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Pass Her the Mic

Pass Her the Mic Feature: Cicily Newsom

Pass Her the Mic Feature: Cicily Newsom

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We recently had the opportunity to include Cicily on a LBI panel all about money and funding for women in business! Now we get to pass her the mic and learn more about the work she does in this feature interview!

We recently had the opportunity to include Cicily on a LBI panel all about money and funding for women in business! Now we get to pass her the mic and learn more about her work [ image of smiling woman ]

Hi! Cicily Newsom! I am a sales trainer and leadership development coach specifically in the Financial Services Sector. I help people start their own businesses in the Trillion Dollar industry of Life Insurance and Retirement Protection.

What brought you to the place you are working from now, essentially, what in your history inspired you to do what you do NOW? 

Growing up, no one ever taught me the value of entrepreneurship OR  financial literacy. While I have an amazing and loving family, they were blue collar people who worked their entire lives building someone else’s dream and subsequently struggled financially their entire lives only to retire on 40% of what it took them 100% to live on before they retired. I knew early on that this was a broken model. The American Dream has ELEVATED but cultural messaging is still lagging 😉

Even in college, understanding how to manage household finances, understanding how money works, understanding tax laws and financial tools these were not offerings made available to the biology students or the creatives; And certainly no one taught us about Entrepreneurship and the value of owning a business. It wasn’t until I read a pivotal book: “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki that I truly understood the Cash Flow Quadrant and the four ways people earn a living in the world: The Employed, The Self Employed, The Business Owner and the Investor. 

I became passionate about ensuring people knew how to think differently about money and wealth and freedom and business. 

It was a natural fit that I would go into financial services. Not only could I learn for myself but I could then pass along that knowledge to two different client sets; the clients who needed the insurance protection AND the agents who wanted an opportunity to build a business legacy inside of the industry.

This month our theme is “Elevate”. What does that mean to you and your business?

A few things come to mind…

*As I mentioned above- It’s past time that we begin to Elevate our cultural messaging about wealth generation and the new American Dream (aka the Global Dream). We have to elevate our views on money and our views on how and why we go to work each day.

* Also as a business owner I am constantly reminded of “Delegate to Elevate” which is a simple way of saying- we must begin to learn about our strength zones in business and delegate the tasks or opportunities that will free us up to do our best work in the world. 

How has elevating helped you grow and succeed?

We go from employed to self-employed because we want control but we become true business owners when we have leverage. We leverage the time and strengths of those around us to ELEVATE ourselves and our businesses to the next level. The results I saw in my life from this elevation are personal growth, better relational harmony with my spouse and community, a greater ability to volunteer and serve, improved health and a deeper feeling of significance and purpose. It’s amazing how much we can grow when the basic finances are covered and we get to work for ourselves. 

We leverage our businesses to ELEVATE our wealth template and thus ELEVATE the life experiences we get to have because of the financial freedoms we have created in that business. We have to let go of control in order to grow. Delegate to Elevate!

What do you want people to remember most about the work that you’re creating?

My formula for True wealth: Wealth = Time + Money [not just money]

In my humble opinion the only way to achieve true wealth is through business ownership. I want people to remember the importance of having both and to keep fighting for that balance of having both. I choose sales because I think it’s the greatest and most noble profession of all time but sales without a business is just self employment. I want to help free people from having to trade time for money. To teach that is to teach freedom, self development, financial stewardship, leadership, ownership and legacy creation. 

What’s the next thing for you? What are you working on?

Our agency is going through a rebranding phase in order to be better recognized as a house-hold name. I don’t think the Newsom Agency even knew what was possible when we first started.  I am excited to extend our brand to further reach those who are ready for business ownership and wealth as we define it; Specifically women business owners in financial services because I think women are natural owners, listeners, intuitives, communicators, consultants, problem solvers and ladybosses. 

Thank you so much Cicily! We absolutely loved the little nuggets of gold you shared with us in this interview and we can’t wait to see the big things you accomplish in the future!

Find Cicily here:

Website

Being a BOSS as a Woman in Business

Being a BOSS as a Woman in Business

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Article written by Sybriea Lundy

Being a “boss” isn’t a goal or a life choice, it’s your birthright.

Women are hardly the weaker sex as previously branded. You are the creators, the providers, the nurturers, the backbones, and the glue. You are the bosses. And you always have been. The divine feminine energy that you each possess is the seed of badassness. You are strong. You are adaptable. You are a survivor. You’re a boss wherever you are. No matter the circumstance.   

Unfortunately, strengths can become weakness. Loyalty has the power tie you to unhealthy business relationships, among other things. I came to this realization sitting on a prison bunk with a considerable span of years ahead of me. Questionable lifestyle choices and business decisions had turned a former High School Valedictorian into inmate #1008183. And I thought my entire life was over. 

Turned out, I was still a boss. I just couldn’t see it at the time. I learned some very important lessons in my time at “rock‐bottom” and I’d like to share those with you now: 

1) To pivot is priceless – you can change your direction whenever you choose.

2) It is never too late to elevate – you can step your game up and take it to the next level at any time.

3) You are ALWAYS networking – being a kind and professional individual is universal. It has the power to transcend all kinds of barriers, both physical and perceived. Your soft skills are one of your most valuable assets and nobody can take them from you. 

What I had thought was the end of my story just ended up being the start of the next chapter. I walked out of Swannanoa Women’s Prison with a job as a paralegal and a job writing web content. Both of these positions arose from networking I’d done in a most unlikely place. Because sometimes, being a boss is all about making the best in a bad situation.   

I came home ready to elevate; but life still wanted to teach me flexibility. My five‐year plan had me graduating college and securing a career. 

But what I’ve achieved in six years has been: 

  • 2 Children 
  • 2 Degrees 
  • 1 Certificate 
  • Homeowner 
  • Successful Career in Non‐Profit 
  • I actively advocate for incarcerated women   
  • And I even sit on a board for one of the yoga/wellness programs that helped me survive incarceration 

I’m not sure what life plans to throw at me next, but I’m here for it.

As women, we are even more powerful than we can comprehend. And it’s shocking how much we can survive and overcome. The biggest limits to our potential are the ones we place on ourselves. The self‐defeating narratives of by‐ gone eras no longer hold sway. Groups like LBI are here to level the playing field and change the game. Because when women come together, we become a force of nature. 

Find Sybriea here:

mountainbizworks.org

5 Ways to Start Loving Your Body

5 Ways to Start Loving Your Body

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Article written by Tiffany Nickel

Have you ever struggled with how to love your body when you just hate her (If the word hate bothers you, or doesn’t feel right, how about dislike)?

Maybe it’s an everyday battle with food, your appearance, the voices in and out of your head and how you feel during sexy times. Or perhaps you have the occasional bad day where you don’t like what you see in the mirror reflecting back at you.

Woman on couch. Text reads 5 ways to start loving your body

Either way, being at war with your body is not healthy and it’s exhausting as fuck. We live in a society obsessed with the shape and weight of our bodies. In a society where companies and our whole culture tell us what to hate about ourselves, and then picks on them until we become insecure about them. Please tell me I am not the only one who sees how fucked up this is.  

Learning to fully love and accept your body isn’t linear and it takes time. Unfortunately there are no quick fixes.  Trust me, I know, there simply aren’t any short cuts. But there are some small, powerful steps you can take each day to begin loving (does “loving” feel too strong, how about liking) your body instead of hating her and feeling hopeless about this damaged relationship. 

Here’s the beginning steps to start loving your body:  

1. Acknowledgement.

That’s right. You gotta get super real and admit that the relationship you have with your body SUCKS or at the very least isn’t what you want it to be (yet). 

It’s okay that you’re struggling to love your body right now. Plenty of us are.

You know why?

Because we live in a society that constantly teaches us to hate our bodies. And if you manage to grow up unscathed, you’re one of the few, not the many.

But what’s important is you’re aware of your current relationship with your body, and you’re acknowledging that you want to make some changes. Because this is the first step to change.

So be accepting of your negative relationship with your body. And acknowledge that you want to create a friendship with your body.  Tell yourself this, and mean it.

2. Asking the Right Questions.

Why do I want to look different than I do right now?

Have you ever really thought about this? It is a skipped over question, because it doesn’t even cross your mind. So there’s no better time than now to think about why you want to look different.

Why do you want your body to be a different shape or size?

More times than not, your reasons are deeply rooted in external love and acceptance. You believe that a more “attractive” body (whatever that means, because really we don’t know and it’s always changing) will get other people to like you, or respect you, value you, love you, have sex with you etc.  

Graphic on text says " on the journey to loving your body, you have to start asking yourself the right questions"

This is the biggest body lie out there. Changing the way you look does not equal happiness. Sure, it might be a factor in helping you feel good about yourself, but it’s definitely not the sole answer. As someone who has weighed well over 200 LBS and under 100LBS in my adult life I would know, I was never happier at any of these weights even if I “thought momentarily” my body looked better. 

Don’t believe me? You only have to look at people who have had cosmetic surgery, or naturally thin models, who are still battling with addictions, eating disorders and hate for their bodies.

For you to really learn to love your body, you have to let go of the belief that your “dream body” (whatever that even really is) will fix all your problems. Because if you don’t address why you don’t feel good about yourself today, you’ll carry those feelings with you until you confront them, and process with them.

As cliche as it sounds, true love, true joy, and true pleasure come from within you, babe. 

3. Stopping the Judgment

Do you spend your day walking around or scrolling on your phone and criticizing the way other people look? Or maybe wishing your body could look like “hers”?

When you do this, you reinforce the idea that your body equates to your worth and value as a human being. And news flash, your body size (big or small) has NOTHING to do with your worthiness or value. In case you didn’t get that I’m going to state it again in a different way.
The way you look holds absolutely NO value as a human in this world. 

On top of that, you keep yourself trapped in a negative, low-vibration state. And this will affect your mood and mental health, which you’ll then bring with you into everything you do the rest of the day.

Deep down, I know that you know, you deserve to be loved and accepted for who you are right now RIGHT THE FUCK NOW! So release your judgment, because it’s not serving you or your body.

4. Less Focus on Weight

We are so obsessed with our weight, we try to determine our health and value based on the number of the scale. You cannot demonize your body, while simultaneously worshiping it above all else.

Ever find yourself in toxic habits that you are unaware of, or unable to break free from. As a society we are so detached from our bodies, that we don’t hear them speaking to us; telling us what they want and need. Even when we do, we don’t trust them. 

But we can’t stop punishing ourselves until we stop believing we deserve to be punished. And to do that, you have to stop scrutinizing, what you eat, how you experience pleasure, what the scale says, and the number on the back of your jeans.

What would happen if you made a shift, and started focusing all that energy you use on food, and your weight and directing it toward compassion and radical body love?

This is the KEY to breaking the vicious cycle, and freeing yourself from your own obsession with weight. When you do that, you will naturally start making choices that make you feel amazing and set your soul on fire. 

5. Masturbate

Yup. Masturbation is essential to feeling joy, pleasure and connecting to your wonderland of a body! Caressing and playing with your most intimate, sensitive parts, is a wonderful way to reconnect with your body, and associate it with pleasure.

You’ll get to know your body on a deeper level, understand that you are worthy of pleasure, and feel good. Plus, orgasms fill you with intoxicating chemicals that leave you on a type high. And you’ll have your body to thank for that.

I encourage you to make it like a ritual for yourself. Have a bath, light some candles, slip into something that makes you feel sexy, and just have fun exploring your body. 

These 5 things are just the start. I highly recommend getting some support, (not only as a professional) but also as a woman who has tried to do this work by herself for years. It’s nearly impossible to see your blind spots. You have the power. You’ve always had the power. So take it back today you gloriously magnificent creature!

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