I’m seven years old. The screaming and crashing is freezing me into paralysis. I finally make my way into the living room to find my six year old sister, Teresa screaming in the arms of a neighborhood teenager. I see the front door off the hinges. I don’t know where my mom and step-dad are, or my two year old sister, Shirley.

I set my fear aside and finally get up the nerve to ask the teenager what was going on. Her only words were, “Shirley was hit by a car”.

The next day I’m sitting in class trying to keep my emotions together asI’d been told not to talk to anyone about what happened to my little sister. My teacher sees my silent tears dripping onto my paper and takes me outside.

“I’m not supposed to tell”, I relay to my teacher as the flood waters break open with no containment. I see the fear in my teachers’s eyes as she holds me tight and tells me she’s a safe person to tell and I spill my secret in dread.

School isn’t over; I look up and see my dad at the classroom door with my other sister in tow. My teacher walks me to the door and we get into our pastor’s station wagon to begin the drive home in deafining silence. We pull up to the gate of our backyard and the car stops. My dad turns to look at my sister and I as we sit in the back seat in trepidation.

“Shirley died this morning”, my dad tells us. “She’s in heaven now”.

My world changed dramatically that day. It took a turn from loving, comfortable peace and inhibition to feelings of abandonment, terror, trauma and tragedy.

Teresa and I were not allowed to go to the funeral. There was no closure, no understanding and nobody ever thought to help us through the grief which would haunt us the rest of our lives.

In our search for answers, we both ended up in funeral service careers. It was here that I began my funeral eduacation, as I had not completed high school. I gained degrees in pshycology and sociology, not to become a psychologist, but to better understand the human psyche in order to help myself and the families that I worked with.

My experience with death and loss did not stop with my sister. After numerous losses of family and friends throughout the years, then losing my son in 2010, my husbnad in 2015, and going through a horrific injury with multiple surgeries, I could no longer work in funeral service. Yet, I missed working with the familes and helping them through some of the worst times in their lives.

I did learn to accept death and loss as an innate element in the circle of life. I also learned that grief does not just encompass death and dying nad how faith and love are so intergral to our journey in healing after loss.

These and other reasons are why I’m so passionate about helping people move through grief and find new life, beyond loss.

The losses that we encounter through life often leave us with a lack of direction on how to proceed without whom or what we’ve lost.

I can laugh again, love again, and have redefined my life to live in joy and happiness. Please let me help you on your journey to your new dream!

https://annahayes.life

Aloha! I'm Michele and I'm an Integrative Empowerment Coach, Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP, MER and Hypnosis, and a Level 4 Huna Practitioner. I'm also certified as a Breakthrough Shadow Coach. My focus is on Mental and Emotional Health and Wellness. My traumas and struggles have taught me so much about life and who I am. I've learned the life lessons I needed to rediscover a confidence within myself that is truly unshakable. I've survived clinical depression and anxiety, a major job loss, a breast cancer diagnosis, the unexpected loss of my beloved husband, PTSD and a major relocation. I'm the creator of Fiercely Fresh Life, where my mission is to assist others in embracing their wholeness so they can create their own Fiercely Fresh Life. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, as well as my website. Come follow me over there and see what shenanigans I'm getting into, and what insights you might get from my rantings. Together, we can all have a Fiercely Fresh Life!

http://fiercelyfreshlife.com/

Hi! My name is Jordan Valenzuela and I am the owner and a massage therapist at Shasta Strong Massage And Wellness

Here is my story of becoming a massage therapist:

Growing up, my family would always have me massage their hands, feet, calves, back, neck, shoulders,

face.. basically a full body massage. Being my father's daughter, I am naturally very strong. My mom and

brother LOVE deep tissue massage, and without schooling, I naturally and from experience got to master

the art of massage.

By high school freshman year, I had 2-3 clients in math class, and about the same in drama. Never for

money, of course. I just loved to do bodywork. I looked into it as a career, and their statistics of length in

the industry and finances had my doubtful that this was the path for me.

I love marketing and am very independent, so I went to Shasta College for a few years while working

four jobs willingly. But after taking a break from college and settling down to focus on 1-2 jobs, I started

some critical thinking about my future. I was exerting my energy towards industries I wasn't passionate

about. I love to work, but I could have been using all my energy towards something I can call my own

and gives me the responsibility I crave. I wanted to build an empire.

In October 2013, I went to the CASA Superhero Run to support abused and neglected children.

Following the run, I saw free chair massages and waited in line for one. I started asking the lady

questions: Where did you get your schooling done? Marinello Schools of Beauty. Do you like your job?

Yes, it's rewarding and fun. Do you make enough to make your life comfortable and happy? Yes.

That settled it. I signed up for my massage therapy program at Marinello and started in January 2014.

I started my business, Jordan Fisher's Therapeutic Massage, in August 2014, immediately following

graduation. After four years, being the newly wedded Mrs. Jordan Valenzuela, I decided to expand my

family and business. My old sole proprietorship ended, and I created Shasta Strong Massage and

Wellness, LLC on Hartnell Avenue in Redding.

My husband, Zakari, and daughter Anabelle (3 years old), have been the blessings at home that make

life wholesome.But we wanted another for our developing "empire." So we welcomed baby Niko in early

August 2019. As our babies are growing, so is my business. Expansion can be scary, but we don't grow

when we stay inside our comfort zone.

I am a passionate mother, athlete, bodywork professional, and creator. I have exceptional goals and

ambitions. And even if I don't meet them all, I never want to stop learning and growing my empire.

Feel free to check out our website and book online at www.Shasta-Strong.com

Thank you all and I’m very happy to join you in empowering our women!

Are you feeling out of place, one foot where it’s comfortable and the other in unknown territory, or maybe you’re in a rut and everything is “FINE”?

Hi, I'm Kimberly Hess and I've felt this way more than once in my life.

Transitions or changes happen in our lives. Your life, as you know it is always changing due to jobs, family, health, or maybe you decided to go back to school. Transitions can happen in a blink of an eye…adding excitement or stress that can leave you feeling scared, afraid, or apprehensive, along with a sense of losing control of life as you know it.

As your coach we’ll work together so the transition you are going through is a natural part of life…learning, discovering & growing. I’ve discovered my passion…helping others reflect on what is going on and to find a solution for that situation. My life is as diversified as you can get. As a working wife and mom I’ve been up-rooted multiple times, my resume is about 3 pages long, and I’ve moved at least ten times including moving from California to Texas and back again. Through thick and thin, I’ve come to realize that I’m a commitment girl. I’m committed to helping women going through various forms of transitions in their everyday life. It’s not easy being the new kid, learning the ropes and finding YOUR happy place in a new environment.

I’ve walked the walk and understand a little bit of what you are going through.

I know it can be overwhelming at times but we’ll talk and you can trust that I’ll listen to you.

Really listen to you from my heart.

Then I’ll ask you questions, believing that the answer is tucked away and hidden inside you.

We’ll find your unique solution together...One to move you forward…One you might never of thought of before!

Look around and you can see how short life is. The unexpected is just around the corner. No more being overwhelmed in YOUR transition. Creating your legacy through the ups & downs of life. You have a choice…to live life being genuinely YOU!

Sarah Beck is a proud mom of Bailey. She is passionate about personal development and believes it to be a great way to find success. Owned LegalShield business 10 years. Redding Chamber Ambassador chair.

Assertive Women entrepreneurs. You can find Sarah on her social media platforms:

INSTA- legalshieldsarah

Snap-legalshieldbeck

www.facebook.com/legalshieldsarahbeck/

Website -www.legalshieldsarah.com

Good day! I'm Melinda Hunter, your photographer in Northern California. Thanks so much for stopping by!

I love documenting real moments and genuine connections. I am grateful for this talent and I get to share with you. I love going to new places and meeting new people. I love to travel and of course, will travel to destinations to do photography too. I love people and capturing whatever your needs may be. When is the last time you or your family had professional portraits taken? Let me help you create beautiful artwork for your home. Come have fun and have a memorable experience with me.

Photography is not just a job to me, it's my career--my passion and it has introduced me to some of the best friends I've ever had. I love wearing my hair down but living in Redding you will find me with my hair up most of the time. I also love making people smile and laugh, and I can do so just by being authentically myself.

I love photography and my clients make it one of the most rewarding things in my life besides becoming a Wife, Mother, and Nana. The best part is I get to create beautiful imagery, treasures for everyone that is front of my camera. If you have a photography need, I would love to meet you and see how I can help you and create a beautiful experience.

"Creating Your Art, One Click at a Time”

"Guiding You Each Step of the Way"

https://mchunterphotography.com/

Hayley grew up in Sacramento and moved to Redding in 2012 shortly after graduating from Cal Poly, SLO. Once here she quickly achieved her architectural license and pursued additional certifications in sustainability, health and wellness in our built environment. In 2018 she became a business owner when she joined a former colleague as a Co-Owner of Oneshop – a small design-forward architecture firm here in town. You may recognize their design work if you’ve been to our downtown Roots Juice Bar location. Outside of practicing architecture, Hayley was married this last October, and together they love investing their time and energy into our community.

https://www.oneshop.community/

Gloria Kimbwala is CEO and founder of Shule, a startup that uses blockchain to create, store, and verify micro-certificates for underserved learners. She is passionately using blockchain technology to empower people economically. She also enjoys making the blockchain ecosystem an inclusive and diverse space for all. She recently presented to the United Nation on how to get more women into technology, specifically blockchain. Gloria is named one of the Top Ten Women in Fintech by Fintech Ranking. She serves as the Technical Advisor on the Board of Directors for the Society of Women Coder’s (SOWCoder’s) and runs the “Ask Gloria” advice column in Reinvented Magazine. In her spare time, you can find her coding with her sons, doing yoga and playing the drums.

Women of Vision Podcast stands in solidarity with the Black Community. We forgo our regular programming to show our support with #blackouttuesday.

Hi there, let me tell you a little something about myself. I am a northern California native, but I’ve lived and worked up and down the state. I met my husband at 17 and got married at 25. We have three kids ranging in ages from 18 to 10….yes, they’re great…blah blah blah…

Here is the stuff you should know about me that may actually have anything to do with us working together and getting to know one another.

First, I’m a lover of snark and a good laugh, if you hadn’t already caught that. I call people Babe, Doll, Honey and sometimes Mama, (Mama, I save for my girlfriends because guys tend to find that weird for some reason) it’s how I show my affection. I talk to people like i’ve always known them; I don’t do awkward introductions-I’m a “let’s just get in here and be friends, already” type. I’m also hugger (you’ve been warned) I’ve been told i’m a loud laugher (I prefer the word “boisterous”, but it’s fine) I’m ambidextrous, but write with my left hand, generally. It’s been said my writing is really pretty but sometimes hard to read. I say, those people are quitters and didn’t try hard enough to figure it out.

I grew up in the heart of the wine country but I don’t like really like it. I know, I know…but I just don’t. But, a girl does love a cocktail or two….or three.

However, back to business…I have spent a large portion of my professional career in customer service managing high-end retailers in San Francisco, Marin, and Napa counties. After moving to Redding I was hired as a Manager at a local historic performing arts theatre. It was one of the most fun I’ve ever had working. There, I was not only in charge of coordinating logistics for the large scale acts that came through, I also helped design and coordinate events put on by the theatre itself. In this role I discovered how much I truly loved event planning in all its forms. Shortly after leaving the theatre I created Carats And Confetti Events. Since then I have been privileged with working alongside the most wonderful clients, planning and designing their special events.

I hope this helps you get a better idea of who I am. And while I do love a good time and a good laugh, I also take my job very seriously. We have one shot to get it right and getting it right is my top priority-ALWAYS!

*Oh, and one last thing, my name is pronounced…

LEE-SEE-UH

(you’re welcome)

http://www.caratsandconfettievents.com/