In a world that is constantly pulling us in different directions, we often seek out ways to calm the storms. With an unwavering commitment to her clients as a certified life coach, our next Boss Lady has become a beacon of light for those aspiring to make a meaningful impact and live an intentional and intoxicating life. We bring you a luminary whose footsteps leave an indelible mark on the realms she graces. This woman is a force to be reckoned and stands as a testament to the boundless possibilities that unfold when talent meets tenacity.
LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO THE STAR OF THIS BOSS LADY LESSON:
Terri Bradway
ICF CERTIFIED LIFE COACH, PODCAST HOST, & AUTHOR
Introduce yourself to OUR community of MAUDE-sters. Give us the 4-1-1 on Y-O-U.
My name is Terri Bradway, and I’m a former Gifted and Talented Education (G.A.T.E.) teacher/program coordinator turned ICF-certified life coach/owner of Terri Bradway Life Coaching; the hostess of the Intelligent Intoxication podcast; the author of Intentional Intoxication: How To Deliberately Distill The Different Life You Desire; a wife of 30 years to my college sweetheart, Phil; a mom to my son, Reid, and daughter, Brooke, and to my three poorly trained dogs – Oakley, Piper, and Lily; and, a girl friend to hundreds of brilliant women.
Q
Our motto is: Who wants to fit in a box, anyway? How do you defy limits and live a life outside the box?
A
I have a mouth like a sailor, and I tend to blurt out inappropriate jokes at the most inopportune moments. I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I tend to live in black tank tops and always have a fake cigarette in my purse.
Q
What do you value most and why?
A
My “sacred yesses”. A sacred yes is anything or anyone I feel energized with and pulled toward. I trust my gut unapologetically and this allows me to intentionally prioritize who or what to commit to wholeheartedly. If an opportunity isn’t a HELL YES for me, it’s always a NO or NOT YET. I only invest my valuable time, energy, resources, and talent into experiences that deeply animate me and make me feel lit up, alive, inspired or deeply fulfilled. I’m fiercely protective of my health, well-being, and authenticity and won’t self-sacrifice in order to meet the expectations of others. Consequently, I encourage others to do the same and actually love when people tell me NO because I know it means that they, too, value themselves.
Q
Who has been your greatest influence? What impact did they make on your life?
A
Caroline Myss – the author of my two favorite best-selling books: Anatomy of the Spirit and Sacred Contracts. She taught me how to make decisions guided by “sacred yesses” and how to discern what’s meant for me with the presence or lack of physical animation. She taught me that when we say YES to the wrong things, we won’t have the space, time, or energy needed for what’s really meant for us to experience, create, or contribute.
Q
Tell us about your current profession. What led you down this path?
A
I’m currently a 1:1 certified life coach, author, podcaster, and emotional intelligence educator. I was formerly a teacher and my passion was differentiating instruction for gifted and talented learners. I helped them “test out of” anything they already knew how to do in order to “buy back time” for what lit them up and challenged them. I never gave them more work – I created different, challenging work based on their gifts and talents. It’s the same thing I do for my life coaching clients. We’ve all been conditioned to believe that we need “something more” in order to feel happy or fulfilled. We don’t. We crave and desire the different work that only we can only do given our inherent gifts and passionate talents.
Q
What does being successful mean to you? What bit of advice would you offer women who are striving to reach that success?
A
A successful life is one in which you are deeply joyful, lit up, alive, inspired and truly fulfilled much of the time. Identify your natural, inherent gifts and passionate talents. Tell yourself the truth about what you really value and want, and, what you really don’t. Practice making decisions in your body, not in your mind. Learn to manage your fearful Inner Critic patterns so that you cease to self-sabotage. Just because you think it doesn’t make it true. Commit to only saying YES to what really animates or energizes you. If something leaves you energetically flat, it’s not for you.
Q
What is one fun fact about yourself that most people would never know?
A
The old lady on the See’s candy box is a distant aunt of mine – which explains my tendency to binge on those damn Bordeaux truffles.
Q
If you could share one piece of advice with women around the world, what would it be?
A
If you are helping, serving, or caring for others at the expense of your own health, well-being, relationships, or progress, you are self-sacrificing and playing the role of Rescuer or Martyr. You are doing so because you’re benefitting from doing so, but it’s costing you opportunities to feel deeply fulfilled while using your inherent gifts and passionate talents to genuinely contribute to others in the unique way that only you can be of service.
Q
At what point in your life were you the happiest?
A
Definitely right now. The more congruent my decisions are to my authentic self, the happier I feel. I’ve never been more me. I think our capacity for happiness and joy is directly proportional to our willingness to let go of anything that no longer matches our truest, most real version.
Q
Imagine you are sitting in your childhood bedroom. What do you see?
A
An audacious little girl who thought she was really awesome until a handful of adults told her otherwise and sent her spiraling into decades of diets, shame, people-pleasing, and approval-seeking.
Q
If you could go back and talk to your 12-year-old self, what would you tell her?
A
I’d tell her that her future self had her back. I’d tell her that no one else ever gets to label or criticize her body… that her real work isn’t to get attention from boys or get good grades in order to earn validation or praise… her real work is to question every “should” and “good” and to turn the volume way up on who she really is so her real people can hear her and find her sooner.
Q
The world is constantly pulling us in a million directions. What healthy boundaries have you created in life to keep yourself from going insane?
A
I don’t say YES when my body says NO. I make sure I like my reasons for every YES and NO. I inform others regarding what I’m doing or not doing – I don’t ask for permission. As a social introvert with an ADHD brain, I accept that it’s my responsibility to discern and advocate for my capacity on any given day. I request what I want or need and if the other person isn’t capable or willing to meet my expectations, I find another way to meet my needs without blaming them or being resentful. I love Prentis Hemphill’s quote about boundaries: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” I know that I’ve loved myself well when I’m fully resourced.
Q
What self-care activity do you regularly practice to put your mind, body and soul at peace?
A
I’m usually asleep by 10, up at 5 am, and napping by 1 pm. Sleep is the greatest act of self-care. I love doing Julia Cameron’s morning pages on which you write non-stop until you fill three pages with thoughts. I love Kristen Carder’s suggestion to “archive” everything on your to-do list. Instead, I pick my top 3 for the day. When I’m saturated, I know my body is telling me that I need silence, stillness, and solitude. I workout with friends five mornings a week. I listen to tons of podcasts and audio books. I don’t spend time with Debbie Downers or energy Vampires who drain my energy. I laugh all day long.
Q
There’s nothing better than feeling head-over-heels, passionate-beyond-measure, butterflies-in-stomach, totally and completely in love. What do you do to keep the madly-in-love spirit alive in your (past or present) relationship?
A
I intentionally choose Phil over and over again.
I remember an author saying that every year on her wedding anniversary, she and her husband would look at each other and verbally “renew their contract” for another year. I think an intentional decision to stay or to go is better than butterflies – it’s unconsciously settling that kills your spirit and love.
Q
You are stranded on a desert island, and you can only have one beauty product. What product do you need with you and why is it a must-have?
A
Hands down a razor – otherwise I’d be sporting a moustache like the Mario Brothers by day two.
Q
Tell us what’s next for you. Are there any exciting things on the horizon?
A
On the coaching front, I’m currently taking a “trauma-informed coaching” class which will enable me to better serve my clients – especially those who feel stuck, stagnant, or chronically stressed.
On February 14, I’m thrilled to launch Season Two of my Intentional Intoxication podcast. Whereas Season 1 was dedicated to all things increasing emotional intelligence, the new season will be committed to helping my brilliant listeners decrease, ditch, or delegate anything that doesn’t challenge them to utilize their inherent gifts and passionate talents to make an impactful contribution to others.
I’m also creating a group program/community for gifted and talented humans in their second half of life – I hate the term “empty nest” and am determined to offering a different, more inspiring option to others.
Q
If you live to be 100 years old, what do you hope your life will look like?
A
Lots of time with my kids, grandkids, and girl friends. Sadly, I know I’ll outlive my husband because I’m too full of piss and vinegar to die young. Lots of mischief, cocktails, and belly laughs. But, I only want to live as long as I still have quality of life and independence. Once it’s no longer fun, I’m out, baby.
BONUS QUESTIONS
Q
Amanda is a self-proclaimed snack queen, so she needs to know: What is your absolute, go-to, can’t-live-without, favorite snack in the world?
A
I inhale peanut butter. Can’t live without it. Oh, and breve cappuccinos. Is vodka a snack? Maybe it is with a Meyer lemon twist?
Q
Jen strongly believes in bringing the best you forward, so she needs to know: What one item of clothing (or full outfit) makes you feel like a rockstar every time you put it on?
A
My patent leather black leggings, a pair of tall Old Gringo Mayra cowboy boots, my signature diamond-chip/beaded necklace from Nashville, my fake diamond earrings and long eye lashes, deep red lipstick, black eyeliner, an oversized, two-tone Michael Kors watch, my grandmother’s white gold wedding ring, and my fake cigarette. What more could a girl want?
Q
Amanda and Jen are huge music lovers, so they need to know: What song is your ultimate anthem? (you know, the one you can play a million times in a row and never get sick of!) Why is it your favorite?
A
Tough one… I really love Bon Jovi’s “Now Or Never” and Chris Stapleton’s “Broken Halos”…. I love listening to classic rock/country driving way too fast in my truck, with my daughter, Brooke, windows down, singing as loud as possible while our hair blows in the wind…
A special thank you to Terri Bradway for sharing a bit of her story with us. Our hope is that this little peek behind the green curtain gives you something to connect to, showing us all that no matter how different we may be, we all have more in common than we think. Questions for the Boss Lady featured here? Leave a comment for her below!
Do you know an extra special lady who would be perfect for this interview series? Or maybe YOU are that special someone? Feel free to nominate them (or yourself) for a chance to be featured as our next Boss Lady.
