Who Runs the World...Women Who Dream

Courage is the ability to connect with another human and share our truth. I discuss this in the book and live it weekly on socials.  If we take a step back and evaluate our lives, it is in the moments of connection that yield the keys forward, unlocking healing, learning, growth, resources, and, ultimately, our next steps toward a better life. The value of our connections are predicated on honesty and a willingness to be seen. 

I made a promise years ago, after cancer, to be courageous and live a life I was proud of. This includes opening myself up, connecting, releasing my judgements, and letting others see me. What others think of me, of course, is none of my business, but I go to sleep a little lighter knowing that my experiences are being used as resources for others. I am here to remind you that our stories have the ability to heal and our truth is our power. 

How can the same story sound different? Well, listen for yourself. These conversations are with three incredible women and each one captures a unique point. AND!!! Remember the “choose our own adventure” books when we were younger? Listen to the podcast with the phrase that resonates with you most: 

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This is a nourishing conversation and a new one. Instead of going back to how I built the life I am living now, we start from where I am today. This is an honest dialogue between two dear friends with an exciting announcement towards the end. 

I have known Brittany Driscoll of the Girlfriends and Business podcast for a few years. She cohosts the show along with Drybar founder Alli Webb and Lite Pink founder Lori Harder, which is a must-listen and one of the top business podcasts on the charts today. Brittany is the cofounder and CEO of Squeeze, is a top tier entrepreneur - and I am proud to call her my friend. Our conversation is honest; we laughed, dropped a few F-bombs, and most importantly we discussed the days that followed the book release. This conversation is important to me because it is safe and I really open up about the sensitivities that follow completing a dream. I don’t think many people discuss this and I am. Take a listen if you want to feel like you’re at the table with us dreaming, sharing, and supporting.

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Do you ever cross paths with someone for the first time and instantly sense a connection? I am grateful for these kismet moments. For me, these are little signs we are on the right path. It was an honor to have such a fun and transparent conversation with the sensational Aliza Licht of the Leave Your Mark podcast. 

We discuss everything from gymnastics to Michael Angelo, to the days of living in operating rooms to my visualization ritual that has helped me achieve my wildest dreams. If you are wanting an expansive conversation into visualization, then this is a conversation for you. Tune in to listen and start thinking about how you want to leave your mark!

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I feel like this has been the theme of my life and if you are at the “I am not sure'' phase - or the “I am paralyzed with fear” phase - this is the podcast for you. This is an honest glimpse into how I built my career, with all the life pivots and waking up from autopilot, with a fellow creative Caylie Lane of The Life and Style podcast.

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Expansive conversations are a companion to us during tough times and they also can breathe new life into our day. To listen to a few more vulnerable conversations, feel free to click through below: 

1. If you need a light filled pick me up. . .
   Listen to my conversation with Mallory Ervin on her Living Fully podcast. 

2. If you want to incorporate more mental wellness and self-care. . .
   Listen to my conversation with Alex Elle on her Hey Girl Podcast. 

3. If you need additional support and comfort  with your own life pivots and courage. . .
   Listen to my conversation with Julie Soloman on The Influencer Podcast.

4. If you want an honest conversation about religion, politics, and everything unplanned for while sitting with us over a glass of wine at dinner. . .
   Listen to a grounded dialogue between friends with Elsie Larson on her A Beautiful Mess Podcast. 

5. If you want to learn how I protect my energy and you can too. . .
   Listen to a loving conversion with Caroline Hobby on her Get Real Podcast.

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Thrive Global | Alyssa Rosenheck’s Tips to Creating Wellness Stations at Home

Who has hit a wall? I think we all have to be honest. These are the times to dig deep and do the internal work. These are the moments to slow down and this is a simple reminder to pause. An indicator of hope is how one can maintain internal peace while transitioning through turbulent times. While we are within the four walls of our home, doing the best we can, I am inspired to share a sense of reprieve from the unknowns and offer a new way to attach meaning to our space. This is about being intentional and dedicating space to live in, to love in, to learn in and to grow in - highlighted in my new coffee table book out this fall, The New Southern Style - A Lifestyle and Design Book. By doing this, we are able to bolster the energy empowering us to show up; it begins within us and starts at home. Below, I am walking you through how we can incorporate wellness into our space to yield more peace, productivity and organization. 

Set up wellness stations at home. 

Working from home is not new for me. In order for us to maximize our output,  we have to re-imagine our everyday spaces and reassign meaning to create not just literal space, but also emotional and mental space for ourselves. Co-opt a few spots at home as “Wellness Stations” —  literal places in your home to find a sense of peace and calm. Here’s how your space can reflect a schedule for wellness: 

• Morning Wellness Station: The Shower.

  Water soothes most of my needs. It is a source of renewal and in our day-to-day lives, a reminder for stillness. I encourage waking up early to give yourself quiet time in the shower to start the day off with an intention. A few questions to get going are: How do I want to feel today? How am I going to show up for myself today and for the world around me?

• Afternoon Wellness Station: The Outdoors.

  Go for a walk. Take time over lunch to connect with the sun, the clouds and the wind. Even taking a moment to rest by a window can reveal simple splendors — natural light, the details of winter transforming to spring, birds singing. 

• Evening Wellness Station: Tub Time.

  Carving out time for a bath is a sacred way to take stock in the day. This stillness yields awareness of what was working during the day and where we need to pivot. Taking this time to recharge along with a mindful meditation is one step closer to a good night's rest and optimizes your effectiveness for a brand new day ahead. 

Create a schedule: Time Management vs Energy Management.

Over the years, I have had time to fine tune the levers of my schedule to accommodate two growing businesses, speaking engagements, managing a team, and writing my first book. I discovered the vital force behind our effectiveness is the quality of our energy. I am a firm believer in energy management over time management.  Working from my home studio is normal when I am not traveling for clients; however, due to the current #socialdistancing climate, we are all adjusting to new characters and new schedules adding complexity to a new normal. Husbands are at home, moms suddenly have kids 24/7, remote learning is taking place, and domestic responsibilities have increased (and are hopefully being shared!).

More than ever, it’s critical to manage our energy, to be innovative with a new schedule and to be forgiving with ourselves. It’s about a flexible approach. Develop a loose schedule that not only prioritizes family and work, but also provides for conscious media consumption with an equal amount of space to unplug. And finally – let yourself do something new! 

Do something new.

I recently did this by incorporating my husband, Ben, into my creative space on social media. He is a highly trained head and neck surgeon, and, after finding myself overwhelmed ciphering through the rapidly changing news everyday, I noticed I felt much calmer hearing it from his (scientifically-trained) perspective. So I decided to share that with my New Southern community, and now our nightly Q+As on Instagram Stories not only helps us to stay on top of news and share unbiased data with others, but also brings us and others together. 

Whatever it looks like for you and your household, now is the time to tap into creativity as a resource. Here are a few ideas to explore:

• Art Therapy.

  This can look like anything from picking up a paintbrush to simply picking some greenery on your afternoon walk to arrange in a vase. 

• Cook with intention and INTUITION.

  A tradition as old as time, cooking is a way to show love and nourish relationships around the table. 

• Create a dedicated reading space.

  Steal a throw or some pillows from somewhere else in your home and break out the good candles. Get cozy! 

• Create a dedicated meditation space.

  Carve out a corner that cues your body and mind to slow down when you’re in it – wherever it may be.  

• Start a book club.

  My friend Allison Moorer, an Academy and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, is taking it virtual on Instagram daily, reading and highlighting passages out of noteworthy, soulful reads. She is curating accompanying playlists weekly as well. Take a note from Allison’s Instagram and start supporting artists and authors. A few books I recommend starting out with: Blood by Allison Moorer, Vibrate Higher Daily by Lalah Delia, You Are Enough by Panache Desai, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, or Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.

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March 2020 | Alyssa Rosenheck Shares How to Actively Support Women this month and every day with Forbes!

The theme this month is highlighting ways women can support one another. I was recently included in Forbes and I am honored to share my thoughts below. This is a daily reminder of courage, truth, unity, equality, representation, being brave and showing up when times are hard!! 

Madeleine Albright said it best: “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.”  Which leads me to my sentiment - let’s stop getting in the way of another woman’s success and be part of her community.

I have personally witnessed both sides of this coin, to the point that on some days, this “special place” has a DMV style line wrapped around the door. However, I also see how simple acts of support for our female comrades can really change the trajectory for all involved. So, in honor of International Women’s Day (and the women in my life), let’s explore how to champion one another this month and every month moving forward.

To me, this is a mind-body-soul approach: a holistic strategy with actionable steps for women to support one another in all arenas and especially in business. Xx - AR

VERBAL

THE POWER OF WORDS

Words have power– deep, lasting forward moving power. How are you using your words? To uplift, champion, strengthen, and encourage another woman? The best way to find out is to look within. Decisions, actions, words, feelings–they all can be traced down to two things: fear or love. And when it’s love, our words are supportive, abundant, encouraging, idea generating and it is life giving...and the more you give, the more you get. So before you open your mouth (or take to your keyboard), pause to check in. Are these words coming from a place of fear or love?  How can you use words–spoken, typed, sung, written, or otherwise–to energetically uplift, INCLUDE, and empower another woman or sisterhood?

DIG DEEPER THAN CANCEL CULTURE & KNOCK THE GOSSIP

How many conversations do you have that are centered around gossip concerning other women? The idea that nothing bonds women faster than a shared enemy is a detrimental trope and social crutch. The only good thing about gossip? It helps us see clearly what relationships are toxic and surface-level. In my experience, healthier relationships are directly correlated to conversations centering around dreams, showing up for one another, what showing up means to the relationship, and the future visions we have for life. I also unfollow accounts who are using their social media platforms to hurt, disparage, or negatively bring attention to another woman.

Let’s start initiating confidence-building conversations around goals, ideas, and creativity. This is what The New Southern is all about – sharing light and following our creativity as a path to greater connection, community and  to one another. Then: don’t aid and abet the trash-talk. In the end, no one wins, especially women as a whole. Embody the empathy and compassion you’d like to see by saying, “Let’s reach out to her, let’s see what we can do.” There’s never one side to the story. Make space for another woman to share hers.

Speak Up | SHOW UP

We all have a platform. It doesn’t matter the size, it only matters how we use our voice, The New Southern is a place where we are humanizing our differences through the lens of creativity. It is a space documenting how all sorts of creative tools tell us we are more alike than different. Look for ways to get involved with your community. What is currently breaking your heart? - start there to heal our way forward at a local level. Our differences are not meant for us to revert back to our tribes - we need to remember we are part of one big human family. Lead with content of your character and ensure we all have a seat at the table. Xx

Financial

FINANCIALLY FORWARD

The first thing you can do for other women is to  be financially independent yourself and share what you learn. Start by initiating conversations about money, whether it’s salary, investment, real estate, day rates, passive income, retirement, goals, fair compensation, wealth management, taxes, or ANY other area of your financial picture you want. (Even the nitty-gritty of billing, particularly for entrepreneurs and creatives alike!) For every conversation you have about fashion, or emotions, or life, or love, or work, or business, how many do you have about finance? Keep financial topics at the top of the list, because much like life pivots, it’s important for those who have gone through it to share their experience. Together, we get to rewrite the script when it comes to women and finance. Here are some resources to get started:

• Ellevest
  An investment platform for and by women (with an excellent online magazine and newsletter). 

• Vimvest
  An app that helps you save, invest, and/or give, so you can customize and optimize your financial goals and strategy.

• Clever Girl Finance
  An educational resource that takes the form of a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, and even courses you can take. (Plus, give them a follow on Instagram for a little antidote to the swipe-ups encouraging you to spend.) 

• $he Spends
  A radical, inclusive resource that harnesses the power of community to strengthen women’s financial futures. They emphasize “fostering community, rather than competition” and “call in > call out” with their private Facebook group.
  

SHOP, SHARE & SUPPORT FEMALE BUSINESSES

1. Shop: Get to know your community! Explore local, women-owned business and make them your go-to.

2. Share: Word of mouth is powerful. When you find something good–let people know.

3. Support: Use your own platform to shed light on women who are inspiring you. This can take so many forms: from something simple like a #FollowFriday on social media, to hosting pop-ups and artist residencies, to large-scale campaign collaborations. For me, support means looking for ways to use my own platform and voice to champion other women, shed light on those who inspire me and be a resource in the community.

RELATIONAL

TURN CONFLICT INTO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT

Dig in beyond the initial knee-jerk reactions. Both parties must look within to see and understand their own triggers, motivations, insecurities, and strengths, which makes it easier to look across the aisle with compassion. Perhaps there’s more in common there than you realized? Perhaps the person is a mirror for further healing needing to take place. This kind of empathy paves the way for diplomacy, negotiation, and compromise, and in the end, a strengthened bond. Women can move mountains, build cities, start initiatives together when we hold each other accountable in soft, compassionate, and unprejudiced ways.

How to cultivate these skills? Self awareness - journaling, meditation, therapy, and alignment practices will all reveal the best path forward starting with ourselves and others.

ACTIVELY ASK

Take the guesswork out of the heart work.  Whether you’re ending or starting a conversation with another woman, simply ask: “How can I best support you?” and then show up.

Join the Movement. For more soul-sparking stories from The New Southern along with upcoming book tour dates and speaking engagements, sign up for my newsletter!

Thrive Global | Alyssa Rosenheck’s Tips to Counteract Burnout with Creativity

I am thrilled to be sharing a few personal tips with Arianna Huffington’s new site Thrive Global. Starting a new decade on a high note is one thing, maintaining our healthy mindset throughout the year is another. Let’s discuss ways to bypass burnout, corporate comas, and good ole autopilot to set ourselves up for success this year and many more decades to come. I speak from experience. Before becoming a creative entrepreneur, my corporate background involved two Fortune 100 companies in intense sales positions where vacations and dialogues of healthy habits were often overlooked for 80 hour work weeks. Ensuring the corporate bottom line came at a personal price. Today, I am sharing my universal tips to counteract burnout while yielding creative connection and maximum well-being. Investing in yourself and your mindset will result in the ultimate ROI.

ONE | Prevention is predicated on self-awareness

How do we achieve self-awareness? This involves a daily practice of being both objective and present with what we are feeling and how we are experiencing the world around us. Being honest about our emotional check ins helps us understand if we are on the right path, where we need to pivot and what we can personally improve. Great tools to help us identify our self-awareness are journaling, breathing techniques, guided meditations and simple questions.

“How am I feeling”
“What are my needs in this current moment?”
“Am I fulfilled?”
“What do I need to incorporate or limit to achieve a state of internal fulfillment?”

TWO | Creativity connects

One of the quickest ways to feel connected to ourselves and others is through creativity. Creativity revitalizes the human spirit, connects us to our heart equity and exposes our passions. When we look at life or problems through the lens of creativity we immediately restore a sense of childlike wonder and open ourselves up to creative possibilities, solutions and shifting our energy to that of positivity. I am a firm believer that when we connect to our creativity, our purpose shortly follows along with our community.

Three | The power of Visualization

How many of us feel restricted by our current set of circumstances? I have been there and have raised my hand to this. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with cancer, did I begin to surrender to something greater than myself. I lived an entire decade prior being ruled by my current set of circumstances, living paycheck to paycheck in the corporate world while giving away my personal power. There wasn’t room for me to dream, there wasn’t space for my femininity within the male dominated industries, and I was operating from a place of fear. Going through cancer allowed me to switch the script and start visualizing the life I wanted to create for myself and for my family. Cancer at the time was an external event that awakened internal choices creating a new life and new reality for myself. On a daily basis, visualize the life you want for yourself - feel the emotions that come with feeling internally fulfilled. Visualize what you want your life to look like from a 50,000 view and then reverse engineer what you want your weeks/days to look and feel like. Visualize being greater than your current set of circumstances and follow these intentions with small actions. When we start shifting our mindset coupled with action is when change and transformation happens.

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