Christine Reed
Bold | Rugged | Ready
Christine Reed
Hi! I’m Christine– and I’m so happy to be part of the Scare Your Soul community. I started finding myself through scary challenges in my early 20s when I decided to set out hiking the Appalachian Trail. I had never been outdoorsy or sporty or athletic, but something about the challenge spoke to a curiosity I didn’t know I had inside me. A curiosity to dig deep and figure out what was possible. Since then I’ve backpacked many long trails and summitted many mountains. Along the way I learned to transfer that curiosity to other areas of my life. I wrote and published my first book, Alone in Wonderland, to share some of that story with the world. Being part of the Scare Your Soul community is an amazing opportunity to share the joy of doing things that seem hard, challenging, impossible, crazy with the world. Reminding me AND you to keep putting myself out there.
Johanna Ratner
Empathetic | Warm | Kind
Johanna Ratner
I had always wanted to shave my head, just once in my life. To shed a part of my ever present vanity, to prove to myself that I’m not unattractive, and to face the fear of being considered unfeminine.. And I did just that…because, at 40, I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and my oncologist assured me that my protocol of chemo therapy would remove my hair. So, as a preemptive strike, I sat on my friend’s porch, and he shaved my head. It was not the circumstances under which I wanted to face this particular fear however.
So the picture you see is me – this year – at 48, seven years cancer free. I sat in my son’s barber’s chair, held my breath and said, “Remember years ago when you said you’d love to cut my hair off?” He smiled and went to town! I was really nervous and it was exhilarating (Thank you Scott Simon for being there) And here’s what I learned.
- I’m not hideous.
- Not all men prefer long hair on a woman.
- I don’t care if a man (or anyone really ) thinks I’m attractive or not according to their standards.
- I love the way short hair looks on me, but prefer the ‘feel’ of longer hair.
- I kept it short for 2 months, and am now growing it out.
I’m proud of myself…sometimes you have to do something just to see whether or not it’s right for you.
Fiorella Yriberry
Thoughtful | Empathetic | Brave
Fiorella Yriberry
Everything I ever wanted was on the other side of fear.
As I learned how to visualize my future in the world I realized that some dreams gave me terrible fear. Growing up, I often let anxiety take charge and it quickly started to inhibit me from pursuing certain dreams. Making the decision to attend college in a new country, many miles away from home and anything comfortable scared me to death; but it also gave me life. It taught me that the world is too big and beautiful and that every day – every opportunity is unique. It taught me to make fear my friend and to face it with courage.
This new start in my life changed many things for me. I found the most enriching, fulfilling and life-changing experiences by seeing fear as a close friend who challenged me to try. By not letting my fears get in the way I pursued huge and intimidating dreams: from sailing across the world with Semester At Sea to converting a shuttle bus into a tiny eco-home.
I’m grateful for the opportunities and dreams this world has for me and have learned that fear is not big enough to scare me away. Pushing yourself to follow a path alongside fear is the best damn thing you can for yourself.
I’m here to help you stop questioning yourself, to believe in the gratitude and abundance of today.
Time to pursue that dream and not look back!
Lucy Norris
Fearless | Spirited | Loyal
Lucy Norris
Hi, I’m Lucy,
Presenting the best version of myself is what I was trained to do. On the flip side, It also seems as though I like to shock my body into new adventures just to remind myself that life is not a dress rehearsal and not everything can be well presented and picture-perfect. Sometimes you just have to wing it.
And winging it always seemed to lead me in the right direction, always making big life decisions based on instinct.
As a young dancer, London called my name at the tender age of 17. I auditioned, trained, and eventually worked professionally.
I then said goodbye and flew to Cyprus for a year on a whim. Traveled around the world because it felt right, never having a plan, and then finally took a chance and moved to America to follow my dreams as a TV presenter. And it all seemed to work out just right. For a while on the surface, When it was good, it was really good, but when it started to unwind and go bad, things really didn’t seem right anymore.
15 years on, and the life that looked dreamy to everyone else no longer made me happy. I was battling anxiety, in tremendous debt, and living beyond my means, both physically and mentally. I was burnt out.
So I took another risk and scared my soul in returning to my home country to start all over again in my mid-thirties.
My university has always been life. When it no longer feels right, I move towards what scares me the most because often on the other side of fear is our ultimate potential.
In just two years I transformed my life and reached my goals. And now life is just about to take another turn. Constantly changing. Always evolving, often unrecognizable. That’s because life is supposed to be lived, and never compromised.
So I begin again. A brand new chapter. Life after the American dream; a chapter I hope to share with you all.
Remember, nothing to fear but fear itself. It’s a lot less scary when we are in it together.
Jeanne McPhillips
Bold | Inspiring | supergirll
Jeanne McPhillips
Professor | Podcaster | Author | Founder | Boss Queen
I believe in girl power.I am obsessed with inspiring and empowering the next generation of girls.I am blessed with the opportunity to teach business to artists and designers at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and hopefully ignite the entrepreneurial spirit amongst these amazingly talented humans. I truly believe that God put me on this earth to cheerlead women into their boss queen selves, help them shine their crowns and rule.
These days you can find me on campus inspiring young minds.I am a customer-obsessed, progressive thinking, creative and disruptive digital commerce leader with 15+ years’ experience in business development, strategic initiatives, product strategy and merchandising. As a high impact executive with a strong background in multichannel consumer businesses, I am recognized for collaborative leadership style, agile methodology, proactive approach, and keen ability to quickly dissect the status quo and implement roadmap and results through building and mentoring cross-functional teams.
I have an MBA from The Wharton School, and a BBA from The College of William and Mary. Family is #1 as I grew up 100% Italian!! Married to an Irish Rogue, James with 2 dogs and a gorgeous kitty, our son Mark is 22, and launched to Brooklyn.These days, you can find me on campus or in downtown Savannah….teaching, inspiring, mentoring.My first book will be published this fall, ” Be Your Own Hero”…..a girl’s guide to launching from college.
LOVE the Scare Your Soul value prop and spread the love across campus!!
“every day do something that scares you”….eleanor roosevelt
Alison McCartan
Curious | Compassionate | Connective
Alison McCartan
On July 5th, 2021 my life irrevocably changed when I experienced a freak accident that resulted in a shattered kneecap. In an instant, I couldn’t walk, bend, or bear any weight on my strong, sturdy legs that had carried me for over 30 healthy years.
I’m a New Yorker, so I’m always on the move. In recent years I’ve developed a passion for running, and was actually in the midst of training for the NYC Marathon when my injury happened. Most importantly, I’m a dancer and performer — I use my body to tell stories, to create, to live out my passion and career.
Never in my life have I experienced such immense depression, and complete loss of self. So much of who I am holistically is connected to what I do physically — I suddenly felt useless, hopeless, and pointless.
I write this now almost a year later, and it isn’t a heroic story of a miracle recovery. I learned this year that Courage isn’t just about the extraordinary, awe-inspiring, instagram-able feats. Perhaps more importantly, it’s about all the accumulated small moments — persevering through the difficult times that no one sees, being forced to face your limitations, getting quiet and honest about where you’re at and what you need, and promising yourself to get up and try again tomorrow.
“Courage is not defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell and rose again.” — Adrienne Rich
