What does it mean to you to live life “on the verge”? The phrase can carry a certain sense of anxiety, or foreboding, but that most likely comes from the social traditions we have been taught (especially as women) in terms of staying quiet, not rocking the boat, and not causing too much trouble.
There are generations of women who have grown up learning to not disrupt the status quo, not question anything and just do what they’re told. Thankfully, there are women throughout history who have completely ignored this, and if it weren’t for them, we would not be able to vote, own property, participate in the workforce and take ownership of our lives in general.
The modern connotation of “on the verge” is much different, as we are experiencing a boom of women who are stepping into their potential, recognizing the power they offer to the world in doing this, and in turn helping their community of women do the same. One such woman is author and teacher Cara Bradley. Her new book ‘On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine’ is all about this!
We’ve shared many articles about women who are changing the game for professional women, including Sophia Amoruso, Sheryl Sandberg, and Arianna Huffington, all of whom have a different message but with the intent to empower women to tap into their full potential. We have a special connection to Cara Bradley, however. Not only is she an author, yoga instructor and all-round champion of women reaching success, she is also part of an amazing community of women called Women For One, run by entrepreneur and mom Kelly McNelis. Cara hosts the Wf1 podcast series ‘Real Women: Courageous Wisdom’, where she has previously interviewed our editor-in-chief Asha Dahya.
We already know that what Cara has to share with come comes from a place of personal passion, authenticity, and the desire to see EVERY woman succeed. So for us it was a no-brainer when deciding to share her new book with our audience. We recognize every woman’s life is different, and there are many factors that may hold us back. Often it takes a community of women to support us along the way and remind us that “we can do it!”.
“Living on the verge is not about doing more, but about being more. It isn’t about achieving more; it’s about experiencing more. It’s not about being someone different, as there’s no “better version of you” on the horizon. Everything you’re searching for is available to you in this moment. Everything you need is right here on the verge,” says Cara about her message.
Tapping into that power alone can be the difference between waking up to our potential, or letting it stay dormant while we merely coast through life. If you are interested in doing the former (and we know you are!) we encourage you to read the following interview with Cara and share it with the women in your life.
What does “living on the Verge mean to you personally?
To me living on the verge is not about doing more, but about being more. It isn’t about achieving more; it’s about experiencing more. It’s not about being someone different, as I trust there’s no “better version of me” on the horizon. I experience living on the verge when I settle down and show up fully for my life just as it is. It’s in this moment— on the verge — where I feel awake and fully alive.
We are seeing a movement of women stepping into their authority and power in the workplace and in life, how do you hope your contribution will continue to fuel this?
Women are becoming clear about what they want. As we become more aware we see through the veils of the habitual thinking and negative emotions that hold us in old paradigms and shut us down. As a teacher I hope to shine the light on the space beyond these habits and old paradigms and help women directly experience and eventually trust their natural state of clarity and vitality.
Why do you think this movement of female-driven empowerment books are so big right now?
I think it’s a result of our growing hunger to hear from each other. Women want to know what really works and what doesn’t, how to really find that work/life balance. We feed off each other and such books seem to be helping to satiate our hunger for connection.
What is something you want younger women, who are either in college or just embarking on their career to know?
I love this question. My daughters are 22 and 21 and are embarking on exciting careers. I ask them to explore what makes them feel bright and alive. It’s important to name what you’re passionate about and what makes you so excited about doing that you’re willing to really lean in —no matter what happens. When your career parallels what makes you feel bright you’re going to be more willing to do what it takes to succeed.
Why is confidence an often overlook trait taught to girls when they are young, in favor of being “polite” or quiet?
I’m not sure this is the case anymore. My daughters received plenty of encouragement to speak up in school, to show up on the field, to be proud of their ability to contribute, and to unabashedly share their intelligence. Our girls are being raised to be confident but the jury is still out whether these young women will be able to sustain it in the workplace enough to force the male-dominated climate to shift.
What was the catalyst in your life that took you toward living on the verge and into your full potential?
During an extraordinary peak experience in the course of a college track race when I was 19 years old, I experienced an exhilarating sense of aliveness beyond anything I’d ever encountered. I became hungry for answers, sparking a lifelong curiosity about human potential. Over the years I’ve taken thousands of yoga classes, sat in meditation for hundreds of hours, spent days in silence, chanted, prayed in sweat lodges, had my chakras cleared, read countless books, studied the great world religions, bungee-jumped, zip-lined, and walked on hot coals. I searched outside myself until I let go and allowed my intelligence and aliveness to emerge from within.
Who are some of your female role models?
I admire women who are passionate about their vocation and have found a way share their wisdom to better the world. There are many women I admire in different trades. A few current women you’d know are Arianna Huffington, Oprah Winfrey, Tami Simon, Eileen Fisher, Ellen DeGeneres, Sheryl Sandberg, and Brene Brown.
Do you think the confidence gap will change for the next generation of women coming up?
I certainly hope so. If they can learn to trust their natural state of intelligence—who they are beyond the confines of the patterns of the thinking mind—they will instinctively show up more fully and honestly for every moment of life.
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To purchase a copy of ‘On The Verge’ click here. To get to know more about Cara, her workshops, retreats and hear her speak in person, visit her website.
