“You deserve to have happiness. Sometimes, that may mean facing pain to make it to the other side of the rainbow.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I love reading, traveling, learning about mindset, being with my dog, trying new recipes, and also being with my family and my partner. Walks on the beach or gazing at the stars has always fascinated me. I like adventures as much as I like quiet nights at home curled up on the couch and watching a suspenseful film (preferably with my own bowl of popcorn!). I am passionate about writing, which is what I am currently working on. I used to do affiliate marketing within the health and wellness field. However, I found myself dissatisfied. I knew I had a higher calling, so I hired a purpose development coach to help formulate my purpose (which ties into my upbringing).
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I grew up as the middle child in my family. I often felt unnoticed between my older sister and younger brother. I suppose it did not help that he was born exactly on my 5th birthday. Having to share my birthday led to bitterness and a sense that maybe I didn’t deserve a day all about me. My parents often fought and I acted as a mediator. However, that often backfired as no one took me seriously. School was very challenging because I was extremely shy. It was difficult to make friends, and the “cool” kids would sometimes make fun of me (my mom used to cut my bangs and did a horrible job…). I turned to focusing on my appearance. That I could control. I felt unloved on the inside and was desperate for attention. My life forever changed when I was 14 years old. I was hospitalized for depression and anorexia. But what really transformed my life was when a nurse came wheeling over an old book cart. Instead of handing me a book, she handed me a journal. And so, I wrote away my pain, shared my deepest secrets. I spilled my heart onto paper. It opened up a portal where I could give my heart a voice. Little did I know how big that portal would become. After I was released home, I continued journaling. I began writing inspirational messages and poems to others. I loved being a gateway to their soul where I could bring joy and self reflection. 21 years later, I’ve held on to the same dream, which is helping others express themselves through writing…to serve how I serve best, which is through pen and paper.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: You can conquer limiting beliefs. Hang in there because you are strong, beautiful, and powerful. I believe in you. I found myself in a mentally abusive relationship for 6 years that turned into a marriage. I didn’t think I was worthy of someone, something better. I was made to feel so low that it seemed like I truly would never find happiness. It took one person to plant the seed, “Why can’t you be happy?” That thought ate away at me, and it was like I began seeing my life and relationship with a different lens. One day, I asked for a divorce, unplanned, but something inside me was screaming it. Never forget you are in control of your life. You deserve to have happiness. Sometimes, that may mean facing pain to make it to the other side of the rainbow.
Q:What does feminism mean to you?
A: Seeking compassion and collaboration instead of comparison. Standing up for yourself and knowing your self-worth despite anything else. We (us fellow women) are all super unique and strong.
MORE FROM LAUREN: I left my job that treated me disrespectfully and I would not let it compromise my values. So, here I am, full-time creative copywriter coach.
Q and A with Holly R., from a small town outside of Philadelphia, PA
“Be your own advocate.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I am passionate about serving others. I have always been drawn to helping others. I am a scientist in a pharmaceutical company and have been so lucky to have been part of teams that brought three transformational drugs to the market to treat arthritis, IBD, and psoriasis. Now, I am also a ketogenic lifestyle coach–I believe strongly in the lifestyle to not only help people lose weight without feeling deprived, but it also is used to treat debilitating diseases like my son’s intractable epilepsy. I have a very holistic approach to living this lifestyle. I feel that it is very important not only to help my clients lose weight, but we also work on repairing their relationship with food with meditation, subliminal guides, and a program that is the most advanced human healing technology and a proven fitness and nutrition system that will make you love the process of looking and feeling your best.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I had a very loving upbringing. I grew up next door to my grandparents and other relatives, so I was always around a large family. My parents were very young and very involved in all aspects of my life from volunteering at my (and my sister’s) schools to coaching our sports teams and anything where they could participate. I didn’t have brothers, so I think that I became a surrogate son for my dad–he taught me how to work on cars, how to do home repairs, how to lift weights and scuba dive. It really affected my confidence–he raised me to believe that I can do anything. He gave me the strength to excel in college, buy my own house, start my own business. I never had any fears about raising my sons on my own, and I always had the support of my entire family behind me.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I want others to learn that we all have a badass successful woman inside of us–we just need to let her shine. All it takes is courage and believing in yourself. Another very important lesson I have learned from raising a son with a disability is that you have to be your own advocate. He didn’t have his first seizure until he was 14, and once he was diagnosed with epilepsy, everything changed. School didn’t want him taking the bus, playing sports, going on class trips. He has had job offers rescinded. I had to research disability laws and educate myself so that I could be his advocate. Everything would have been so different if I let others make decisions based on what is best for them.
Q:What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism is the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. I believe that since I was raised to believe that from the start, I never thought about it much until I was older. When I began existing in corporate America, I realized that there is a huge inequality that needs to be addressed. As a manager, I became aware that men who reported to me make more money than I do and tend to get promoted much quicker. I can make a suggestion in a meeting, and it is dismissed. The same idea is mentioned by a male colleague a few minutes later and he is seen as genius! To call it frustrating is an understatement, but I am confident enough to call people out when it happens. I don’t always get a solution that I am happy with, but I still speak my mind.
MORE FROM HOLLY: If anyone wants to reach me or learn more about the ketogenic lifestyle, they can join my FB group Hot Mess Mamma’s Guide to the Ketogenic Diet (because you don’t have to be perfect to look and feel your best! It’s okay to be a hot mess).
“…when you have a “why” that’s greater than yourself, you will do anything to see it succeed.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about helping pregnant women and new mamas journey confidently into motherhood. That’s why I started my blog, WhatAboutMamas.com. There, I share everything I dig up from women’s health and wellness experts on the end of pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. I also am sharing my REAL journey as a new mom so other women don’t feel so alone. Especially when comparing themselves to the Instagram models who live in perfect, clean houses.
Along with my website, I am planning a series of motherhood self-care retreats in Minneapolis. The first one will be in October of 2021. Women are flying in from around the country to join the event. But it’s also going to be a great way to connect as a local community. Anyone who is a mom knows how isolating the experience can be and how hard it is to prioritize me-time and meeting your own needs at times. This event is giving current and future moms that excuse to get out of the house and meet other women who understand their experience. There will be plenty of pampering involved, too!
My last project is a self-paced online video course I’m developing for pregnant women and new mothers called Journey Confidently Into Motherhood. It will cover all the topics about the postpartum period I wish I knew about before I became a mom. As women, we spend so much time working on the baby registry and preparing for labor, we forget to prepare ourselves for the 4th trimester. And the ironic part is, that’s when women need the most support and resources of all. So this course aims to arm women with everything they need from mental health support to understanding their physical recovery, mom guilt, and so much more.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: It’s funny because I come from a family of entrepreneurs, yet I never wanted to be one myself. I saw both my parents working so hard and such long hours, I never wanted that for my life. But now that I found something I’m so passionate about, I understand why. I have worked in advertising as a professional writer for almost 10 years and I run the blog on nights and weekends, so it’s a lot. But when you have a “why” that’s greater than yourself, you will do anything to see it succeed.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I’ve learned a lot in the past year about how to prioritize my own needs as a mother. Even though you still have the same number of hours in the day and way more to do once you become a mom, you still have all the same wants and needs as you did before. So, something has to give. The sooner you accept the fact that your house isn’t going to be neat and clean all the time, or you aren’t always going to have the energy to prepare three home-cooked meals a day, the better off you’ll be.
I also want women to know your body will physically change during the process of pregnancy and childbirth and that is ok! Instead of posting “bounce back” pix on Instagram, we need to normalize this natural and beautiful evolution of our bodies, while celebrating their power and strength.
Q:What does feminism mean to you?
A: True, real gender equality. I hate the phrase “girl/lady boss.” Let’s just say boss. I’d much rather just be a badass woman than have a parade about out the fact that I’m badass woman like that’s supposed to be unique or special. All women are badasses.
I do believe women are finally learning to support each other more versus competing and tearing each other down with judgement. And that makes me happy.
MORE FROM BRENNA: Feel free to follow me on Instagram or Facebook, to stay up to date with the latest developments for What About Mamas!
“When you learn to manage your mind, you can do anything!”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about being authentic, showing up as myself, and sharing that with people. I love showing people how to use their own authenticity in business. It’s what I believe to be the secret to success. Overcoming all the limiting beliefs that are keeping people from showing up as their authentic self! I’m also passionate about meditation and learning. It’s how we keep a balanced life filled with purpose and excitement. I’m currently working on helping entrepreneurs build and scale their businesses so they can help their people in powerful ways!
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I grew up in the DC-metro area. I was one of a handful of Jewish kids and struggled with feeling like I didn’t fit in. I went to Syracuse for my undergrad education and NYU for grad school. I studied social work and have always wanted to help others. I burnt out quickly in social work and broke into the fitness world. I started my first business at age 24, as a private 1:1 trainer. In 2010, I opened my first yoga studio, and opened my second in 2014. All of these experiences have led me to where I am today, helping others with their businesses.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: The most valuable thing I have learned is the power of your thoughts. How they create every result you have. That when you learn to manage your mind, you can do anything!
Q:What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism is standing for women’s rights and women leaders. Showing up as an example for other women.
MORE FROM RACHEL: I currently live in Atlanta, Georgia, with my two kids and three stepkids and my amazing husband.
Q and A with Clairafrom Helena, MT, living in Missoula, MT
“You deserve to thrive, simply because you are alive.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I am passionate about pro-social living, ethical business, health, food, luxury, freedom, spiritual evolution, my long-term partner (Zac), our animal babies (bearded dragon, Shanti) and (axolotl, Cosmo), and Zac’s kids. I have two businesses founded on ethical principles.
My first business is called Holistic Contentment. It is a caregiving agency in which we offer a sliding fee scale, pay a living wage to everyone on the team, and give 20% of our profits back to the local community. I founded a care model called the Client Liberation Model. You can find out more about that here: https://www.holisticcontentment.com/client-liberation. When I started HoCo, it was on $125 and a dream. I was told that I was too progressive, offered too much for too little, that I looked like I came from a circus, and we would never succeed. The business has grown to 14 times its size in the last 10 months. I’d say that’s proof that those were false and limited beliefs on other people’s parts.
I have also recently started a second business called Claira Kruse Coaching. The premise is teaching bosses to level up their self-care, self-love, and their company culture. My theory is that bosses and workers have been taught to grind, to not take care of themselves, to take on responsibilities that are not their own, to place blame where blame is not due, etc. In that, leaders and teammates get burnt out. Turnover rates are higher. Health declines. This all leads to an overall leak in profits. As a boss, I can empathize with bosses, but as a progressive who came from poverty, I can empathize with workers. I help others in bridging the gap, to make business beneficial for everyone involved. I am here to change the world in serious ways.
I also love food and health. I had a binge eating disorder as a child and gained 130lbs between the ages of 7 and 8 (or 8 and 9, I don’t remember exactly). I went from 70lbs to 200lbs and started wearing my mom’s clothes because mine did not fit. Food was a means of control where I felt I had none. When I was 11, my only two friends decided we could not be friends anymore and I hit a hard spiral, completely losing my appetite and losing 30lbs in one month. After that, I dealt with the “yoyo weight swings” for a while, but I learned about vegetarian, gf, paleo etc. and have found better ways to enjoy food, while also taking care of my body. At this point, I expect to always be curvy, but between style, eating healthy, and daily movement practice, I feel great in my body. My partner and I primarily follow the Eat Right 4 Your Type food protocol.
Luxury and Freedom come after the above. If business isn’t flowing, and balance isn’t found, there is very little space for luxury and freedom. If you don’t have enough money to do what you want, and are not comfortable in your body, it is challenging to fully reach for either. I like the finer things in life. Vacation, travel, nature, fancy pants (literally, I love slacks in bright colors), jewelry, skin care, being able to do what I want, when I want. I love being my own boss and finding ways to implement healing techniques for what I mentioned above in my coaching profession. I am deeply spiritual. I was born and raised pagan and am completely non-denominational. I was sent to Sunday schools on and off as a kid, but it never stuck. My grandparents on my mom‘s side are pagan; my mom is now pagan, and my dad and stepmom are agnostic. I study spirituality, love spiritual podcasts, have a regular spiritual practice, and I am a spiritual channeler. At one point, I was studying to become a priestess, but I left that behind in part because I am not good at following other people’s instruction; I am a bit of a rebel. We are spiritual beings having a human experience, as they who are themselves say.
My direct family is Zac, who I have been with for over 4 years, and he is amazing. He’s so intelligent, funny, cute, and cozy. He also challenges me to be a better person and to always be true to myself and my principles. He’s really passionate about the game Dragon Dice and the community it comes with. It’s a great and diverse game. I love him a ton. We have a 5-year-old bearded dragon, a 1.5-year-old axolotl. Our bearded dragon Shanti loves to snuggle and gets sad if we do not snuggle him. He also loves TV, watching us do stuff, and the sunshine and garden. Cosmo loves to dance, eat, swim around, and be cute. Zac’s kids are 10 and 13, and they are both highly intelligent, creative, and hilarious. I am lucky that they love me.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: My younger years were a can of worms. My parents separated when I was 4. My mom was pregnant with my little brother, and I was conditioned to be a disciplinarian to him. This was not healthy for either of us. My mom had a hard time with healthy relationships, but she did her best. My mom has always been playful, free spirited, and wanting to help everyone. My dad was a bit of a rocker, long hair, rock shirts, played in bands etc. My dad is helpful, soulful, and all about personal accountability. My dad and stepmom met when I was 7, and they are together to this day. I have two half sisters: an older sister and a younger one. I have my one full brother. I grew up with my big sister Ana in Oregon, but would visit her typically once a year (because I’m in Montana), and I lived with my little brother full-time until I moved into my dad and stepmom’s house at 14, at which point, I was living with my little sister until I was 18. I started planning ethical businesses at 11, but I was failing school from the time I was 8. I had a serious struggle between “I will change the world” and “I am incapable and no one likes me. I am a freak.” I struggled with self harm, codependency, substance abuse, challenges with gender identity and sexuality, failing grades, and serious anger and depression issues. I got into a lot of abusive friendships and relationships very young. My anger and depression started letting up when I moved into my dads, and my grades went from F’s to A-Cs within six months, but I did not have a genuinely happy year until I was at least 18. I have a belief that every year gets better than the last because I learn more, open up more, and live more as my authentic self. I did love when my mom would take me to Washington and Oregon to meet with her friends. They showed me a lot about being yourself, loving yourself, and loving humanity.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I would like for others to know that no matter where you start, what conditioning you are given, or beliefs you have about yourself, you can be open to support to heal, you can work on being kind to yourself, and in time, things change. You are capable. You are here for a reason. Find what you are avoiding in yourself, what dream you fear because it is too large, or because you feel unworthy, and go for it. You deserve to thrive, simply because you are alive, and scarcity is a lie meant to keep us small.
Q:What does feminism mean to you?
A: To me, feminism means true equality between all genders, female, non-binary and male. It means letting go of gender boxes and allowing people to be who they truly are. Not taking any gender away, but simply being you, and not being bullied or shamed for your true expression. It means Black Lives Matter, POC lives matter, and recognizing where women who are not white have less privilege than those who are historically, and to this day. It also means paying fairly for stereotypically feminine labor. It means supporting families and using pro-social means to allow everyone a fulfilling and supported life.
MORE FROM CLAIRA: I am in a monogamous relationship with my partner, but I continue to identify as a non-binary queer woman. I will always stand up for the rights of others, and I think that the planet is better when we and the planet thrive. Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/claira.kruse.coaching/ and DM to schedule an application call for Liberate to Elevate, my coaching program.
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