She Speaks | A Let Her Speak Podcast
She Speaks | A Let Her Speak Podcast
Never Going to Not Dance Again with Angelee Day & Bonnie Casamassima
When you listen to today’s new episode of the She Speaks Podcast, you’ll be reminded that you’re not the only one who feels they can't be their full-selves sometimes. In this episode, we hear from Let Her Lead aspiring leader graduate, Angelee Day, and her mentor, Bonnie Cassimassima.
These women have a lot to say about what it’s like to feel like you’re too excited, too emotional, or too much of anything to fit into certain spaces, especially in the corporate world.
Their conversation dives into how they worked through embracing their big personalities, the importance of nurturing a relationship with their passion and curiosity, connecting to and trusting your intuition, and the power that comes with giving yourself permission to be YOU.
Be sure to listen to the very end of the episode, where Angelee shares her legacy statement about not making yourself smaller, for anyone or anything, and how important it is to dance to the beat of your own drum. *Sparkle, sparkle, jazz hands*
About Season 2 of the She Speaks Podcast:
Throughout Season 2 we will be featuring the graduates and mentors/coaches in our first cohort of the Let Her Lead program. Each woman you will hear from throughout this season embarked on a 12-week journey in late 2023 to gain new skills and insights to become the leader SHE wants to be.
__________
Connect with Angelee:
Connect with Angelee on LinkedIn
Connect with Bonnie:
Connect with Bonnie on LinkedIn
Learn More About Bonnie
How to Connect with Let Her Speak:
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Thank You to:
Our sponsor partners: Schaad Companies & Knoxville Entrepreneur Center
Our producer & theme music composer: Travis Tench of Oak Hill Audio
Our brand designer: Maranda Vandergriff of Vagabondary
Our photographers: Javon Renee Portraits, Smoke Signal Photography, Ashley Gurley Photography, and Kara Hudgens Photography
Have any questions, comments, or want to connect more with the Let Her Speak community? Contact us at hello@letherspeakusa.org
You're listening to She Speaks, a Let Her Speak podcast that celebrates women's fearlessness, resiliency, and readiness to change the world. Welcome back to the latest episode of the She Speaks series.
If you are just joining us for the first time, time, my name is Catherine Porth and I am the founder of Let Her Speak. And throughout this second season of our podcast, you're not going to hear a lot from me.
We're actually interviewing and having the women who graduated from Let Her Lead interview their mentor and their coach that they were matched up with throughout the program. So,
in this episode, you're going to be hearing from Angelee Day and Bonnie Casamassima, too. two incredible women who really open up about the topic of not being afraid of being yourself,
especially when yourself can be a bit too much for others. And if you're listening and nodding your head right now that you feel like you have to tamper down on your full personality,
you can't be too excited, you can't be too emotional, you can't be too much of anything, and a lot of spaces spaces that you walk into this episode is definitely going to speak to you.
So let's turn it over to Angie and Bonnie and listen into their discussion of being true to yourself, not being afraid to be too much, and showing up just as you are.
Well, I'm super curious, I'm super excited to be here with you, Angie. Thank you so much for being here with us today, and thank you so much for being here with us today. I know we talked about a little bit before recording, if there were any ahas with your experience going throughout the program.
Well, at least with our relationship between me and you, when you shared your story about which at some point in this conversation, I want you to share it again about how your previous work versus how you came to now and meditating and how it brought you where you are now and how you kind of felt suffocated before I resonated with that and such.
a deep level. I'm like, oh no, this, this mentorship was meant to be for sure. But one of the really simple aha moments when I was writing my bio for the program, I wrote out the words something along the lines of even though dance will never,
will no longer be a part of my life, it'll always have a special place in my heart. And those words, it's no longer going to be a part of my life, like just killed me. I'm like, no. that's like the biggest part of me,
like literally, figuratively, all these things. And it devastated me when I read those words. Poor Catherine, I asked her to revise my bio like 48 times in the first three weeks.
But that was one of those weirdly key moments that I was like, I cannot give up that part of me. I'm only 35. I still have, well, 60, 70 years to dance in this life.
What am I thinking? I'm going to say that ever again. - Yeah. - And it just kind of snowballed into ideas and things and metaphorically and literally that just kind of woke me up a little bit,
but anyway. - Absolutely, that was awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. What was that like, like going through that aha moment, just kind of the emotions that you felt,
just out of curiosity? - Um, well, it was kind of, ah, let's see. see, what's a good word to describe it, like refreshing, relaxing, what's releasing,
I guess? I feel like I was trying to fit in like a round peg into a square hole for so long. And I hadn't danced in so long in so many ways and things that I was just like, no,
like why? It was just like a ha moment, this realization that I had stifled that part of me for a long time and I never said it out loud. And then I did. and was like, nope, that's not okay.
Never gonna do that again. It was just very freeing. That's the word I'm looking for. Very freeing and eye -opening and realized I didn't want to settle, I guess. Yeah,
absolutely. How powerful. Thanks so much for sharing. And you know, thinking about, and I know obviously we've been talking, I'm so excited about your speech in a few weeks on on how you've been really looking at listening to what is it that you are wanting to share versus kind of being what you should be based on other people's opinions.
It's been really inspiring to see that come out. Thank you, and you've been a huge help in all of that. The initial autobiography that I wrote that was 30 minutes long and then we needed to trim down to four or five,
six minutes, however long it's been. supposed to be. It's just been amazing. I've appreciated your help so much. - Oh, absolutely. - And you're warmth and you're just your overall intuitiveness has helped me narrow it down so much better.
- Absolutely. It's been awesome being with you in the journey and seeing it and I also want to make sure that you're really looking at, like you did it all. I was happy to be a mirror and reflect, but to really own that,
like you, anytime that there was a revision. revision, it was led by you feeling like, wait a second, this doesn't really articulate who I want to express as me with it.
And so I will receive your compliment. I'm happy to be here with you. And also you did a lot of it. It's all of it. Yeah. That's a really major skill though, being able to be a authentic sounding board and be able to repeat back and echo what I don't know.
I process things out loud. So having somebody that can help me. process that, I didn't realize how much of a skill that was until I didn't have it. And so it's a big deal, like don't discount, it was definitely a team effort.
- Thank you, it is my jam. Like I will say, like my jam of hearing people talk and be like, okay, what, like, it sounds like what you're saying is this or what I'm hearing you saying is this, is that what it is?
Like to see the patterns and all of this different type of information, I get very excited about it. I think that's why I love research. research so much is because you know you're asking millions of questions and then like are there any patterns from this information?
It's pretty cool. - So I'm greedy and I want you to share your story 'cause we haven't talked about it since like our very first meeting together is Mentor and Menti and I just resonated with it so much. So I want it in here so I have it in perpetuity so I can listen to it.
(laughing) - Yeah, I guess in what part in particular or like anything come to mind. mind about it? Your career transition probably was because I was in such a turbulent time career -wise when we first met that it just really helped so much.
Yeah, absolutely. And you're talking about, I'll absolutely share, right? And you're talking about how you had spent so long listening to what you quote -on -quote thought you were supposed to be,
that you had felt like you were disconnected from kind of who you really are. and that's been this journey of really peeling back those layers. I feel like I resonate with that so deeply.
It's a lot of Howard experience and explain my journey. I guess in a nutshell, we can always dive deeper. I had spent many years in the corporate world working within research on how our spaces impact our health our happiness,
our well -being. the specific field is environmental psychology, if you want to nerd out on it later, but basically the psychology of how we experience built environments and architecture.
So looking at things like hospitals, offices, those type of things, how we can design spaces to help people to heal in a faster way. That's amazing. I loved it. I was still very passionate about it.
And then I was fortunate to spend a good amount of time as a professor teaching that and predominantly teaching the research side of things. And so very analytical.
Just to paint the picture, so very analytical. And along the journey, you know, I was working 60, 70 plus hours a week. I loved, I enjoyed what I did,
but I was burning myself out. No life balance. - Yeah, there was no life balance at all. And it was a very, very, I'm a recovering people pleaser. Hello, my name is Bonnie,
I'm a recovering people pleaser. And my friends suggested I start meditating. I just drew reduced stress. And I remember my comment to her was like,
I don't have time to meditate. (laughing) Which is exactly the time we need to meditate. - I said those exact words, yeah. - Yeah. - Yeah, and something about it, the most I could do was like a two minute guided meditation on YouTube.
And I remember running a little conference room during my lunch break one day. I was like, okay, I'll give it a try. And I listened to a guided meditation and something about it just felt so right in my body.
I felt really calm. And I was like, okay, I'll give it a try. didn't know why, but I just kept showing up. You know, I didn't know why I felt that way, but I knew it felt good once we were short.
So that was really a practice that turned into really what it sounds like. A lot of the let her lead program is doing where you're really looking at,
okay, what is it that is wanting to come out from the inside? Who have I been all along? This is a long -winded way to say it. - No such thing. - Yeah. So I kept showing up to my meditation practice and it was daily -ish,
right? I'm human. - Yes. - I'm able to still balance, taking care of two teenagers. Alongs the short, when I need it,
I'm gonna commit to removing that from my vocabulary. (laughing) I know, big stories long, just keep going, I like it. One day during meditation, I was very peaceful and out of nowhere,
I started receiving really, really clear visuals in my mind's eye. It scared the crap out of me at first, but the visual was,
it was almost like a movie screen in my mind, but like I was... dreaming, but I'm awake. And I hope I never forget it because it was a visual of two screens,
like two curtains, and they opened up and then this woman's face, like clear as she was right there with me, they popped in and I remember,
you know, jumping back. out of my seat and like, what was this? And what I now realize is it was my grandmother coming to connect and my intuitive awakening kicked off along that journey.
And yeah, so it's been quite the journey of really not knowing why fully but listening to like,
this just feels. right deep in my bones. This just feels right deep in my body. I couldn't explain why, but meditation felt right. So I kept showing up, right? And so then I was at this really kind of stressful crossroads that was only in my mind.
(laughing) - As the worst ones are. - Oh my gosh. Yeah. You know, I told people now they're like, yeah, that makes so much sense. But at the time I had so much of my identity wrapped up. in being a professor,
so much of my identity. Yes, I get that. Right. And the titles. The titles. The first thing that people ask you is, "What is it that you do?" Yes, exactly. I was like, "Well, that's what I'm passionate about." So I had spent so many years really in this kind of analytical research world that I still love deeply,
but it was very much my identity. And I was at this Crossroads of KMI. KMI and intuitive medium or psychic medium or research professor and both of them felt really right in my body so my good friend at the time she's like Bonnie like why not both?
Yes and it was it's so interesting when you have that you know it's obviously we wanted to try to get that validation from inside ourselves but man -o -man,
is it nice to have it from outside people too that know you really well. - Your person, yeah. - Yeah, it's like, oh yeah, no, I should have seen that. - They get you, they get you, and they ask the right questions. - Yes, they do. - So long as there is,
there is again, oh my goodness. All right. (both laughing) When, so I combined both of those,
and I - said, you know, I really want to, I'm curious about other people's experience connecting with their intuition. So I knew the academic research process, I knew the protocols,
I, you know, it's qualified for all of it. And I said, why not try this project where I'm interviewing people and hearing their journey connecting with their intuition and are there any patterns that emerge?
And I was really impressed. honored to have over 50 people volunteer their time to share their experience. And yeah, it was really powerful getting to hold that space for people.
And shoot, and then, you know, hearing these people's stories was such a sacred experience. I'm getting emotional about it. It's all that feels always-- - We both got emotional the first time you shared it.
Keep going. - Yeah, it's just having the space where I think people felt heard for the first time. - And people need that space. That's not, and they need it, and they're not very often invited into it.
And if they are, they're not comfortable. So that says something about you, that they felt comfortable even coming to you, let alone sharing those things. It's amazing. - Yeah, it was really, it's an honor. And it was incredible.
And then seeing all these different people, but there were people from, around the world that signed up for this and so many similarities between their experiences and these experiences of people where they shared that they felt very alone in their process.
And person after person after person is sharing obviously very unique experiences, but so many similarities with it. it. It was a huge turning point for me in realizing it's like,
"Wow, this is something that needs to be shared more and more," and not only normalized, but people were sharing as they tuned into their intuition more fully.
They felt much more grounded in themselves. They felt like they were more connected as parents. They felt stronger. stronger, they felt like they were stronger leaders. They felt more aligned in their purpose on this world.
And before they had developed that intentional relationship with their intuition, they were very overwhelmed, stressed, a lot of anxiety sometimes.
So seeing that kind of before and after and it very much is a long term journey. It was this, this huge. shift for me in realizing it's like,
yes, I can, yes, I am a researcher and also highly intuitive and many, many people, I feel all of us, have this really beautiful ability to connect with this deep inner wisdom that a lot of research is showing lives really powerfully in us and through us.
Our job is to let that come through with it. So that's a little bit of an overview with that. It's so incredible. I just, whatever the higher power you believe in,
whether it's energy work or God or whatever it may be, it's amazing when you tune into that and realize how powerful you are and that inner spirit or that inner energy or the intuitiveness like you're saying,
it just, it makes a huge difference. difference. A friend of mine does energy work and she's been such a huge help and an inspiration to me and she, you actually remind me a lot of her. She's my other half of my brain.
She's been my best friend for 20 years. So the fact that you emulate her is probably the reason he connects so much, makes sense. But it's just tuning into that, learning to trust yourself in your intuition is huge.
Um, and me finding my way back to that has helped in so many ways. Like I just, I can't believe the work you do. It's so amazing. Do you do work in like large groups only or do you do it like one -on -one or a mix of both?
A mix of both. Yeah. So where the fire in my belly is, is really having this information and sharing it with people so they can tune in to their own inner wisdom much more fully.
So I do group activities. I do workshops. I do speaking engagements. I also work one -on -one with people as well who wanna dive deeper into it,
either in more of a mentorship capacity or even, you know, as my good friend says, she's like, "I don't wanna do the work, "I just want you to tell me what's coming through for me." (laughing) - I want you to interpret it for me and look up for me.
(laughing) - So I do offer one -on -one sessions for that as well, in readings. Yeah, yeah. And one thing that I think I wanna show you with it, just going back to the,
like how powerful it is to tune into that inner wisdom with it. And again, use whatever language resonates for those listening. When I put the call out for the interviews,
to request the interviews, I was thinking based on previous projects, you know, I maybe get with three or four people responding in the next week or so. And also, set up those interviews and get to the goal of 50,
and I put the call out, close my computer, and then I come back and open my computer the next day to over 30 applications of people wanting to share their experience.
Yeah. You needed it. Came at the right time. Absolutely. And I think I share that to say, like, how... this deep wisdom is in all of us.
I think our job is to, I need to get out of my own way a whole bunch of times. My own worst enemy. And doing it in community is really powerful. So kind of going and tying it to the incredible program with Let Her Lead and being able to,
you know, have that space to really tune into yourself and tune in. Okay, what is it that's wanting to come through? like dance, for example, and then being able to be with people in community with that.
Could you talk a little bit about your experience from that perspective? - So along that same line of getting out of my own way, I tend to overthink things, as I'm sure some other people can relate to as well,
but I did a module, so they were doing these test modules for the program, and I'm like, I'm gonna go check it out and see. 'cause I saw it come up in Technivation .biz.
And I love any opportunity to learn and grow and be around amazing women. I mean, who doesn't, right? And so I saw it and I immediately signed up for the, I just practiced session,
what's it called? Module. And went and checked it out. And I felt better in that two hour period than I had in eight hours. months,
just professionally and just being around, not even necessarily like -minded women, just strong, supportive, amazing community of women that were all kick and butt and taken names in their respective selves.
And I just loved it. And so when the opportunity came to apply for the actual program, of course, I jumped on it. I was probably the first application, like wait, countdown until it opened. (laughing) 'Cause I just,
it resonated with me I'm like I need this I don't really know why I need this but I need this like I just felt that that intuitive but knowing this program if I was rejected I probably have been like knocking on the door and they're like can I like audit the glass do you need an assistant I think I reached out to Catherine shortly after the module and it was like,
I don't know if I'm going to be accepted or not, but can I be a part of let her speak in some way? Like whatever it is, like I will rent conference rooms at my work for you, whatever it takes.
I'm like, I just need to be around it because I gravitated towards it so much. It's such an incredible community. Incredible. Amazing. And just,
I mean, Catherine, Catherine has this unique unique, um, ability that I've never seen in anybody else where she can talk to someone for 10 minutes and be like, you need to go talk to this other person over here and like connects them together.
And it's like, and then all of a sudden like magic happens because they're like, Oh, I, I'm so interested in this and I want to do this. I want to start this business. I want to blah, blah, blah. And then before you know it, like the magic happens, all the magic happens.
I absolutely. It's amazing. It is. I want to, is it, I don't know if I can do it. I'm gonna be like, "Kathryn, how are you doing over here?" For those listening, we're very fortunate to be-- - We have a special guest.
- We have a special guest. We've got Kathryn and Travis here in the recording studio with us, which is very exciting. - Yes. VIP celebrities. (laughing) - Oh my gosh.
You know, we're talking about, if it's okay to keep talking about you as if you're not in the room. (both laughing) - I'm like talking about her like she's right here by myself. - She said it's okay for just to make sure.
Oh my gosh. One of the things, just talking about the community and how I too felt the same way with letters, because I was like, how can I contribute to this? Well, what do you need?
Is this magnetism of when people show up as themselves, like there is such a safe space to really let yourself shine too. Like,
and one of the things that stood out to me, and I think I was talking with Catherine about it one day, was how I noticed that let her speak, how everybody is not wearing the exact same thing.
'Cause you know when you go to some professional networking events, right? - Boxes and suits, I've heard. - Oh my gosh, this is a shoulder pad. - Yes. - How many shoulder pads? - It's like,
this is how I am professional. - I am a robot, yeah. - Oh my gosh, which serves you well in some ways, maybe, maybe not, but I'm gonna choose a different journey. And it really is,
is that sense of safety in that sense of you are allowed for yourself to be yourself, it's a space where you can really be inspired to do that. that. And then also here are the tools to help you dive deeper into that and to show up and own it.
You know I think that's one thing that's really inspiring is like show up as yourself and also if you just like rocked a huge win share it and it's a room where you're celebrated. Like there's not competition with it.
It's really, it's incredible. Thank you. (laughing) - Oh my gosh. - What was it like going through the program with your other, with the other people in it?
- So, the other ladies in my cohort are just incredible. It was funny 'cause at the very first social get together where we were getting together and just having drinks and stuff, it was so funny 'cause they were like,
so why did you apply? Well, I just wasn't sure and everybody was so unsure of themselves and a little bit awkward and felt like major imposter syndrome, all of us. - Yeah. - It was like a story across all. of our books here.
- I love that people are talking about that more. I think it's like, oh, I'm not the only one. - Yeah, exactly. It's like, I turned mine in and then I wished I didn't 'cause I wanted to change 10 things or did you,
what did you write in your bio? What did you put for your quote? Oh shoot, I should have put someone more impactful for my quote. Like everyone was just like way overthinking it. - Totally. - Looking back, it's really funny to think about. - What does it mean to you?
You know, the whole space for it. - Yeah, yeah. - And so the first couple of sessions, I mean, we're amazing, but once we started to get like more comfortable around each other and we would like run in and sit down and throw our bag on the floor and get like 10 bags of Doritos or whatever from the amazing snacks that Catherine provided.
- She's very good with the snacks. - Yeah, she is the snack queen, it was good. - But it was just very authentic and natural and it was, we're all from very... very different backgrounds and different upbringings and different what sort of looking for like job backgrounds and things to like some of us are mothers,
some weren't, some are in relationships, some aren't, some are in what would be considered atypical or more male dominated industry and things and just that we were all able to connect and support each other.
We've already agreed we need to go on a retreat together regularly and just check in and spend time and support each other's ideas and things. It's just, but when we're able to relax and just enjoy one another and be really authentic and be like,
today really sucked or whatever. And celebrate some wins, 'cause a lot of us have had really big wins that you know, you almost, I would almost feel embarrassed walking in and like celebrating 'cause you're not supposed to like brag or whatever.
- Oh, right. right. - But I walk in and share something and they're all like, yeah, and they're like cheering for me and oh my gosh, it's just, and I'm like, we've only known each other for like two months and you guys are so supportive. I don't know,
it's just, they're different backgrounds and the different things they had to contribute and different perspectives are just huge. Like they operate in a completely different world than I do, but their perspective helped me a ton because it was out of the box.
It wasn't other people who were in the same industry I don't know, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. the same, the machine robots with the shoulder pads, you know? Yeah. Um, and it's just been amazing. Like they're, they're friends for life.
Uh, I think the term alpha cohort was uttered and so we're going to make t -shirts. Yes. I love it. I love how you talk about that sense of celebration and that sense of like how often in different ways do we keep ourselves dim?
Yeah. Maybe it's not trying to fit into this mold. Like we've broken out of the mold that we thought we were supposed to be in and we've stepped into that. But then on that journey of continual expansion and really stepping into like who you are and you're fullest of beauty,
right? - Unapologetically just, yeah. - Yeah, really owning it, you know? It's like, I did this really awesome thing and I want to share it with you. And then to be in a space where that's not only normalized, but celebrate.
- Yeah, you don't have to, there's no room for apologies. We kept catching each other, being like, sorry, I mean, sorry, I'm sorry, and we're like, nope, we started like, eh, in each other, so we had to stop doing that. - To hold that space,
the celebration, yeah. And to show 'em and shine, because yeah, it's really inspiring. I felt that I was really fortunate to be able to attend one of the sessions toward the end.
And then I'll just say thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you for being here today, and thank you to all of you or a
discussion with incredible mayor, Mayor Indian Cannon, oh my gosh, she's so inspiring. - She is. - Inspiring. - And she's so approachable and just, yeah. - Brilliant, oh my gosh.
And the safety that I felt coming into the room meeting, 'cause I knew you obviously, I knew, you know, Catherine, and then a few of the other mentors and coaches, but going into a room where,
it's a lot of new faces and I could get pretty introverted at times. And it was such a wonderful space to come in. Like I instantly felt like I was welcomed,
but that even though I wasn't, you know, in the cohort, I'm like, yeah, come and sit here. - One of us. - Yeah, it really, it was such a feeling in the space and it's really incredible. - That was a really cool space too.
I can't remember what it's called though. - Oh. Oh, "Ot," yes. I was like, I loved it. I can't remember what it's called. The "Ot" space up there just has a different energy about it also, so it's, I mean, the offices and the companies that are there and it's all female -owned businesses,
right? - All female -owned businesses. Talk about a space of celebration. So I am a huge fan of "Ot." Come on and like, nerd out on call for a second. Let's like, fan girl celebrate everybody.
The power of community. community is co -working and coaching and really, like, looking at how can we celebrate each other and build each other up in that process. You feel it when you walk in.
It's incredible. - And it was even after hours. Like, it's not like the people who work there regularly were even there that night. It was just, I don't know, it was a whole atmosphere. I mean, I walked in there and I was like, I don't know what business I'm starting,
but when I do, I want to work here. - This is the space that I want to be, yeah. - Really? - Absolutely. - I absolutely loved it. - I have a question that just popped in. If you were trying to describe the program to somebody who is interested in applying,
how would you describe it? - Oh my gosh, how long do you have? - Give me the elevator pitch. I'm gonna put my shoulder pads on. - Your shoulder pads. Interview. - What's your greatest weakness?
- I am too detailed. detailed. (laughing) You know, there's like fake-- - I'm a perfectionist. - I just work so hard. You know the answers that you were prompted to give.
- I love overtime, it's my favorite. (laughing) I hope. Squirrel. So the Let Her Lead program in a nutshell. So basically it's making connections,
you didn't know you needed and learning the skills, you didn't know-- you were missing to achieve what you didn't know you wanted to achieve I guess I don't like or maybe what you do want to achieve um it's just there's the supportive environment there's the networking if we're going to get down to like the technical businesses of it um there's the you just narrow down on the important soft skills and some of the more
important hard skills that you can apply to anything in your life, whether you're being a leader in your personal life or as a parent or in your church organization or in your community or just in your own life because leading your own life is a big deal.
I have been following in my own life for so long. It's ridiculous. And it just helps you lock in or sink in. in to what you need to do to do that in your own life I guess yeah absolutely the elevator elevator pitchy elevator pitchy enough no the cool kids are saying "Eller pitchy" so we're gonna follow that absolutely I'll stare at the shed eye,
sled eyes, I'm sure they're gonna say "Sled eye" this is a throwback to our earlier conversation - Yeah. - So I'm trying to think of,
I want to hear more about you. We talked about me so much in the past like six months. I want to talk about you some more. So what, did you have any aha moments as a mentor, like being on the other side of this whole program? - Oh man,
what a great question. Yeah. Oh, so many, so many. Just how much I was really craving. craving being part of a community like this,
working as an entrepreneur and I work a lot by myself or I'm working with clients, right? But to be in a space where I got to share my areas of expertise and experience in such an accessible,
joy -filled way, not only with you, but also with some of the other mentors. It was really, really wonderful. And we had a few group calls with the other mentors and coaches and that same sense of safety,
that same sense of connection and celebration trickled through those sessions. And ended up meeting a few people for coffee and lunch and breakfast outside of it.
So I think that was something that was really how it happened so organically. [BLANK _AUDIO] to synthesize the "aha" there, it was just like just how joyful networking and connecting with people on a deeply authentic level can be.
And I've been on a journey for a while, but such a reframing for how I thought networking and connection was supposed to be again.
again, like going back to the shoulder pads and like thinking I needed to show up as a general. - Yes, your business card. (laughing) - I still have 'em, what's that like? - Yeah,
but yeah, that connection and how there was such a flattened hierarchy with the experience. I have learned so much from our connections and I never went into this being like,
I am the mentor, you are the mentor. (laughing) just not how I roll, you know? But how easy it was to really get to just, I don't know,
cut through the BS and just be human to human. Cool. All right. Now we've got some areas of like strength here. How can I help you? How can we support each other?
And like how quickly you're able to get the project done with that, not that it's like an end goal, but... but I think, yeah, still, it makes a big difference when you can just be authentic and cut through it,
like just, yeah, yeah. What can I help you with? Let's do it. And let's celebrate the heck out of each other in this process and really stand for each other in this process and be an advocate for each other in this process.
Like, it really was. It was, yeah. My aha was how quickly you got to cut through the BS. Yes. (laughing) - I was like, I love it. - Yeah, it was,
and also just the ease at which it felt to be myself in all these spaces, you know? And again, like so much of that is in my own head and we're all floating around in our own heads.
- Oh, yes, going, oh, I shouldn't have written that in my bio. (laughing) - Oh, I should have introduced myself a different way. - Yeah, like right now I'm thinking, wow, I really should have summarized the program much simpler than that. than I did. I couldn't think of any words.
(laughing) - Oh my gosh, why do we do that to ourselves? - I am literally here saying like, oh, I wish I did my introduction a better way. - We gotta throw that out.
- 'Cause I mean, I could sit down and write a 10 page essay, but you put me on the spot and I'm like, I don't know my own name, but I'm sorry. - I got a question for you. - Not sorry. (laughing) Don't be sorry. (laughing) (laughing) Okay,
so. if you like were to describe what your jam is like really tuning in to like Angie's USU like what's your jam my jam oh my gosh well I keep saying dancing but it's like a thing like music just touches my soul in every part of it like like religiously,
emotionally, faith -wise, like it brings back memories, it just resonates through my whole person. So whether I'm in my car or at my house, I have a big relationship with music. I am musically disinclined,
I cannot play an instrument or sing, but I just, I love to dance and I love to be happy and silly and goofy and just relax not to...
take life so seriously so I guess that's my jam it's just relaxing and laughing and see again I'm already rethinking all the answers I just said. My happy place I guess would be like a good place to start is at a cabin on the lake with music blasting and all of my favorite people around just eating good food and having a good time like my whole person that's like that's my jam right there there.
Just relaxing and enjoy each other's company, no stress, no obligations, everyone being themselves, my kids playing in the water, whatever. Yeah. That's awesome. I know. That's awesome. Did that answer your question?
Absolutely. Yeah. Thanks for sharing. I thought of another question while you were talking earlier. Oh, sure. Yes. So, as a mentor,
because I know some of these programs, it's such an amazing program. and I can only imagine it growing larger and larger. What would be one of your tools or one thing you'd say about the program as a mentor of what mentors get out of the program now that you've been a mentor the whole time?
Like, how would you sell another mentor on being a mentor? - Oh, wow, yeah, absolutely. - I mean, you kind of answered it already, but. - Yeah, I think it, that's a great question.
yeah, there's like so many different thoughts coming in, I'm like tuning into it. Yeah, I would share that it's a space that you, like,
first I love mentoring. I like, I love, I'm a big sister, right? I, you know, always kind of been in like that natural, I was a studio mom in college, like,
I just, but I think how I would describe it to other people is the, the energy that you put in is really powerful to supporting this incredibly safe and expansive container and one in which that really values the program as a whole and each individual person.
in the process. So what I got out of it, like it's so much more than I could have ever imagined, right? I got new friendships out of it.
I got new colleagues out of it. I felt in each time like we interacted and each time I was in the groups, I felt my bucket just filled and this sense of...
of possibility expands. And I'm not like overselling it here. It really was. Like I would leave our group calls and you know, there were two of them.
I would leave our mentor connection calls. I mean like, oh my gosh, we're freaking amazing. We're gonna do awesome things. We're gonna take out the world. And this is like, we're in a community with it.
And all these people are doing these beautiful things. I'm like, now I'm... on fire I'm gonna go do what I'm gonna do. Get your hope for the world. It really was. It's interesting to try to put that into words,
that feeling and I hadn't really until this moment with it but really like getting to be part of supporting a container in this incredible group of people it really you get to be part of of a,
an incredible community of people who are doing their active work to really tune in to what is it that their heart is saying, "This wants to move through me in this lifetime." And I really wanna figure out what that is and listen to it and then go take action to do it and get from that heart -led,
safe celebration. celebrated space. Like sign me up. - Right? - Sign me up. - Oh my gosh, yes. - That's how I would describe it. - Absolutely, and going along with that,
one thing, and I mentioned it in my speech or I allude to it anyway, where the world needs a bunch of different characters. We were all the same shoulder pad people. No offense to those who like shoulder pads.
- Mm -hmm. I just, the world would be so boring and there wouldn't be any progress, right? And so I, one thing that was so unique about everybody's different backgrounds is they're all contributing in extremely different ways by living their truth and being themselves and taking on the world and being truly authentic.
And it's just so amazing because if, if you stop trying to be what everybody else wants you to be, like you can learn from it and glean from it and like take some advice or whatever, but if you tune in to yourself and have a discussion.
to do good, the world needs that. Like you don't know if your invention or your idea or your compassion or your smile alone will make a big difference to somebody.
There was this funny story I heard back in college that I'll never forget it. One of my college teachers encouraged us to try something different for a whole week and then come back and explain what the results were.
And this girl said she was gonna smile at everybody that she saw all week long for the whole week. And she came back the next week and said, "Oh, it was so nice. "I just felt lighter 'cause I was smiling "and improved my whole mood,
"but then people smiled back at me." And I felt like I made their day and it was just, it was very uplifting for me. And she left and then his next class came in and this boy comes skipping in and sits down and is just super happy and relaxed.
And he's like, "Wow, you seem like you've had a good week." And he's like, "Oh, my God." gosh, I see the cutest girl every time I walked through this class and she smiled at me last week. (laughing) And it was the same girl. I'm like, you just never know what those like little like,
just smiling at somebody. I'm like, so she would have been like, no, I shouldn't smile. People think I'm stupid and like over thought it like we all do, but she made this guy stay in probably hundreds of others for all we know. - Oh yeah.
- But it doesn't have to be some big, gargantuan, like you're going to change the world and cure cancer. which we all need, which is great. But just smiling and being happy and tuning in to what you think you can contribute to yourself and letting your light shine can just help the world and help your community and help yourself.
Like it's just so cool. Absolutely. Yeah. It's really powerful when we let ourselves be ourselves, what we let move through us. And,
and the fact that we're able, we're allowed to have a a really good time and across those two is-- - It can have fun. - Yeah. - It's not. - Plot twist, we can have fun on this one. - We can have fun. - What? - You can laugh,
watch out now. - Get out of here. - I don't have to wear shoulder pads and I can have fun. - I can have fun. Oh my goodness. And have good snacks. Fun fact,
there's actually a ton of research around being in that state of play. play and joy Where we are incredibly more productive. We're incredibly More advanced at problem -solving,
especially complex problem -solving So not only are we allowed to have a lot of fun. It benefits the whole collective with it In my humble opinion and a whole bunch of research So it's been so incredible talking with you.
Is there anything else that's bubbling up for you that you would like to share about your experience with Let Her Lead? - This program gives you permission.
So it gives you permission to be confident. It gives you permission to be authentic. It gives you permission to pursue something that other people may or may not think is crazy. It just gives you permission to be yourself and to achieve and to grow and to learn.
learn in this community, in the world, in your own space and gives you all the tools you need to do it, which is just giving giving you that permission is huge.
Like you're saying about the work that you do, you gave them permission to share their story and it helped them so much. So this this program just gives women in the community permission to tackle their dreams,
to stand proudly in who they are, to laugh and be around. around fellow community members and just feel safe, I guess. It's just permission, I guess, is the word that I would wrap that up in.
- I love that, yeah, absolutely. Well, I could talk to you for hours and hours and hours and I hope our friendship and connection continues far beyond this program.
- Everybody needs a body, we're not going anywhere. (laughing) - Perfect, perfect. - Well, it's been so wonderful talking to you. with you. - I'm with you, I appreciate you so much. It's been an amazing experience. - Likewise.
And for those listening along, thanks so much for joining along our journey. I don't know if I'm allowed to break the fifth wall, but I did. (both laughing) Or whatever wall it is. - Break it, you can have fun, remember? - I hope everybody out there is awesome.
- Yes, thank you. you. Now that you've had an opportunity to learn about Angie's leadership journey,
let's listen in as she shares the legacy she wants to leave behind. I'm never going to not dance again.
These lyrics by the artist Pink resonate with me on social media. many levels. The entire song is about not changing or making yourself smaller for anyone or anything. To not give up the best parts of yourself.
When I was a kid, I fully embraced my silly, fun, boisterous, driven self. I literally and figuratively danced unapologetically. If someone said I couldn't do something,
I was golf. Oh yeah, watch me. I'll do it twice and take pictures. (upbeat music) Sparkle sparkle jazz hands. Then somehow along the way, I started losing bits and pieces of myself.
I've been five foot nine since eighth grade. My height matches my big personality. However, my high school boyfriend was only five foot six. He was super self -conscious, so I wore flip flops and bent my knees in pictures to make sure that he felt better.
I literally made myself smaller for him. him. I worked for organizations where I got chest eyes for laughing and being too happy. What? And if that all isn't enough,
don't even get me started on when I became a mother. Being homing a parent was challenging enough without everyone from the store clerk to complete strangers on social media telling me how I was doing it wrong. Dancing to the beat of my own drum was becoming difficult.
I stopped trusting my instincts. I started thinking there was something wrong with me and started filtering and second -guessing myself. I was standing in the wings watching others perform. I was merely surviving instead of thriving,
and before I knew it, I hadn't danced in years. I worked wherever I needed to work to pay bills and provide for my family, but I stopped finding joy in the small things and saying no to everything.
everything. You've seen those cartoons where the audience throws tomatoes at the performers and boos them off a stage? Well, I'd been pelted by one too many tomatoes. I felt like I was suffocating,
trying so hard to fit my personality, skills, and superpowers into others' ideas of how I should be. And you know what I figured out? It didn't work anyway. I'd had a breaking point.
I'd had a enough. So, I reached out to friends, family, colleagues in my community, and what I found were wonderful characters who not only provided advice and ideas,
but support, compassion, a safe space to talk about the hard and the ugly, and provided the best woo girls I could ask for. I was flanked with the backup dancers that gave me permission to move forward and try again.
I started finding ways to dance again. I started finding ways to say yes instead of no all the time. Maybe taking my kids to Disneyland wasn't in the budget, but taking them to a movie or a playground,
dinner somewhere if the play place was. I started applying for jobs that I originally thought would be out of my reach. But I walked in and I was my authentic self and not only showed what I had to offer, but confidently asked for what I needed.
Thank you for watching. position had to fit into my life, not the other way around. And the feedback was life -changing. I kept hearing messages like, "We love your energy. We need more of that around here.
We need more people like you. Our culture would be so much better." You have a great sense of humor and a way of helping the team relax when they're under pressure. I didn't need to stop dancing. I realized I was just performing in the wrong theater.
So I put my dance pants on and charged back onto the stage. that were meant for me. Sparkle Sparkle Jazz Hands. Going through all of this has shown me that my father in heaven made me who I am for a reason.
I'm fun, energetic, loyal, determined, organized, passionate, hard -working, resourceful, kind, and empathetic. I'm a supporter, an advocate,
I'm a wife and partner. I'm a daughter. a sister, a wing woman and a friend. I'm a mother to five incredible kids and a bunch of fluffy animals that make my heart happy.
Allowing my most authentic self to show through has created lasting friendships and relationships with incredible characters in my life who love and appreciate me for being me and has opened doors and created opportunities not only for myself but has allowed me to serve and help others.
So what legacy do I want to leave with you? Be the biggest version of you. Your strength, your superpowers, your happiness. Find ways to say yes.
It may not be everyone's flavor, but if you let your truest self shine through with the desire to do good, you'll attract relationships and opportunities that help and benefit not only you, but your community and your world.
I am Angelee Beth Day and I'm never going to not dance again and neither should you. She Speaks is produced,
edited, and scored by the very talented Travis Tench at Oak Hill Audio. If you loved the episode you just heard and want to support Let Her Speak's mission of elevating real women's stories,
don't forget to follow, subscribe, and share at Let Her Speak USA.
Together, we will make our voices heard. (gentle music)
