Woman Wednesday: Kripa

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.            


Q and A with Kripa, from Fiji, living in Melbourne, Australia.

“Whilst the struggle was raw, real, and overwhelming, it was one of the best things that happened to me. It was the start of a deeply personal and spiritual transformation that brought me back to who I am and what I stand for.”


Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about empowering women to be seen and heard with confidence through authentic self-expression and wellbeing. There is nothing more captivating than seeing another woman show up in her truth, authenticity, and wholeness. For those that love Netflix and have watched Self Made and Becoming, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

I grew up in a conservative family and culture where women stayed at home, made sure meals were available on time, and looked after children whilst men went to work to earn an income to provide for the family. A woman was seen through her meals, upbringing of her children, and upkeep of the house. Her role was to work behind the scenes and not be seen or heard for who she really was and what she desired. This way of living was defined by customs and traditions which were passed down for many generations and shaped a lot of who I was and who I became in my earlier years.

 

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Following the tradition, at the age of 22, I found myself in an arranged marriage to a man who neither my family nor I knew much about. I moved from Fiji to New Zealand with my then-husband and 12 months later, I moved to Australia. After being married for three years, moving to two countries, having bought a house in Australia within 12 months of arriving, and having a good job, I was deeply unhappy and felt unsafe and unloved. This marriage was not built on love; the idea of an arranged marriage is to fall in love once you are married and as you get to know each other. My parents, grandparents, my great grandparents, uncles, and cousins have been in arranged marriages, which have been quite successful.

Unfortunately for me, I was married to a narcissist who knew my family and friends were far away and the only person I could rely on was him. I tried marriage counseling, personal coaching, changed my work arrangements, and no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to save this marriage. When we divorced (culturally a big no-no), I found myself homeless on the streets of Melbourne with no roof over my head in a foreign country with $0 in my bank account and no family or friends. I hit rock bottom.

The only thing I had was my job. At that time, I had two options, to stay or to move back to Fiji with my family. I chose to stay.

Whilst the struggle was raw, real, and overwhelming, it was one of the best things that happened to me. It was the start of a deeply personal and spiritual transformation that brought me back to who I am and what I stand for. Through my struggles, experience, and journey, I met so many other women who were going through similar experiences who needed help and support and most of all wanted to be seen and heard for who they truly were.

My own journey and experience became my passion and has been for many years except, I did not fully realize it until I found more and more women asking me for help, support, and guidance which gave birth to my business.
I help my clients by sharing the same tools, techniques, and resources that have helped me to go from:
✨Being homeless to owning two properties
✨$0 to multi-six figure income
✨A narcissist relationship to soul-mate love
My biggest achievement by far has been my ability to be myself 24/7 and unapologetically show up in my divine truth in alignment with my purpose, passion, and path-priceless.

 

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Q: What were your younger years like?

A: On 28 December 2019, I lost my father, my best friend. He passed away with stage 4 cancer. He was such a brave man and he never gave up. My father was my champion, my mentor, and my greatest supporter. He taught me to value education (he was a top performer in his class, but he was forced to drop out because he failed English being his second language). Among many other things, he taught me the values of kindness, care, love, and independence.

Losing him has been the biggest wake-up call for me. In his last days, I learned many things; he wanted to travel, retire (he was 65), spend more time with mum and his children (we all live in different countries). His passing has made me realize that LIFE IS TOO SHORT and enough with the excuses.

After being back from his funeral, I hired two coaches so I could start to serve more deeply and do what I am here to do in this lifetime which is to empower 5 million women to be seen and heard and to protect the planet and its inhabitants (around the same time as the Australian Bushfires). This is what motivates me, this is why I show up, and this is why I do everything I do.

Getting this clarity for me has been priceless and being able to serve and support other women on their journey a blessing.

PS My grandmother passed away on 7 May 2020 (she was the last grandparent alive for many years and was a pillar of strength for me and my family). She was a strong woman who lived through hardship and poverty and raised seven children. She was one of the strongest women I knew and her passing has made me even more determined in my mission to serve, empower, and show up for women who know there is more to life and want to live a full, happy, and healthy life which is their birthright.

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Happiness is not something you seek; it is something you feel. It is available to you whenever and wherever you choose whilst being you.

 

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is being who you are and showing up in your wholeness, fullness, and being-ness. It is about embracing all parts of yourself; the feminine and masculine while being AUTHENTIC to who you are at the very core of your being. It is about embracing and living in alignment with your divine truth with ease grace and flow.

 

 

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

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Website: https://beingyou11.com/

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Woman Wednesday: Jourdan

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.            


Q and A with Jourdan, originally from Honolulu, HI, and currently thriving in New York City.

“We rise by lifting others. It’s so important to bring others up with you.”


Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about helping others and telling stories. I have a heart for people and a heart to serve. As humans, I believe it’s our duty to help one another and it really is the driving force of love. I stumbled into helping others through my career in television. My journey began in 2010 working for NBCUniversal at a nationally syndicated talk show and from there it took off. I’ve been in the entertainment industry for 10+ years, I’ve cast network shows, acted in national commercials, and sold a web series I co-created to BET Networks.

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Click here to watch Two Grown, the BET series: 

I am on fire for helping others find their voice and build their brand. That is why I founded Vera Jean Media. Named after my grandma, it is a boutique agency specializing in content creation, social media strategy, email marketing, and branding for individuals and small businesses. Authenticity is key.

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Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My younger years were built on the strength of evolution. I was born and raised in Hawaii. My grandfather was in the military and retired there. I was raised by my grandmother and a single mother. When I was ten, she married my step-dad, who was also in the military. We moved all over the country growing up. I think seeing the work ethic of my mom and grandmother truly molded me. I’ve been working since I was in middle school. I started a dog walking and lawn mowing business when I was around 13 years old. Being an entrepreneur has always been in my heart.

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: We rise by lifting others. It’s so important to bring others up with you. Know that you can’t do everything alone and there is so much abundance to gain through collaboration over competition.

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: We are a force to be reckoned with. There is nothing stronger than a strong, determined, fearless, woman. Feminism means to empower one another and that there is strength in numbers. When we are gathered with a mission on the brain…good luck stopping us. Period.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

Website:www.verajeanmedia.com

Instagram: @jourdanguyton

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

 

Woman Wednesday: Jenny

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.         


Q and A with Jenny, Cody, Wyoming

“We can’t see the wind, but we feel it. We can’t see the sun at night, but we know it will come up tomorrow. We can’t see gravity, but we see the results. We can’t see sickness, but we see its effects. You can’t see love, but you see it affects. I can’t see God, but I see the difference in my life.”


Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about living life to the fullest. I am a wife of 29 years, a mom of three, a lover of the outdoors, sports, baking, and doing anything with my family! I am passionate about helping people live life more abundantly—mentally, physically, and spiritually. I enjoy helping people overcome their limiting beliefs and fulfilling their purpose. I have been in sales for over 30 years, and this last year, I decided to step out and start accomplishing my goals from when I was younger. I had gone to college to be an athletic coach but stayed in sales since I have been successful at it.

 

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This last year, I really questioned what my gifts are and what am I passionate about, and I have been working on my skills so I can help people the best I possibly can. I became a certified health/wellness/life coach, a corrective exercise specialist, and a Beachbody online fitness coach. Currently, I am still working in sales roles, and I am the Peak Performance Coach for 20/20 Vision For Success Coaching.  

 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in a Christian home, the baby by 10 years to two sisters. I was a daddy’s girl;  I was a tomboy jock and wanted to be the son he didn’t have. I always put the Lord on a shelf and called upon Him when I got myself into trouble or when something was wrong. I met my husband when I was 17, moved out when I was 18, and have been with my husband for 32 years now. When I was 24, we had our first child, our daughter. I never thought I wanted children, but little did I know that 6 months later, she would get me through some of the toughest, darkest days. A lot of hard things were taking place in my life, and my folks got divorced after 37 years of marriage. God used that baby to help get me and my dad through those tough times. During that time, I had an encounter with the Lord that changed my life. He showed up in the darkest of moments and poured out His love and rescued me from myself. I like the quote, “One who has been forgiven much loves much.” I really grasped the power of amazing, transformational grace and have been growing in that grace since that day.

 

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Stay persistent in everything…life, work, and faith. Be the most persistent about running after the Lord. I believe we are all born with a hole and we look to fill it with different things like food, alcohol, exercise, drugs, sex, work, money, etc, but there’s only one thing that truly fills that hole and it’s the Lord. I’ve seen many millionaires have all the women, cars, and money and still not be happy, still feeling unfulfilled. I truly can’t imagine running this race we call life without my faith in Jesus. Sure, I still go through hard times, being a believer doesn’t mean all your troubles go away, but you have the strength to get through them. We can’t see the wind, but we feel it. We can’t see the sun at night, but we know it will come up tomorrow. We can’t see gravity, but we see the results. We can’t see sickness, but we see its effects. You can’t see love, but you see it affects. I can’t see God, but I see the difference in my life. I can see the lives of those around me. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen Him show up in profound ways that there is no denying it was Him, the love I feel, the hope I have. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

 

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Be a lighthouse; there are a lot of women struggling with so many different issues, being overcome by waves of despair. We need to be a light, a beacon of hope, encouraging one another on.

I want to be the Proverbs 31 woman….

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand, she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

 

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Thank you for reading!

 

I’d love to connect with you!

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—Jenny 🙂
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Woman Wednesday: Alexandria A.

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.         


Q and A with Alexandria A. from Cherry Hill, New Jersey; living in Denver, Colorado

“Time is simply a witness and watches us do or not do. Courage is the catalyst between here and there.”


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I’m an Italian Jersey girl with a loud, in-your-face, meatball lovin’ family. I was so fortunate to grow up with the wild pack because they taught me the value of hard work and to love what you do. Witnessing my family doing work that they loved shaped my entire belief system around “work.” It was inevitable that I start my own business and do it on purpose. 

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I’m a daddy’s girl, and I attribute a lot of my success to how he raised me. He gave me no option but to believe fiercely, love deeply, and go out there and change the world …and do that all for ME FIRST. I wouldn’t have the confidence I have today without his constant reminder and celebration of what was possible. 


Q: What are you passionate about?

A: Oh, man! If we’re going real big here, I’m passionate about LIFE. The feeling of possibility excites me and knowing that life has little miracles in store for me every single day.

I co-founded a company called Purpose Pioneers (aka my baby) founded on the belief of creating a world where people fully align what they do to make money with what they do to experience meaning and fulfillment in their lives. We call it the “sweet spot” between purpose and profit. We bring this belief to life by empowering established entrepreneurs to do 2 things… systematize their business so it can scale with purpose, then go beyond the business so they can transform into a thought leader and birth a movement by speaking on stage. It’s pretty damn magical!

 

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I’m currently 1 week away from hosting the Purpose Pioneers Thought Leadership Virtual Summit; 5 days of bringing Purpose Pioneers together from all over the world and giving them the mindset, tools, and inspiration to turn their business into a movement during a time of crisis. We’re then going to host the LIVE version this coming July in Denver, Colorado. Woot woot!


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Things don’t take time; they take courage. Time is simply a witness and watches us do or not do. Courage is the catalyst between here and there. If you choose to act courageously moment to moment, it is then that you can play in the field of possibility and turn your dreams into reality.

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is showing up in our true, divine feminine power… and it’s a choice. It’s choosing curiosity in the face of judgment. It’s choosing ownership in the face of blame. It’s choosing to operate from a place of wholeness. It’s choosing to fill up our cup first so we can serve from a place of overflow. It’s choosing to be the light in the dark. Women are powerful beings…if we choose to be.

 

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Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

Click here to connect.

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Thoughts, questions, or comments?

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Woman Wednesday: Allison

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.         


Q and A with Allison, Denver, Colorado

“I believe that if we let ourselves be paralyzed by our fears, we’ll never achieve our full potential.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I’m passionate about documentary filmmaking because of the ability to connect people through stories. I’m currently touring the film festival circuit with a documentary about two elderly, married entomologists. I’ve filmed digital content for clients like National Geographic, the BBC, the Travel Channel, Lonely Planet, NBC, and a host of others.

Steve Jobs famously said, ‘The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation to come.’ I fully believe that! Stories have such incredible power to inspire, to reveal our shared humanity, to bring about positive change, and to create empathy and emotion (humor being one of my favorites).

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I’m also really passionate about helping female entrepreneurs acquire the skills to create their own video content from home. With the development of the COVID-19 coronavirus, I think a lot of women will be working from home over the next few months, doing more video conference calls, and trying to incorporate DIY video into their business to bring in clients. I wanted to help other women continue to succeed with their businesses! So, I recently began sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired over the years from big-budget film shoots and digital storytelling content and modifying it to help women create high-quality DIY videos from home. I’m really dedicated to helping them learn to make videoes and storytelling their business ally. I’m passionate about showing them not only learn how to use gear but also how to map out the story arc, messaging, and branding in each of their videos and conference calls with clients; how to develop a strategy before they begin putting up videos; and how to map out the way in which each video plays into the larger story of their business. Once they have that knowledge and skill set, they will have such incredible power to inspire and connect with clients!

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I was a major introvert as a child. I was very quiet and spent an enormous amount of time reading. I loved stories, and I read everything from Roman mythology to the history of Dorothea Lange, to the latest science fiction novels. At 15, I began taking summer school classes at Stanford, and I later received both my undergraduate and master’s degrees from Stanford. My early fascination with storytelling influenced my decision to become a newspaper reporter after graduation. After a time, I transitioned to telling stories through film and video and incorporated the skills of a print journalist into my approach to documentaries and digital content.

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: When I first picked up a camera, I remember being very intimidated by the technical aspects of it. And I remember being similarly daunted by all of the logistics and crafting of a story arc when I made my first film. But I believe that if we let ourselves be paralyzed by our fears, we’ll never achieve our full potential. I steadily acquired the storytelling and production skills and the knowledge of film gear, and I would love to help other women out with that—especially female entrepreneurs who are working at home and need to incorporate DIY video into their business. I definitely empathize with how video can initially feel very formidable. My message is: Don’t let that fear paralyze you! There are so many ways to DIY it. And I’m more than willing to help anyone out that needs advice. There are many statistics about the power of videos and storytelling, but for me, it all comes down to the ability to connect with others, to inspire and motivate them, and to foster our shared humanity.

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: To me, being a modern feminist means supporting those who identify as women, lifting each other up, amplifying our voices, and having the right to personally choose how we live our lives. I also think it’s crucial to consider feminism through an intersectional lens if we want the movement to be truly inclusive and representative of the voices of women of all races, classes, religions, abilities, and orientations.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

Click the link:

fevacademy.com

https://youtu.be/QTZWH6hOnl8
Comment below! 🙂