Women's Empowerment Series | Brianna Petersen

1. Tell us a little about yourself please!

My name is Brianna Petersen and I am a 5/2 self projected projector (Human Design). I am a mom to a beautiful little girl, a wife and also a dog and guinea pig mama too. I absolutely love connecting with people and through this I decided to jump into a second business adventure (The Social Connection HD).

I love reading, listening to really loud music, I love travelling (although I also really love my home so I do get homesick - like that one time I went to Thailand and cried on day 6 because I wanted my own bed and I also wanted a sandwich which I couldn't locate anywhere - hello culture shock, but also best time ever). My passions and goals have evolved over time. From wanting to scale the corporate world, to being a stay at home mom to now growing my second small business. My life has been full of change and experiences (highs and lows) that have brought me to where I am today.

I am an extrovert when out with people, I love to absorb and amplify the energy in the room. But I am also a huge introvert and love to hermit at home most evenings with some trashy reality tv!

2. What's one story, a limiting belief, that you used to believe but don't anymore?

Oh do I ever have a list of these! One that sticks out as I'm writing this is the limiting belief that I do not know enough. I cannot start a business involving energetics and Human Design, like who am I to think I can actually guide people and teach embodiment and energy releasing, etc. And to this day I still have moments where there is doubt and those limiting beliefs sneak in, even with all of the work I've done on myself. We are humans, we are not perfect, we are constantly rebalancing our energies. This was a big one in starting my business and creating offers. Do I know enough? Will people actually want to join my offers? Who do I think I am?

Over the last year, and the last few months especially, I have really worked on these limiting beliefs, not making them mean anything and confidently showing up as my true self. Even if that looks different from years ago. Again, we are ever evolving.

3. Can you remember where the old belief came from/what kept the story alive?

Societal Conditioning. We grow up seeing these inspirational people, we want to be like them. But we forget that they also had to start somewhere, that they also have limiting beliefs and their success didn't happen overnight. We are also praised for following conventional norms (such as working in the corporate world, holding a 9-5 job, educating ourselves on certain topics, etc.). So when we step out of this comfortable space, and when people don't always understand what we are doing, it can cause us to really judge ourselves and to second guess our next steps. Hello limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome! It's always there, but can we work through it and truly believe in ourselves and our unique gifts.

4. How did believing this old story impact your life, personally and/or professionally?

I think I kind of answered this above? Anyways maybe add on that I had to take the leap, trust myself and lean on those around me (friends, family, small biz community) who believed in all of the unconventional steps I was taking. I had to feel the highs and lows and I had to actually work through the limiting beliefs rather than push them aside where they would stew and show up even stronger the next time.

5. How did you change your outlook on this story?

I educated myself, I went into my past and pulled up all of the blocks and also all of the things I loved about my previous careers and personal life. I then looked at where I am now and where I want to be, while also acknowledging the room for evolution. I have not only decided to stand in my power but I have also needed to learn to embody the feeling of success. And success looks different for everyone. So once I figured out what this looked like, I had to learn to embody it. Hello manifestation!

And I'm not saying 9-5 jobs or corporate world careers are wrong or bad, they can be great! Heck I loved my job for such a long time! But all in all, I've come to the realization that the conventional career world just isn't for me. This is for me.

6. What would your life have looked like today if you still believed that story?

I would still be a Financial Advisor (I don't even like investment talk, I prefer mortgages and estates haha). I would be making the most out of this life of course, but I would always have that missing piece. I felt it for years, even after I started my first business (Unwrapped), there was always something missing) And now I've found it! Life is just that much more exciting and I'm so grateful I figured it out.

7. What is the new story you tell yourself and live by today?

Everything Happens For A Reason. I've always lived by these words, but they mean even more now. From the spiritual side of my business, to the energetics. Some things just can't be explained. I truly believe that even when days are tough, everything happens for a reason.

8. Why is personal growth and empowerment important to you?

It is so easy for us to hide. It is so easy for us to follow the norm. It is so easy for us to stay the same. But when we step out of our comfort zone, when it isn't always easy, there is this energetic upgrade, this adrenaline, this power that I believe is important for everyone to feel throughout their lifetime. We cannot grow until we step out of our comfort zone. And we feel that empowerment when we are growing and experiencing new feelings, new connections, new pleasures.
I believe that growth and empowerment are some of the stepping stones to true happiness in life. Because without it, wouldn't life be so boring?

9. How do you maintain your empowerment when experiencing obstacles or difficulties?

It's not always easy! And I say that with intensity! There are days I just cant get out of my head, there are days of energy lows and limiting beliefs galore. But instead of making them mean something, I feel them, I switch my day around to give myself space. Sometimes it can be healthy to "sit in my shit" - as my coach Kari would say. We are humans, we ebb and flow and we are going to have difficulties, its life! But its how we work through it that matters most. Giving myself space and not should'ing on myself are key. Extra grounding, reaching out to a friend, going for a drive with loud music, stepping away from work for an hour, or even a day, using my Healy to help support my body and emotions. There are so many ways we can show up for ourselves when going through hard times. You just have to find what works best for you.

10. What does being a strong woman mean to you?

A strong women is someone who has gone through the good, but also experienced the bad. She has walked through the mud and sat through the rain. But what makes her strong is that she came out of it alive. She came out of it accepting that she went through it and then facing forward to rise above it all. She doesn't allow anything to get in her way or turn her around. A strong women is in all of us - we just have to believe in ourselves!

11. How has personal growth, and doing the inner work, positively impacted your life?

I'm not perfect, far from it. But because of this inner work I am accepting of it. I accept myself for who i am, I accept myself for the decisions I've made, and I accept myself for the experiences I have gone through. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful, even when the day is a mess and I want it to be over. I am grateful I get to try again tomorrow. And this minute did not exist before I decided to step into the inner work (and boy can it be messy!)

12. What makes your heart beam and how do you follow that light?

My daughter. I actually have a tear in my eye as I write this. I see her and how she shows up authentically every single day. How she experiments with her self expression, her emotions, her energy. It's all over the place and it's not always easy being a parent, but seeing her work through what so many adults block is so beautiful. She see's this world with such a different sense, and I can only hope that I will be able to guide her to continue to feel free in being her authentic, self expressed, genuine self as she grows up. I'm always following her light.

13. What message or advice do you have for other women who are ready to dismantle a limiting belief?

One step at a time, one day at a time. But you have to be ready, you have to be ready to feel the discomfort, to dive into things that may not feel good at first. We cannot see the light until we first walk through the darkness to find it. Reach out to me or to anyone who you feel can genuinely support you. Doing it all alone is not recommended. There are times for solidarity, absolutely, but having someone in your corner is just another step to crushing those limiting beliefs.

14. What quote/book/song best represents the current chapter you're in?

Song: I am here - P!ink!
I just held space for a group of women this past weekend. And this song spoke to me to share. I highly recommend listening to it. Take what resonates and leave behind what doesn't. I know you will find empowerment within this song, I definitely did. And it's going to help lead me through the remainder of 2023 and beyond.

Brianna Petersen, Human Design & Energetics Coach at The Social Connection HD.

Listen to Brianna's guest episode on The Spirit Unleashed Podcast.