news – The Woman Wednesday Blog

Woman Wednesday: Sarah W.

September 9, 2026Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged a story about a woman, advice, blog, blogger, blogs, business, CEO, CEO blog, company, cool, entrepreneur blog, equal rights, equality, family, happiness, happy, health, I can do anything, inspiration, Inspirational, inspirational blog, inspirational story, inspire, kickass women, learning, life, news, photography, photos, sport, sports, sports blog, sports blog post, sports blogs, sports CEO, story, true stories, true story, woman, woman blog, women, women and sports, women blog, women empowerment, women empowerment blog, women empowerment bloggers, women entrepreneur, women in sports, women to watch, womens rights, womens stories, wow, writingLeave a comment

Q and A with Sarah, Seattle, Washington

“Sports have been a passion of mine since I started playing soccer at 4 years old, and I have been coaching for 15 years.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: As the CEO/ Founder of Girl Boss Sports and a professional tackle football player with the Seattle Majestics this year, you could say that one of my biggest passions is sports.

Girl Boss Sports is a company I created for two main reasons:

1) To improve the pipeline of female sports coaches as there are simply too few of us (for example, only 21% of soccer coaches in the US are women) and

2) To provide a quality sports experience FOR girls BY women (currently we are focusing on soccer in the Seattle area). We work on soccer-specific development, mentality, fitness, AND do all of this with the added benefit of providing female role models to the athletes we coach.

Sports have been a passion of mine since I started playing soccer at 4 years old, and I have been coaching for 15 years.

In addition to being a soccer player, I have now joined the Seattle Majestics football team to try my hand at something new.

As a rookie, I am excited to step outside of my comfort zone, learn to tackle, and hopefully win a championship with the impressive women who make up this team.

I am also passionate about leadership, women supporting women, and being a “womanpreneur.”

Currently, my two big goals are having the best season I can with the Majestics and scaling up Girl Boss Sports as we hire several coaches and are establishing partnerships with other local businesses who have similar goals.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Being an athlete my entire life was one of the most impactful things on who I am to this day (and I’m not alone in this). According to a survey of female C-Suite Executives, 96% said that they participated in sports as a teenager, and I am one of those individuals.

Sports ignited my passion for leadership when I first took on the role of “captain” and then eventually “coach.” Sports also taught me life lessons about teamwork, accountability, working toward goals, sportsmanship, confidence, and communication–all these things that have helped me to be successful as a woman in this world and at work.

These lessons I learned along the way are a huge part of who I am today and what Girl Boss Sports is working to do for the next generation of female athletes and coaches.

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

A: I have learned that if you want success (in whatever area that is for you), it takes hard work, grit, preparation, and resilience (and one without the other doesn’t work).

Life will hit us hard at one point or another, and the ability to be resilient in the face of adversity is one lesson that sports taught me that is transferable to finding success and happiness in life.

Secondly, I have learned that nothing comes easy that is worthwhile, and this is where hard work and grit comes in. One thing I often find myself speaking about to the athletes I work with is centered around these topics.

Often I have found that athletes can be hard on themselves if every movement, touch, etc. is not perfect every time.

Instead of getting frustrated about not having fully developed a specific skill we are working on, I discuss that it is not perfection we are after, but progress.

The only way to progress at something is to go through the discomfort of imperfection.

Finally, whenever I am working on a “hard thing” (and what that is varies depending on the circumstances), I have found that by preparing for it ahead of time not only does it go better, but I have significantly less anxiety around it as well.

Preparation really is the key to success in life!

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: One of the things I hope you learn from my story is the power that sports can have on anyone and everyone.

Being involved with sports provides so many opportunities to teach life lessons and find success on AND off the field.

Whether you are someone who has never played before or are thinking about getting back into it, just do it!

There are a ton of recreational leagues and teams and classes around the nation [and around the world] that could be a great outlet for you, and I highly recommend it.

And, if you are someone with children (or know somebody who has children), I’d encourage you to get them involved in (and help them stay in) sports. If you have girls, it’s even better you’re reading this.

By age 14, girls are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to drop out of sports, and this is incredibly sad to hear. This is due to a ton of reasons, including lack of access, costs associated with participation in sports, and lack of positive female role models. These are all things that Girl Boss Sports is working to change.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Intersectional feminism is where it’s at! This means that I am striving to do my part in advocating for equality, not only among the sexes, but also working to be inclusive of women with other intersectional identities (i.e. women of color, LGBTQ+ women, women with different abilities, and more).

As someone who has experienced how hard society can be on us women, it is so important for us to stand together and advocate for one another in everything we do.

Connect with me!

Girl Boss Sports:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlbosssports/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlbosssports/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlbosssports1

Sarah Wolfer:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwolfer/

Woman Wednesday: Authors, Dee J. Stone

September 2, 2026Posted in Uncategorized, womenTagged advice, art, author, authors, beautiful stories, blog, blogger, blogs, book series, book-review, books, business, career, cool, Faith, family, feminism, fiction, happy, home, inspiration, learning, life, love, mermaid, mermaids, merman, news, novel, novels, paranormal, paranormal romance, pen name, penname, people, pseudonym, published author, reading, respect, romance writer, series, sisters, spread happiness, spread joy, spread love, spread smiles, stories, stories of triumph, story, suspense, travel, trends, triology, triumph, woman, woman's story, women, womens stories, writer, writers, writingLeave a comment

Q and A with Authors, Dee J. Stone

“Don’t be afraid to put your work out there. It’s very daunting at first, but it’s so rewarding when people read your book and tell you how much they love it. What makes us feel good is when we get a message from a reader telling us how she had a pretty hard day and our book made her feel better.”

Q: Who are you?

A: We are Dee J. Stone, a pseudonym for two sisters who write and publish young adult and adult novels on Amazon. We’ve been doing this for over five years. Here is our Amazon author page.

Q: What got you interested in writing?

A: We were always creating stories since we were little kids, although we didn’t know that at the time. As young kids, we would sit with our dolls and play for hours, creating a story and running with it. When we were a little older, around middle school, we would draw comics and create stories that way. But we didn’t actually start writing until high school. We started off writing plays before moving onto novels.

Pictured: Dee J. Stone’s most popular novel, Merman’s Kiss. Available for Kindle or paperback, click here.

Q: Why did you choose self-publishing, and can you explain it?

A: Self-publishing is when you write and publish a book all on your own, without reaching out to an agent and/or publisher. A self-published author has to handle every aspect of the publishing process including providing a good cover that would catch readers’ attention, editing, proofreading, and marketing. Many authors hire other people to take care of the cover and editing, though marketing is usually on their shoulders. The reason we chose the self-publishing route was that we like the freedom to make our own choices when it comes to our books.

Pictured: Dee J. Stone’s novel, Cruiser. Available for Kindle or paperback, click here.

Q: Can you tell us about some of the books you have published?

A: Sure! Our most popular books are a part of a paranormal romance series called Merman’s Kiss. Here is the link to the series. It follows the story of Cassie Price, who stumbles across a merman that has washed up on shore. The two of them become close and eventually fall in love.

Another series we have is a superhero series called Keepers of Justice. It’s about a school for kids with powers. Here is the link to the series. We also have a fairy-tale retelling series. We write in many genres, such as paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, and romance.

Pictured: Book one of the series, Keepers of Justice. Available for Kindle or paperback, click here.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

A: Don’t be afraid to put your work out there. It’s very daunting at first, but it’s so rewarding when people read your book and tell you how much they love it. What makes us feel good is when we get a message from a reader telling us how she had a pretty hard day and our book made her feel better. Another piece of advice would be to make sure you give your book to someone to read before publishing it. Someone who is not a family member or friend and can give you honest feedback. A writer constantly needs to learn from her mistakes. And another piece of advice? Try not to take bad reviews too seriously. Every book gets them, and they hurt really badly, but try to focus on the good reviews and continue writing.

Pictured: Dee J. Stone’s Falling for the Genie, available via Kindle or paperback, click here.

Q: Is there anything valuable you have learned throughout the writing/publishing process?

A: Stay true to who you are and what you believe in. Many writers feel like they need to change themselves in order to fit in and sell more books. If you want to sell, you may need to make some changes to your writing, but you shouldn’t have to compromise your beliefs. Readers will love your story if you write it well and touch their hearts.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your stories?

A: We believe in writing characters who respect one another. When we write romance novels, we try to portray sweet and kind guys/men who treat women with the utmost respect. There are so many books out there that have male characters who don’t treat their women very kindly, and that is not something we believe in. Hopefully, readers will walk away from our stories with a better understanding of how people should treat one another.

Pictured: Chasing Sam, written by Dee J. Stone, available via Kindle or paperback, click here.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Expanding on the previous question, we believe that feminism is about people respecting one another. No two people are created the same, and there will always be a difference of opinion or arguments. It’s how a person treats other people that matters. Feminism is not only about women feeling equal to men, but showing men how to treat women, and how women should treat one another as well. As the golden rule goes, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Check out our books, available on Amazon here.

Click here for our best selling book!

Woman Wednesday: Kripa

June 24, 2026Posted in UncategorizedTagged advice, arranged marriage, Australia, blogger, blogging, blogs, business, cool, divorce, enjoy it, environment, Faith, family, Fiji, finding passion, finding your passion, finding yourself, happiness, health, home, inspiration, Inspirational, inspirational woman, inspirational women, inspire, journal, life, life is short, loss, love, New Zealand, news, photography, photos, relationships, religion, technology, travel, truth, woman, woman wednesday, women wednesday, writingLeave a comment

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!

Facebook: beingyou11

Website: https://beingyou11.com/

Instagram: beingyou11

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Celeste

June 17, 2026June 17, 2026Posted in inspiration, Uncategorized, womenTagged achieving your dreams, advice, art, artists, blog, books, building a business, building something, business blog, business woman, businessowner, businesswoman, Challenges we learn from, Challenging, cool, creativity, emotional blog, empowerment, equal rights, Faith, feminism, gender, hard work, healing, inspiration, inspirational blog, inspirational stories blog, inspire, life, life experiences, lifestyle, meaningful business, mental health, midlife, mindset, news, overcoming negativity, politics, self-love, self-love group, self-love seminar, sharing stories, sharing stories blog, stories, stories blog, travel, travelling, wcw, woman, woman wednesday, women, women empowered, women empowering, women in business, women wednesday, writingLeave a comment

Q and A with Celeste from St. Louis, Missouri, living in Smyrna, Georgia

“…resilience, faith, and perseverance can transform pain into purpose.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about helping people heal, rediscover their purpose, and understand that their story still has value no matter what they have been through. As an ordained minister, life and grief coach, author, and community advocate, much of my work centers around supporting people through life’s difficult transitions, including grief, trauma, incarceration, family challenges, and personal reinvention.

My passion was born from my own experiences. I have faced seasons of loss, disappointment, and challenges that forced me to rely on faith, resilience, and God’s grace. Those experiences taught me that healing is possible and that our greatest pain can often become the foundation for our greatest purpose.

Currently, I am developing faith-based resources, devotionals, grief support materials, coaching programs, and community initiatives that help individuals find hope, healing, and direction. I am especially passionate about supporting women, families, and individuals rebuilding their lives after setbacks.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My younger years were shaped by both challenges and valuable life lessons. Growing up, I learned early that life does not always follow the path we imagine. Family responsibilities, personal struggles, and unexpected circumstances taught me resilience at a young age.

One of the experiences that most impacted my life was becoming a mother as a teenager. While it brought many challenges, it also taught me responsibility, perseverance, sacrifice, and unconditional love. That journey forced me to grow up quickly and helped shape the woman I am today.

Education came both inside and outside the classroom. Some of my greatest lessons came through life experiences, relationships, faith, and overcoming adversity. Looking back, I can see how every obstacle helped develop my compassion for others and strengthened my desire to serve and encourage people who are navigating difficult seasons.

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

A: One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that your past does not have the final say over your future.

Many people carry shame from mistakes, losses, disappointments, or circumstances beyond their control. My story has taught me that healing begins when we stop allowing our past to define our worth. We can acknowledge our wounds without allowing them to become our identity.

I want others to know that setbacks do not disqualify you from living a meaningful life. You can experience grief and still find joy. You can make mistakes and still become successful. You can face rejection and still walk confidently in your purpose.

If people learn anything from my story, I hope they learn that resilience, faith, and perseverance can transform pain into purpose. What you survive can become the very thing that helps someone else heal.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: To me, feminism means recognizing the inherent worth, dignity, and God-given value of women. It means supporting opportunities for women to grow, lead, learn, serve, and use their gifts without unnecessary barriers.

As a woman of faith, I believe feminism is not about competing with men but about ensuring that women are respected, heard, protected, and empowered to fulfill their purpose. It means advocating for women who have been overlooked, marginalized, or silenced and creating spaces where their voices and experiences matter.

I am especially passionate about supporting women through healing, personal growth, leadership development, and life transitions so they can live fully and confidently in who they were created to be.

MORE ABOUT CELESTE: At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to service. Whether through ministry, coaching, writing, mentoring, or community outreach, my goal is to leave people better than I found them.

I believe healing and growth happen in the community. I believe faith and practical action work together. I’ve been a part of Kiwanis of Greater South Cobb for over 13 years, that’s dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities

Most importantly, I believe every person has a purpose, regardless of their background, age, mistakes, or current circumstances.

My life’s work is helping people discover that purpose and giving them the tools, encouragement, and support they need to walk in it.

I am a transplant from St. Louis, Missouri, but live in Smyrna, Georgia, (20+ years) a city just outside Atlanta, Georgia. Community involvement and ministry work have allowed me to serve people throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond, helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges while building stronger, healthier futures.

Contact Information

Podcast: “Confidently Speaking” anchor.fm/celeste-houston
Facebook: www.facebook.com/celicacoaching
ministry
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestehouston

website:https://www.purposefullylivingnotperfect.com

Book Resources:

Purposefully Living Not Perfect: [https://a.co/d/7lroDfo]

– Coloring Through Clouds of Loss: [https://a.co/d/azUaVKs]

– Coloring Your Way Through Grief: [https://a.co/d/iVdf60T]

Woman Wednesday: Gina

April 29, 2026April 29, 2026Posted in inspiration, Uncategorized, womenTagged achieving your dreams, advice, art, artists, blog, books, building a business, building something, business blog, business woman, businessowner, businesswoman, Challenges we learn from, Challenging, cool, creativity, emotional blog, empowerment, equal rights, feminism, gender, hard work, inspiration, inspirational blog, inspirational stories blog, inspire, life, life experiences, lifestyle, meaningful business, mental health, midlife, mindset, news, overcoming negativity, politics, self-love, self-love group, self-love seminar, sharing stories, sharing stories blog, stories, stories blog, travel, travelling, wcw, woman, woman wednesday, women, women empowered, women empowering, women in business, women wednesday, writingLeave a comment

Q and A with Gina from Harford County, Maryland

“Some of the most important changes happen internally, in ways no one else can see…I’m drawn to the spaces people don’t always talk about—the quiet, the complicated, and the deeply human.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I’m passionate about storytelling—both the kind that comforts and the kind that unsettles.

Writing became that space for me during a difficult six-year period of my life.

I started writing letters to myself as a way to process what I was going through, and over time, I realized those words weren’t just mine.

That’s how Letters to Women Like Me came to life—out of a need to create something honest for women who feel deeply but don’t always have a place to put it.

At the same time, I’ve always been drawn to the darker side of storytelling—the psychological layers, the questions of identity, memory, and what shapes us. That led me to write Chalk Drawings, a psychological crime thriller that explores patterns, obsession, and the idea that what’s unseen can be more powerful than what’s visible.

What connects everything I write is a fascination with what people carry—emotionally, mentally, and sometimes silently. Whether I’m writing something soft and reflective or something tense and suspenseful, I’m always trying to understand that space.

Right now, I’m continuing to build both sides of my work—growing the Chalk Drawings series while also creating more reflective writing for women. For me, it’s not about choosing one path or the other. It’s about telling the full story of what it means to be human—both the light and the shadow.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My younger years were fairly grounded and shaped by a strong sense of responsibility early on.

I graduated high school and went on to attend college for a time, but life began to take me in a different direction, and I didn’t complete my degree.

While that wasn’t the path I originally planned, it taught me that growth doesn’t always follow a straight line—and that experience itself can be just as valuable as formal education.

I’ve always been someone who observes deeply and feels things in a quiet way.

Even when I wasn’t writing, I was paying attention—to people, to emotions, to the small moments that often go unnoticed. Those early years helped shape the way I see the world now, both in life and in my writing.

Looking back, I realize that my upbringing and experiences gave me a strong sense of resilience and independence.

They taught me how to navigate challenges, adapt, and keep moving forward even when things didn’t go as expected. Those lessons have stayed with me and continue to influence not only the work I do, but the stories I tell.

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

A: One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is that not everything in life needs to be figured out right away.

For a long time, I thought strength meant having answers, pushing through, and holding everything together. But I’ve come to understand that real strength is quieter—it’s allowing yourself to feel, to pause, and to be honest about what you’re carrying.

I would want others to know that it’s okay if your path doesn’t look the way you thought it would.

Growth isn’t always obvious, and healing doesn’t happen on a timeline.

Some of the most important changes happen internally, in ways no one else can see.

I’m drawn to the spaces people don’t always talk about—the quiet, the complicated, and the deeply human.

If there’s anything I hope people take from my story, it’s this: you’re not alone in what you’re feeling, even if it seems that way.

There is value in your experiences, even the difficult ones, and there is strength in continuing forward—at your own pace, in your own way.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism, to me, is about recognizing the unseen weight women carry and creating space for them to feel, speak, and exist without having to prove their strength.

Thank you for reading!

Let’s connect!

Comment below.

Check out my psychological thriller here: Chalk Drawings

Check out my letters-to-self book for women here: Letters to Women Like Me