The Wise Woman’s Guide to Real Change

Karen Heras-Kelly, whipping stick expert

Start with your heart - it sounds poetic, doesn’t it? And yes, heart-led living is vital. But one of the core foundations of personal development work is empowering a healthy mind.

Once the landscape of your dreams and challenges becomes clear, the next step is to take your inner critic - your saboteur to bootcamp. Why? Because this inner voice holds the patterns and limiting beliefs that quietly shape how you show up in the world.

This is the work of the Wise Woman Leader: a woman who is both visionary and warrior, devoted to her personal growth and the collective good. To access your full inner wisdom, you must meet your inner saboteur and understand her voice. 

Keep an Eye on Your Whipping Stick

In my time in Brand Communications, I learned to perform at a high level - and disconnect from my body in the process. If you’ve ever skipped lunch, ignored a full bladder, or driven through fatigue just to “get things done,” you know this rhythm well.

When we obsess over output, we miss the deeper magic that comes from attuning to our input - our emotional, physical, and energetic state.

A bulging to-do list and a drive for perfection weighs heavily when it becomes a daily burden. These days, I can see the old whipping stick coming my way, and I choose to say: “Not now. Not today.” Instead, I check in with myself. I slow down. I create a different kind of momentum - one that feels good from the inside out.

Your Awareness Is Key

When I began my self-development journey 20 years ago, my teachers would say, “Awareness is the first step.” I hated that phrase at the time. I didn’t want awareness - I wanted a fix. I wanted to fast-forward to the part where I was already healed, happy, and skipping through life. 

But now, I understand. There’s deep wisdom in awareness.

These days, instead of pushing through or spinning on the hamster wheel, I’m choosing to say yes to projects that light me up. I’ve created internal boundaries. For me, “yes” and “no” are not concepts - they’re felt experiences in the body. If something doesn’t feel clear, I take that as a not right now.

Embracing Change (One Step at a Time)

Change doesn’t always require a massive leap. Sometimes, it’s a series of small but potent shifts, like:

            •          Attending one yoga class a week

            •          Listening to the birds singing

            •          Doing one thing that brings me joy (just for me)

            •          Taking a self-care day when I feel overwhelmed

            •          Getting up to make a cup of tea when I feel stuck

These small changes have made a big ripple in how I feel, work, and show up.

If this resonates with you, or if you’re in a season of rebalancing, you can download our free Feminine Energy Guide for practical rituals and support

Because you deserve to lead your life - wisely, kindly, and in full alignment.