Free & Abridged Version - Challenge the Status Quo

The 'W' of the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way

Diet and hustle culture reinforce the belief that women aren’t enough as we are and must constantly be fixed. This mindset is effective for selling products, keeping women constantly striving to meet an impossible standard. It also prevents us from fully embracing our power and ruling the world!

The WISE-ASS Woman’s Way isn’t about ‘fixing’ you because you aren't broken. You are whole and complete as you are. It's about challenging the status quo, letting go of the ‘shoulds,’ and growing in ways that are nurturing and nourishing for both your body and mind.

We need to rethink how we approach goals—not by focusing on doing more (because let’s face it, women already do so much!). What if, instead, we focused on being present in our bodies for just five minutes, allowing ourselves to make mistakes, pushing beyond our comfort zones, getting more rest, playing, or creating?

Last week, we used breath work, imagery, and words to identify our intentions in Observing the Chaotic Winds: Find Your Path on the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way. Now, it’s time to be radically honest about our reasons for walking this path with the ‘Why’ of the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way.

Inside This Edition

• The "Why" of the WISE-ASS Woman's Way (video)
• Empowering Quote & Image
• Experiential: Finding Your Why
• Psycho-education on Motivation
• Wise Women’s Wisdom
• WW Playlist Recommendation
• WW Tools in Action

Finding Your Why

Purpose

• To be radically honest with yourself about your reasons for wanting change
• To understand motivation and how to foster it
• To increase your internal motivation to walk your WISE-ASS Woman's Way

Instructions

Step 1: Draw or glue an image that represents your intention onto a piece of paper.

It’s okay to allow your intention to evolve as you gain more clarity about your needs—even if you're weeks into the process. That’s the "E" of the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way. Remember, every Wise Woman’s journey is unique. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The key is to spend time getting to know yourself better and understanding how this model of change can support and benefit your life.

Reminder: This isn’t about creating perfect art; it's about using your hands to engage, express, and integrate your learning more deeply into your mind and body.

Note: Becoming a WW Insider requires a membership, which helps create a protected, supportive space free from misogynistic trolls and honors the value of our collective work. If the $5 membership is a barrier, please reach out—I’m happy to discuss options so you can still dive deeper with us.

Step 2: Review the "Why" of the WISE-ASS Woman's Way

After you set your intention, ask yourself WHY you truly want to go down this path.

Wise-Ass Women start by setting an intention and then are radically honest  about why they want to go down that path. If the answer to your "why" involves an implied "should," switch to a different intention that is right for YOU. A common intention might be "to prioritize your mental health and well-being" or "to give love and care to your body."

Step 3: Outline your WISE-ASS Woman’s path
Start by drawing a rough outline of your path to your intention. This will give you a basic sketch of your journey—typically narrowing as you move forward. Remember, paths are rarely linear.

Education on Motivation

Motivation can be elusive. In the past, the therapy world often viewed people as “resistant” if they didn’t make progress. Mental health providers would say, “Come back when you’re ready,” instead of learning how to help increase internal motivation.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is not a treatment modality but a therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify and enhance their own internal motivation. MI is aligned with the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way, which is why I’d like to share one of my favorite MI scales.

Step 4: Reflect on the intention you're considering changing and think about the following questions.

Importance Ruler

• Q: On a scale of 0-10 (0= not at all important and 10 = extremely important) how important is it for you to make this change right now?

Note: If your number is low, consider switching to a different intention that you feel more motivated to work on in this moment of your life.

Step 5: Answer this MI question to create your path.

• Q: Why are you at your current number and not a ZERO? 

Our natural desire is to explain why we aren’t at a 10, but this question tricks your mind into listing all of your reasons for wanting change.

Journal your answers along your path to remind you of your motivation as you walk the WISE-ASS Woman's Way.

Writing down your reasons for wanting change not only increases your chances of making that change but also helps sustain your motivation as you move along the WISE-ASS Woman’s Way.

One of the women’s groups created this amazing blanket using pages from their A Space for Me Empowerment Practices book! Group members often talk about carrying their women's group with them throughout their week, and this blanket became a tangible representation of how they wrap themselves in the comfort, compassion, and wisdom of their community. I was truly blown away by their expressiveness!

This week:

• Continue to contemplate your “why”
• Use your community space once this week to share the story and a photo of you "why"