<![CDATA[Ternion Results - Straight: No Chaser]]>

<![CDATA[Ternion Results - Straight: No Chaser]]>Sun, 19 May 2013 09:18:19 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Declared: I am LOVE! Now what?]]>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:26:23 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2012/01/declared-i-am-love-now-what.html

Now I know that most of you have read 1 Corinthians 13 at some point in your life. You know: Love is patient, love is kind? I am currently working on creating a marriage ministry and wanted to give you a sneak peak. I did this exercise last night with my husband and it was just incredible. And no, you need not be married for this one. It is a great exercise for everyone. The only requirement is that you are human and want to actively stand in Love.

The I Am Love exercise can give you direction. I know when I committed my life to Love I was left with the question of, "What does that look like?" Well Honey, this is a great place to look.

In 1 Corinthians 13 it starts out "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

No one can deny that when love is present in our lives that it is more fulfilling. Like the celebrity that has everything that anyone could want: the house, the fancy cars, the trophy spouse. Yet, they are still not happy. They are still looking for more. Love tends to be missing from their lives. So if we are committed to having it present in our lives and standing in it, we can find out in the next few verses what that looks like.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Sounds pretty good- but how does that apply to me the individual? Here's the trick. Everywhere that you read the word Love or It, replace it with your name and read it out loud.

So here is my declaration of who I am:
Angie is patient, Angie is kind. She does not envy, she does not boast, she is not proud. Angie does not dishonor others, she is not self-seeking, Angie is not easily angered, Angie keeps no record of wrongs. She does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Angie always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Try it for yourself. Now g'on out there and be Love!

]]><![CDATA[It takes a village- Swapping Spree 2011]]>Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:02:07 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/09/it-takes-a-village-swapping-spree-2011.htmlWow! What an evening. Ladies in Seattle- if you missed last night, boy did you miss it! For the past few months, I have been meeting up with Tannya Bernadette (local style expert) and planning the production for the 1st Annual Swapping Spree. Held at the gorgeous Club Sur in the SODO district, we created the space for women to come and relax for the evening while contributing the a great cause.

It takes a village to be truly successful at anything and that is just how we did it. Amanda from Un Amore joined Tannya and me in hosting the fab event. Now, this wasn't JUST a clothing swap. Oh no, babe. This was an evening of relaxing with your girlfriends and feeling rejuvenated when you left. Duque Salon made sure that everyone was having a great hair day last night. Tiffany Nash, local make up expert, had the uh-MAY-zing all natural vegan make up line Emani with her to to have the beauty within each of us reflected on our faces. Namas Day Well Spa had our hands soft as butter with USPA hand lotions and potions and salivating as we learned about her services at the well spa. The venue was smelling great from the aromatic compounds found in essential oils from doTERRA. And the food! Club Sur had us covered from light apps to delicious entrees.

Attendees got to choose from different packages. As a VIP, you received a booth or table that included sparkling wine and appetizers. But the real perk of the VIP package: being able to get first dibs on the swap! VIPs enjoyed 30 minutes of shopping in the boutique setting before general admission. Wow- sitting here now thinking about the pieces that were brought in! The shoes, the leather jackets, the Anne Klein slacks with tags still on, the buttery leather handbags, the BLING! Ladies were still finding things right up to the very last minute. Though most of the pieces went home with new owners in the perfect bags generously sponsored by Queen Anne Dispatch, the remaining pieces will be donated to Jubilee Women Center to support women in transition.

And the raffle prizes! Still blown away at the generosity of our local businesses! Just a few of the prizes were wine tasting from Girly Girl wines for the winner and 11 of her friends, spa retreat package from Hotel 1000, personal care gift certificates, golfing, and massage packages from Massage Envy.

So why did we do this anyway? Well, not only to support each other in business and to offer an great event to our local community of women, but to support a well deserving non-profit that is making education possibility to folks in Nicaragua. Adelante empowers the residents of Leon Nicaragua with educational opportunities that lead to more successful futures. This mission is very near and dear to Tannya's heart. Her mother is originally from Peru and it was due to the rare opportunity of a quality education that enabled her to move to the US and create a better future for her following generations. And at the end of the day, isn't that the point of this crazy game of life anyhow?

If you missed it, keep your ears open for next year. Women were already talking about next year last night and who they are going to be bringing! If you joined us last night, thank you for all of us collectively making a world of a difference. It made a difference for the folks in Nicaragua, for the the new friendships that were forged last night, the old ones that were rekindled, for the women who really needed last night as they may be facing stressful times in their lives, and for me - who got to contribute to creating the space for it all to happen. You have my gratitude!

See you next year.

Further gratitudes:

Eli at Club Sur- you made sure that we were taken care of for the event details as well as making sure that our guests were graciously taken care of with food and drink.
Natalie at Duque- you rocked my curls, Darling, and had my hair looking like a Greek goddess.
Tiffany- once again, you had my face glowing and sparkling- reflecting what is already within me.
Dee- for your willingness to play and share that space with me.
Maureen- for your incredible support.
Tannya- I loved being a grounding force for you in creating and celebrating your first event.
Amanda- you were so on fire. Anything that needed to be taken care of, you were on it!
Drew- because.

]]><![CDATA[Reflecting on my 35th year]]>Sat, 18 Jun 2011 18:12:03 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/06/reflecting-on-my-35th-year.htmlIt has been a month since I have written and posted anything- yes, everything is fine though it has been a dynamic time.

Things move rather fast in my life. I have learned to embrace this and live it FULLY. Because of this, I have done a whole lotta living in a relatively short time. That is how my life has always been. These past four weeks, whether I wanted to or not, I have slipped into neutral and allowed the waters to calm. I have been deepening my relationship with grace and what it means to extend it to myself. So that has looked like me sleeping more, choosing which conversation to have with clarity, allowing myself to be truly witnessed by others, wrestling with my faith, and not trying to figure any of it out. Listening and Just.Being.

It’s always a good time to stop and reflect right before your birthday. You get to get closure on the things that you wish to leave behind and then get present for what you want to continue while leaving space for things new. FYI- my birthday is July 9th and I love frequent flyer miles. From this time last year to now, my life has done a 180 and I know that it isn’t through just yet.

This time last year, this is what was setting up for my 35th year to commence and happened within 17 days:

I came home from a business trip to find all of the trees on the south side of our property were cut down- these trees were one of the few reasons we bought that particular house. The city of Edmonds, WA had approved it and claimed that they did not need to notify us.

My daughter had fallen victim to a 25 y/o man trying to ‘talk’ to her. He was introduced to her by a school friend’s mother. He refused our demands for him to cease all contact with her. It went so far as him agreeing that her life was so awful and “abusive” at home and proposed that she should leave as she wasn’t “safe” with us. On June 21, 2010 I was on my way to the track to run and found that my vehicle had been tagged with paint. The police came and when I went to ask my daughter about it, I opened the door to find her gone. Mr. Creepy had come to the house during the night and assisted her in running away. After finding her, she was on the first flight to Grandma’s for the rest of the summer so that we could deal with legal matters.

The loan modification had been denied and we were looking at a foreclosure.

My husband had put down a deposit on an apartment and was going to be moving out.

My boss was trying to pin his shortcomings on me and have me be responsible for his directives. Knowing my value to the company and not expecting me to leave, he transferred me to a position that I had already turned down twice that he was having a difficult time filling. I quit the company. With nothing else lined up.

So here it is- my 35th year in review.

I enjoyed celebrating my birthday camping with good friends in one of my fav spots in the world- Diablo Lake in the Northern Cascades. I celebrated my first day unemployed and went kayaking in the San Juans. My husband and I agreed to give it one more go at it. My daughter returned from Florida after Mr. Creepy was in jail, she started her Freshman year. I started working on getting a gourmet product to market. I created a business from nothing more than an idea and desire. I started coaching a few spectacular people in my business. I was able to visit with my folks when they came out to see us. I ran another half marathon and learned the story of several inspiring women battling breast cancer. I hit my record high weight, not pregnant, in November. Featured entrepreneur in CRAVE Seattle. I learned how to knit again. Became very clear that the marriage wasn’t working and something had to give. Started my weight loss blog. Drove to Vancouver just to introduce myself to a couple of folks that I respect. Identified that I had started eating decadent foods in order to feel fulfilled at some point. Starting having my nutrition support what I was up to in the world and incorporated raw super foods. Made the choice for the kids and I to move out. Bought the first brand new car that I have ever owned. Successfully produced my first workshop that was my content. I climbed to the top of the Columbia Tower to raise funds and awareness for blood cancers. Achieve my lowest weight in five years in April. Had three deals fall through, that I had been working all of April that was to secure May’s income, all in one week: the last week of April. Created family dinner with dear friends on Thursday nights. Facing the fear of how to provide for myself and my children as a separation was not in the business plan. I welcomed two new cousins to our family. Allowed myself to trust my gut and walk away from a project despite the potential of it being a HUGE payday. Was asked to hold, carry, and co-create the vision of WakeUPgirl. Watched my best guy ride on his first big boy bike with training wheels. Attended a conference with attendees were all there with the commonality of wanting to make the world a better place and living our passions in a conventional world and being responsible for me being a leader within that community. Walked barefoot through the grass at 2:30am by myself. I have stayed within North America for an entire year. I found closure in my marriage and have nothing but gratitude for the role that he played in my life. Navigating how to continue relationships with my step-children. I now have two amazing women that I call sisters and a business partner that I am beyond honored to roll with. I am deepening my relationships with my girlfriends and am creating some of the most fulfilling relationships in my life.

I am looking back and seeing just how incredible this past year has been and EVERY one of those events listed above a certain amount of vulnerability was present. I have experienced some peak moments this year- and I have also felt the most vulnerable as well. There have been some of the ugliest moments since I can’t remember when this past year. I have shared my heart with folks and allowed them to really witness me while going through it- ALL of it. I am talking screaming, throwing, wrestling, questioning everything that I hold to be true. After holding my heart while I balled my eyes out and allowed myself to just be with the fear and uncertainty, they were right by my side to celebrate the successes and watch me soar. To my sister KBW, I love you. I am beyond grateful for who you are in my life.

I’ve been saying it a lot lately: Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, joy, and creativity. You win some and you lose some. And, though the words reacting and creating are physically composed of the same letters, it is what you do with the rest of the stuff that they are made up of that makes all the difference.

Do I have it figured out- No. I don’t think that we ever really do. Nothing is risk free. Nothing. And the perceived securities in life are just that: perceptions. What I did figure out this year was a few of the most valuable lessons that I have yet to learn.

I learned to follow that desire that has been in my belly for years- that one since I was a little girl. When we step into that desire, we are allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, we are stepping into faith. Faith in that desire, faith in ourselves, faith in something larger than we know ourselves to be. And when we step into that faith- things have a way of working out. If something goes not according to how we would have wanted it, then in time we see how that unexpected change of plans actually worked out for our benefit.

I also learned the sole purpose of life. Any of our lives. It is simply to love. Period. It is then up to us as to how we choose to express that love.

And finally, I learned to just.be.

Now that I have reviewed the last year, it is time to get working on what I want to create in my 36th year. Again I will go to glaciated mountains, that are the birthplace of oceans, for my birthday and set my intentions for the coming year among friends.

]]><![CDATA[Integrity: Priceless]]>Tue, 17 May 2011 18:20:55 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/05/integrity-priceless.html

Integrity- it is a funny, funny concept. If you have been following my writing, then you know that I like to start out with a definition of the subject matter. And this time will be no different. I like to get us off on the same page. So here we go:

Integrity:

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.

3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

It has also been said that without integrity, nothing works. Let’s take a look at that. A bicycle wheel, if the spokes are missing- it doesn’t work so well. Integrity of your word, if it is lacking, no one believes you and your word has no power.

Awhile ago, my word had ZERO integrity. I would lie through my teeth and dare someone to call me out on it. Seriously! Nothing much worse than a brazen liar. If you have known me over the past 6 years or so, this may sound absurd. But let me assure you, there was zero, nada, zilcho. Nothing like now. This was before I understood the immense power that a person’s word wielded and I was being simply forceful. No beuno. At.All. BIG difference between being powerful and forceful. Over the years, I started to have the experience of the power of my word…when I kept it. I then took on a deep meaningful relationship with my word. If I said it, then I made damn sure that I delivered it- come hell or high water. This also caused me to be careful to just what I gave my word to as well. I wanted others to know that if I said it, then it must be true. They could count on me. It was about this time that I began to understand accountability as being count-on-able. Neither concept is easy to execute. It takes time. It takes commitment. It takes love. It takes grace. And, you will fail at this. You cannot do it 100% of the time. We are still human after all. But what we can do is considerably decrease the fail rate.

A couple of tricks for you kiddies at home…if something isn’t working, look to see where integrity is out. And if you know that something is lacking integrity- you better not expect to work somehow anyhow. That is where I found myself at yesterday.

I had a beautiful project fall into my lap recently. It had just about everything that I could have wanted: room to stretch into the position, challenge, glitz, an opportunity to make the world a better place with the work that was being done, and the promise of a fabulous payday. Everything that I had said that I wanted to be about…yup…it was there. Everything but one thing: integrity. But it didn’t occur for me like that at first.

I was in love with the project and yet every time that I would get close to it, my gut would have red flags popping up all over it. I checked myself to see if this was because it was larger than anything that I had ever done; if the knot in my stomach was self doubt. I spent time meditating on it, seeking wisdom from my advisors; even looking back on how my unique skills would blow anyone else away that was being considered for this position. I knew that I had this one in the bag. I was ready. Like, really ready. Yet there was that pang inside when we would talk about budgets, contracts, and time frame.

Now, I am a passionate supporter of there being more than one way to skin a cat (figuratively of course), and there are still some things that need to follow a particular flow, path, etc. You could look at this as integrity of the life cycle of a project. Sure it would have an organic flow to it…and there still needed to be a foundation built first.

Major lesson learned: if the foundation isn’t built with integrity, NOTHING will be sustainable.

So yesterday I had to make a choice. I could no longer ignore my gut. I either needed to be all in, or all out. I would have needed to answer to my team that I brought on. And with a question in my heart, I could not lead them with the best of my ability. I bowed out from what had the potential to be a huge win…and what could have possibly ruined me, any chance for my business, and the team that I would have created as well as their families that were depending on them.

And here I am. I risked big. During the month of April, I had three deals that I was lining up for May’s income fall through- all in one week. Then, I had this project fall into my lap that I thought would catch me back up and set me up for the rest of the year. And I chose to walk away from it, knowing that I am financially not well for the next couple of months but staying true to myself: Maintaining my integrity. So since I risked big, does that mean that I now lost big? Nah. It’s just money. I may need to humble myself and talk to my landlord, but still know who I am. My integrity and dignity are still intact. And just so that you know, they’re not for sale. Not even for all stars in Hollywood.

*Now accepting random acts of kindness and side work ;-)

]]><![CDATA[Detroit Nation: Seattle]]>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:56:47 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/04/detroit-nation-seattle.html

You are a Detroiter now living in Seattle. You believe that if it takes a village to raise a child, then it will take a nation to raise a city. You look at the city of Detroit and see opportunity, a blank canvas to create whatever you can imagine and fulfill that desire that has been burning in your belly for so many years. You just want to make a difference, some way, some how. We have an opportunity of a lifetime to witness a city redefine itself. Join me in being a part of it.

My name is Angie Bryant, a Detroiter living in Seattle, and I am proud to be setting up the Seattle chapter of Detroit Nation. I am looking for folks to join me in creating the leadership team that will be creating an impact that will be felt 2,345 miles away.

Detroit Nation (formerly 635 Mile) is a national grassroots organization dedicated to improving the flow of funds, ideas and energy between native Detroiters now living elsewhere and our hometown. Our focus issues are those that make the Detroit area a more vibrant and viable place to live: economic development, job creation and cultural innovation. Our original name, 635 Mile, referenced our New York founders’ feeling that while they are 635 miles away, they are still a part of the Detroit landscape. Our new name highlights what the spread of Detroit natives across the country has truly made us: a Detroit Nation. Detroit Nation chapters are now active in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

By creating events throughout the year to take place here in Seattle, we will not only build our Detroit Nation community locally but we will change the conversations being had about our beloved D. We will be showcasing emerging artists, neighborhood projects, and whatever great things that are happening in the city. Through conversations being started, anything is possible in community; even redefining a city.

So just what am I looking for in a leadership team? A strong desire to make a difference and knowing that anything is possible. We will be organizing events, community outreach, keeping an ear to the ground and knowing the good word of what is going on in Detroit, and maintaining a commitment to our hometown. Contact me and let's talk about what we are going to create.

Erik Proulx, film producer of Lemonade: Detroit, summed it up so nicely on a billboard getting ready to go up. He said "What Detroit has no census can measure."

]]><![CDATA[A message from Matthew- the Corporate Renegade Copy Messaging Strategist]]>Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:47:35 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/04/a-message-from-matthew-the-corporate-renegade-copy-messaging-strategist.html
I was going through my emails this morning, and typically I weed through them and delete a bunch without actually reading them. There are a few though, that I actually read- besides from clients of course. I read those who share similar biz/life philosophies that I hold. So today, I am sharing with you an article from Mr. Matthew from Corporate Renegade Copy

Prelude to a Renegade

This is for all the rejects, the flunkies, the has-been's, the hacks, those "too clever for their own good," the under achievers, the peeps who listened (and still are listening to) that schmuck at their job or in their life who tells them they can't truly do what they want, and anyone else just yearning to let out their inner renegade and open up a can of whoop-ass on their life.

Let's backtrack. This is how my life used to be:

Every morning I would lie in bed, unable to force myself to get up. A mixture of dread and depression. Knowing that I hated what I was doing everyday yet addicted to the lofty pay check I received every two weeks.

By 27, I had achieved a goal that I thought was unattainable: I had made a six figure salary, something my dad never did in his lifetime.

Beyond the satisfaction of my elevated tax bracket, I didn't feel much at all. Actually, I was more frustrated that the only way to maintain this lifestyle was by staying in a job I hated for a company I hated even more. And after being stuck in this rut for quite some time, I watched as my creativity withered away until I became the type of person I despised: A kiss ass that would agree with a higher-up director simply based on their job title, even when I knew they were wrong.

Every morning I woke up feeling as though a small piece of me was dying.

I knew there was something else for me to do with my life but didn't know what to do.

So I swallowed it down, got out of bed, found ways to emotionally numb myself and then go to work.

Why am I telling you this? Because if you're reading this then the odds are that you either have felt this way at some point in your life or you feel this way now. You know that hopelessness of feeling stuck in your situation. Of knowing there is something else out there, something you're really great at and love to do, but at the same time feel so beat down you're not sure where to begin. Literally. The thought of doing something you want is so scary it is paralyzing.

I understand you because I was there. And I also know that there is a way out.

This post is simply your permission slip. Permission to give into all your crazy wild biz ideas. Permission to know that just because no one has yet been able to achieve what you want doesn't mean it's a bad idea. It just means it's your chance to do it first.

If your friends, family or loved ones think your nuts, that's awesome.

Congrats! You're officially a Renegade.

I just want to end with this: Don't let anyone ask you to sacrifice your life for their ideals. I promise if you died tomorrow, you would regret it.

This is the time where the freaks inherit the earth.
This is Renegade Country.
Giddy up.

Now Get Writing.

-Matthew

WOW! SO now that you are inspired to get into action, take a look at my Hire Me page and see just how I can support you in taking steps to actualize those crazy ideas! Life is too damn short- get to it.

]]><![CDATA[Her Name Was Lola]]>Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:01:06 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/04/her-name-was-lola.html

I recently created a workshop on Being Your Sexy Self and the inaugural series is completing this Wednesday. It is all about being your sexy self in ALL area of your life and having that brilliance shine.

So natural, when I saw a post from a friend in beautiful British Columbia, I needed to share it with you! Just following this little linky link to get at taste of Sandi Amorim
as she introduces you to your Lola.

And if you missed the workshop series this time around, well Honey, I've got you covered. I had so much fun with it that I am going to be running it again shortly!

]]><![CDATA[There'll Be Days Like This- and You're Not Alone]]>Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:16:06 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/03/therell-be-days-like-this-and-youre-not-alone.htmlWe left the rat race in the cubicle maze and we sought freedom. We left to blaze trails and create the games ourselves to ensure that we win- whatever the hell winning means anyhow. We left with nothing more than a burning desire in our heart and maybe a month’s pay in our bank account. And here we are…

I can hear the voice in my head singing, “Mama said there’ll be days like this. There be days like this my mama said (Mama said, mama said)”. Well, I’m not sure who's mama they’re talking about by I know my mama didn’t say anything about days quite like these! Then I think about if ANYONE has said that there’d be days like this. Nope. Not like this.

So I’m here to tell you- “There WILL be days like this”.

There will be days when you question everything that you have done thus far. Whether it be in the name of your business, your brand, your love, or even what you thought was for your ‘sanity’. You will question whether or not this venture was even viable in the first place. You will wonder if you ever knew anything about business at any point in time, ‘cause it sure as hell seems like you don’t know anything about it right at this very moment. You will even question who’s bright idea this was in the first place.

This life that we live is, in fact, quite amazing. The education that is obtained is subpar to none. We learn more about ourselves, and our world, in one year than an entire graduate degree. We get to be self expressed in the world and we see the human element being expressed in ways never imagined at times. Miracles? Yeah sure- typically a couple everyday. But still, there is this madness of sort. No matter the miracles that we create, we still question things.

So while I am here to tell you that there will be days like this, I am also here to say that those days will pass. Just as soon as you get a whiff of what brought you here in the first place, the madness will dissipate. As you are in the thick of questioning whether or not to go get a J-O-B and give up on this dream of yours, my wish is that you get a card or call from someone that you have influenced to do something bigger than they knew themselves to be: acknowledging you for who you are in the world.

Just in case you don’t get that card in the mail, please allow me. You are courageous. You are bold. You do not wait for success, you go on without it. You strive for something different than ordinary. You live your life with a different set of ideals. You long to make our world a better place. You take risks in following your heart’s desires and live a life with few regrets: For regrets lie not in the things that we have done, but rather the chances that we were too afraid to take.

Know that, despite how little others speak of it, you are not alone. You are not the only one that feels like you are just one step from losing everything. You are not the only one that questions themselves. You are not the only one who cries after everyone has gone to bed so that they won’t think that you are not brave. And, you are not alone in wanting to fulfill your heart’s desires anyway.

]]><![CDATA[International Womens Day ]]>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:18:00 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/03/international-womens-day.htmlEvery time throughout history we can say that “These are interesting times that we live in” and it is sure to be quite accurate. This time, we are redefining feminism and weighing its impact on our world. Look around you and then listen. Listen to how the conversation has changed.

Let me go back, not so far, to the early nineties. I had just enlisted in the US Navy and bootcamp was interesting- to say the very least. I already had a sense of determination and drive that was strong to say the least. I wanted to prove to myself that I was enough and that I could do this. It was not enough for me just to thrive in bootcamp; I wanted to train to be an aircrewman as well. Basically, that meant getting up even earlier than my company and running drills and long runs with the men with the possibility of going on to Aircrew school after Basic. I fell behind on a run, once. We had been running seven minute miles, for several miles, and I was exhausted. My feet and shins were killing me. I couldn’t keep pushing the speed that I hadn’t been accustomed to. With my feet screaming at me and my shins splintering a little more with each step, the company commander ordered the men to literally run circles around me while I continued to run. He ordered them to run circles around the Female. You see, as Female, I was less. I needed to be compensated for. I was a liability. I was also determined. I learned that I needed to be better in order to be viewed as an equal. I needed to prove that I was worthy just to be with them. It was something that my male counterparts assumed in each other that I had to prove on a near daily basis. I needed to outperform in ways just to be enough.

Enough. Funny concept, eh? We are enough only when we say that we are, really. By the end of bootcamp, I had completed the pre-aircrew school physical training and I was in the best shape of my life. I could carry my own weight and then some. The guys knew that they could count on me in the same capacity as their brothers and I was no longer referred to as Female. I was so much more than that lesser label. I was now Bitch. A strong bitch. A take care of business bitch. A head bitch. Not only that but an alpha bitch. A you can count on me for anything bitch, and still make that shit look good. Off to my first set of orders…

I was the first woman Navywide doing the job that I had. I was an aviation electrician and my specialty was supporting the navigation system for an anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Not that it is was really a big deal- it was just a position that had historically been held my men as it had to do with subs. In addition to that, I would go wherever I was needed. If there weren’t any components to work on, I could easily find myself in powerplants working on wiring harnesses of an aircraft engine. In this position, I learned how to make it “in a man’s world”. I started to deny even more of my womanly attributes and behave more like a man. I learned how to dominate. I learned how to be forceful. I learned how to win- because I sure as hell wasn’t going to lose. I learned how to focus so intently that nothing else in the world mattered at that particular moment. I even learned how to bring a sister down and not want her to succeed instead of me. I had hacked the hard wiring of a man and took it on as my own.

Over the years, I have been learning about the power natural to women. None of the aforesaid attributes are innately bad on their own. They are just not feminine qualities. They date back to when our men needed to hunt or be hunted and for survival of their people. Some folks still think that this type of behavior is necessary. Take a look to the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Listen to the conversations that are being had about what it is that women contribute. You start hearing words like natural contributors, collaborators, thrives in pleasure, multitaskin’ muthas, and a love so fierce - like nothing else known to man.

If you want to change the world, on a profound level, you don’t need to go anywhere to make a difference. Just start by loving the women in your life and acknowledging them for who they are for you. Let her know that she is enough. Let her know that there is nothing there for her to prove. There is only the natural power that already exists within her for her to step into.

With your love and support, we will change the world. You have this woman’s word on it.

***Understand that I have no ill regard for our US Miltary or the service members that I had the honor of serving with. I respect and honor those who have gone before me, those serving our country now, and the men and women who will continue to serve in the future.

]]><![CDATA[Yup. Even the presumed fearless is scared to death sometimes.]]>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:36:43 GMThttp://ternionresults.com/1/post/2011/02/yup-even-the-presumed-fearless-is-scared-shitless-sometimes.htmlAs business owners, we face a tremendous amount of concern, worry, risk, and it all boils down to fear. Folks sometimes see us as being fearless, big risk takers, or even sometimes reckless. Lord knows that I have been described as those several times. Please know that we do feel fear. We do get restless and wonder "Will this work?"- especially when there aren't any back up plans. And sometimes, the lack of backup plans is the catalyst for us having the perspective that "It's just got to work!".

Just like every other human being on this planet, I experience fear. Over the years I have found ways to manage it so that it doesn't manage me; however, there are still things in this worked that scares me to death. If you have followed I'm Not Weighting Anymore, then you know that I had to deal with a great deal of fear about facing my weight for the first time in a public forum. For most of us, a huge amount of our fears are all wrapped up inside of The Fear of Looking Bad.

So last night I was awaken by my lil guy who had an accident in the middle of the night. After I got him cleaned up and back into warm jammies, I slid back into bed with my mind suddenly racing, churning, rolling, tugging and pulling this way and that. All that was on my mind was "How am I going to do this?".

Back story: My husband and I are separating and the kids and I are moving out. No drama involved and what drama is there is at a minimum at best. I have only recently jettisoned my good corporate job and my current income can not sustain us. I am going to have to be manifesting like a mo' fo'.

Fast forward back this morning at 2:30am . It looked a little something like this --> What am I doing? How stupid am I? I mean, there isn't even a back up plan in place, Ang. Maybe I can do this, maybe I can do that. Stop it. You are coming from a place of scarcity and nothing good come from that. But what if no one likes it or buys it? What if I don't put food on the table? What if, what if, what if?

What if I don't? Then I don't. But what if I do? I remembered Dyana Valentine's video about surviving. I remind myself about what I say about failure and instead of asking what if I fail, what if I don't.

When we are in this space, it is crucial that we find love for ourselves. We need to allow ourselves grace to make a few mistakes and give ourselves permission in many areas. Danielle LaPorte just published this today and it was just what I needed (funny, that was also the case with Dyana'a video). It will be ok that my lil guy sleeps with me until I get him his own bed. It is perfect that we will be eating on paper plates for a bit until I get a new set. And it is even alright that I don't have a plan cemented for revenue streams at this very moment.

On any given day, in any given moment, something could happen that opens up for you an entirely new path. Be still, be alert, be ready. ~Marianne Williamson

When I spoke of my fear to Mama Gena today, she asked me "What do you DESIRE?" I answered that I desire for my business to THRIVE. See, when I win, you win. And when you win, I win. It stimulates a thriving community that is brought on by full self expression.

I do hope that whatever fears that you may have that don't make yourself wrong for having them. You are human. And as a human being, your sole purpose here on Earth is to love. Period. So get busy loving yourself and allowing yourself some grace. I'm gonna start looking at how I can express my love for my community through my work and make our world a better place.

Danielle, Dyana, Marianne, and Mama, thank you for unknowingly guiding me.
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