us to become more vulnerable?

BB: I can’t even think of the right word, but it’s not “help.” It’s more like a prerequisite. I think connection is why we’re here, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and belonging is in our DNA. And so “tribe” and “belonging” are irreducible needs, like love.

“I think connection is why we’re here, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and belonging is in our DNA.”twitter

CP: You started as a researcher. At what point did the researcher become the guinea pig, and how did that change your work, if at all?

BB: I’m still a researcher. The best way to explain it is that I trusted myself deeply as a professional, but I did not have a lot of self-trust personally. When I started learning all of these things about the value and the importance of belonging, vulnerability, connection, self-kindness and self-compassion, I trusted what I was learning—again, I know I’m a good researcher. When those things and wholeheartedness started to emerge with all these different properties, I knew I had to listen. I’d heard these messages before personally but I didn’t trust myself there.

I wasn’t really testing it on myself as much as I was learning from other people about what it meant to live and love with your whole heart, and then thinking, oh my god, I’m not doing that. Everything that these folks are saying that they’re trying to move away from, like comparison, perfectionism, judgement, and exhaustion as a status symbol—that all describes my life. It was more like a medical researcher studying a disease and figuring out he or she has it.

CP: You’ve got the credibility of your research, yet there’s something in your delivery that’s really opening people up.

BB: I love how you frame that, because it’s helping me understand myself better. Someone asked me very recently why I have 8 million views on TED —”your work resonates, what are you doing?” What I think my contribution is, what I do well, is I name experiences that are very universal that no one really talks about. That’s the researcher in me; that’s really part of being a grounded theory researcher—putting names to concepts and experiences that people have. Then I tell my own story. The two things that people really need to transform is language to understand their experience and to know they’re not alone. It’s the combination of the researcher-storyteller part.

“The two things that people really need to transform is language to understand their experience and to know they’re not alone.”twitter-logo-ew

CP: For people that are new to the concept of authenticity and playing around with vulnerability and courage, actually being themselves—is it something that can be practiced?

BB: It has to be practiced. It’s a practice for me every day, sometimes every hour of every day. It is an absolute practice. When I went into the research, I really thought that there are authentic people and inauthentic people, period. What I found is, there people who practice authenticity and people who don’t. The people who practice authenticity work their ass off at it.

“…there people who practice authenticity and people who don’t. The people who practice authenticity work their ass off at it.”twitter

It was so scary to me. Oh my god, that’s going to be a lot of work. I thought, You either have the gene or you don’t. It was scary. But it was so liberating: I thought, This is not predetermined—I get to choose. There are some days where I have to choose five times in a day. I had to make a choice when you called and the phone rang, whether I’m going to show up and be me, or whether I’m going to say what I think I’m supposed to say and get off the phone.

I had to choose this morning, when I could tell my husband was in kind of a rotten mood, whether I was just going to ignore it because I’m tired and it’s Friday and I’m packing lunches and getting kids to school and doing all this, or if I’m going to put everything down, start breakfast, and look at him and say, “Hey, something is going on. I want to hear about it.” It’s a practice. It’s about showing up. And sometimes I don’t do it. I almost always regret it, but sometimes I don’t do it. Sometimes I walk into a situation where I’m intimidated and I want to be liked and I want to fit in, and I don’t choose authenticity. And it’s always pretty miserable.

brene brown speaking

CP: What about the idea that we need to protect ourselves or have boundaries?

BB: Huge. One of the most painfully inauthentic ways we show up in our lives sometimes is saying “yes” when we mean “no,” and saying “no” when we mean “hell yes.” I’m the oldest of four, a people-pleaser—that’s the good girl straitjacket that I wear sometimes. I spent a lot of my life saying yes all the time and then being pissed off and resentful.

One of the things I talk a lot about in my work that I try to practice—which is really hard–is in those moments where we’re being asked to do things or asked to take over or asked to take care of something, we have to have the courage to choose discomfort over resentment. And to me, a huge part of my authenticity practice has been choosing discomfort and saying no.

“…we have to have the courage to choose discomfort over resentment.”twitter

On the flip side, I’ve also had to struggle with saying “yes.” Before I did this research and before I had my own breakdown and spiritual awakening around this work, my motto was, “Don’t do anything that you’re already not great at doing.” Which I think is the way the majority of adults in our culture live. Authenticity is also about the courage and the vulnerability to say, “Yeah, I’ll try it. I feel pretty uncomfortable and I feel a little vulnerable, but I’ll try it!”

CP: You’re talking about risk.

BB: That’s the whole idea behind Daring Greatly. That whole phrase, “daring greatly,” is from the Theodore Roosevelt quote that goes back to your original question of, what about the critics? And when I read his quote it was life-changing. “It’s not the critic who counts; it’s not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done the better. The credit belongs to those of us who are actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. We strive valiantly and sometimes there’s the triumph of achievement but at the worst, we fail, but at least we fail while daring greatly.” That has really changed my life. Profoundly changed my life.

“We strive valiantly and sometimes there’s the triumph of achievement but at the worst, we fail, but at least we fail while daring greatly.” ~Theodore Roosevelttwitter

CP: Now it’s changing the lives of others.

BB: I think a lot of us are looking for the same thing. I feel very lucky to have a definitive moment where I know everything shifted in me, and it was the moment I read that quote. Because I thought, A. That’s everything I know about vulnerability. It’s not winning, it’s not losing, it’s showing up and being seen. B. That’s who I want to be. Courage is a value. My faith is the organizing principle in my life and what underpins my faith is courage and love, and so I have to be in the arena if I’m going to live in alignment with my values.

And the last thing is, I can’t be paralyzed anymore by the critics. My new mantra is, if you’re not in the arena getting your ass kicked on occasion, then I’m not interested in your feedback. You don’t get to sit in the cheat seat and criticize my appearance or my work with mean-spiritedness if you’re also not in the arena. Now, if you’re also in the arena and you’re putting your ideas out and you’re owning them and you’re saying “I disagree with you about this and that, I think you’ve got this wrong”—then not only do I invite that, I freaking love that. I love that. I’m an academic. I’m hardwired for a good debate.

CP: How would the world be different if we all learned to really embrace vulnerability and authenticity?

BB: We would solve a lot of huge problems that are causing massive suffering. Poverty, violence, homophobia, heterosexism, racism, the environment—all these things that are crippling us. We need big, bold, dangerous, crazy ideas to solve these problems. When failure is not an option, innovation and creativity are not options. In a highly critical, scarcity-based world, everyone’s afraid to fail. As long as we’re afraid to fail, we’ll never come up with the big, bold ideas we need to solve these problems.

“Poverty, violence, homophobia, heterosexism, racism, the environment—all these things that are crippling us. We need big, bold, dangerous, crazy ideas to solve these problems.”[inline]twitter

We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more love in the world. I’m not talking about rainbows and unicorns and ‘70s Coca-Cola commercials. I’m talking about gritty, dangerous, wild-eyed love. Radical acceptance of people. Belonging. A good, goofy kind of love.

CP: You’re on fire!

BB: [laughing] I’m having a passionate Friday, can you tell?

CP: You’re really funny – you make people laugh. I’m curious: how do you think humor fits into your work?

BB: I’m a huge fan of the poet Billy Collins. I heard him say, “Humor is the door to the serious.” I think that shame is a universal, paralyzing, painful emotion. The only universal language I know of that wraps up joy and gratitude and love is laughter. And so I believe in the healing power of laughter. I believe laughter forces us to breathe. I think laughter between people is a holy form of connection, of communion. It’s the way you and I look at each other and without words, say, I get exactly what you’re saying. And so, it’s important to me.

“The only universal language I know of that wraps up joy and gratitude and love is laughter. And so I believe in the healing power of laughter.”twitter

CP: It’s also disarming.

BB: I agree. The laughter that happens when people are truth-telling and showing up and being real – I call that “knowing laughter.” That’s what happens between people when we recognize the absurdity of the belief that we’re alone in anything. If there’s a feeling you have, other people have it. If there’s something weird about your life, other people have lived it. If there’s something kooky about your body, other people have that, too. We’re not alone. There’s some kind of tremendous relief in that and I think it can only be expressed in belly laughter. This tremendous relief that happens the millisecond we realize, it’s not just me. That’s what good laughter is about. It’s about knowing that you’re not alone.

>> Ready to laugh, cry and get mad goosebumps and inspired ideas together? Join us at Emerging Women Live 2014 in New York City, October 9-12th. Register now for savings!

EW Power Party Denver, June 12, 2014

Emerging Women is hosting another fabulous Power Party on June 12th, this time in Denver, CO at Converge Denver. If you can’t make it in person you can still participate via Livestream by signing up below. Please note that all tickets must be purchased in advance.

About:

Power Parties are authentic networking events that aim to bring together brilliant women ready to influence real change in the world through “the how” of what we do. Power Party Denver is designed to be a comprehensive event that will explore the dimensions of living the truth of who we are through feminine power. You will experience real connection, intentional circles, speakers, book signings, live performance and groove. The line-up for this event is awesomely inspirational – featuring Jandel Allen-Davis, MD, Sara Avant StoverKim Coupounas, Bari TesslerDominique Christina and Dr. Lynn Gangone —  all successful visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives who are trailblazing a new way of influencing positive change in the world.

Expect authentic sharing of what makes these women tick and how they were able to achieve uncompromising success by living the truth of who they are. 

Register for Emerging Women’s Power Party Denver HERE

[ew-in-the-loop headline=”Sign up to stay in the loop for Livestreaming of our regional events!”]

Speakers: 

Jandel Allen-Davis, MD

andel Allen-Davis, MD, is vice president of Government and External Relations for Kaiser Permanente Colorado. She leads the organization’s community relations and communications functions, stakeholder engagement, government relations, clinical research activities and community benefit investment.

Dr. Allen-Davis is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and after 25 years of taking care of patients, transitioned from a physician leader to Kaiser Permanente’s Health Plan Leadership team. Dr. Allen-Davis believes health care will improve when all the primary stakeholder groups — clinicians, patients, elected officials, community leaders, and employers — can collaborate effectively to put the patient at the center.

Dr. Allen-Davis is an active participant on community boards, including current Board Chair of Denver Botanic Gardens, CU Foundation Board of Directors, Colorado Association of Health Plans Board of Directors, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry Board of Directors, and more.

Dr. Allen-Davis is the proud recipient of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Colorado from the Colorado Women’s Chamber in 2013, the 2013 Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Women Making History Award, the 2013 Metro Volunteers Community Impact Award, just to name a few. Learn More>>>


Sara Avant Stover

Sara Avant Stover is a yogini, inspirational speaker, teacher, mentor, and author of the best-selling book The Way of the Happy Woman: Living the Best Year of Your Life.

Sara graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Columbia University’s all-women’s school, Barnard College. After a cancer scare in her early twenties, Sara moved to Thailand, where she embarked on a decade-long healing and spiritual odyssey throughout Asia. She became a certified yoga instructor, and went on to teach thousands of women in over a dozen countries, from United Arab Emirates to China and from Greece to Sweden.

Sara is a student of Sofia Diaz, Sarah Powers, and others. She has been practicing yoga, Buddhist meditation, and women’s work for fifteen years. She taught the first 200-hour yoga teacher training in Thailand and is the creator of the world’s first Women’s Yoga Teacher Training. A pioneer in merging modern women’s spirituality and lifestyle, she now teaches at centers such as Kripalu and Shambhala Mountain Center. Sara’s writing has been published in Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post, and Yogi Times. She has also been featured in Newsweek, Natural Health, and on ABC, NBC, and CBS. Learn More>>>


Kim Coupounas

Kim Coupounas is a values-centered leader, public speaker, and entrepreneur who is a passionate advocate for the environment and a firm believer in the power of the corporation to do good in the world.

Kim serves as Director of B Lab Colorado where she is leading a collaborative effort to make the state of Colorado the leader in responsible business practice, enabling companies to model a better way to do business, better for Colorado’s workers, environment, and economy.

Prior to B Lab, she co-founded and served as Chief Sustainability Officer GoLite, the premier global manufacturer of lightweight, innovative and responsible apparel and equipment designed specifically for outdoor athletes. Kim and her husband founded the company in 1998, and she served as GoLite’s CEO until 2008. Kim is also past Chairman of the Board of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the trade association representing the $646 billion active outdoor recreation industry. Kim earned an A.B. with honors from Princeton and a joint M.B.A./M.P.A. from Harvard.

Among her deep passions are time spent with her family, trail running, hiking, singing, doing yoga and martial arts, drinking great wine, and climbing mountains.Learn More>>>


Bari Tessler

Bari Tessler, M.A., is a Financial Therapist, Mentor Coach, Mama-preneur, and the Founder of The Art of Money. She has guided thousands of people to new, empowered, and refreshingly honest relationships with money through her nurturing, body-centered approach.

Bari earned a Masters in Somatic Psychology from Naropa University and worked in body-centered therapy for over a decade before unexpectedly falling in love with bookkeeping systems and money work. Her unique methodology integrates these two worlds into deep money healing that honors all the facets of our money relationships: body to spirit, lineage to career, smart practices to deep visioning, and much more.

She is currently leading a global conscious money movement via her year-long program, The Art of Money, which weaves together personal, couple and entrepreneurial money teachings. She’s on a mission to bring healing, awareness, and un-shaming to our money relationships.Learn More>>>


 Dominique Christina

Dominique Christina is a writer, performer, educator, and activist. She holds four national titles in the three years she has been competing in slam poetry, including the 2012 Women of the World Slam Champion and 2011 National Poetry Slam Champion. She is presently the only person to have held two national titles at one time.

Her work is greatly influenced by her family’s legacy in the Civil Rights Movement; her grandfather was a Hall of Famer in the Negro Leagues, while her aunt, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, was one of the Little Rock Nine. Dominique has always known she was a colored girl. Her writing is a celebration of that. Dominique Christina has performed across the country, opening for Cornel West, and performing for the Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till families in Washington DC at the Shiloh Baptist Church.

She conducts performance/workshops for the LOHAS forum in Boulder Colorado, has done branding and marketing language for companies like Lotus Wei and Gaia. She is presently enjoying a rigorous tour schedule with Denice Frohman as Sister Outsider. Learn More>>>


Dr. Lynn Gangone

In spring 2007, Lynn M. Gangone, EdD was named dean of the University of Denver – Colorado Women’s College and associate clinical professor of higher education at the Morgridge College of Education. The college’s mission is to educate women to boldly lead in the communities where they live, work, and engage. Dr. Gangone is committed to building women’s educational environments that strengthen self-confidence, enhance leadership capacity, and empower girls and women to develop strong peer relationships.

Dr. Gangone is a champion of women’s leadership in the new economy. She is often called upon for her expert opinion by organizations like Rocky Mountain PBS, the International Leadership Association-Women and Leadership Affinity Group, TEDxMileHighWomen and others.

She serves on the faculty of the Women’s Leadership Institute, the HERS Institutes for Women in Higher Education Administration and the Midwest Women’s Leadership Institute. She co-created the Institute for Emerging Women Leaders in Higher Education. Dr. Gangone was recently honored as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Colorado (Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce), as well as one of the 2013 “Women Making History” (Colorado Black Women for Political Action). Learn More>>>

 Reserve Your Spot at Emerging Women Power Party Denver HERE!

Check out an Emerging Women Power Party in action:

Like what you’re hearing? Dive deeper with us this October at Emerging Women Live 2014.

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EW Power Party Seattle, June 5, 2014

Emerging Women is hosting another fabulous Power Party on June 5th, this time in Seattle at Impact HUB. If you can’t make it in person you can still participate via Livestream by signing up below. Please note that all tickets must be purchased in advance.

About:

Power Parties are authentic networking events that aim to bring together brilliant women ready to influence real change in the world through “the how” of what we do. Power Party Seattle is designed to be a comprehensive event that will explore the dimensions of living the truth of who we are through feminine power. You will experience real connection, intentional circles, speakers, book signings, live performance and groove. The line-up for this event is awesomely inspirational – featuring Jennifer LoudenShasta NelsonJensine LarsonSara YaoStacey Sargent, and Camille Bloom — all successful visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives who are trailblazing a new way of influencing positive change in the world. Expect authentic sharing of what makes these women tick and how they were able to achieve uncompromising success by living the truth of who they are. 

Register for Emerging Women’s Power Party Seattle HERE

[ew-in-the-loop headline=”Sign up to stay in the loop for Livestreaming of our regional events!”]

Speakers:

Jennifer Louden

Jennifer Louden is both a personal coach and social commentator, who has taken the concept of “comfort” and self-care, and made these essential concepts irresistible and essential to women around the world. Jennifer is a cultural visionary, harnessing her extraordinary ability to recognize women’s comfort as both a fundamental need and an innate desire. Jennifer is an established media favorite, known for her humor, honesty, and ability to deliver tangible tips and heart-expanding insight with grace and passion. As a best-selling author of The Woman’s Comfort Book and 5 other titles, she draws on a wealth of stories and experience to regularly enliven blogs, radio, TV & magazines like Woman First, Self, Woman’s Day, Health, Yoga Journal, Whole Living, Good Housekeeping, Shape, and Ladies Home Journal. Jennifer’s media appearances have included Oprah, MSNBC, CNN, and close to a hundred news shows in most major markets. She’s hosted her own radio show on Sirius, been a monthly columnist for Body+Soul (now Whole Living), enjoyed numerous satellite radio and TV media tours, and has been a major presence on the web since 2000. She is a leading spokeswoman for finding your center and creating a healthy life in the midst of the busiest life, and then extending that healthy living to your world through social change. She believes: Self love+world love = wholeness for all. Learn More>>>


Shasta Nelson

Shasta Nelson, a female friendship expert, is the Founder and C.E.O. of GirlFriendCircles.com–the female friendship matching site in 35 cities across the U.S. and Canada where women of all ages go to make local friends, and is the author of Friendships Don’t Just Happen! The Guide to Creating a Meaningful Circle of GirlFriends. She is regularly appearing in the media offering her expertise on such subjects as creating new friends, learning how to to forgive our friends, social media’s impact on our friendships, and the characteristics of healthy friendships. A few of the TV shows she’s been on include The Today Show, Katie Couric’s Show, The Early Show, and Fox Business. She’s relied upon by writers and reporters from such magazines as Cosmopolitan, Essence, Parents, More, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, and Glamour, and for such newspapers as The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle. Her spirited and soulful voice can also be found at ShastasFriendshipBlog.com and in her Huffington Post column where she regularly contributes on relationship health. She also teaches, lectures, and hosts Friendship Accelerator events in her hometown of San Francisco and throughout the U.S. Learn More>>>


Jensine Larson

Jensine (Yen-See Nah) Larsen is an award-winning social media entrepreneur, international journalist, and speaker. At age 28 she founded World Pulse – a digital media network connecting women worldwide and bringing them a global voice – after working as a freelance journalist covering indigenous movements and ethnic cleansing in South America and Southeast Asia. Today World Pulse is powered by 60,000 women from 200 countries, many who are using internet cafes and cell phones from rural villages and conflict zones, collectively improving the lives of 2.2 million people. After successfully launching a print version of World Pulse magazine, in 2007 Larsen turned her eyes to the future of communications technology in the developing world. She pioneered an interactive global women’s newswire where women worldwide – including those using internet cafes and cell phones from rural villages and conflict zones– can speak for themselves to the world and solve global problems. Most recently, Larsen has launched a new program that is training women in digital empowerment and citizen journalism that is fostering a network of vocal women leaders from some of the most forgotten regions of the world. Today women from virtually every country in the world are connecting through World Pulse and producing a multiplier effect of change. Women previously unknown by the global public are having their stories picked up from World Pulse by the BBC, CNN, the UN, and the Huffington Post and beyond.  Learn More>>>


Sara Yao

Having coached and developed more than 3,500 leaders in six countries since 1998, Sara Harvey Yao specializes in the area of Executive Leadership and Ego. Sara’s clients refer to her as the “Ego Whisperer” and appreciate her precise ability to hone in on the root cause of leadership challenges and quickly resolve them.

Companies know any leader working with Sara will gain immense self-awareness, expand their influence and create a more consistent and compelling presence. In fact, Sara’s coaching skills are favored by countless executives from leading companies – among them Microsoft, T-Mobile and Outerwall (formerly Coinstar/Redbox).

Whether working one-on-one with clients, as a team facilitator or as an inspiring speaker, Sara is deeply committed to guiding clients to clarity about behaviors, ego tactics and communication styles that hamper conscious leadership.  Learn More>>>


Stacey Sargent

Stacey is an inspiring, energetic and authentic facilitator, coach, speaker and author – and the CEO of Connect Growth and Development.  She is an advocate of bringing humanity back into the workplace.  She has held positions over the last 20 years in evolutionary industries performing leadership, strategic and design vision roles in business, accounting and finance, consulting, client relations, software design and development. Stacey paired her degree in Business with a Masters in Applied Behavioral Science to create the “work love of her life”.

Her approach is about whole-person intelligence – partnering the logical with the creative, the rational with the emotional, our brain and our body. She helps people make the connection between their inner and outer selves so they can bring all their superpowers to any endeavor, in work and life.

Stacey is the author of Inner Critic, Inner Success: Claiming Your Own Success While Taming the Critic. She aspires to do more of the work she loves with more fantastic organizations, helping them discussWhat Really Matters.  Learn More>>>


Camille Bloom

Seattle-based, Gibson endorsed musician Camille Bloom has performed at premiere venues in nine different countries including Canada, the US., Germany,  Netherlands, England,  Denmark, Belgium and Ireland. Combining percussive guitar and a voice that can “purr and wail” (Victory Review), “Camille’s music can make even the rain dance.” (Mike Galaxy – Indy Hits promotion).  The powerhouse singer/songwriter  has been said to sound  ”like Ani Difranco dipped in maple syrup”. (Spokane Inlander).

In the last nine years, Camille has had songs licensed for use in twenty one shows on a variety of channels including MTV, E! and Oxygen. Additionally, she has completed over 30 national / international tours and has had her music played on over 400 major and college radio stations throughout the U.S. and Western Europe. She also charted on the European FAR (Freeform American Roots) Charts in 2009 with other music greats Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and Iron & Wine. She won the “Best Female Indie Artist” at the Ladylake Music Awards in 2010 – and was listed in the top 100 Indie Artists by Music Connection Magazine.

In addition to touring full time with club dates and festival appearances, Camille takes time out of her schedule to direct a Rock N Roll camp for kids in Seattle – and she also makes regular stops at youth centers – performing and talking to kids about using positive outlets such as music to cope with life’s struggles. Learn More>>>

 Reserve Your Spot at Emerging Women Power Party Seattle HERE!

Check out an Emerging Women Power Party in action:

Like what you’re hearing? Dive deeper with us this October at Emerging Women Live 2014.

Sponsors

















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Juicy Bites: Living the Truth of Who You Are

“Find out who you are and be that person. That’s what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come.” ~ Ellen DeGeneres

This week in Juicy Bites, we hear from:

  • Gloria Steinem, mother of feminist activism
  • Layla Shaikley, Muslim hipster
  • Yoko Ono, pioneering conceptual artist
  • Debbie Sterling, engineer and founder of GoldieBlox
  • Maysoon Zayid, comedian, actress and advocate

At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:

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1. Gloria Steinem – Feminist Activist via MAKERS

Gloria Steinem’s 80th birthday made for such a beautiful week of stories about feminism online. Watch Gloria talk about the beginnings of the movement and the momentum that led to her life of activism in this inspiring MAKERS profile video.

 

“In my heart I think the only alternative to being a feminist is being a masochist.” – Gloria Steinem

 

Continue Reading…

2. The Surprising Lessons of the ‘Muslim Hipsters’ Backlash via The Atlantic

Have you seen the #Mipsterz viral video yet? MIT Media Lab alumna Layla Shaikley made the music video to express her own experience as a young Muslim American. It’s awesome. And so is Layla’s reflective and insightful response to the mixed reactions the video received from the Muslim American community.

 

“I made a music video to share my own story as a Muslim woman in America. In doing so, I was expected to share every other Muslim woman’s story, too.” – Layla Shaikley

 

Continue Reading…

3. Yoko Ono show at Guggenheim shines light on pioneering conceptual artist via The Guardian

Yoko Ono is a woman who has never let public opinion steer her away from her personal truth. The artist, peace activist, and musician is unapologetically herself as she explores and experiments through her visionary work. Read this article for a vivid picture of Yoko’s charm, mystery, and mission.

 

“Most people didn’t want to know and I wasn’t about to explain about it. My art was different from what was considered as art. My idea was that maybe one day 50 years later or 100 years later people might discover it.” – Yoko Ono

 

Continue Reading…

4. GoldieBlox’s Debbie Sterling on Changing Gender Stereotypes and Taking Big Risks via Fast Company

When Debbie Sterling told her mother she wanted to study engineering, her mother said, “Ew.” Since then, Debbie has not only become a successful engineer, she has made it her mission to tackle the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math. Have you seen the awesome Beastie Boys “Girls” parody video that went viral last year? That’s her, living her truth.

 

“We get fired up about these incredibly audacious goals, and what’s surprising is you can actually hit them. When you hit a goal like that, this whole thing becomes all the more believable, that what we’re doing is going to work.” – Debbie Sterling

 

Continue Reading …

5. A Gorgeous Woman Shakes Her Body On Stage… And The Crowd Goes Wild via Upworthy

Where has this woman been all our lives? We’d describe how Maysoon Zayid, disabled Arab-American comedian, is living the truth of who she is, but she does it so much better herself in this TED Talk. Watch it now!

 

“If a wheelchair user can’t play Beyoncé, then Beyoncé can’t play a wheelchair user.” – Maysoon Zayid

 

Continue Reading…

Tell us who inspires you so that they can inspire the tribe, too! Join in the conversation with a comment below:

Like what you’re hearing? Dive deeper with us this October at Emerging Women Live 2014. Special discounts when you register before July 31st.

Power Party Chicago, April 10, 2014

Emerging Women is proud to announce the relaunch of our Regional Events. We are excited to kick-start our Power Parties season with Power Party Chicago on April 10th at Tech Nexus. If you can’t make it in person you can still participate via Livestream by signing up below.

 

About:

 

Power Parties are authentic networking events that aim to bring together brilliant women ready to influence real change in the world through “the how” of what we do.

Power Party Chicago is designed to be a comprehensive event that will explore the dimensions of living the truth of who we are through feminine power. You will experience real connection, intentional circles, speakers, book signings, live performance and groove. The line-up for this event is absolutely phenomenal – featuring  Christine AryloSonia ChoquetteSara Connell, Betsy SobiechJulie Murphy Casserly, and Dawn Bless, all successful visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives who are trailblazing a new way of influencing positive change in the world.

Expect authentic sharing of what makes these women tick and how they were able to achieve uncompromising success by living the truth of who they are. 

 

Register for Emerging Women’s Power Party Chicago HERE.

 

[ew-in-the-loop headline=”Sign up to stay in the loop for Livestreaming of our regional events!”]
 

Speakers:

 

Sonia Choquette

 

Sonia Choquette is a globally celebrated and dynamic spiritual teacher, six-sensory consultant, enchanting storyteller, and transformational visionary guide, known for her delightful humor and skill in quickly shifting people out of difficulty and into flow. She is the author of 19 international bestselling books on intuitive awakening, personal growth, creativity, and transformational leadership, including the New York Times bestseller “The Answer is Simple.”

Sonia is inspiring a global consciousness movement around the truth that “We, as humans, are Divine Beings endowed with SIX senses to guide us through life,” and insists that we must activate and rely on our innate sixth sense in order to make the most authentic, well-informed, healthy, and soul satisfying decisions possible.

Her work has been published in over 40 countries and in 37 languages, making her one of the most widely read authors and experts in her field in the world. Learn More>>>

 


Christine Arylo

 

Christine Arylo is a transformational teacher, internationally recognized speaker and best-selling author of the official self-love guidebook, Madly in Love with ME, the Daring Adventure to Becoming Your Own Best Friend. After earning her MBA from Kellogg and climbing the corporate ladder for fifteen years, she chose to devote her life to creating a new reality for women and girls, one based on self-love, freedom and feminine power instead of the relentless pursuit of having to do, be and have it all.

Christine’s opinions have been featured on CBS, ABC, FOX, WGN, E!, in the Huffington Post, and on radio shows, spas, conferences and stages around the world, including TEDx. She is also the author of the go-to book on love and relationships, Choosing ME before WE, the co-founder of a virtual school for women, Inner Mean Girl Reform School, and a spiritual mentor and catalyst for other achievement junkies.   Learn More>>>

 


Sara Connell

 

Sara Connell is an author, speaker and life coach with a private practice specializing in women’s health & empowerment in Chicago. She has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The View, Rickie Lake, FOX Chicago, NPR, and Katie Couric. Sara has also worked with companies and organizations such as: Avon, Origins-Estee Lauder, GE, The Leo Burnett Company, Unilever, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Prentice Hospital for Women.

Her writing has appeared in: The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Parenting, BabyTalk, Mindful Metropolis, Psychobabble and Evolving Your Spirit. Her first book Bringing In Finn was nominated for ELLE magazine 2012 Book of the Year and is in bookstores now. Learn More>>>

 


Betsy Sobiech

Betsy Sobiech is part of the global team that launched Tiara International LLC, a company that is redefining women’s leadership to include all women. As the Chief Operating Officer, her mission is to make the power and peace of true leadership accessible to everyone. She considers herself a practical philosopher and has a gift for simplifying the complex. Tiara’s integrated approach reminds us that leadership comes from within, from a unique sense of inspiration. The Tiara Model for True Leadership helps us continuously accept what is, clarify what’s next and stay connected to what’s most important. Betsy embodies this model, practicing every day, in every area of her life.

With a B.A. in Philosophy from Truman State and an M.S. in Organization Development from Loyola University, she specializes in human behavior, group process, solution design, systems thinking and change management. She has worked with companies like Hewitt Associates, Nicor Gas, Exxon Mobile, PepsiCo, AT Kearney, Mesirow Financial and The Advisor Group. She lives in Chicago with her hilarious Lab-hua-nese Daisy (otherwise known as a rescued mutt). Learn More>>>

 


Julie Murphy Casserly

 

Julie Murphy Casserly is a 17-year veteran of the financial services industry and has often been referred to as a financial healer and visionary. She is turning the personal finance industry upside down by de-bunking standard financial planning processes and educating people about a new way of finding financial success… and it all starts from within.

As seen on CNBC-TV, Lifetime TV, Oprah & Friends Radio, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and more, Julie is author of the award-winning book, “The Emotion Behind Money: Building Wealth from the Inside Out,” founder of JMC Wealth Management in Chicago, motivational speaker and media expert on the topic of emotions and money.  She also works with more than 2,500 clients worldwide on all aspects of their financial portfolios including investment asset allocation and risk management, insurance needs, retirement planning, business planning, college planning and estate planning. Learn More>>>

 


 Dawn Bless

 

While singing and visual arts were her earliest blooming talents, Dawn has continued to develop into an experienced Spoken Word Artist, Actress, and Playwright. Acting credits include: I Am Who I Am: The Teddy Pendergrass Story, Seussical the Musical, Don’t Make Me Over: A Tribute to Dionne Warwick, At Last: A Tribute to Etta James and many more.

She is currently writing a stage play about the gospel group The Clark Sisters, as well as songwriting for a project with Grammy nominated singer Vashawn Mitchell. Learn more>>

 

Reserve Your Spot at EW Power Party Chicago HERE: emerging-women-powerparty-chicago.eventbrite.com

 

Check out the Emerging Women Power Party in action:

 

 

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Juicy Bites: Navigating the Elusive Work/Life Balance

This week in Juicy Bites, discover:

  • Inspiring interviews with moms working in the advertising industry
  • Top reads for women looking to improve their work/life balance skills
  • How parents sharing work/life responsibilities benefit the entire family
  • Why work/life issues are relevant for everyone, not just moms
  • Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s funny takes on being working moms

At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:

1. How Moms in Advertising Do the Balancing Act via Digiday

In an effort to empower, inspire, and advance women in the advertising industry, standout working mothers are honored each year by the Advertising Women of New York (AWNY) organization. In this article, Digiday interviews a few of the winners.

“By default, I am helping other women in my company redefine a new normal. Now there’s a whole group of young females who see a female exec making this choice, and now they know it’s OK to say they need to go home to their families too and that there isn’t a negative repercussion.” – Joy Schwartz

Continue Reading …

2. Finding More Moments of Balance in 2014 via Huff Post Women

While researching her own book on choices modern women face and how those choices impact society, Tanya Selvaratnam read many books by female authors who “boldly tackled work/life issues from different angles.” Here, she lists a few of her favorites.

“How do we reject the expectations foisted on us to excel at everything in work and in life, to drive ourselves to the limit, while we try to be happy, healthy human beings?” – Tanya Selvaratnam

Continue Reading…

3. The Work-Life Balance and ‘Getting to 50/50’: Forum via KQED Public Media

When two parents have demanding careers, striking the balance between work and family can be a challenge. But when those parents share work and parenting duties equally, the whole family benefits, according to Silicon Valley executives Sharon Meers and Joanna Strober.

“The fact is that the majority of mothers work, no matter what their income is. And so we need to have solutions that work because most women in America need to work.” – Joanna Strober

Continue Reading…

4.  Single Professionals Need Work-Life Balance Too via Huff Post Women

“A full life doesn’t require a spouse and/or children,” says single, childless professional Whitney Caudill. “All lives require balance and respect.” In this article, Caudill outlines reasons why it’s harmful to center the work/life balance dialogue around only working mothers.

“Work-life balance issues apply to everyone; these issues are not limited, as it often seems, to parents. These issues are relevant for women and men, the married and single, and those that are parents and childless. It is universal.” – Whitney Caudill

Continue Reading…

5.  Gospel of Parenthood, According to Tina and Amy via Huff Post Parents

Finally, because a sense of humor is crucial to the work/life balancing act, here are 16 quotes about parenting from career comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

“It is less dangerous to draw a cartoon of Allah French-kissing Uncle Sam — which, let me make it very clear, I have not done — than it is to speak honestly about [working moms].” – Tina Fey

Continue Reading…

We are excited to start a conversation and learn more from YOU, dear emerging women. Please join in with a comment below:

Juicy Bites: Crafting Meaningful and Powerful Intentions in 2014

This week in Juicy Bites, discover:

  • How to start a 2014 “Happiness Jar” practice with Elizabeth Gilbert
  • Children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom’s witty approach to New Year’s Resolutions
  • The benefits of resolving to be more generous in 2014
  • 10 TED Talks to inspire achievable, process-based resolutions
  • Why 2014 will be the year of mindful living

At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:

 

1. End of the Year HAPPINESS JARS! via Elizabeth Gilbert

“Happiness comes in the sideways moments, the humble moments,” says author Elizabeth Gilbert. Making those moments tangible, something you can hold in your hand on a rainy day, can be a powerful practice. In this post Gilbert explains how to start your very own 2014 Happiness Jar to celebrate the simple moments in life that otherwise might be forgotten.

“They are almost always nearly invisible moments when suddenly I just felt in my bones the very best aspects of my humanity — gratitude, peace, hope, contentment.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

Continue Reading …

2. How Ursula Nordstrom, Beloved Patron Saint of Childhood, Did New Year’s Resolutions via Brain Pickings

Children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom had a witty approach to New Year’s resolutions. Half a century later, her funny and compassionate take on trying to better herself is still relevant and worth thinking about when styling our own resolutions.

“My New Year’s resolution is to be more loving. I don’t know how it will work out as I have been quite loving up to now with some disastrous, or at least misunderstood, results. Anyhow, I will try even more love and I will let you know what happens. So far not so good. But then it is only the second day.” – Ursula Nordstrom

Continue Reading…

3. A New Year’s Resolution Worth Making via Psychology Today

Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., has a radical idea for 2014 New Year’s Resolutions. Instead of fueling our inner critics with rigid goals meant to produce better versions of ourselves, Firestone suggests we turn our attention outward. In this article, she explains the benefits (not just to others!) of resolving to be more generous.

“Let’s stop buying into the notion that we need to be fixed. Instead, let’s resolve to do the one thing that’s been scientifically proven to make us happier, more fulfilled individuals – let’s shift our focus outward and become more generous.” – Lisa Firestone

Continue Reading…

4. Your TED-inspired New Year’s resolutions via TED Blog

Need some help making your meaningful and achievable New Year’s resolutions? Watch these TED Talks for ideas on making process-based changes in the way we think instead of focusing on specific desired outcomes.

“The perfect tools aren’t going to help us if we can’t give and receive fearlessly.” – Amanda Palmer

Continue Reading…

5.  Why 2014 Will Be The Year Of Mindful Living via The Third Metric

One of the world’s largest marketing communications brands has declared that 2014 will be characterized by a movement toward mindful living. This article explores why trendsetters, search engines, thought leaders, corporations, and scientists all seem to have mindfulness on the brain.

“What the culture is craving is a sense of ease and reflection, of not needing to be stimulated or entertained or going after something constantly. Nobody’s kicking out technology, but we have to regain our connection to others and to nature or else everybody loses” – Soren Gordhamer

Continue Reading…

We are excited to start a conversation and learn more from YOU, dear emerging women. Please join in with a comment below:

Gratitude for Emerging Women Live 2013

Just how much love and connection can one let in over a 4-day period? Just when I thought I couldn’t take any more, somehow my heart opened wider to let in even more joy.

I am not sure exactly what the secret ingredient was that led to the BIG MAGIC that was present throughout the event, but it seems that we all brought our wands with us to Emerging Women Live, and I am still floating as a result.

I thought I would reach out while we are all in this power state of emergence, and let you know how very blessed I feel to have had the chance to share this experience with you all, whether you attended the event or joined us via livestream.

Thank you for holding the space for me to step into my being in the face of uncertainty that comes when one is emerging. I was living the truth of who I was and you all made that possible for me – aaaaahhhhhh that felt great.

I have so much gratitude for the level of presence and authenticity that you each brought to the experience. From the beginning, there seemed to be an environment of trust and openness that set the stage for the entire event, and now this has become the foundation of our tribe.

There is much I could say, and yet I have little brain power for words.  I am wanting to sit in the feeling of it all. I want to dive deep into my heart and my body to relish this vibration a bit longer before inviting my mind back in.

And so with this I leave you with a bow of appreciation, and a request to help me build Emerging Women into the movement it is destined to become.

With gratitude and big love,

Chantal

The FREE recorded version of Emerging Women Live 2013 is available for a limited time only. Watch #EWLive13 HERE.

Juicy Bites: Wisdom from Presenters at Emerging Women Live 2013


 

This week we learn:

 

  • Embracing vulnerability with Dr. Brené Brown
  • Making stress your friend with Kelly McGonigal
  • Emerging into being with Tami Simon, founder and CEO of Sounds True
  • Writing a novel no one expects — a profile on formidable Elizabeth Gilbert
  • Identify your leap and learn to play big with Tara Sophia Mohr

At the end of this post, we encourage you to join us for a conversation. This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women, is:

Juicy Bites Great Books
 

1. Brené Brown – Embracing Vulnerability – a free video teaching via Sounds True

 
Check out this video featuring Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past twelve years studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. Her groundbreaking research has been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Dr. Brené Brown was also featured on Oprah’s Emmy award winning show — Super Soul Sunday. Brené is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (Gotham, 2012). In Daring Greatly, Brené dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage.

Brené Brown – Embracing Vulnerability from Sounds True on Vimeo.

Dr. Brené Brown will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO.
 

2. Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend via Ted Talk

 
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a health psychologist and award-winning lecturer at Stanford University. A leading expert on the mind-body relationship, her work integrates the latest findings of psychology, neuroscience, and medicine with contemplative practices of mindfulness and compassion from the traditions of Buddhism and yoga. She is the author of The Willpower Instinct and Yoga for Pain Relief.

Kelly McGonigal will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO. She will share with us The Science of Change.
 

3. Tami Simon — Emerging into Being: Leading with Trust, Authenticity, and Presence via Grace & Fire Podcast

 

We are excited to share with you a new Grace & Fire podcast. This episode’s guest is the inspirational and accomplished: Tami Simon. Tami is the founder of Sounds True, a multimedia publishing company dedicated to disseminating spiritual wisdom.

In this episode, Tami Simon and the host, Chantal Pierrat spoke about:

  •  Handling the everyday fear
  •  “Everything depends on how much you trust”
  •   Authenticity and its acceptance in society
  •   Mentorship and the best way to mentor
  •   The energy of tenacity and will and when to let go

 

Listen Here…

Tami Simon will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO.
 

4. Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write a Novel No One Expects via New York Times Magazine

 

Jeremy Liebman for The New York Times
Jeremy Liebman for The New York Times

This is a great read! A fantastic profile on Elizabeth Gilbert. Next month, Viking will publish Gilbert’s sixth book, a novel titled “The Signature of All Things.” It’s like unlike anything she has ever written in her 13 years career as a writer.

“Gilbert had withstood the narcissistic onslaught of fame, found stability in her personal life and laid claim to the biggest prize of all: the feeling that she had nothing to lose with her next project.” – Steve Almond

Elizabeth Gilbert will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO. She will share with us the “Big Magic: Thoughts on Creative Living”.

5.  It’s Time to Leap by Tara Sophia Mohr

Tara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. Her work helps women play bigger in their work and in their lives. With an MBA from Stanford University and her undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale, Tara takes a unique approach that blends inner work with practical skills training, and weaves together both intellectual rigor and intuitive wisdom.
Take a moment to check out this fantastic video as Tara shares her wisdom and encourages women to play big.

Tara will be a featured presenter at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO. She will share with us “Playing Big: The Work of Our Time”.

 


We are excited to start a conversation and learn more from YOU, dear emerging women. Leave a comment below:

Juicy Bites Great Books


Emerging Women Live is for women entrepreneurs and creatives who share a vision to change the world by living the truth of who they are. These are women who are burning with desire to to fully express themselves through the work they do, while promoting a new paradigm of success that leverages the incredible power of the feminine: collaboration, community, intuition, receptivity, sensuality and heart. Join us!

Words of Wisdom from our Speakers at Power Party New York, September 10th, 2013

Four fantastic women are ready to share their wisdom with you, on September 10th in NYC at Power Party New York. I hope you can join us and experience the energy and receive the amazing gifts these women have to offer.

We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, to open up and allow yourself to be challenged, to ask yourself questions you would have never dared to ask, and to receive the answers and the guidance you need to shift your paradigm of success. Power Parties are authentic networking events like no other you’ve ever experienced. We ask real questions, and we connect because of our passions and not because of our status. We embrace vulnerability, and our feminine power. We courageously listen, learn and grow.

Power Party New York is Emerging Women’s 5th local event. Our goal is to bring together brilliant women and build a veritable tribe committed to truthful living. With your support we can generate real change that empowers women not only in our communities but around the world.

Join us and begin creating a life of alignment, authenticity and powerful self-expression!

If you can’t make it in person to Power Party New York, you can still participate via live-stream. Please RSVP on Facebook, and we will share the live-stream link closer to the date.

RSVP on Facebook HERE

Register on Eventbrite  HERE  (Early Bird Pricing Ends August 30th)

Below you’ll find a 4 quotes from our fabulous presenters at Power Party New York. Enjoy!

Speakers:

Mama Gena

Regena Thomashauer (Mama Gena) is a revolution: an icon, teacher, author, mother and one of a handful of pioneers on the planet researching the nature of pleasure and dedicating her life to the discipline of pleasure and fun.

Image by Ibai Acevedo
Image by Ibai Acevedo

Kate Northrup

Kate Northrup is a professional freedom seeker and creative entrepreneur. She created financial freedom for herself at the age of 28 through building a team of more than 1,000 wellness entrepreneurs in the network marketing industry.

Image by Ibai Acevedo
Image by Ibai Acevedo

 Robyn Hatcher

Robyn Hatcher is an author and communication skills expert and Founder of SpeakEtc., a boutique communication and presentation-skills training company. Once an extremely shy child, Robyn is now passionate about helping individuals express themselves effectively and powerfully.

Image by Brandon C. Long

Amy Ferris

Amy Ferris is an author, screenwriter, playwright, and editor. Her memoir, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions From A Midlife Crisis was produced and performed as an Off-Broadway play (CAP21 Theater Company) in 2012.

Image by Michael Vincent Manalo
Image by Michael Vincent Manalo

Register for EW Power Party New York  HERE

Power Party New York is an event in support of Emerging Women Live, October 10-13, 2013, a national event at the St. Julien Hotel which will feature the following speakers: Brené Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Eve Ensler, Alanis MorissetteSobonfu Somé, Ani DiFranco, Kelly McGonigal, Tara Mohr, Tami Simon, Kristin Neff, Jennifer Lee, Sera Beak and many more!

Check out the Emerging Women Power Party in action:

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Power Party Seattle Speaker: Danielle LaPorte

Danielle LaPorte is an authentic powerhouse.

All it takes to understand and appreciate that is to simply go to her website and read a blog post, watch a video, or listen to her speak. Her unique brand of wisdom is a refreshing remedy for all the overused and outdated self-help/business/marketing practices out there. Danielle’s approach is different. It’s insightful, smart and engaging.

Danielle encourages us to make room in our lives for the truth of who we are, to embrace our neglected passions, to respect our fears, and to welcome our authentic powers. In an interview she mentioned:

“Burnout is not a badge of honor. When things are easy for you, when you’re living and working from that place of your true strength  and natural talent, you’re happier. It’s super basic. You’re in a better mood. When you’re in that place, you’re more energized. You get to be of more service to other people.”

“Creating life on your own terms,” the credo of her book, The Fire Starter Sessions (Random House/Crown) is essential for shifting our paradigm of success. Cultivating and expressing, instead of suppressing our unique self, is what gives us our competitive edge. Danielle believes that: “You will always be too much of something for someone: too big, too loud, too soft, too edgy. If you round out your edges, you lose your edge.”

Danielle is our keynote speaker at Emerging Women Power Party in Seattle, August 14th, 2013. You can reserve your spot here: http://powerpartyseattle.eventbrite.com/

The event will also be live streamed. Save the date HERE

Enjoy this inspirational video “A Credo for Making it Happen” by Danielle LaPorte: