Episode 202: Nature Meditations – Kenya Jackson-Saulters

Tap into Nature’s Healing Powers

Kenya Jackson-Saulters believes in the power of pairing meditation with time outside and cultivating rituals to help her channel the spirituality and peace of mind she finds in nature. In this episode, we hear all about the Nature Meditations deck she recently authored through Chronicle Books. It’s a beautiful offering for her Outdoor Journal Tour community (and beyond) and a true reflection of her passion for the outdoors and mindfulness.

As we find ourselves already a few weeks into a new year, time feels like it’s on hyperdrive but Kenya helps remind us of the importance of grounding ourselves in the outdoors, setting aside time to dream, and celebrating the many ways we move forward.

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If you enjoy this episode, you might also enjoy this one featuring Amy Won and her Wonder Walking deck.

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A full transcript is available below the photos.

Featured in this episode: Kenya Jackson-Saulters

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Indeed

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Resources

• Featured in this episode: Kenya Jackson-Saulters
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consultkenya
• Buy the Nature Meditations Deck
  • Learn more on Outdoor Journal Tour’s website
  • Find it on REI.com
  • Amazon
• Nature Meditations Deck release party February 7, 2022 in Atlanta, GA (Kenya will also be doing a reading for out of town and online participants)
• Outdoor Journal Tour
  • January 2022 Words for Creating & Being
  • Subscribe to Creative Fuel, Anna’s newsletter
• If you enjoyed this episode, we think you’ll enjoy:
  • Hike, Journal, Meditate w/ Outdoor Journal Tour
  • Wonder Walking Heals – Amy Won
• Rate this podcast
• Ravel Media

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Kenya Jackson-Saulters and the Nature Meditations Deck

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TRANSCRIPT

Note: This transcript was lightly edited and created using a transcription service. As such it may contain spelling errors.

Gale Straub – Narration:

I’m Gale Straub and you’re listening to She Explores.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

If you’re walking and you’re just like paying attention to the steps, listening to your feet rustle on the ground, hearing the birds, you know, just allowing your mind to be like so into your senses that too can, can be a meditation where you’re not as pressured.

Gale Straub – Narration:

This is a nature meditation by Kenya Jackson-Saulters <affirmative> mother nature’s messages. Nature is always ready to teach us something we just need to learn to listen. Whether it’s a lesson in harmony, simplicity, strength, patience, or generosity. There’s so much to be discovered. If we’re willing to tune in today, find a place to sit outside for at least 10 minutes. Key up your eyes open and see what nature offers up. Bring your attention to the earth, the sky, the animals, the plants, and the trees. If you find your mind drifting off to something else, just gently bring it back to the present moment. What are you experiencing? What do you think earth is trying to tell you?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

How do we help ease the, the stress? How do we help ease the anxiety of living in a world that doesn’t ask you, what you think, or living in a world that doesn’t give you time to process your emotions when tragic things happen, like living in a world where you don’t know who you are, because you’re so busy trying to be who everybody thinks you should be. You know, how do we ease that? How do we begin to really own the skin that we’re in and be, be more confident in who we are, you know,

Gale Straub – Narration:

This week, I’m honored to have Kenya Jackson-Saulters back on the show.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Um, I guess my official title is co-founder and CEO of the outdoor journal tour. I am also a two meaning that I am partnered, uh, married to Michelle Jackson Saulters, who is my co-founder. So I guess that’s the only other moniker for me is Mrs.

Gale Straub:

<laugh>. Ah, <laugh> I love that a two, um, never thought about it that way. Mm-hmm <affirmative>.

Gale Straub – Narration:

Kenya and her wife Michelle were on She Explores in 2019 to talk about Outdoor Journal Tour, an outdoor wellness organization that’s using the power of mindfulness and hiking to help unite, heal, and empower women. Today, we’ll get to know Kenya better – and hear all about the Nature Meditations Deck she recently authored. It’s a beautiful contribution to her community and a true reflection of her passion for the outdoors and mindfulness. We’ll talk more about it later but I wanted to disclose upfront that Kenya and I share the same publisher, Chronicle Books.

Gale Straub – Narration:

In our last episode, we with Anna Brones who underlined the importance of creative rituals in our lives. Kenya is also a proponent of ritual, and hers help her channel the spirituality and peace of mind she finds in nature. As we find ourselves already a few weeks into a new year, time sometimes feels like it’s on hyperdrive but my conversation with Kenya helped remind me of the importance of grounding ourselves in the outdoors, setting aside time to dream, and celebrating the many ways we move forward.

Gale Straub:

So one of the things that I noticed, you know, when I, so scroll through your Instagram, where I look at all of the work that you’ve accomplished is that you, you do a lot, you know, you are a speaker, a founder, a spiritual coach, a healer, a sponsored athlete, a published author. What are, would you say are some of the, the themes or like unifying elements of, of all that you

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Do? I think that ultimately for me, it’s always been about wellness work, right? In what ways can I improve myself? Normally that comes first. And then once I feel like I’ve gotten a little grasp where I’ve learned some information about how to improve myself, then I’ll go back and say, okay, how do I share this with other people? And how can I help them enhance or just expose them to new things in their lives. Everything started with the writing to be honest, been writing since I was 13, always my dream to be a published author. That’s all I ever really wanted to do, but because life and different things happened. Um, I got spirituality work, um, as a profession, went to school for psychology and realized that I didn’t feel comfortable personally giving any sort of, uh, I didn’t wanna work in a way where I had to give advice to people about wellness that did not include a spiritual component because spirituality was such a big part of my life. And, and so I was like, okay, we gotta find a way to put a little bit of little bit of higher power in this. And that’s how the spiritual coaching kind of grew. And then from there, you know, outdoor journal tour, numerology, the speaker coaching, those were all things that I was doing really for myself and other people were like, oh, what you doing? And so I was like, all right, let’s do of this. You know? And so everything kind of ended up converging and, um, all connecting to each other via me

Gale Straub:

In hearing you talk about how you wanted to have a spirituality component to the work that you do. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, if it’s not too personal, would you mind sharing what spirituality? I know that it’s probably something you could write a whole book on, but, but what it means to you.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

So for me, spirituality is all about, uh, connection to something that is that you deem to be bigger, higher, or more powerful than your body self. Right. And I say body self, cuz I do believe that spirit is in the body. Right. And that we are like, the body is the way in which the spirit like gets to move through the world. It’s like the, the body is the Spirit’s car or plain. Mm okay. Cause my spirit has a plain body. Um <laugh> but so it’s just this connection to whatever it is that animates your eyes, that what is it that beats your heart? What is it that inspires your thoughts? What is it that allows you to love and move and be artistic? I mean, if you’ve seen wonderful composers or beautiful singers, artists, writers, I mean, there’s something in that that is just divine. Uh, spirituality to me is about connecting to whatever that enduring source is that we all come from and you know, uh, you could use whatever name you want for that. So it’s definitely not connected to a certain doctrine or dogma or even religion. It’s really just, what does that higher version of you look like and how do you get closer in communion with that part of you?

Gale Straub:

Hmm. The outdoors definitely plays a part for you

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

In that. Oh absolutely. Absolutely. There is a silence there there’s a stillness, but in the midst of that stillness, there’s also so much growth. Right? There’s so much power. There’s so much beauty and it’s just like quietly happening behind the scenes. You know, I was thinking about that this morning when I woke up, like you lay down and go to sleep and then you just, you’re just unconscious. And you don’t remember when that moment happens. And then at some point during the, during the evening you just wake up, right? Like no alarm clock. Maybe you have to use the restroom. Maybe you’re hungry, maybe something, but something just wakes you up. Like, and now you’re just like, I’m up and I can talk and I can move and I can do all these different things. And you think to yourself, what is doing this? Like, what is, what is the energy source behind this?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

And so I, I liken that to nature because you go outside, there’s all of this life that’s just naturally occurring. I mean, we don’t water the trees, we don’t fertilize the, the forest. Uh, we, we, we just don’t do that. It just happens on its own. And so it’s just gentle reminder that there’s some sustaining forest. That’s always like undergirding our existence and being in nature is a reminder of that. That we’re a part of something that is so big and so enduring and so generous in some ways. And so vast too, you know, the mountains I’ve been to some of the valleys. I mean, I’ve just felt so small in those places, but also really protected. And so it’s always a, a big eye open for me and a reminder of like who I really am and what I’m really a part of.

Gale Straub:

Hmm. And do you find like an ability to listen to that inner spirit too? In those

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Times? Absolutely. Because I don’t know who designed the forest, but they made it so you will not have cell phone service <laugh> so every time I go outside, I’m like, it ain’t gonna be no service out here. So you don’t have your phone. Um, I live in a city and you will probably hear like cars and stuff pretty frequently. And you get used to that noise. You get used to just the hustle and bustle of city life. But when you get out outside in the woods and there’s just this quiet, you know, it’s just like, you can, you can hear yourself. Think you can hear yourself, feel, you can have your body moving just for the sake of movement. Right. Cause most of the time when you’re hiking, you’re, you’re going to a location, a summit or something like that, but it’s not work, you know, it’s not like my body is watching clothes and my body is making dinner. You know, it’s like, I’m just moving my body for the sake of movement. It’s surreal. And I think it’s incredibly spiritual for me anyway.

Gale Straub:

Hmm. Oh, it’s beautiful. Yeah. So shifting gears a little bit, what role would you say that meditation plays in your life?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Ooh. You know, not as big as I wish it did and not as big as it used to meditation is so it’s so effective and I’ll just be a hundred percent honest. I have not been in practice enough when I do it’s really, really good for me. So I would say right now my personal meditative practice is I get up in the morning. I turn on meditation music and I go about some of my, um, early, early morning tasks with the music playing, try to do complete silence, no cell phone before I set my computer up and like my candles and incense for the day. And that is absolutely not enough for me. I need more. So that’s something that I have kind of fallen off on a few years ago. I was a lot more diligent and disciplined about it, but I think since the pandemic, I I’ve just been like, oh girl, if I sit still and listen to these thoughts for too long <laugh>. Um, but I do, uh, meditate in other ways for me, I will say sitting still and actually doing a, a classic or traditional meditation works best for me, but I can go outside sometimes and walk and in silence or, um, things like that. But I have not been in enough with just kind of sitting still and getting quiet in traditional meditation. So I, I hate to have to be the one to say that, but you know, that’s been the situation for since the pandemic.

Gale Straub:

Mm. And no, I think honestly, I think people appreciate hearing that because it’s just been a really, really hard, you know, we’re gonna be coming up on two years before we know it. Mm-hmm, <affirmative> like it’s been a really, really tough two years and you know, it’s a lot of pressure to be putting into action. Everything that you talk about all the time too at times, or at least I think that like, as I stand in a closet talking about the outdoors with someone when I’m, you know, in my pajamas at like 11 or <laugh> and

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Same

Gale Straub:

<laugh>. So, you know, it’s also very human <laugh>, but when you, when you do give advice to folks for incorporating a meditation practice into the time that they spend outside, what are some of those tips that you might give?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Uh, well, the first thing I say is like start small. I think meditation can be really intimidating to people because, you know, you are being asked to kind of sit quietly or sit with music or sit with something that’s guiding you into, uh, a silence and stillness that you may or may not be used to. And a silence donut that you may be purposefully avoiding. Right? So I say start small, you know, three to five minutes, if you can, just of, of getting quiet, getting comfortable and getting centered. Um, I do tell people who are new to meditation that you can, you know, in the beginning, find a thought that you want to play with. For me, I usually do like a, a, a, a fantastic thought meaning, like I have this dream of being a, a, a New York times bestselling author. So I may sit in meditate for three minutes on what that looked like the day I found out.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Right. And so allowing my brain to think, but giving it something to think about that’s very specific, or maybe even a memory that you have that you would like to relive and just get quiet and relive that memory, the stillness, um, and the quiet and the focus is still meditation. Right. And then as you get a little bit more disciplined, then you can try to do it in complete silence, just observing the breath, just observing your surroundings, physically, um, you know, just kind of feeling the air or in your chair or feeling your feet on something. But in the beginning, I, I like to give people a little something to do, just so that they’re not like an anxious mess in their heads. Also moving meditations are really dope. Like, so for those people that bike hike, run, walk yoga, those are also opportunities for you to pay very close attention to what you’re doing and be very, uh, attentive to that movement or that work, which can also be a meditation, right? Like if you’re walking and you’re just like paying attention to the steps, listening to your feet, Russell on the ground, hearing the birds, you know, just allowing your mind to be like, so into your senses that too can meditation where you’re not as pressured to just have this silence where you’re like, ah, I’m worried, where’s the money gonna come from? Like that kind of stuff. Like what we wanna avoid that <laugh> at all. If we can <laugh>,

Gale Straub – Narration:

Kenya shared with me that as she’s gotten older, she’s embraced her maternal side. She’s the one her friends go to when they have big life questions. And it’s how she knows it’s important to share the power of meditation and other tools she’s found that work for herself with others.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

I know that it’s needed. I know. And I’ve observed it so many times, you know, of going outside with a group of women and literally asking them one question, why are you here? Or how do you feel? And just the emotion erupt almost immediately. And so there’s a part of me. That’s like, okay, how can we definitely not soothe or erase the emotion? Cuz the emotion has information in it and it’s important, but how do we help ease the, the stress? How do we help ease the anxiety of living in a world that doesn’t ask you, what you think or living in a world that doesn’t give you time to process your emotions when tragic things happen, like living in a world where you don’t know who you are, because you’re so busy trying to be who everybody thinks you should be. You know, how do we ease that?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

How do we begin to really own the skin that we’re in and be, be more confident in who we are? You know, my birthday is coming up and I’ll be 40 years old. And I think this is the first time in my life that I’ve actually felt like I’m getting comfortable in me as a woman. And it’s in large part due to all these practice, says that I put in place to kind of be like, okay, this is what I like. This is how I feel. This is what I’m into. This is what moves me. This is what doesn’t and having the confidence to do that, you know, and I love to see it when a woman begins to own herself and own her personality and own her energy. Like I think it’s a beautiful thing. And um, I to share it, sharing it is a part of my journey too, you know? So I can’t say it’s a hundred percent altruistic because it isn’t, it definitely is a part of, of my journey and what makes me feel good about myself? I feel like it’s a both. And I think it’s a win-win <laugh> maybe that’s why it works. <laugh>

Gale Straub – Narration:

We’ll hear more from Kenya, and learn about the Nature Meditations Deck, after this.

Gale Straub – Narration:

We’re back. Kenya recently released a Nature Meditations Deck, a set of cards which helps you tap into the restorative powers of the natural world with 60 nature-inspired meditations, mindfulness practices, journaling prompts, and visualizations.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Ooh, orange story. Well back in 19. OK. No, um, <laugh> well, the nature of meditations deck is absolutely a dream come true for me, both personally and professionally, we talk a little bit about the role that nature has had in my life and how pretty much the outdoor journal tour was built around just the peace and qui that we find in nature. But one of the things that I realized over the past, you know, six years of us doing this work is that a lot of women especially don’t know what to do when they get outside. So you say, go outside and they’re like, okay, I’m outside now. What? Um, so a nature meditations deck really helps people to figure out what to do when they’re outside, helps you with some affirmations. It’s going to give you some messages from earth. It’s going to give you some walking thoughts and then also meditations what the deck does is it gives you like journaling props, also, um, activities, things for you to look at and pay attention to also things for you to ponder and talk about. Because a lot of times I notice that women go outside, we don’t miss really go alone. So there are some conversation pieces or some cars that can be used as conversation pieces as well. So it’s just kind of giving you a companion when you go outside. Um, so that you can feel like you have a little bit of guidance while you’re out there.

Gale Straub:

Let’s see, I have the deck here. It’s, uh, bigger than a normal deck of cards. Uh, and it’s quite beautiful. The outside reminds me of a landscape in Washington or again, or even up in the white mountains in New Hampshire, just gonna open it up. Okay. So the first card says welcome to nature meditations. The natural world is our greatest teacher. When you connect deeply with nature, observing its beauty, moving and strengthening your body and making a space for your deepest thoughts, you can find clarity, peace and stress relief, full of wisdom and encouragement. These simple to follow cards will help you tune into nature’s powerful teachings wherever. And whenever you need them, pull a card in the morning to start your day with a nature inspired visualization, take a card from each category to enhance a walk in your local or bring the deck on your next group hike and have everyone draw a hard to deepen their experience. Okay? Let’s, let’s draw a hard, as, as Kenya said, there’s different categories. So there’s nature, meditations, walking, thoughts, messages from the earth and strengthening affirmations. Well, today’s actually new year’s Eve the day of the, and I’m recording this. So I’m gonna do a strengthening affirmation pulling this at random.

Gale Straub:

Okay. One side is a beautiful illustration of a coast line with either the moon or the sun, depending on what you wanna see. And then the other side says, Ooh, okay, I need this. It says it’s okay to slow down. Nature moves at its own deliberate pace. Imagine water is slowly wearing down rocks. As it meanders down a stream, think of tree trunks, taking decades to make their way toward the sky. Imagine sand dun shift over generations, just because you can’t see instant progress doesn’t mean that it’s not occurring. Speak the words I can slow down as you take long slow breaths and allow these images to remind you that moving slowly and intentionally can still have a lot of power. I can slow down.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Here’s a cool thing about it because it’s nature meditation. You don’t necessarily have to be in nature to use them, right. It’s going to bring the imagery, the scenery, the experience of being outdoors to you mentally, right? So you can even take a card and use it as a journaling prompt in your home. Um, especially if we’re still under the COVID rain next year, you know, people will be able to use it, use it however they see fit. Right. And that was something that was very important to me because we produced it right in the height of COVID. So I was like, okay, we can’t be like, well today when you’re hiking, because you’re not, you know? Um, so it’s gonna bring that energy to you no matter where you are.

Gale Straub:

Yeah. Yeah. I love that too, because I feel like COVID is underlined for us. Some things that we already knew in that it is really difficult to, to step outside in the way that you might want to every day. Like it’s not really possible to get out into the mountains, but going for a local walk can be just as restorative. So it’s cool that, I mean, I’m not surprised that you were so mindful in thinking about it that way. It also is, you know, increases like accessibility to and expands. You know, what we think of when we think of when we think of the outdoors?

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Yeah. I mean, I’m, I’m definitely excited just to even see the many ways that the community comes in and, and shows us, you know, because like we, any other product, you have a vision about what you think it should be and what your idea of how it’s going to be used. And then people are so creative and innovative and they do something totally different. And you’re like, yep, that’s exactly what we were thinking. You know? So <laugh>, I’m excited to see, um, what the community does with it and how they use it and how they, you know, incorporate it into their live and their outdoor experiences, retreats, you know, whatever. I’m just excited to be giving it to the world. And I’m like, okay, world, you got it. Do with it. What you will,

Gale Straub – Narration:

While Kenya’s excited to see how nature lovers use the deck, she was also super intentional in its design.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

So that’s professionally a dream come true because the outdoor journal tour is one of few organizations that are doing concentrated wellness and mindfulness work in conjunction without directivity. And so for us to be able to have a tool that we can use while we do that is priceless, right? Because we’re always lugging a bunch of worksheets and eBooks and it’s just cumbersome. So now we’ll have this one beautiful, delicious thing that I finally saw yesterday for the first time <laugh> that we can take with us. And you know, of course personally, I mentioned that I’ve always wanted to be a traditionally published author. I have self-published for other projects and, um, which is lovely, but there’s something about the vote of confidence that you get when a large published house says, Hey, we believe in you and we’re gonna put our resources behind you and we’re going to build something beautiful with you.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Um, and so that makes 13 year old Kenya completely ecstatic. And she’s like, yay, mommy. I did it. You know, the story actually starts with you, Gail. Uh, it starts with you, I, me to our editor who is a jewel of a human being who sat me down at, uh, outdoor retailer. And I’m like showing her all of my stuff after you set up this meeting. And I did not realize that she was actually the acquisitions editor. I had no clue. Um, and I’m showing her all my stuff and she’s like, yes, we’re gonna do this with you. And I was like, huh, <laugh> you know, because you know, I’m not sure how much of your publishing story that you shared, but you know, trying to get a project published, you need an agent, you have to have millions of followers. You gotta do a book proposal. Like it is a thing. So for me to have a conversation with somebody and her to be like, yes, we’re gonna do this. And then follow through with, it was like jaw on the ground. That was two years ago. So we have been at this for a minute. So I’m very, very ready to give birth. I am 24 months pregnant at this point. And it’s time <laugh>.

Gale Straub:

Yeah. That is something that people don’t, you know, depending on the publisher, it is a very long lead time. Mm-hmm <affirmative> it is wild. I think for the Shakespeare’s book, the first time that I had a conversation with that publisher was three years before the book came at. Wow, wow. Gosh, the learning curve is so steep when you, when you really get into it. Kenny and I talked back in November and while we’re already well into the new year, I wanna share her thoughts around intentions since it’s never too late to back up set goals and reflect on your wants and needs.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

I’m more so do the re solutions for my personal new year. So my birthday is February the second. So literally one month, you know, after the new year, it’s my birthday. So I usually do those resolutions for that. I do set intentions though. I set intentions every year of the things I wanna achieve. I put them down new year’s Eve and I do not look at them again until the new year. And so I would like to do that again. I do have some big, big dreams that I wanna start to manifest in the, in the, in the new year. And I’m beginning to work on that now. I definitely am a candle lighting manifestation, right. And folded up and mail as heel yourself kind of girl. So <laugh> definitely will be doing something like that. <laugh> probably in the next couple months or so I’ll be doing that. Yeah.

Gale Straub:

It’s convenient that your birthday is in the same month because that’s also a time. I feel like some people who don’t aren’t as into new year’s reflections are more into birthday reflections. So you just, you get the best of both worlds with that. Mm-hmm <affirmative> mm-hmm

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

<affirmative> yeah. It’s, it’s really cool, but it’s also just like, it’s called, you know? Yeah. It’s cold. You gotta go out of the country if you don’t wanna be cold. So that’s the only thing about a February birthday, but I was born on two too. So of course I’m like loving that and it’ll be 2, 2 20, 22. I’m going to have, oh my gosh. Yeah. So I’m gonna have an absolute ball. People keep trying to, a lot of people are trying to book, um, for different things on that day because of the energy. And I’m like, nah,

Gale Straub:

<laugh> yeah. Can say that

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

I’m gonna be in the hot Springs on my birthday, so,

Gale Straub:

Oh, oh, that sounds so nice. <laugh> mm-hmm

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

<affirmative>

Gale Straub – Narration:

Kenya shared launch details for her dual birthday/ Nature Meditations deck launch party, which is goign to take place in Atlanta, GA on February 7th. She’ll also do a zoom reading of the deck for all those folks who are out of town and can’t make it. Beyond celebrating her 40th and launching the deck, Kenya has some big plans for 2022:

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Outdoor journal tour is building. We are about to turn some, some corners. Um, we think it’s time that, um, we centralize our space. I don’t wanna give away too much, um, centralize our space and really create an and by environment for people to come and experience what we do all the time. Mm-hmm <affirmative> so that’s all I’m gonna say on that. Really excited about taking a leap and doing something different for outdoor journal tour will also be, um, personally, I’ll be expanding into doing some energy, bringing my energy work into people’s homes, um, with different like candle collection, spice collection, soaps, those type of things that people can use in their everyday life to kind of bring more wellness into their, into their homes. So, um, we’re working on that pretty diligently now, and we are building, but we also wanna make sure they be keeping mind like what our community needs and what their, what they’re saying to us and what, what to, and so we’re always open to like feedback and stuff like that. So as we grow and as we develop and as we move and change, you know, we’re also like going to up our efforts of like being in conversation with our community. So everyone should be on the lookout for that too. More calls for opinions and thoughts and stuff about how we’re moving and growing.

Gale Straub – Narration:

Before we jump into this last section, I want to say that I went back and forth on whether to include it. Typically I would be inclined to edit something like this out, mostly because I don’t love talking about myself – but also because for every time I’ve taken that mentorship call or sent an intro email, there’s likely been another time that I haven’t been able to, or I haven’t shown up in a way that feels worthy of the person in front of me. But I’m keeping this in, unedited, as a reminder to myself, and for all of us to show up for each other when we’re able to.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

Well, I just wanna say, and I, like I said, I breeze past this, uh, earlier, but I just wanna say that I’m very, very grateful to, to you, Gail. I think this is a prime example of women helping women, women, supporting women, you know, you making that, uh, connection for me is something that turned into a really, really awesome experience for me and something that I wanted to do and something that I was having a very hard time doing on my own. And so I think that having who can and are willing to support each other and share their resources is a message that we hear a lot, but it’s not something that we necessarily see. And so I just wanna point that out that, you know, she explores community, your leader walks her talk and, um, that’s important. And so I think if a lot of us can take, um, a little bit of a lesson in that and, and not being afraid to open up what we have and our, our resources to other people, we would see a lot more of, of us, uh, winning and, and doing and doing M amazing and things.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

And so I just know you’ve inspired me so much. And, and now I’m always like, girl, come with me, let me introduce you to this person. Let me try this because I recognize the power of that. So I just wanted to publicly say this and do not edit all of this out. Um, <laugh> that, that I really appreciate you. And, um, you know, what, what you did first with the beauty of the she explores book, and then, um, secondly, with your ability to share, to share your resources. So thank you.

Gale Straub:

Oh, oh, well now I’m, as I said before, I’m like in my pajamas and now I’m also tearing <laugh>

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

On a shirt today, so I’m proud of myself. <laugh> yeah, I appreciate you.

Gale Straub:

I really do. Aw, thank you. I, I truly do believe that more is more, and I know that sometimes we have like different times of capacity, so like, I’ve definitely gone through times where I’m able to have more of those networking conversations and, and fewer at times, but it is, it is so important to pay it, pay it forward and to continue to there. It’s just, there’s, there’s so much potential out there. And I, I truly do feel that, um, there is nothing lost by introducing someone else to, to someone else who’s gonna unlock a door for them, like, yeah. Yeah, for sure. <laugh> for sure. Well, well, thank you. Thank you. I really appreci it. Uh, well, if there isn’t anything else that, that you wanna share, I will, I will stop recording. Um, just one last opportunity to share anything else that you’d like to share.

Kenya Jackson-Saulters:

No, just buy my deck, please. Thanks. Bye. <laugh>.