WTL 5: Meet Cheryl Wood

     Five provocative questions answered by an inspiring and fabulous woman  – a woman with something to say.

Meet Cheryl Wood

Cheryl Wood is an award-winning entrepreneur, leadership expert, keynote speaker, author, and business coach who specializes in equipping girls and women to stretch their thinking, expand their expectations, and play a bigger game.  Her message of FEARLESS living compels girls and women of all ages to embrace their personal power to visualize and achieve their life, career or business goals through passion, persistence, and a willingness to take risks.  Cheryl’s compelling personal story of taking a leap of faith to transition from the frustrated mother of three who was “existing” to the mission-driven woman pursuing her passion and living in her purpose resonates with audiences globally.  Her enthusiasm and passion are contagious and empower individuals to step outside of their comfort zone and remove self-limiting beliefs.

People would be surprised to know that:  My passion for empowering women to discover the best version of themselves started long before I became a motivational speaker and coach.  In fact, dating back to the early 2000’s, I became a Certified Personal Trainer in order to work with overweight women to help them accomplish their health and fitness goals.  My personal fitness success story was featured in the January 2004 issue of SHAPE Magazine.

The WTL 5: 

What’s the conversation that changed your life?

The conversation that changed my life was an internal conversation.  I was already at a place in my life where I was fed up with “existing” and living on autopilot.  But, after my dad passed away at 59 years of age in 2009, I began having a different conversation with myself.  The conversation changed from why to why not.  I started realizing that I had to see the “why not” in every goal, ambition or big dream I ever wanted to achieve in my life.  Instead of waiting for my big dream to happen to me, I began taking steps to make it happen for me.

What are you most conscious of today? 

Today, I am most conscious that I have the power to create whatever reality I desire.  I am conscious that no one or nothing has control over my “end result” except me.  I am conscious that my power to live the life I want is about my willingness to take risks, step outside of comfort and familiarity, persist in the face of challenges and fears, and get back up every time I fall down in my journey to becoming the best version of me. 

What part of you have you yet to give voice to? 

This is such a powerful question.  I think the part of me I have yet to give voice to is the part that reminds me to care for myself equally as much as I care for everyone else.  Too often I get wrapped up into doing for and giving to everyone around me and forget that self-care must be a top priority.  I need to give voice to that part of me that says “stop tending to everyone else and go do something for you.” 

What’s the conversation women need to be having collectively? 

Collectively, women need to converse about finding ways to change the perception that we can only compete and not collaborate.  We must consistently demonstrate that we can and do uplift and support each other instead of tearing each other down.  We need to converse about ways to give each other a hand up and stand in our personal power to open the pathway for another woman to grow and excel as we grow and excel. 

What needs to be said bigger, louder, stronger? 

I believe girls and women need to hear the words: YOU ARE ENOUGH JUST AS YOU ARE! bigger, louder, and stronger.  As a society in general, we need to reinforce in girls and women that the ability to reach their fullest potential does not rest in anyone else’s hands or in waiting for validation or approval from anyone else, and success is not dependent upon age, race, background, or economic status.  Success is dependent upon developing the self-esteem and self-assurance that you have what it takes to erase all limitations from your life and create your own possibilities.

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 Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing your powerful voice
with WomanTalk Live.