Hello, I am so happy to be able to introduce to you Harriet Tubman Wright. She is a very accomplished woman. She's a speaker, storyteller, published author, poet, person centered, expressive arts facilitator, mettaphysician, initiated priestess and elder. And, you know, when I first met Harriet, I just thought this gal has seen a lot of stuff, and I could tell when I listened to her voice also. She's been through a lot, and she understands on a deep level, compassion and connecting to one soul. As the director of the Wright resort, your soul safari to success. She guides mature spiritual women to fulfill their passion so that they can live healthy, purposeful, prosperous lives, doing what they love to serve others. And she also helps 'em develop revolutionary leadership skills, woo, to transform businesses, organizations, and communities to ultimately heal people and the planet. She connects with business professional cultural groups through transformational talks on feminine leadership, soul power, and other amazing things with humor and wisdom. And I really wanna give her a warm welcome. Hello there, Harriet.

Well, hello. I'm happy to be here. Happy to connect with you and your listeners.

Well, thank you. We're really glad you're here. So I know that you have been through many, many things in your life, and you've got a story that, when you said, you framed it for me before we started this, and I was like, yes. Okay. That's gonna be exciting. So I'd love for you to just begin to take us on that journey and share some of what your challenges were, and we'll get into how you overcame them.

Thank you. What I want to say, basically the theme is from limitation to liberation. I've had the opportunity to live in Africa and travel all around the world, but I remember, and when I was younger, I played violin. I was in the modern dance honor society. I fashion model. I sewed my own clothes. So the creativity was really, really important to me. And, as I got into job situations, once I returned from Africa, as a single parent and, you know, get a job, I was working in situations where I had the skills, but it was not my heart's work. It was not my soul's calling. And as I started working with women who were frustrated, stressed, angry, about the situations that they were in because they were not being who they were born to be, or doing what they were born to do, and I was in that same situation, I'd be stressed and frustrated.

After work, I'd go to the adult center and take creative writing or learn other things that were more stimulating and more in sync helped me be more in sync with my authentic self. And so, when I work with mature women who are frustrated and stressed, I'm focusing on what I call soul's calling and soul's calling is really, we know that we are here for a purpose. We know how it feels when we're around someone who is in their element, whether they're a musician, whether they are a salesperson. They are juiced about serving you and they serve you with excellence, with joy. And so that's what I want and help women get to a place of joy because they are sharing their gifts, their talents, their skills in a way that is making a difference in an organization or their business or their community.

We're here for a purpose. Let us share that purpose and passion. I say that because I have dealt with depression. I've been you know, two or three different times because I was not living my soul's calling. I was trying to follow somebody else's agenda that was totally inauthentic for me. And I have since learned from those times how important it is for me and how important it is for other mature women to really sizzle in our element. And that means being who we were born to be and doing what we're born to do. That's what I call soul's calling, answering your soul's calling.

I love the elements of joy and sizzle that you're bringing forward here. I think, you know, sometimes when women who are frustrated and stuck, they're not thinking about sizzle, right? They're just thinking peace. I just need peace. Darn it, . And so, when you were going through your times, those darker times, the harder ones, maybe you were depressed and you weren't in that place of joy and sizzle yet. I wanna know, whose rules were you following? Like, what was the programming for you at that time?

I can tell you that the programming for every woman on my father's side, the right side of the family is get a good education. Go to college so you can get a good education so you can get a good job so you don't have to depend on a man.

Mm-hmm.

That was pro I mean, generations of that programming. And so, and I can remember in high school, you know, there was an opportunity to take chemistry and I didn't wanna take it. And well, you don't know what you wanna do, so just take chemistry. Well, I sat next to the smartest person that my job was to hand out the goggles for the experiments. And by the time I did that, my partner had already completed the experiment. He got the highest test and the highest score and the standardized test. The teacher was kind to give me a B minus , that's my final grade. But it was an example of living out that got a good education, go to college so you can get a good education so you can get a job so you don't have to depend on a man. So that was following a mandate that really did not fulfill my heart's longing, my soul's calling.

Yeah, you're being told what to do and then after all that work you get a B minus and basically like supporting some man to be great.

Well, you know, that, I'm just saying that was the programming. And so if when I'm working with women, it's like, well, you know, do you long to share your talents and gifts in a more suitable environment? Can you imagine yourself content and fulfilled doing what you really love? And so that's the way that I've worked with women to come to a place and the transformation is phenomenal. There is joy, there is sizzle, there is peace there, you know, it's like you are on, and of course you've got, meditation helps, yoga helps. There are self-care practices that we want to also incorporate. But as I said, anybody knows if, whether it's an entertainer, you know, when someone is on, it turns you on .

That's right. And, you know, sometimes there are, and you're probably one of these people, you have a lot of skills and a lot of gifts, but that doesn't mean that they're all in your genius sizzle zone.

Mm-hmm. mm-hmm. .

Would you say that's true? Like there were some things you were doing that were like pretty good, but not like, you know, on fire for you?

Well, I can say that, you know, I've written three poetry books and there's been a kind of evolution. They reflect where I was at that time. But, you know, when I was laid off from a job and it created the opening for me to write my first poetry book. It created the opportunity for me to be closer to who I really am as a creative being. And, that again, you wanna be around those people who are on, who are happy, who are joyful, who can't wait to provide the highest and best service to others. And ultimately, I think whatever we are doing as entrepreneurs, as executives, as retired individuals, you wanna be engaged in something that generates joy, sizzle and peace. You know, peace of mind is, and one of the ultimate, I think, ultimate places we wanna be, have peace of mind because we are living our purpose and passion serving others.

I love that. So, Harriet, I'd really think it would be helpful to the listeners to share a little bit of how you transitioned into that joy and then ultimately into sizzle.

When I lived in Nairobi, I had a vision of the Wright resort and a body, mind, spirit wellness center. And I had in mind a physical plan and, you know, but I told myself, oh, but I don't have the money to do that. And then someone said, well, you always use somebody else's money. And I came back to this country and, you know, got a series of jobs. And in my final position, I was asked to do something and I said, I'm not doing it. And so I was written up for subordination. My pay was docked. And I had to go to a hearing and pretend that I was sorry that I said it, but...

Oh my god, what?

But, you know, and I went and I took a bowl of water because in one of the traditions, water represents healing.

And they didn't need to know what, I just took this bowl of water and said what I had to say. And, you know, I looked at one of the people and he kind of rolled his eyes 'cause he knew the whole thing was stupid. But for me, it was my lesson that these people don't know who I really am. It is time to get out of here. So that's when I really turned in my retirement papers. My father became ill and had to be in a nursing home. And so, I took all my vacations sick, all the, everything that was owed to me to help get him situated. And when I went back to work, I said, well, I'm, I just came back to get stuff out of my office. I'm out of here .

And so my retirement, and I was already doing the Wright resort on the side, really focused on self-care practices with women. So I, you know, it was a part-time. I was doing it on the side. And I remember when I went to the ultimate Ojai and I talked to the director, it's a wellness center. And she said, look, what you see now is not what, how we started, the seller of this property helped us to get it. And we were all volunteers. And over a period of time, you know, it has evolved to what it is. So start where you are. And what that said to me is, no, I don't have a physical plan, but I know people who have homes. I'll just start doing my thing in people's homes or in rented properties.

And when I did that, I recognized that I was focused primarily with black women. But it proved to me that there was a need to create a safe space for women to share their stories, to share their frustrations, to share their joys, and be supported and celebrate it.

Mm.

That confirmed that the Wright resort. And you know, like I said, it started that way. But as I got more into the soul's calling and what I call social change now, then it became the Wright resort, your soul safari to success, which is still about being who you are born to be, doing what you're born to do. We're being authentic and true to ourselves. And it took me that experience and a few rounds of depression to recognize how important it is to be who we were put here to be and do what we were put here to do. That's it. I mean, you know, I don't know anything better than that.

I get you. Yes, for sure. . It's nothing better than that. , you know, while you're sharing this, and I just love your energy and your commitment to this calling, and I'm kind of hearing in the back of my mind, like some of the women who I've met along the way that I support, but originally when they first started working with me, they were thinking things like, well, I am doing what I'm supposed to do. Right? Like, they're so over identified with the support roles or the care taking roles, whatever it is that they're having trouble imagining more. And so I'm curious what you might say to them, Harriet.

I think there is a process called visioning that was created by Michael Bernard Beckwith of the Agape Church or center. And visioning, I've used visioning quite a bit myself, and I've worked with others around visioning to begin imagining and sensing into their soul. And so one of the question is, you know, who do you wanna be? Or what does this look like? What does this feel like? What does this sound like? And you know, what does that mean for you? And so people have an opportunity to go beneath the surface, so to speak, and get in touch with their heart, with their soul, with their true essence. And when you tap in at that level, then what comes forth is your true essence, your authenticity. You become aligned and there's, you know, the joy and peace is there.

So that visioning process is one thing that I have found very helpful for myself and very helpful for women that I've with. I can also say that one of the successes was working with someone in the public health environment, and something happened that was not pleasant. And so she was shifted to another department, but meanwhile she was developing skills on the side because she knew that there was something more that she wanted. And she has come to a place of creating the program, the business, the offering that she was born for. And so whenever she sees me, she will always acknowledge, oh, there is my coach, da da da, da, da, da. Because it was a process of moving from limitation to liberation. And the liberation now is getting to what it is she's here to do, be and do.

And so that's one example of the ways that I have worked and continue to work with women. And it is a process. I've experienced the transformation. I facilitated the transformation because we may come back again. We may have been here already. We may have come back, but while we're here now, let's be here in joy and in peace.

Yes.

That's what I can say. Part of my bio talked about revolutionary leadership skills and I just want to say that it's time for wise elders and astute creative youngins to chart the way forward. Bringing our different and complimentary skills to the vision and the strategic approach. In other words, our time is now together.

Hmm. Wonderful. And so, do you have something like a project where you wanna direct people to around that? Like, if somebody were interested in bringing their wisdom as an elder, maybe with a younger family member to create, to co-create together,

That is the way that I am putting forth a class called activating revolutionary leadership skills now. And part of the objective is to bring older and younger women together, because we are in a paradigm shift, I've always say that mother earth and mother nature will continue. The question is rather humanity will. So this paradigm shift in my mind, represents coming down the birth canal so that women whose natural skills are tending, nurturing, caring, cultivating that those skills are really important. And if we can come together as the divine feminine and sacred masculine to impact or to liberate and to shift so that the healing and the empowerment and the transformation occurs so that as indigenous people say, seven generations, what we co-create and collaborate together does create a viable, peaceful future for humanity, for the world. We can't persist. You know, that's, that's my vision.

I love that. Thank you so much for sharing that. I'd love to support you in that by putting that in the show notes as well, so people have a place to go to, if you're feeling that call to contribute to the piece of the world and to creating a new paradigm, the paradigm that's ready. We're ready for that. Now I am totally with you there, Harriet. There's a place where you can go, where you can check some things out.

Absolutely. And I do want to say that I have a gift for people that will enable the journey to continue. It's called Five Essential Tools to Lead the Revolution Toward Love, Light, and Liberation, A Spiritual Guide for Change Makers. And so it is a journey, but we look at Soul Care, we look at self-care, we look at creating Sacred space, the whole creativity piece and what it means to have guidance through the journey. And when people download this gift, then they're on my mailing list and can benefit from knowing, okay, this is what's next. This is something that they can take advantage of, this is how they can connect. And I look forward to connecting because everyone has a contribution, a gift, a talent to share.

Yes, indeed. And so how will people find that link? Can you just say what it is right now? We'll put it in the notes of course, but go ahead and tell everybody where to go.

To the wrightresort.com When you go to my website, the Wrightresort.com, on the homepage you can click Spiritual Guide, and then you'll have access to five essential tools, the Spiritual Guide for Change Makers.

Fantastic. And that's Wight with a W.

Correct.

. So Wright Resort with a W. Okay. Fantastic. Harriet, what is one final piece? We've gotta, you know, bring this to a close today. I really enjoyed hearing part of your story and just sharing in some of your wisdom here. And I'd love to leave the listeners today with one tip or piece of guidance.

Okay. Thank you. Settle or soar, stress or shine, what are you choosing today? Choose to be in community, then soar and shine together.

Woo. Beautifully said . All right, Harriet, thank you for being here, for shining and helping our listeners to belong to something to community here on Say Yes to Your Soul. I am so happy that you joined us today. And ladies, I want you all to just take a breath wherever you are right now. If you're multitasking, you're running around. If you're just lying there, soaking it all in, go ahead and take a breath and allow yourself to imagine something new in greater alignment with your soul. All right, that's it for today. Bye-bye for now.