Lead Up for Women JanFeb 21

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021

Turning the page Motivational thought leader Carey Conley on the importance of owning your story

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TO TIPS & HAVE E S O Y CHO ORE JO M DAY O T

Carey Conley

CONNECT. INFLUENCE. LEAD. leadupforwomen.com

Sharing powerful Stories LIVE each week on our podcast Whoever says endless opportunity does not exist needs to stop limiting themselves by their beliefs that exist between their ears. Our goal with Lead Up for Women is to empower as many women as we possibly can to Show Up, Be Seen, and to be the best version of themselves.

Having a podcast enables us to do just that. Are you ready to lead without permission and take the steps needed to live your best life? Whether you want to start the business of your dreams, learn the steps needed to love what you do, or celebrate your present and future accomplishments, our podcast will dive into deeper subjects with weekly guests who have already walked in your shoes.

Let the experts guide you to a clearer path to the future. Our show will be the perfect platform to be motivated and inspired, to advertise your business, network, and hear about Lead Up’s upcoming events.

With more than 20,000 listeners, we have the opportunity to pioneer global change for women today, as well as in the future.

We invite you to tune in to Lead Up for Women: Speak Up to Lead Up, weekly live on Facebook (on our Lead Up for Women FB page) or on any podcast outlet when you have time to listen.

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Contents January • February 2021

Owned & Operated by Women’s Association, LLC Mailing Address 10522 E Sheffield Dr. Mesa, AZ 852112

Turning the page

Editorial Contributing Writer Rochelle Brandvein rochelle@brandveinpr.com 636.530.7225

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PR social@leadupforwomen.com 602-730-5121 Membership Information Mel Carr melc@leadupforwomen.com membership@leadupforwomen.com Art Director BOC design, Inc. brent@bocdesigninc.com 404-402-0125

BUSINESS

4 Founder’s Corner: What does your gut say?

LIFESTYLE

12 The Secret to a Passionate, Purposeful Life

Circulation/Subscriptions subscriptions@leadupforwomen.com

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LUFW Management: Colleen Biggs: Chief Inspiration Officer colleenb@leadupforwomen.com 480-241-3708 David Corson: Operations Manager davidc@leadupforwomen.com 404-931-6569 Lead Up for Women General Inquiry Melc@leadupforwomen.com info@leadupforwomen.com 602.730.5121

Prime time

Why words matter

LEADERSHIP

22 Finding the grit within

PHILANTHROPY

22 Let’s Get Shit Done in 2021

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20 Our circle is expanding...

Lead Up gets ‘shoutout’ in “Shoutout Arizona” magazine

30 10 Tips to choose & have more joy today

27 Out with the Old and in with the Woo-Hoo

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Founders Corner

What does your gut say?

O

ften, we charge headfirst into decision making, especially with big decisions. Too many times, we do this without checking with our gut first or, as I call it, our intuition. Why is that? Why do we possess this strong, innate ability to check in with our inner wisdom, yet push it aside when we decide that’s not what you want to do?

The answer is easy—we are all strong women. Intuition is just one of the superpowers we possess. So, why do we let our heads get in the way? Well, maybe it is what we were taught from the time we started to walk. As entrepreneurs, we need intuition in our lives as much as we do faith. We second guess ourselves, look outside for approval from others and forget that all the answers are right there inside of us waiting to communicate with us through intuition.

Here is the definition of intuition from the dictionary: Intuition is the direct perception of truth or fact, independent of any reasoning process.

The next time your intuition or “gut” tries to speak to you, listen. Create a space where you can separate yourself from your work and others. Sit quietly with a journal or something to write on and allow yourself to listen, trust and have faith. Then, as you are prompted, write down what comes to mind. We are conduits for the work that must be done. With faith, that work is much easier.

Here at Lead Up for Women, we know all women can have the life they desire if they take the steps to create it.

This year is the perfect opportunity for you to step back, tap into your intuition power as a female and allow that to guide you. Take some risks by finding the courage to believe in what you cannot see and have the strength to let go of your fear of uncertainty. Have faith in yourself and your abilities.

You are the only you that has ever been and the only you that will ever be.

Be you and be strong, because you are brilliant and the world needs you. All the members of Lead Up for Women are here to offer you support and sisterhood to leading your best life and the journey starts today.

I’d like to thank each and every one of you who believes in our mission, who believes in the vision that women can lift each other without competition or judgment and will expand in abundance, success and love, and in turn, inspire others to do the same.

We are all sisters in this world and in order to create more jobs and clear more pathways for women to shine in leadership, we must band together and blaze the trails.

Who’s with me? I have faith in 2021—faith that we can begin to build the blueprint necessary to create lasting change for women.

The next time your intuition or “gut” tries to speak to you, listen. Create a space where you can separate yourself from your work and others.

Join us.

With Gratitude,

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January-February 2021

THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY GET-AWAY! This is a one-of-a-kind, I’m serious about being seen in this world and it starts NOW kind of get-away! Because you are WORTH IT!

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BUSINESS

Prime time

By Jackie Lapin

Using virtual networking to grow your business

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n-room networking is great, but our world is changing and many people are preferring to meet business associates from the comfort of their home. So lead generation from your desk is paramount today.

The next best thing to face to face is Virtual Networking Opportunities, specifically designed to give you access to new prospects and partners in an online environment—Either in one large group or in breakout meetings.

My name is Jackie Lapin and I would like to help maximize your Virtual Networking Opportunities.

While it is a different kind of experience without a handshake, business card exchange and even a hug, virtual networking can be as effective or even more effective than live, in-room networking.

One reason is that you may be exposed to a larger number of people in online-introductions than in one-to-one meetings, where you might connect over a lunch table or cocktails. Furthermore, you have a greater opportunity to attract clients from outside of your local community.

In today’s breakout meeting opportunities, you can connect with five to

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15 people at a time. And tell them all what you do in a few well-chosen words.

Followed up by an invitation to meet individually or make everyone a free offer. It is like having a megaphone and getting the attention of a full crowd. And just think about what happens when you have three to 15 people in your breakout meetings during a conference. Your connection possibilities go way up.

Some new technologies are even taking a speed-dating approach—seven minutes to tell your story and you are on to the next.

So, to make this an effective strategy, let’s look at best practices.

Technology You really don’t need more than a good webcam, and either a built in or stand-alone microphone. Just make sure the resolution is high quality and that

the camera lens has been wiped clean.

I recently was on two calls where the user’s screen looks fuzzy, only to discover it hadn’t been used in a long time and there was grunge on the camera lens.

Lighting is a bigger issue for most folks. Make sure your room is well lit, and there are no shadows or glaring lights from windows. Get some inexpensive photography or a selfie ring light and place it behind your screen. Shine it directly back on you. You can get a $36 ring light from Amazon that will work for this purpose. Just disregard the cell phone camera holder.

Preparation Now let’s talk about preparing for events. One thing that will save a lot of time is creating a handy word document with your contact information: name, phone, email, website, and if you wish to provide it, a short calendar link—all in advance. This way you can cut and paste it again and again without having to waste the time typing it each time. You can focus on the people and not the chat box.

January-February 2021

Also, remember with Zoom events, when you put content into the chat box, it is not “live” unless you put the https:// in front of it. Always remember to do this when putting a webpage in the chat box.

Give them something free Another thing you need to do is have an irresistible free offer—an online information product or other item that will capture people’s email addresses. You should have this set up in advance.

You may stop with just securing a name and email from someone with your free offer, or you may send them into a product funnel. Either way, people love free stuff. Offering it in a virtual networking environment is a nice gesture of generosity, even if there is an ulterior motive behind doing so.

Again, make it a short URL.

Screen IDs If you have an account with Zoom, note that you can change your identification name. It is a good idea to augment your name with either an email or an identifying slogan. Mine says, “Leads & Strategies to Get Booked.” But if you use your email, people can grab it while seeing you on screen, even if they don’t see your contact information because the chat box is scrolling so fast.

Screen Backgrounds A word about virtual backgrounds—be careful they are not distracting. For example, I cannot use one because my curly hair pixelates and makes me look like I’m coming and going from outer space.

Natural backgrounds are better, especially if they are neat and attractive. Virtual ones are alright, but make sure the images are too stark or distracting before committing to them.

Attire While everything is pretty casual these days, you’re dealing with prospective clients who you want to respect, so dress up a bit—a shirt rather than a T-shirt; a little makeup or lipstick helps when the light’s directly on you; solid flattering colors rather than stripes or patterns.

Ground Rules Before you go online, get familiar with the ground rules. Every event is different. Do they introduce everyone? Does the host do a promotional pitch before the rounds of networking? Are you allowed to unmute and make comments or must you wait to be invited?

Once you can see the lay of the land, you can see what the opportunities are. Sometimes, it is great to post hellos and introduce yourself to the other attendees in the chat box. You can do shout-outs for people you know—verbally or in the chat box.

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Look for ways you can speak up in the context of the conversation where you make a point to say your name, your company and what you do.

Then comment in a non-promotional way, based on your expertise. Offer perspective and advice as an expert.

Also, keep your explanation of what you do to a couple of words. No one likes to hear participants give chapter and verse about what they do.

People have extremely short attention spans and it will count against you if you go on and on.

If they are doing breakout rooms, volunteer for the role. It’s a great way to meet people. Everyone loves the moderator, especially if you are kind and gentle in keeping people to the timetable.

Also, you can either go first or last. The host likely will set the time allowed for each presenter, and may even determine the order of commentary.

A common one is to do a round of introductions, followed by your ask or offer—something you will do for or make available to others.

While everything is pretty casual these days, you’re dealing with prospective clients who you want to respect, so dress up a bit.

Don’t forget to post your contact info in the chat and encourage everyone else to do so. If you have a second screen, keep an ongoing excel file open and record everyone you meet—their contact information, a word to remember what they do, and whether or not you want to meet with them.

It’s easy to cut and paste from the chat box.

The last thing to do, especially if you don’t have a second screen, is to save the chat box. On Zoom, you’re able to do it from the three little dots at the bottom right of the chat box. Press it and it will open a file you can save on your computer.

I suggest you have a folder already prepared where you can store it, and identify the event and date when you save it in the folder.

If you like to get access to a continually growing list of recurring low cost or no cost virtual networking events, SpeakerTunity™ Recurring Virtual Networking Update has been created to make it easy to find these leads. It has assembled 150-plus events that welcome guests. Learn more at www.speakertunity.com/update.

To inspire new ideas about free offers you might want to make during virtual networking events, download this free ebook: “44 Ways to Seduce Your Next Client from Stage, Podcasts, Radio Shows, Virtual Summits and Virtual Networking.”

JACKIE LAPIN Founder of SpeakerTunity, www.speakertunity.com.

The Speaker & Leader Resource Company, providing leads, tools and strategies for leaders, coaches and entrepreneurs to get booked for speaking engagements, radio shows, podcasts, virtual summits and virtual networking.

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LIFESTYLE

Why words matter

By Ann Andrews

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n my particular yoga practice, we do a lot of chanting—mantras that are set to simple melodies, repeated over and over again. I almost always have a chant playing in my home on any given day. I find contentment in the repetition of tones, consonants and vowels. Some of the melodies stay with me when I’m walking to the lakefront or local cafe. I sing them quietly in my mind and can feel the sound vibrations in my body. As someone who has historically had a very noisy and negative mind, these chants have been balm for my spirit.

You probably have some “mantras,” too—patterns of thought that play over and over in your head. However, you may not be aware of the power these repeated thought patterns can have on your well-being.

As women, a few familiar thought patterns might be: “I’m too fat.” “That will never work.” “My job is killing me.” “I’m out of shape.” “I’ll never meet anyone.”

“I’m exhausted.” “I’m getting old.” “I’m not successful (enough).” “I don’t have time.” “I’m a bad mother.” “I look terrible.” And on and on we go… “mantra-ing” these messages.

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January-February 2021

As a professional image coach and wardrobe stylist, I could fill a book with comments (almost always negative) that my clients say about their appearance. But here’s the catch (and here’s the science).

Did you know that every cell in your body listens intently to what you say and think every single minute? Imagine that. Every single cell listens every moment of the day. This is not some new-age precept.

In short, what’s happening is that repeated patterns—whether words, movements, thoughts, feelings or behaviors—create neural pathways in our brain.

The more we do or say something like, “I look terrible.” For example, it begins to “hardwire” into the brain, and that becomes (eventually) how we always see ourselves. It becomes who we are.

It’s science.

We’re not “stuck” with how we feel about ourselves. We all have the power to change the aspects of ourselves that do not feel aligned with our higher nature.

Dr. Candace Pert wrote a groundbreaking book in 1999 titled, “Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine.” That book, and Dr. Bruce Lipton’s, “Biology of Belief” forever changed the way I view myself, other people and the world at large. These scientists discovered that the measure of our health and well-being is very much informed by the words we say (out loud) and the thoughts we think.

That’s a powerful concept—a little scary actually, but ultimately a hopeful one.

When I learned this concept, it helped me understand “why” what we do, as humans, is 95% habit. It’s programming of sorts. But in learning this, I became very excited. Here’s the good news. Our brains are elastic. We can change the wiring. We can change the patterns. We have a choice.

With conscious intent, practice and a lot of patience, we can truly rewire our brains and interrupt the negative programming. I know because I’ve done it—not only in my own life, but when I work with clients.

Here’s an example of the power of words, and how they impact our self-esteem.

I had a client, Claire, who had worked with another wardrobe consultant six months before she found me. Being curious, I asked about her prior experience. What I learned was that the other consultant had told Claire that she had a “pear shape.” Simple enough. “You have a Pear Shape.” And although she shared this with me very matter of fact, I know

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LIFESTYLE

how women are. We take any perceived negative comment and attach it to our hearts. So, even though Claire simply seemed to accept this, I sensed it was causing her pain.

The consultant went on to tell her what a pear shape “should” wear and what a pear shape “should not” wear.

Her whole consulting model was built around putting women’s figures in identifiable boxes, so they could know how to find clothes that are most flattering.

From my perspective, she got that part right. We hire consultants so we can learn what looks good. But it was the label, the words she used that troubled me.

Now, to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with having a pear shape, but in our western culture—with very narrow standards for beauty—for many women, a label of pear shape can be quite challenging to overcome, to feel good about.

As I listened to the story, I found myself getting increasingly annoyed. Because of my experience working with so many women, I know we take any negative comment and latch onto it. After hearing that label, Claire could have just as easily slapped a sticky note on her arm that said, “I Have a Pear Shape.” Because that’s how we are. That’s how it feels.

So, strangely, the next morning, I woke up with the story my client told me very much in my mind. As I sat in meditation, I heard a small voice that said, “Claire doesn’t have a pear shape; she has a goddess shape.” That voice came through clear as day.

On a Zoom call with my client later that afternoon, I shared my experience.

When I said that Claire did not have a pear shape, but a goddess shape, her face lit up. She felt it. In that moment, she started to see herself in a brand new way.

Words Matter.

I want to be clear I don’t simply say things to clients to flatter them. Sometimes, it’s true. We’re overweight, or perhaps underweight, we’re not well-proportioned. Most of us struggle with some aspect of our physical bodies. But how we use language is important— not only in what we tell ourselves, but how we talk to and about each other.

Especially how we talk to our daughters about their bodies.

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Remember, our cells are listening.

Now, doesn’t feeling like a goddess as opposed to being labeled a pear shape feel better? Not only are there words we say to ourselves, “I’m fat,” “I look old”, “I have a pear shape,” there are words we take in—words we assimilate from the culture. “Perfect,” “Thin,” “in-shape,” etc.

So, here’s an interesting exercise. I’ve compiled a series of words commonly used to describe a woman’s appearance or what she’s wearing.

Read through the list slowly. Say each word out loud. Tune into each word and feel the vibration in your body.

Sense them. Make mental notes as to how your body feels. Ready? > Provocative > Hot > Revealing > Glamourous > Fashionable > Smart > Stylish > Chic > Elegant > Refined > Natural > Timeless

> Sexy > Cutting-edge > Alluring > Sensual > Attractive > Sophisticated > Cute > Classic > Tasteful > Feminine > Beautiful

Did you feel the different sensations these words evoke? What did you feel in your body?

For me, I feel a sense of constriction or tenseness when I hear and imagine the word Provocative. But with the words refined and natural, I feel more relaxed.

With conscious intent, practice and a lot of patience, we can truly rewire our brains and interrupt the negative programming.

The word attractive is interesting to ponder, because the root of this word is “attract.” So if indeed it is true that I want to look attractive, I have to ask myself, “What is it that I’m trying to attract?” Do I want to attract respect? Attention? Do I want to attract a mate? Do I want to attract controversy?

Interesting, right?

January-February 2021

So check in with yourself and notice how you respond to these words—these vibrations.

You will know which are the most resonant, the ones that feel good to you.

We are all becoming. Our work is never done; and that’s actually the good news. We’re not “stuck” with how we feel about ourselves.

We all have the power to change the aspects of ourselves that do not feel aligned with our higher nature. Ask yourself: “How big is the gap between where I am now and who I want to become?”

The biggest satisfaction in my work is assisting women in this process.

The words you say matter—Words Matter.

And, now you know, Words Become Matter.

They become Who You Are.

Socially Speaking... > FB: www.facebook.com/ann.andrews.designer > LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/annandrewsdesigner > IG: www.instagram.com/anncatherinedesign

ANN ANDREWS A wardrobe stylist, professional image consultant, speaker and designer.

To learn more about her, visit www.anncatherine.com.

You can reach her at ann@anncatherine.com or 847-804-2862

Learn. Serve. Lead.

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LIFESTYLE

The Secret to a Passionate, Purposeful Life Just as the subtle morning sun casts its first rays into the canyon, I hit “send” on the final edits to my book editor. My living room is wall-less, and from the three acres of untamed jungle land I steward with my life-partner, Manex, comes a cacophony of squawking, squeaking, chirping, clicking and howling. This is the place I chose as sanctuary for healing and self-realization, and now seekers on the precipice personal change, comes to the Nicoya Peninsula, our little piece of paradise on Costa Rica’s pacific coast. It is no coincidence that the walls between me and the natural world have dissolved, just like the barrier between my dreams and reality.

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Lead Up for Women

By Emily Pereira

From where I sit, it all feels orchestrated by some divine design, but of course it did not always feel like that. A decade ago, everything I had spent years diligently achieving had been unapologetically desecrated like an unsuspecting Midwestern town at the hands of a violent twister.

Just shy of 30, I had attained a successful life that looked really good on

January-February 2021

paper. I was continually ranking No. 1 nationally at a top Fortune 100 company and living in a beachfront penthouse with my internet tycoon boyfriend, jetting off to extravagant vacations. The only problem was, when I got really real with myself, which was not too frequently back then, I knew that something big was missing.

I just had no idea what it was or how to go about finding it.

Adrenaline-pumping activities served as brief refuge from this pervasive apathy, and shiny things momentarily brought me to life. High falutin’ parties and friendship drama were temporary distractions from a deep-seated sadness churning inside of me. In my limited scope of consciousness, I blamed the

man I was with. Obviously, he was not doing enough for me—for us.

What I had yet to discover was that the spirit is always working on our behalf, guiding us into situations so we can wake up to our truth and power. And spirit guided me into the most devastating creation of my life, where I was stripped of everything I valued.

It was then, when the boy broke my heart, I lost my luxe lifestyle, and my friends cut their ties with me, that my quest inward began. Much to my surprise, what felt like the most painful breakdown of my life, gave way to the most pivotal breakthrough I could ever imagine.

It was then that the forces of the universe converged to connect me with

powerful spiritual teachers, and I saw the greatest source of my pain was not from losing this man or this so-called perfect life; it was from unconsciously following a script I did not write.

I had soaked up messages from the fabric of what was around me, and internalized these messages as my own.

My narrow script left little room for creative risks, because taking chances might expose me as not being the image of perfection I had gotten used to portraying. This script urged me to find the most successful alpha-male in the room, and bask in his glow, so I would feel worthy and safe. Now mind you, I had no idea I was doing any of this. The most devious thing about my script was that it had me believing it did not exist at all.

As I gained greater consciousness, I discovered that I did not have to be perfect to participate creatively, I just needed to be the beginner.

The first rule of the script is that there is no script.

After my breakthrough, I pulled back the layers of illusion I had carefully constructed around me and got real with myself. I recognized that I had created a life based on external validation and in doing so, became an unwell, uninspired and unhappy woman. I wanted to be a woman who strode confidently in the direction of her dreams, but I could not identify anything I had a burning passion to do.

When a teacher urged me to explore my creative side, I was like, “Um, what creative side?”

For 32 years, I had always assumed creativity was a genetic thing and that gene had unceremoniously passed me by. I soon learned that “blah” feeling I could not shake was merely fear of failure masquerading as apathy. My script had me believing that unless I was going to be perfect and do it perfectly, I may as well not even try.

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LIFESTYLE

As I gained greater consciousness, I discovered that I did not have to be perfect to participate creatively, I just needed to be the beginner. In the book, “Zen Mind,” Shunryu Suzuki says, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the experts mind, there are few.”

The beginner is Teflon armor against fear of failure because The Beginner is not supposed to know a damn thing. With this utterly simple, yet revolutionary insight, I gave myself permission to be the beginner and began to write. After literally writing nothing in 11 years but emails and, oh, I don’t know, the occasional thank you note, I was amazed that by suspending judgment.

My creations flowed freely, and a most unusual thing occurred: I began to reveal myself authentically and vulnerably in a way I never had before, which restored a sense of integrity I had lost somewhere along my path.

Then, it was as if a wildfire caught a tail wind and suddenly creative

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Life’s gifts do not come from being perfect and doing everything perfectly; they show up when we simply give ourselves permission. passion was tearing through every facet of my being. A 600-page book poured out of me (being published later this year). I began playing guitar, singing and writing songs. I started painting big canvases full of bright colors. I built an art studio in my home. I began taking improv classes and dancing burlesque.

The overwhelming desire to create generated such a monumental shift inside of me, triggering a cascade of spiritual changes. I had no idea the creative and the spiritual were so intricately woven

together, propelling one another forward like happy bedfellows.

For the first time in my life, I was genuinely awake, alive and inspired. The resentment I had been harboring toward my ex-boyfriend finally evaporated like stubborn condensation on the bathroom mirror. I realized it was not he who had abandoned me; I had abandoned myself and my dreams a time long ago in a bid to gain approval and acceptance.

Like a seesaw, as my belief in myself went up, I watched my competition

January-February 2021

with others go down. I developed a genuine camaraderie with other women who were courageously following their dreams, and a sincere compassion for those still trapped in their own private prisons of perfection. It was then when I knew that my life’s work would center around helping women access the source of their feminine power.

The way to an adventurous, passionate, fulfilling existence is the exact opposite of what most of us have been programmed to believe.

Life’s gifts do not come from being perfect and doing everything perfectly; they show up when we simply give ourselves permission. Permission is the golden key that unlocks a treasure trove of astounding passion. And passion is no accident.

It is the compass directing you to your purpose.

In my personal experience, and in the experience of the women with whom I am honored to work, I have witnessed a universal truth.

When we are lit up by our own lives, and inspired by our own creations, living on purpose, competition and comparison fall away and genuine sisterhood becomes possible. Women

truly supporting one another—all on the same side—is the beginning of a whole new earth.

My professional path unfolded organically.

I began intensive coaching, facilitating online writing programs, speaking and hosting workshops internationally. I combined my passions— writing, surfing, yoga, clean eating, spirituality and empowering other women—and created a one-of-a-kind wellness retreat, where women can do all of this together. We call it “The Mermaid Sisterhood Retreat,” and I love watching how this carefully curated experience returns women to their innate, alluring, radiant light.

Watching the monkeys swing from the Guanacaste tree through my wall-less living room, as my second child grows in my womb, not a day goes by that I do not marvel at the silent intelligence of spirit, constantly working on our behalf. Life does not happen to us, it is happening for us. The secret is not to let the hardships break you down, but instead, let them break you open. It is then that you will find yourself facing an exciting new horizon again and again, even more astonishing than the last.

EMILY PEREIRA Website: emilypereira.com Email: hello@emilypereira.com Instagram: @emilybegins

ALIGN YOURSELF WITH YOUR PASSION, PURPOSE & GREATNESS. The biggest obstacle that prevents you from being successful, happy and living an abundant life…is YOU. Dr. Lori, otherwise known as “The Fat Eviction Specialist,” can lead you through your journey to be inspired, focused and empowered. As a coach, speaker, wellness and weight loss teacher, Dr. Lori will guide you and give you the tools you need to create that abundance.

Through one on one coaching, group coaching, lectures, and workshops, you will learn how to be the most incredibly awesome version of yourself… for a better life… a better you… a better world.

drlorimonaco.com

Dr. Lori “The Badass Buddha”

See Dr. Lori on Facebook and YouTube as the host and co-host of two shows: Mindful Conversations (@drlorimonaco ) and Viva Cafe con Leche (@vivacafeconleche).

Carey Conley

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January-February 2021

Turning the page Motivational thought leader Carey Conley on the importance of owning your story

I

n her book, “Keep Looking Up: Transforming Grief into Hope After Tragedy,” Carey Conley painted an intimate and personal picture of what happens when your world turns upside down. Written with her daughter, Laurel Wilson, Carey discusses the profound struggle, grief and transformation after she lost both her husband and son to suicide.

Struggling with questions that would not have answers, Carey found the strength and courage to rebuild a vision for her life moving forward.

Today, she is a nationally-recognized speaker, author, entrepreneur, mom and grandmother. She is also the creator of the Vision is Victory movement and co-founder (along with Laurel) of Vision is Victory Academy.

Her motivation to lift others up continues to be the best path forward.

Her renowned work is centered on her intuition to help people create, develop, and execute sustainable and larger than life visions for themselves. The results, which Carey prides herself on, help propel them to succeed in all areas of life, including self-love, financial prosperity, a healthy lifestyle, caring relationships, a strong family, supreme confidence, and spiritual connection.

We were able to find a little time in Carey’s schedule to chat about the passion that drives her and why the ups and downs of life can be a springboard to better days.

leadupforwomen.com

Give us a snapshot of your brand?

Mentorship and coaching for young adults and women of all ages to create a clear vision for who they are, why they matter, and how to create personal and professional success.

Tell us what makes your brand so unique?

I take my clients way beyond having pretty vision boards or ‘hopes and wishes’ dreams to being able to set target dates, and following an action plan to reach their goals.

What type of consumer do you target?

I work with with women and men on their foundational mindset and skill development both personally and professionally.

I, along with my daughter, am now working to empower young adults too.

Why do you do what you do?

People without vision struggle in so many areas of their life and careers. Some

There is such a need for young adults to figure out life sooner and to change the direction of their generation to live purposeful, meaningful, joyful lives.

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of those struggles are debilitating and detrimental to their mental, financial and physical health.

Carey and Laurel.

What hurdles have you overcome being a woman in business?

All of them—lack of support, lack of knowledge, trial and error mistakes, emotional roller coaster, doubt, fear and personal loss.

What do you do to give back?

We have a scholarship opportunity for our young adult program for survivors of human trafficking and abuse, www.moviesmakingadifference.org.

What do you see as some of your biggest opportunities moving ahead?

There is such a need for young adults to figure out life sooner and to change the direction of their generation to live purposeful, meaningful, joyful lives. I want to teach kids how to do the same.

People without vision struggle in so many areas of their life and careers. Some of those struggles are debilitating and detrimental to their mental, financial and physical health.

What’s your method to stay connected with other women in business?

Networking, social media and speaking.

What mentors, sponsors, coaches have played an important role in your success?

Rita Davenport. Sharon Lechter.

David Meltzer. Tommi Wolfe. And Danelle Delgado.

How do you stay current with today’s trends?

Social media and my mentors.

What’s your growth plan?

My plan is to build affiliation relationships with influencers in the space of young adults, to get on bigger platforms for

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January-February 2021

exposure and possibly create a media platform of our own.

What’s the biggest item on your to-do list right now?

To continue to find ways to serve our audience in a bigger way and to meet their needs faster.

What’s the most rewarding part of your career?

Seeing people make breakthroughs.

Describe your perfect day.

I love the quiet time in the morning because it is great for reading, devotions, journaling and setting intentions. I also love to take a long walk and listen to a book/podcast. And get to do my most favorite things; playing with my grandson and speaking on stage.

What is your secret to success?

I look to God for my source of inspiration, direction, and peace in the process.

One-on-One with...

Tell us about your family?

I met my husband in high school. We were married for 30 years, and raised a daughter together. He died by suicide in July 2014. My 25 year old son also took his life in August 2017. My daughter is now married and had a son last May.

How do you prioritize your health, family, and career?

I time block everything, and as much as possible try to stick to that plan. I have other people hold me accountable.

Who and what inspires you?

Seeing legendary people change their lives, and that little by little I get to collab-

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orate with these thoughts leaders to create major positive changes.

What motivates you every day?

My purpose. What is bigger than me?

What are your strongest traits as a leader?

What traits of other leaders inspire you?

Vision, focus, time management, servant lead and know how to manage emotions.

How do you tap into the power of YOU that makes you unique?

And how has that pushed you forward?

A lot of my experiences have shown me what my gifts are:

Carey Conley listening to other people whom I trust tell me what they see in me, and reading and trusting my intuition more and more every day

What’s the best compliment you have ever received?

When my clients tell me that our work together is giving them hope, direction, confidence, and they are seeing results.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Traveling, walking, knitting and sometimes writing.

How do you like to spend your down time?

Seeing family and friends, and playing with my grandson.

What was the best advice you ever received?

I do group and one-on-one coaching based on their personal and professional needs.

I am not sure I could pick one thing. I have received so much great advice and at different stages of my life.

They have all been just what I needed at the moment to keep growing.

What book are you reading now?

What does “Lead Up” mean to you?

“The Audacity to be Queen” and “Exit Rich”

Lead yourself first to set the example for others. Walk the talk.

How are you mentoring/ sponsoring others?

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Lead Up Profile

Our circle is expanding...

Lead Up gets ‘shoutout’ in “Shoutout Arizona” magazine

Y

ou know where Lead Up founder Colleen Biggs’ heart lies—in showcasing the drive and passion of other successful women from around the country. In recognition of her recognition, the publishers of Shoutout Arizona showcased Colleen and her efforts in the online magazine.

The Feb. 6 story, "Meet Colleen Biggs: Pioneer of Change for Women," can be found at https://shoutoutarizona. com/meet-colleen-biggs-pioneer-ofchange-for-women.

Shoutout Arizona's mission is to promote the viability and power of today's mom-and-pops, small businesses, independent artists and creatives. By putting these small business owners and creatives at the center of the discussion, it helps spark conversations within the community. The content focuses on life, work, love, parenting, finances, and more.

So, when you're talking about topics like risk-taking and work-life balance, Colleen and the Lead Up community are the perfect vehicles to spotlight. In her story, Colleen talked about the importance of supporting and spotlighting

20 Lead Up for Women

“How can we create an accepting world, disrupt the current landscape, and instill lasting change for women to dominate the entrepreneurial market? That’s where my journey began.”

– Colleen Biggs

successful women, "We can walk through life ignoring the fact that women judge, compete, and downright fight over some of the most trivial topics, or we can agree to own the truth and take charge to make a significant change to how women work together. Lead Up for Women was born with this in mind. How can we create an accepting world, disrupt the current landscape, and instill lasting change for women to dominate the entrepreneurial market? That’s where my journey began."

The Shoutout publications are part of the Voyage Group of Magazines, which started in 2015 as a way to spotlight local entrepreneurs and creatives. Since then, the company has expanded into a dozen cities, generating millions of page views and helping tens of thousands share their stories.

For more information, visit https://shoutoutarizona.com.

January-February 2021

Your Guide to

Successful Franchise Matching

Find Your Perfect Franchise Careyann Golliver is known as America’s Franchise Matchmaker™.

Her greatest passion is people to take the leap into franchising. Her passion began from helping grow her local family handyman business to the top-rated national franchise in the industry. The franchise family business became so successful that in 2019 it was acquired by the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world-Ace Hardware Corporation.

Careyann and Franchise Logic has mastered a process that not only helps people find their perfect franchise match but allows for an abundance of possibilities.

We’re here to support your journey as you begin to explore opportunites in discovering the perfect franchise.

Contact us to find out how you can start today!

303.805.5078 • franchise-logic.com

LEADERSHIP

Finding the grit within

By Kate Pittman

W

hat is preventing you from accomplishing your goals or dreams? It has always been comforting in the past, for me to lay blame on circumstances or others for things that may have been undesirable within my life. Possibly, many of you see this within your own lives, whether you are willing to admit it or not. Maybe you have blamed someone at work who dropped the ball and prevented you from reaching your goals.

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January-February 2021

Maybe there is tension at home that you say stems from exhaustion of the lack of help in all the duties of a daily routine with your children. Perhaps you have been telling yourself that you will never accomplish your lifelong dream because of your current position or the place within society that you were born.

But there are plenty of inspiring stories about people who have overcome great adversity to find the rainbow at the end of the road. There is something within our humanity that is otherworldly and inspiring that helps us succeed. Some people are born with immediate recognition of it, but some of us, including myself, must learn to find it and master it. Grit is that raw force that we, as humans, have within that enables each of us to do nearly anything that we set our minds upon.

produce my work. I have no team to lean upon or blame if I fall short on my goals. All that I have to rely upon is my own ability to sit down to do my work when obstacles arise. I am daily plagued by self-doubt, resistance, fear of rejection and other blocks. But my grit is what keeps me showing up every day to persist, even if I only accomplish a small baby step toward my goal.

Grit is showing up to work, even when you wrote for eight hours the previous day and trashed it because you hated every word. Grit is going back to the drawing board when a client dislikes your latest scheme or when you pull yourself out of bed at five in the morning for spin class, even when you do not have the energy. Grit is consistently showing up for your children by engaging in their many questions and

“Grit is that raw force that we, as humans, have within that enables each of us to do nearly anything that we set our minds upon.”

— Kate Pittman

We have no one to blame but ourselves for not overcoming the challenges that have been set forth upon us in this lifetime. Each of us is on this earth to experience, failure, difficulty and hardships. But we are also meant to fight for what we believe in, to grow, to overcome and to taste victory so that we may find joy and peace. Grit enables us to experience the full breadth of life and get through each stage of our transformation. It is the force within each of us that empowers us to pick ourselves back up after a hard fall and keep on pushing ourselves towards a desired goal.

Dreams give us purpose. When a dream is powerful enough to continuously remind us of its existence, I believe that that dream is part of our life’s mission to, at the very least, attempt at fulfilling it. There is something along the journey of pursuit of that dream that is important for us to experience and realize. The most important asset for us on our quest is grit.

Within my own life, I have found that for the first time in my career, I am completely reliant upon myself to

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desired play when you are dog-tired and would rather let them watch television. It is calling 10 potential clients the day you were rejected from your biggest prospect after devoting a year on him calling and submitting proposals.

I think that becoming a writer is exactly what I need at this moment of my life. My grit’s strength is being tested. It is being put through the ringer and so am I. However, I understand the lesson that I am learning what I am capable of and I realize that I am fine tuning my grit. It will be worth the struggle that I have and will endure on this journey of the pursuit of my dreams for years to come because I will have found that powerful force that has propelled me to my success—I will have found my grit within.

When we stop blaming others for our circumstances, we uncover a part of ourselves that acts as a powerful source of direction, drive and creative inspiration. We then can fully recognize that the only one standing in the way of what we want or believe that we deserve is ourselves.

KATE PITTMAN A former architectural designer, business development director and corporate-ladder climber, is the driving force beyond Amen Sista!, a blog that lends a wealth of inspiration and encouragement. For more inspiration, visit amensista.com.

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LEADERSHIP

Let’s Get Shit Done in 2021

A

s an entrepreneur, you face many obstacles and challenges on your road to success. In my opinion, there is none larger than the perceived lack of time in any given day that many of us face. Day in and day out, our to-do list gets longer and longer. We find ourselves going with less and less sleep. There is a constant feeling of overwhelm and stress. The demand for our time sucks our energy and leaves us longing for a simpler time—one without all the constant chattering in our mind saying, “You can do just one more thing.”

In an ever increasing fast-paced world, what are we to do? I remember as a child the old adage from my parents and grandparents that said, “The older you get, the faster time flies.” Quite honestly, I thought they were full of “it.”

Today, I have come to realize that— “gasp”—maybe they were right. Time is our biggest asset. But how do we get it back? I am a work in progress on this idea. As a speaker and coach of Get Shit Done, I have discovered some tips and strategies that have made my life easier, more enjoyable, and less stressed.

Would you like to know what they are?

First, let’s talk about the myths in regards to time and what it takes to be

24 Lead Up for Women

a successful entrepreneur. First, we’ve all been taught that it requires hard work to get what we want out of life.

Let’s blow that right out of the water. I prefer to approach my day with ease, grace and lots of humor. Who said it has to be hard? What expert came up with that idea? Think about it, I’d rather approach life with what I get to do rather than what I have to do. “Have to” makes it seem so much more difficult, Second, we’ve been taught to set aside “huge” chunks of time to get things done, and then time gets away from us via interruptions, distractions and procrastination. Interruptions and distractions come in all shapes and sizes.

Text messages, phone calls, email alerts, social media, environment and family demands are just a few of the ways we struggle with focus.

Now, many of us work from home offices today. When we’re faced with these huge chunks of time, everything else seems so much more important because we’re not designed to sit for hours on end working nonstop. I find myself cleaning out the refrigerator because that’s more critical and easier to do than sitting for four hours to work on my website. We want to experience immediate results and satisfaction.

Break down your day in smaller, more manageable blocks of time. Turn off the notifications on your computer.

Put the “Do Not Disturb” setting on your phone. It’s exactly what I did to complete this article. When I’m done writing or done with anything for that matter, I celebrate that I took action.

I wish you could see me dancing and acting crazy right now.

We often look at what didn’t get done in a day. Instead, I encourage you to look at what you accomplished. The more you show up, the more you get things done because it is short, focused times of production, not marathon sessions.

Finally, we’ve been taught instant gratification. And when it doesn’t come, we think something isn’t working. Thank you technology. We have so much at our fingertips these days, and when the internet does not give us an immediate answer, we panic.

Stop it. Go back to the second myth where I talk about celebrating that you showed up and took action. When you focus on shorter amounts of time around your projects and work, you’re celebrating more often. You’re more excited about the idea than what is being accomplished. Heck, you may even have fun and find things are easier more than they are difficult.

Okay, Julie, that’s all well and good.

But I still have all these items on my to-do list. Now what? How do I tackle this never ending list?

My advice: Throw away the damn to-do list and create a success list. In my

January-February 2021

opinion, the to-do list overwhelms our brains, creating anxiety and stress. To-do lists are visual, so we feel we have to get them done. As an entrepreneur, your list will never be gone. I’m here to tell you that there is no such thing as—wait for it—life balance. But there are tips that I have applied in my life to make it more manageable, enjoyable and get more time back.

Are you ready?

No. 1 — First and foremost, “no” is a complete sentence.

When you say “yes” to something, you’re saying no to your dreams and desires to live out your purpose and passion. I have learned this lesson the hard way. And I’m still not 100% grounded in saying no.

I love to help and serve people, so it’s hard to say no at times. At the heart of every entrepreneur, I believe that same desire to serve is present.

Again, we’ve all been given the same time 24 hours in a day. As much as

You must be selfish with your time and set boundaries around that time. All of your priorities go into the calendar first.

Never apologize for being a badass!

Julie (Rosolek) Jones can enlighten you to live your life with passion and purpose.

As a speaker and coach Julie educates on the finer ways to GSD (Get Shit Done.)

So don’t wait on life to get things done make it happen for yourself.

Reach out today to start your life adventure.

480-570-7382 www.facebook.com/julie.heinzelman

I want to help out non-profits, networking groups, school organizations, etc., I put my goals and dreams on the back burner every time I say yes. I end up with no time for what I want to do, which is coaching purpose-driven entrepreneurs to live their best life now.

Trust me, people respect a solid “no.” There is nothing worse than saying “yes.” When you do, you feel obligated rather than joy. When presented with an opportunity, I will wait at least 24 hours before giving my answer. I examine the true time cost of what saying “yes” will do with my schedule. Often, if I’m a no. For example, I will offer a possible solution or an introduction to a person who has the time and resources to say yes.

No. 2 — Second, you are a priority every way you look at it.

You must be selfish with your time and set boundaries around that time. All of

LEADERSHIP

your priorities go into the calendar first. Make sure those are non-negotiable. Your time for yourself, your family, and your relationships is of utmost importance. Your clients will find a time into your calendar.

Pick a day to reset, rejuvenate and relax.

Downtime gives you space for creativity to flow, for amazing ideas to blossom, and to find yourself again. It is so important to be able to live in the moment and enjoy each one. There are no guarantees—tomorrow is not promised.

Worrying about what must be done just creates unnecessary stress.

No. 3 — Be ok with the chaos all around you.

What do I mean by that? When you’re obtaining greatness, there will be chaos all around you. Laundry piling up. Dishes in the sink.

A messy office. A house that needs to be cleaned. Often, we will clean up the chaos as a way to procrastinate and avoid chasing our dreams and goals.

Sit down with Julie

To book a free discovery session with Julie, visit https://calendly.com/theadventuresofjuliejones/discoverysession

Your closet doesn’t have to be color coordinated with each piece of clothing six inches apart.

I just recently read, “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown. Her overall message is to always do your best and come from a place of self-compassion, courage and self-love. If you have not read the book, download on audible or purchase a copy to read during your priority time. I promise it will make a huge difference and help you carve out more time in your day.

No. 5 — To master your life, focus on the high priority items, not the low priority ones.

My highest value in life is to serve people and

Break down your day in smaller, more manageable blocks of time.

Turn off the notifications on your computer. Put the “Do Not Disturb” setting on your phone.

Enroll your family into helping with the chores around the house. Or hire someone to help you.

Even if your family can help, hire someone anyway. You’re worth it. Think about the true financial cost doing those tasks instead of generating income with your area of genius. It just doesn’t make sense to be everything to everyone all of the time. It’s a recipe for disaster.

No. 4 — Done is better than perfect.

What do I mean by this? Think about it—we wait for the perfect time. Your website has to be perfect. Your seminar has to be perfect before it launches. Yada, yada, yada. Perfectionism robs you of valuable time. If you’re cleaning your office, the books in your library don’t have to be alphabetized by the last name of the author.

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make an impact. My life’s purpose is to boldly empower self-love. Every day when sorting out my schedule, I ask myself, “Does this serve my highest value and my purpose?” Your goals should be aligned with your highest value. Fill up your calendar with the items that align with your goal.

If you’re struggling with your day to day routine and tasks, find someone to support or coach you into making your goals a priority. When you stay focused on that one goal, one thing, one high priority, you’ll find more time in your day because you’re no longer distracted by low priority items.

As Jim Rohn once said, “Time is more valuable than money.You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.”

Time is our most valuable asset. So, how will you spend yours?

JULIE JONES An award winning speaker and Get Shit Done coach who has a passion to help purpose driven entrepreneurs to live their best life now.

As a former police officer and SWAT member, she has witnessed first hand how quickly life can change and how there is no promise of time.

Julie can be reached at 480-570-7382 or by email at theadventuresofjuliejones @gmail.com.

January-February 2021

PHILANTHROPY

Out with the Old and in with the Woo-Hoo

T

he numerical significance of this new year isn’t lost on me. “21” represented the independence and adulthood I craved during my youth. That’s when I chugged my first (legal) drink, although I don’t remember where I had it or what it was. I celebrated this milestone birthday by going to Las Vegas (again, finally legally) and playing Blackjack while proudly flashing my “real” ID to everyone in the casino—whether they asked to see it or not.

Being 21 meant I was legitimate.

No more sneaking into bars to hang with my friends since I was always the youngest in my grade, having made the school cut-off date by only 15 days.

No more nail-biting encounters with a fake ID created by my extremely artsy friend using only a razor blade and scratch-off numbers. I was finally the real deal.

At this time in my life, the number 21 conjures up feelings of hope and promise. A clean slate. A new beginning.

Last year wasn’t my favorite year, and I’m pretty sure plenty of you feel the same.

I wish I could erase nearly the entire year, but logically I know I can’t. But I can move forward and carry on. And it makes me filled with a rejuvenated anticipation for this ’21.

And so, with a deep inhale of all the endless possibilities that lie ahead, I slowly exhale and brace myself for a year filled with positivity and renewal.

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Letting Go of the Past If I could travel back in time exactly 100 years ago—to the year 1921—I can clearly see glimpses of the good, the bad and the ugly. Only a couple years earlier, a global flu pandemic killed 675,000 Americans in 1918 and 1919. This led to a depression that destroyed the economy in 1920 and 1921, with the stock market losing nearly half its value and unemployment reaching 19%. Devastation abounded.

Then the shift happened. WWI was officially declared over. The US not only recovered, but entered into what was deemed the Roaring Twenties—a time when the nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929.

And at that time there was hope—especially for women. The 19th Amendment ratified in 1920 granted American women the right to vote. The term “flapper” was introduced to describe young women with bobbed hair and short skirts who drank, smoked and basically spoke their minds.

By Rochelle Brandvein

Millions of women finally had careers as secretaries and telephone switchboard operators so they could afford to participate in the growing economy. Increased accessibility to birth control gave women the choice to have fewer children. Household work lessened thanks to the newest technology that included the washing machine and the vacuum cleaner.

During the 1920s, Americans had more money to spend, which they did on consumer goods such as home appliances like electric refrigerators. The most popular device—the radio—was followed by the automobile and, by 1929, there was one car on the road for every five Americans.

Just as important, there were numerous nonprofits created in 1921:

Let’s have a Moment of Science Renowned journalist Edward Scripps and California zoologist William Emerson Ritter founded the nonprofit Science Service with a goal of keeping the public informed of scientific achievements. They distributed the latest science research to the public through a news service for reporters in 1922 and developed Science News-Letter magazine that grew into a prime source of science news for libraries, schools and individuals.

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PHILANTHROPY

A Digital World

In 2008, the nonprofit became Society for Science & the Public to better reflect the mission of the organization to advocate for science in the public interest. Today, subscribers can access the award-winning Science News along with its science education and education competitions like the Science Talent Search. Visit Society for Science for details (www.societyforscience.org).

Miss Independent Soroptimist was formed in Oakland, California in 1921 at a time when women were not permitted to join service organizations. The name—loosely translated from Latin meaning “best for women”—today has approximately 160,000 members and supporters in 21 countries and territories. It is one of four federations that make up Soroptimist International, which has clubs in more than 120 countries throughout the world. For more information, visit Soroptimist (www.soroptimist.org).

At this time in my life, the number 21 conjures up feelings of hope and promise. A clean slate. A new beginning.

Stepping into the Present This year is already filled with possibilities based upon Anthony Fauci’s “cautiously optimistic” view of the vaccine’s widespread use. According to the news—but pending all pandemic aftermath—China will begin mass production of self-driving cars. Translation earbuds, which allow instantaneous translation, will make foreign travel and communication much easier. Tokyo will host the 2021 summer Olympics, making it the first Asian city to host the Olympic Games twice (the first time was in 1964.) And, according to the travel industry, this will be the year of make-up vacations given that people missed out on their adventures in 2020.

Predictions for nonprofits in 2021 are equally promising.

Congress to the Rescue Congress created the DAWN Act: Defend Arts Workers Now, which authorized $44 billion in federal relief funds for operators, employees, and artists of live venues, recording venues, cultural spaces, and related businesses that remain shuttered for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19.

The Save Our Stages Act will provide approximately $15 billion in relief to independent music venues, movie theaters, and similar cultural institutions that have been almost entirely shut down since March of 2020.

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Lead Up for Women

ROCHELLE BRANDVEIN Owner of BrandveinAaranson Public Relations, a 30-yearold PR agency that pivoted to solely handling nonprofits and companies with a philanthropic arm or foundation. Her company specializes in publicity, copywriting, and creative services.

By 2022, smartphone users will reach 271 million in the US alone. Nonprofits can readily focus on more mobile-friendly services and apps to consistently secure donations, manage volunteers, and make webpage content more thorough and interactive. Texting will take a bigger leap this year in terms of generating revenue, driving action and registering donors.

In 2020, 3.8 billion people used social media daily, and 90% of people aged 18 to 29 used social media regularly. That number is expected to rise in 2021, giving nonprofits yet another way to reach out and touch their audience. Social media is the perfect medium for telling stories, engaging supporters and creating partnerships with influencers.

TikTok—the platform of choice for Generation Z—surpassed Facebook as the most downloaded social networking app in 2020 and is deemed responsible for massive cultural moments. TikTok for Good has already committed more than $250 million to support communities including its TikTok Health Heroes Relief Fund, which to date has generated $150 million toward medical staffing, supplies, and hardship relief for health care workers.

Zoom became wildly popular during the pandemic, with 300 million people now participating in meetings on its platform every day. Zoom offers a free plan for small nonprofits with on-screen collaborations of up to 40 minutes in length and a maximum of 100 participants.

Instagram, which emphasizes mobile use and video sharing, and Facebook, a free social networking website, can be linked together. They both allow hashtags to increase engagement and followers, as well as the opportunity to add donor buttons to raise funds for our nonprofit. Twitter, a microblogging service of up to 140 characters, also encourages hashtags. This platform readily fosters a community and inspires others to promote causes that matter, which is perfect for a nonprofit’s fundraising strategy.

Jumping into the Future In numerology, 2021 is known as “the Year 5” because that’s what the digits add up to. According to numerologists, “Year 5” invites us to pursue new initiatives, curiosity and the desire for freedom. But this year will also reveal our weaknesses and test us with temptations, making it an excellent time to get rid of things that have weighed on us in 2020.

Overall, 2021 signifies that better times are just around the corner.

What are you looking forward to in this new year? I’d love to hear your thoughts and hopes for making 2021 the best yet.

January-February 2021

Join us in Leading Up through giving back

Donate: www.localhope.org/donation Volunteer: www.localhope.org/volunteer Sponsor a Child for School: www.localhope.org/sponsor/ students-seeking-sponsors

Did you know your gift of $30 can provide a night of safe housing for mother in need? Make your life-changing donation to Maggie’s Place www.maggiesplace.org.

Lifehouse Project Mission is about eradicating domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking across our world. We are stepping up and taking that responsibility, join us in this mission in making our world a safe place for every woman and child. Donations accepted www.lifehouseproject.org.

Hope and freedom live here!

Free to Fly is a group of women who have previously experienced abuse to some degree in their relationships and chose to choose herself first, thus giving herself permission to be free to fly! Free to Fly is Not a Non-Profit that takes in the abused. We are simply the guiding angels that provide the support, bridge to resources and education, and most importantly the hotlines that they may need to be free once again. Contact us: (602) 341-5840 Let Her Speak’s mission is to elevate women’s voices, facilitate deeper conversations, inspire change in our communities, and build a stronger support system for marginalized women who aspire to lead. We carry out this mission through women-empowered events, female-focused research, and leadership education. We believe that through community, research, and education – more women will rise to leadership positions.

Website: letherspeakus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letherspeakus/ NOT YOUR AVERAGE BRACELET BRAND. We didn’t just want to be another cute bracelet brand. Screw that. The facts are clear – all of these causes are in desperate need of additional financial support and awareness and we knew we needed to do our part.

Every bracelet donates $5 to the cause it supports. We worked tirelessly to find nonprofit organizations that are actively making positive strides towards change and really need our help to continue to do so.

leadupforwomen.com

Lead Up for Women 29

Lead Up Tips

By Agnes Loughlin

10

OS E O H RE TO C TIPS AVE MO Y & H Y TODA JO

1.

ead books on the power of loving yourself: Louise R Hay’s “The Power is Within You, Love Yourself, Heal Your Life,” and Marianne Williamson’s “A Return to Love”

6.

2.

L ouise Hay’s mirror strategy: Whenever you look in a mirror, smile and say, “I love myself.” Say it multiple times and many times per day.

7.

Make time for friendship and love. Is there time in your life to connect on a deep level with someone?

3.

T ry Theta Healing to remove limiting beliefs from ancestors and the past to free you to create more of what you would love.

8.

an you practice listening without thinking C of a reply. Be a good listener by practicing the three magic words: “Tell me more.”

4.

Tell a friend or family member something you appreciate about them daily.

9.

I f you feel triggered or upset with someone, this person has just revealed to you and issue in yourself you have not resolved.

Be grateful and discover what you’re really upset about.

5.

Write a list of 30 things/qualities you love about yourself.

tart conversations with strangers. A stranger is just S a friend whom you have not met. Practice asking questions about their interests and challenges.

10.

Move, walk, dance, yoga, sing, and listen to music that inspires and uplifts you.

Source: Miracles in Wellness

30 Lead Up for Women

January-February 2021

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