Living authentically

Insight from thriving women.

Be You and Thrive sat down for a one-on-one interview with Kristine Weber of Janesville, Wisconsin. This woman is a dynamo and shared some incredible insight on our needs as women. She also discusses her philosophy of living authentically and how she thrives as a wife, entrepreneur and mother of three.

Be You & Thrive: Why do we as women need other women as friends and mentors in our lives?

Kristine Weber: A woman has very many compartments that have to be filled differently. A man has just a few compartments to be filled, and then he’s satisfied—it doesn’t affect him emotionally. A woman, on the other hand, truly does have so many different areas that have to be fulfilled in various ways for her to truly be satisfied.

BY&T: What is an experience that caused you to realize this?

KW: I’ve learned this from all the friendships that I have. There are certain friends that fill different voids or requirements: feeling encouraged, accepted, needed and wanted to be around.  There are different women in my life that truly give me these different things. Sometimes I’m not the one who needs the encouragement and becomes the one who encourages them. So that’s an area where I get filled, by giving to someone else. That makes me happy. Sometimes I just want to be appreciated by women.

BY&T: Does feeling appreciated make you feel like you can be yourself, be authentic?

KW: Feeling appreciated is the idea that you can be yourself without having to put up any guards. Be yourself and not sugarcoat it.

BY&T: Do you feel like you can always be that way or do you feel like sometimes you have to be someone different according to the circumstance?

KW: I try to be myself in most circumstances. I’m not really one to sugarcoat too much.  I do stand back and not say some things that I really would like to say, because I’m very opinionated. It’s one of those, ‘have to sit back and truly re-evaluate what you’re supposed to say’ moments, because it could hinder your relationship if you’re saying something that you’re not supposed to. I’ve learned that often times I have to say to myself, “Kristine, don’t say anything, because I truly believe that it won’t be excepted well,” even if I know they need to hear it. So, I wait or pray about it and hope another opportunity opens up when I can tell them under different circumstances or someone else can tell them.

BY&T: I like this value of thinking before you speak. Teaching yourself to be mindful of how other people may react to your words in the moment.

KW: Yes. I’m going to say it the right way, so they don’t get offended. It’s watching your words.

BY&T: This forum’s name is titled Be You and Thrive. What does thriving mean to you?

KW: In a world that is so busy right now, for me, thriving is probably not being selfish. On my business side, I have so many clients to look out for and I have to consider what is best for each of them. And the same goes for my family. Thriving is trying to pinpoint each and make sure that I am getting things accomplished for each one of those areas in my life and yet still feel like I’m getting taken care of as well.

BY&T: Any words of wisdom for the women in the Be You and Thrive Community?

KW: Don’t get so down on yourself if you feel like you didn’t do something quite right, or just as you thought that it should be. Don’t get so discouraged. Just keep going in the direction you’re headed and you will accomplish what needs to be done and you’ll be happy, even if it’s done differently. Sometimes I believe God pulls you back because he’s telling you—it’s his timing—and you’re still thinking, no, I need to get it done this specific way at this specific time. But he is saying—put your trust in me. Don’t be so dead set on what you think should be done and when.

Your Insight is Valuable.

How do you maneuver through difficult circumstances while remaining true to yourself?