Andrea DeWitt - Name, Claim & Reframe: Your Path to a Well-Lived Life

Acknowledgements and Special Thanks

Youve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.

Glinda the Good Witch , Wizard of Oz , Frank L. Baum

When you make a leap of the heart to do something significant, the universe conspires to help by presenting both people and circumstance to clear a path towards success. As I write this acknowledgment I see now that this book is a true alchemy of little miracles that have solidified Name, Claim and Reframe from a small glimmer of hope to a movement with a clear vision and purpose. With a very full and grateful heart, I thank the following A-Listers for their wisdom, guidance, and support.

My trusted Sherpa, Kim OHara (www.kimohara.com): Thank you for teaching me to write concisely and helping me to transform this big idea into a book. You illuminated my path with foresight and humor, especially when I had lost my way.

My incredible mentors and torch lighters: Abigail Morgan Prout (www.spiral-leadership.com), Linda Martens, Tanya Geisler (tanyageisler.com) and Tricia Bolender (www.sacredpower.co). Your generosity, grace and wisdom became the inspiration for the Gentle Warrior archetype that I present in this book.

The radiant Tanya Geisler who reminded me that I have always had the capacity to drive the Porsche engine inside my soul and who graciously agreed to write this books spectacular foreword. YOU were a divine gift presented at the perfect time.

Cherished friends and sisters of choice, Cathy Truesdell, MSM and Pam Pauletich: who generously gifted me not only their friendship but their powerful stories of courage, connection, transformation, and love.

My brave clients (whose tales of transformation are obscured by pseudonyms): You have been my inspiration for the genius and introspective vision that emerges when we make the choice step out of our comfort zone.

My Fairy Godmothers, Dorthy Moxley and Joan Finnie, who have sprinkled my life with pixie dust.

My parents, Rosemary and Edward, who lovingly gave me wings to fly and encouraged me to be brave and resilient so I could do hard things. I love you both with all my heart.

My husband, Bill: You are the love of my life. Thank you for being my co-pilot and the patient, steady wind beneath my wings. The best is yet to come to us!

My children, Patrick, and Katharine: You have expanded my heart in ways I never imagined possible. I am so very proud of the people who have become. May you always live in your truth.

About the Author

Andrea Mein DeWitt is an author, speaker, and life coach who helps leaders see and step into their power, their potential, and their truth. Known for her infectious energy, her career path is proof that it is never too late to transition, modify, revise, and rewrite your life story. After over thirty years as an academic, Andrea bravely shed her cloak of education and took the courageous and transformational leap into the world of coaching. Name, Claim & Reframe: Your Path to a Well-Lived Life is a culmination of the wisdom that she has collected through living an imperfect life and the many tools she has developed to help her coaching clients navigate life with a more attuned vision. It takes courage to live your truth, and part of living an authentic life is stepping out of your comfort zone. Her approach is to help clients gain awareness of what is working and what areas of their life may no longer serve them.

Andrea holds an M.Ed. in Reading Leadership from UC Berkeley and is a Certified Professional Coach through the International Coaching Federation and the Co-Active Training Institute. Andrea lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their beloved yellow Labrador.

Tanya Geisler is a certified Leadership Coach, TEDxWomen speaker, and writer who teaches leaders how to combat their Imposter Complex and lead with ICONIC impact so they can achieve their ultimate goals. Her clients include best-selling authors, heads of industries, MPs, public speakers, leaders, entrepreneurs and rockstar motivators.

chapter one

A Call to Disarm

W e all know that woman. she doesnt lead with an axe or come in with all guns a-blazing to get life done. She elegantly draws upon her own inner resources to guide, counsel, and direct her actions. She stands resolutely in her truths and is one with the most authentic and essential parts of herself.

My encounter with such a woman, Linda, shook the very foundation of my core beliefs, causing me to re-think how I lead in all areas of my life. She was my mentor and through this experience, I started the journey towards building the framework for living life like a Gentle Warrior. I too wanted to walk through decisions in a beautifully feminine, articulate, and witty way, to check my ego at the door and generously strategize so I could lead with an impactful and altruistic vision. Like Linda, I was a straight shooter, however, I was fueled by a lot of triggers, core wounds, and deep seeded insecurities. Many women are.

Building the framework of a Gentle Warrior did not come over night. I had to take a purview of lifes ups and downs, from childhood to present, to Name how I got here and Claim what I wanted. The Reframe was a realignment of perspective that provided the vision for me to strategically take my power back. As modern women, we have armored up to protect our soft centers. Most women have not had time to learn or be open to guidance for stopping our fight responses and shedding our armor. To find this champion within yourself, your Gentle Warrior, you must look to the leaders who have boldly embraced a more feminine approach to their lives. It was in the Reframe phase that I found a more intuitive mindset that created more ease and flow in my life. You too have this softer more emotionally attuned side and it holds the secret ingredients to your most potent power, your divine feminine ingenuity. I used to believe that being a confident woman meant that I showed up a bit bitchy, forcing my opinion, and not taking crap from anyone. Kind of like being a man in a womans body. But feminine power is so much more interesting, intricate, and intelligent.

Initially in my process, I grew precociously eager, leaping into personal and professional development with grandiose curiosity. I observed colleagues, mentors and thought leaders with awe, wondering what would happen if women as a collective became more comfortable leading with our divine feminine gifts. Working beside and reading the work of many of the ingenious leaders you will encounter in this book, called me forth to investigate the specific qualities that embody strong, thoughtful leadership. Enchanted and excited about what I was learning, I began the practice of disarming from my more masculine driven tendencies and permitting myself to embrace the lady that lives under my warrior. Instead of forcing her power externally, she uses an innate feminine attunement to access her internal power which yields a grace and wisdom built on intuition, connection, and humility. With more awareness around the opportunities we have as women, to support each other and have a deeper understanding of how our emotional triggers often block our ability to stand in our power, I believe that we are at a crucial turning point if we are to break new ground as a united feminine coalition.