How Mindfulness Brought Me to Feminine Leadership

To say I was disconnected from the feminine when I was VP of Sales in the medical devices industry would be an understatement. I wasn’t just disconnected – I often actively pushed my feminine side away and even belittled the feminine in an attempt to prove to a room full of guys that I was tough and capable. Ugh! But I thought I had to to succeed and survive.

It wasn’t until I was passed over for promotion that I realized that no amount of strained fake laughter at sexist jokes would turn me into a middle aged white male. I was me, and I wanted to find the place where “me” could be appreciated for myself, not for what kind of mask I could project and maintain.

Luckily, my next job was at Sounds True, the wonderful multimedia publishing company with the mission of disseminating spiritual wisdom. I was able to immerse myself in mindfulness and mindful practices. Not just meditation, but conscious communication and receptive listening. Mind. Blown. 

Mindfulness has brought me to this journey of the feminine – brought me to my purpose. In the tech world, pushing your own agenda and drive above all else was the norm. The idea of making space for receptivity and real connection is deemed frivolous. As a result I see a lot of women, like me, allow the feminine to get pushed to the back burner. Like, waaaayyyy back. Totally off the stove.

My purpose? I want to help bring the feminine back to the front burner and celebrate what we have simmering there!

The good news about mindfulness is that you don’t have to carve out 2 hours of space for meditation. Just being conscious as we go through our day, conscious of our own reactions and receptive to that input, we will become more connected to our feminine sides, and can be guided towards a more balanced and authentic version of our true selves.

This is why I feel honored to speak at the first-ever Mindful Leadership Online Training Conference. It’s a rare chance for me to talk about this important topic alongside more than 40 top mindful leaders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and teachers, including Tara Brach (total shero).

If you feel like you could use an infusion of mindfulness in your feminine leadership journey, this is the place to get it. See the schedule and sign up for free here:

My presentation is called How to Manifest The Power of Connected Leadership: Exploring A Feminine Paradigm for Business, and will take place on Day 7 (March 7th) of this 10 day event.

After you register you’ll gain access to over 35 video sessions from many of the world’s foremost experts on mindful leadership, plus you’ll receive several bonus gifts, including a Guided Intention Meditation from me! Additionally, every session ends with a specific mindfulness meditation or practice that you can begin to use immediately in your own life and organization.

I hope you will join me for this powerful new event. Here’s to the power of mindfulness to help us harness the power of the feminine and lead from the truth of who we are!

Big Love,
chantal-signature.pn

 

Chantal Pierrat | Founder, Emerging Women

On Being Unstoppable

stop

Last week, I visited the webpage of a coaching school someone I know is considering. On the school’s homepage, a graduate of the program boasted that the school’s methodology had enabled her to teach her clients to be “unstoppable.” And that stopped me, right in my tracks.

The nature of being human is that we are eminently stoppable. Our very biology gives us natural limits to how hard we can push. We need to breathe, to drink, eat, and sleep. We crave touch, the sun, fresh air, and communication. Our bodies are covered in a soft flesh–relatively defenseless with no claws or sharp teeth. We bleed and heal. Our reproductive cycle gives us utterly helpless young, demanding that we stop and take notice and care for these vulnerable creatures. And, of course, we die–the ultimate full stop. Death comes for us all with no regard for how hard we try to push it back. To be human is to be stoppable.

And yet we seek to be unstoppable.

Life should be able to stop us. If not for beauty, then for heartbreak. If not for the joy of seeing a tree’s stark branches waving against a gray winter sky, then for the horror of seeing people starving to death in our own rich cities or drowning to death on the shores of Europe. If not for the pleasure of a beloved piece of music, then for the despair of another mass shooting. If not for the happiness on face of a dear friend or family member, then for the agony present  when they suffer or when we let them down. Let life be present to us. Let it stop us.

To be unstoppable is to be blind to what is happening all around us. To be unstoppable is to refuse to notice the effect that progress–at any cost–might have on our relationships, our bodies, and our spiritual life. To be unstoppable is to deny our own biology. To deny our hearts and the beautiful web of relationships that surround us.

Sometimes the world demands a response. And sometimes the only response is to pause. To be stricken. To be soft. To take a moment to laugh, or to cry, or to hold someone’s hand. A moment of noticing how angry we are, or how sad, or how–this is the really hard one–how numb we’ve become.  And cultivating the ability to be stopped takes deep work.

It requires relational sensitivity to know when our families, colleagues, and friends need us to downshift and approach them in a new, more attentive way. It requires somatic wisdom to be able to sense our energy status and get a clear reading on what our bodies need. It takes emotional awareness to stay present in strong emotions while also noticing the emotional states of others. And, finally, the ability to stop often takes great bravery as it will likely be questioned by those who would not dare question the cultural value of being unstoppable.

In my coaching practice, I do not seek to teach clients to be unstoppable because I believe it is deeply problematic, even dangerous. What happens when you teach your client to be unstoppable, and their family and friends need them to stop because they have been neglecting their relational responsibilities? What happens when you have an entire culture of unstoppable people, and the culture next door needs them to stop because they are encroaching on ancestral lands? What happens when you have an entire planet of unstoppable people, and the environment is begging them to stop because species are going extinct and the land is being polluted?

Can you see where being unstoppable can lead? Do you see where it has already led?

Instead, I believe that we must learn to listen to the call of the world, our loved ones, and our bodies, to stop. In the coaching relationship, the relationship of mutual trust and mutual respect creates a strong container where clients can examine the habitual responses they have always relied on. Over time, they becomes more able to recognize the habitual turning away that has become so pandemic in modern society. They learn to cultivate a new response. This takes the learning of new skills and competencies; patience, compassion, resilience, discernment, the ability to self-observe (to name a few). I’ve seen clients, over time, become more resilient and able to stand in deep witness to their own emotional experience; to be stopped by the world, to be touched by it. They have the freedom to experience their reaction without being overwhelmed by it. This allows them the opportunity to make choices that they were unable to make before.

Today, let a small part of yourself be broken by this heartbreaking and fragile world. What might it mean to open yourself up enough for that to occur? What meaning might leak into your life if you dared? Stop, and and you might find out.



Jessica Minah is the Director of Enrollment and a Graduate of New Ventures West. Jessica’s presence, curiosity and wisdom—not to mention her previous experience as an award-winning radio producer and sales account manager—make her a natural fit for the role of guiding would-be coaches into the fold. She was certified as an Integral Coach® in 2014 and works with clients around the US. She lives in Baltimore with her husband Greg and brightens our San Francisco headquarters with her regular visits.

Power Practice #14: Letting Go – A Meditation on Surrender

Tosha Silver Letting Go

Are you feeling stressed out, rushed, or overwhelmed?

This very simple practice has become a staple for the Emerging Women team. As Tosha Silver says, in this testosterone-driven culture it’s so important for us to let go of struggle and let the Inner Divine take the lead. That way we can operate not from a place of aggression, ego, or even passivity, but with an openness and receptivity that is felt deeply within the body.

You can do this quick and relaxing practice several times a day to shift into a calming, healing mindset. Get ready to move with the flow and enjoy the synchronicity and magic that results!

Play Power Practice #14 – Letting Go – A Meditation on Surrender:

Tosha Silver graduated from Yale with a degree in English Literature but along the way fell madly in love with yogic philosophy. For the past 30 years she has taught people around the world ways to align with Inner Love. She’s the author of Outrageous Openness and the recently released Change Me Prayers: The Hidden Power of Spiritual Surrender. She lives near San Francisco, where she runs an online school about these ideas called, “Living Outrageous Openness: Think Like a Goddess”. This offers an ongoing way to support those who truly want to live these beautiful, ancient practices. You can also join her on Facebook by liking her author page where she writes a few times a week.

She particularly enjoys finding fresh, funny ways to invite and embrace the Divine, while avoiding conventional jargon and cliches at all cost. She loves how the sacred and the mundane are truly One. The guidance from the Inner Divine begins to lead when it is sincerely invited….by anyone.

Check out our Emerging Women podcast with Tosha Silver to hear more:
tosha_silver

Power Practice #13: Motivating with Self-Compassion

Kristin Neff Motivating with Self Compassion
Do you rely on self-criticism to get you moving?

This written exercise from self-compassion expert Dr. Kristen Neff is designed to help you shift your motivational focus from self-criticism to the more energizing benefits of self-compassion.

Press play to get in touch with what your inner critic might be trying to accomplish for you, and then let Kristen guide you towards meeting that same need with a kinder, more compassionate voice. Hands on hearts, people – self-compassion is the way through!

Play Power Practice #13 – Motivating with Self-Compassion:

kristin neff During Kristin’s last year of graduate school in 1997 she became interested in Buddhism, and has been practicing meditation in the Insight Meditation tradition ever since. While doing her post-doctoral work she decided to conduct research on self-compassion – a central construct in Buddhist psychology and one that had not yet been examined empirically.

In addition to her pioneering research into self-compassion, she has developed an 8-week program to teach self-compassion skills. The program, co-created with her colleague Chris Germer, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, is called Mindful Self-Compassion. Her book, Self-Compassion, was published by William Morrow in April, 2011.

Check out our Emerging Women podcast with Dr. Kristen Neff to hear more:

10 Key Words for Mindful Leadership

Women leaders are faced with numerous challenges in their careers. No matter what type of work you do, it can sometimes be difficult to sort through all the “small stuff” that naturally rolls across your desk, while staying focused on the larger goals you want to reach.

We all hope to be mindful leaders in order to cultivate an atmosphere that will inspire us and others. As an independent business owner, I have learned through experience to make sure I include 10 key elements when planning my work day.  This keeps me mindful of my mission, and happy while I work.

Looking

As you set your daily schedule and map out your calendar of dreams, be prepared to meet all your daily challenges by putting these 10 key words into practice:

Focus

Start out your day with quiet time. Take 5 to 10 minutes after you wake up to relax and listen to your inner self. Before you jump into the tasks of the coming day, remember to begin quietly and stay in tune with your inner consciousness. Some people try meditation or yoga, while others just need to relax and be quiet. This is the key to a stress free day.

Organize

Make time to organize. Plan out your schedule in a way that is both realistic and ambitious. Divide your time into larger segments to keep you focused on the big picture. Then divide up those tasks with smaller goals. Keep in mind, your schedule should include flexibility for the unexpected things. Focus on ways to stay organized, and reduce the clutter on your desk. A clean and well organized workspace can help you stay motivated and inspired.

Work

This describes the part of your day where you do what you love, and expect to complete the tasks you start. Think about what you really want to accomplish with your day. Dive in and do what you do best. Have no fear as you take on both expected and unexpected events. Your work should bring you satisfaction more than anything else. Love what you do, and remember to make mental notes of your own efforts and accomplishments. Pat yourself on the back for the things you do well.

Enjoy

Make time every day for small moments of enjoyment. Find the joy in small things. Reward yourself in tiny ways when you reach a small goal. Take a breath from your hard work to unwind, even if only for a few minutes. Carry on with a positive attitude, fueled by self-awareness, generosity and gratitude.  Life is for living, and living means enjoying life. See the value in having some fun throughout your day as you work.

Act

Be bold. Drive yourself forward toward your goals. Be the powerful leader that you are and the confident woman that you have become. Lead. Inspire. Act on your instincts. And most of all, trust yourself to do the things that come naturally to you. Know and apply your talents in the best way you know how. Make your dreams happen. Walk the talk. Don’t hold back.

Connect

Connect to others. Be aware of everyone around you, and build relationships in the way that only you can. Make the connections you need to allow everything you want to accomplish happen. Build your personal (as well as online) connections into a network of people who support you, believe in you and are ready to help you do all the things you want to do. Use your knowledge as power to connect and stay connected.

Exercise

Take time to exercise. This doesn’t have to mean hardcore workouts – just regular exercise. Never skip a day. Take breaks and stretch. Go for short walks. Climb stairs whenever you can. Do what you enjoy doing, such as running, bike riding, doing sit-ups or dancing. Daily exercise is not only one of the most crucial ways to stay healthy, but to improve your energy and brain power. Getting physical is part of the larger picture of taking care of yourself so you can be your best.

Nourish

Even when you are busy, remember to eat healthy. Don’t cut corners when it comes to your own health.  In general, you will feel better if you increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, and stay away from soda, too much caffeine and foods high in sugar. Stick to a healthy diet and avoid overeating. Eat small amounts more often, rather than just 3 large meals. Eating healthy foods that are high in protein will make you feel better and have more energy.

Dream

Make time each day for the important act of dreaming. Try to avoid fixating on every little thing that is racing through your thoughts. Quiet your mind and visualize your loftiest goals coming true. Allow yourself to imagine for a moment the satisfaction of reaching your goals. Dream often and dream big! Don’t hold back on imagining your greatest aspirations. Take time to sit back and dream of what you really want.

Relax

Finding time to relax is majorly important to your brain and physical well being. There are many ways to relax, so find one that works for you. You could relax with your favorite music, turn the lights down low, take a hot bath or sauna or lay on the floor with a towel covering your eyes. Let yourself slow down and enjoy the feeling of releasing any built up stress that can damage your health. Make sure you get enough rest. If you have trouble sleeping, you may need to explore sleep enhancing alternatives. Try meditating, doing yoga, getting a massage or whatever you need to do. Relaxing even for a few minutes periodically during the day will help reduce your stress and keep your energy flowing in a positive direction.

When you include these 10 key words for being a mindful leader in your daily routine, you can have a happier and healthier day which will prepare you for new adventures – leading you closer to realizing all your dreams!


karen>Karen is a free-spirited writer, photographer, and artist from Boise, ID. She loves exploring nature, taking photographs and writing stories about real people who do amazing things. She is the proud mother of 3 wonderful grown children and grandmother of two. She is a risk-taker, adventurer, traveler, sometimes hermit and sometimes social butterfly. She has high aspirations about living her dreams and she believes anything is possible.

Juicy Bites: The Power of Choosing Your Words Wisely

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” ~ Lao-Tze

 

This week in Juicy Bites, we discover:

 

  • The case for getting creative when meeting women and girls
  • A writer who won’t change her words for the patriarchy
  • 3 language habits that take power away from our words, according to Tara Sophia Mohr
  • The importance of bringing awareness to self-talk
  • A visual aid to make sure your body language backs up the power of your words

 
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 to Talk to a Woman Without Saying, “Great Boots”: A Guide for Women via Slate

 

When meeting women or girls for the first time, what are you likely to ask them? The easy go-to is often a compliment about their appearance. We women have great style, it’s true, but there’s a lot more substance to us than our spectacular shoes. This article invites us to get creative when striking up conversations with our fellow females, and outlines why it’s so important to make the effort.
 

[‘Great boots!’] is a scourge not just because of what it says to girls about what we value about them, but also because girls absorb this mode of interaction and use it for the rest of their lives.”

 
Continue Reading …


2. I Am, I Am, I Am: Writing While Black and Female via The Toast

 
Has anyone ever suggested that you water down your words in order to appear more marketable or to appeal to a larger (younger, whiter, etc.) audience? Writer Vanessa Willoughby takes inspiration from bell hooks and refuses to write small.

 

“Why should I back down? Why should I be made to feel ashamed for pursuing a writer’s life that speaks to my experiences?”

 

Continue Reading…
 


3. Communication mistakes with big impact via Tara Sophia Mohr

 
Tara Sophia Mohr, expert on women’s leadership and well-being, identifies common communication mistakes that keep women from “playing big.” She also offers insight into the motivations behind these mistakes and suggests new, stronger language habits we can form instead.

“Our words are our opportunity. That opportunity is bigger than ever before because women are more literate than ever before and have access to technology — from laptops to email — that amplify our communication.”

Continue Reading…


4.  From Stupid to Silly with Self-Love via Huff Post Women

 
It’s not only the words we say that have power, but also the words we think. Self-love advocate Dayelle Deanna Schwartz addresses the problem of negative self-talk and the power of a simple word substitution to shift our self-perception.

 

“While this incident didn’t stop my habit of immediately berating myself for a mistake, it did raise my consciousness to begin a new habit — using gentler words when I did something I didn’t like.”

 

Continue Reading…


5. 10 Body Language Tips Every Speaker Must Know (Infographic) via Entrepreneur.com

 
We’ve touched on the language of our speech, writing, and thoughts, but what about the language of our bodies? If actions speak louder than words, we might all want to take a look at this infographic to make sure we’re sending the signals we’re intending.

 

“Your words may give the audience one message while your body sends quite another.”

 

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:

Juicy Bites: Mindfulness, Compassion and Other Great Holiday Gifts

This week in Juicy Bites we learn:

 

  • How to reduce stress with mindfulness
  • How to prioritize what we really want
  • How to be kind to ourselves in times of stress
  • How to give to others this holiday season
  • How to slow down and be present, not perfect

 
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. “Be” home for the holidays via Mindful

Jeffrey Brantley, MD, is the founder and director of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine. In this article, Brantley highlights the importance of “being” over “doing,” and shares a quick exercise to help cultivate mindful connection.

“Above all, have kindness and compassion (a little ‘holiday spirit’) for yourself.” – Jeffrey Brantley

Continue Reading …

2. How to prioritize what truly matters via Kris Carr

Kris Carr admits, “If I’m not careful, I can easily regress into a people-pleasing ‘yes’ pez dispenser, who periodically loses her mind and agrees to everything–especially around the holidays!” In this post, Carr shares some tips for prioritizing balance and self-care this season.

“When it comes to shiny objects, people are like barracuda. We get mesmerized by the sparkly, swirly stuff.” -Kris Carr

Continue Reading…

3. 25 Women Writers Share Their Best Self-Compassion Tips via Psychology Today

Are you hard on yourself during the holiday season? These bite-sized reflections on self-compassion from women writers may give you the tools needed to choose self-kindness in a time of stress.

“No one knows our hurts the way we do. We are the sages of our soft spots and our edges. Self-compassion is showing up to that relationship with honesty and with love.” – Jamie Ridler

Continue Reading…

4. Kid President’s Holiday Gift Guide: The Perfect Gift Is Something That Makes The World Better via Mind Body Green

In this video, Kid President challenges us to think outside the gift-box when it comes to holiday presents. “Giving gifts can change the world,” he says, “especially when they are full of love.” Watch for hilarious and heartwarming gift ideas, and some important advice about bear hugs.

“The truth is, most people don’t need stuff, they need to know somebody cares.” -Kid President

Continue Reading…

5.  Stop the Madness: Choose Mindfulness Over Perfection This Holiday Season via Gaiam Life

Last week, we talked about perfectionism as the enemy of creativity. This week we look at how perfectionism isn’t doing your holidays any favors either. Yoganonymous advises us to slow down and practice voluntary simplicity instead of fueling the seasonal stress.

“I challenge you to move instead toward complete present-moment awareness — and away from the illusion of putting together the perfect party.” – Yoganonymous

Continue Reading…

 

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

Juicy Bites This Week – Accepting The Truth of Who You Are

This week we find out:

  • Fascinating research that points out the achievements and challenges women face in the workplace
  • Alanis Morissette’s advice for women who are on the precipice of their own Emergence
  • Women’s barriers to becoming leaders, and candidates for senior positions
  • The inspiration behind Emerging Women
  • How self-compassion can help us accept the truth of who we are

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:

What allows you to accept the truth of who you are?

1. Women in the Workplace: A Research Roundup via Harvard Business Review

This article explores recent research by business, psychology, and sociology scholars that offers a window into women’s collective experiences in the workplace, bringing light to issues such as:

  • Work/Life Balance
  • Equal Pay
  • Leadership Qualities

Continue reading…

2. Alanis Morissette – Creative Intimacy and the Merging of Yin and Yang via Grace & Fire

Emerging Women is happy to announce the launch of our podcast series: Grace & Fire.

Our first podcast features the amazing powerhouse Alanis Morissette as she talks about:

  • Vulnerability
  • Strength with Femininity and balancing the Yin/Yang or Masculine and Feminine essence
  • The effect of success on the creative process
  • How anger can actually build intimacy in relationship
  • And finally, Alanis gives her one piece of advice for women who are on the precipice of their own Emergence.

Alanis is a keynote speaker at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO.

Listen to the podcast HERE

3. Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers via Harvard Business Review

We are seeing more and more companies make gender diversity a priority. Despite the good intentions of their employers, women still face hurdles to becoming leaders and candidates for senior positions.

“Becoming a leader involves much more than being put in a leadership role, acquiring new skills, and adapting one’s style to the requirements of that role. It involves a fundamental identity shift. Organizations inadvertently undermine this process when they advise women to proactively seek leadership roles without also addressing policies and practices that communicate a mismatch between how women are seen and the qualities and experiences people tend to associate with leaders.”

Continue Reading…

4. LeapCast Podcast Episode #3 – Chantal Pierrat via LeapCast

c9e7bc0c9479818faa403b40589ccfc1

Check out this podcast series from LeapCast – a catalytic community for passion-seeking women.

Tune in to learn what inspired Chantal to start Emerging Women Live, the fears that surfaced as she was launching, and how she pushed past them.

Listen to the podcast HERE

5. Embracing Our Common Humanity With Self-Compassion via Huff Post Healthy Living

Kristin Neff talks about the importance of self-compassion and being in touch with our common humanity, and how that allows us to be more understanding and less judgmental about our inadequacies, and more aligned with the truth of who we are. Recognizing that we are not alone in our suffering, and that failure and imperfection is inevitable we are able to be acceptant of ourselves and less intimidated by our mistakes.

“One of the most important elements of self-compassion is the recognition of our shared humanity. Compassion is, by definition, relational. Compassion literally means “to suffer with,” which implies a basic mutuality in the experience of suffering. The emotion of compassion springs from the recognition that the human experience is imperfect, that we are all fallible.”

Kristin Neff is a speaker at the 2013 Emerging Women Live Conference, October 10th-13th in Boulder, CO.

This week’s Juicy Bites question for you, dear emerging women is:

What allows you to accept the truth of who you are?

Let’s start a conversation. We would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below.