Breaking the Glass Ceiling

By MEGGAN THOMPSON

If I turn the mirror on me and stop blaming other people, what do I see?” That is the question Tarita Preston asked herself when she first decided to embark on her entrepreneurial journey—one that she refers to as a spiritual experience. Tarita is a professional life and leadership coach. She is an elevating partner to her clients, assisting them in letting go of mindsets, beliefs, and patterns that no longer serve them—and helping them create anew. Tarita started her career as a human resources business partner, and although the work was impactful, she realized that a large part of her job was laying people off. Tarita liked helping other people achieve their goals through the coaching aspect of her job, but she felt she could no longer help others achieve their goals while putting hers on hold. Tarita founded her own coaching company in 2017 including services such as individual coaching, group programs, and company workshops.

In December 2020, Tarita donated a BOLD Leadership Workshop to The Junior League of Cincinnati. The workshop offered a glimpse into the three-month BOLD Leadership Program—which focuses on empowering women—that she runs twice a year. Thirty women attended the event, which began with a ‘centering’ exercise, where participants were invited to close their eyes, take a few deep breaths and slow themselves down. Tarita says this exercise offers everyone the opportunity to release the day and prepare themselves for what they are about to experience. After centering, participants were asked to check-in and describe what they were feeling at that moment in one word. Participant responses included words like “stress,” “anxiety,” “hopeful,” “excited,” “exhausted,” “overwhelmed,” “unsure,” and “busy.” “Everyone is at a different place, and that’s okay,” Tarita commented. But participants had made time for the workshop, indicating these feelings needed to be seen and heard now more than ever.

Next, Tarita asked the participants to answer thirtythree introspective questions and rate themselves on a scale of one to ten (with ten being the most true). After answering the questions to themselves, participants were separated into breakout rooms of three or four. Within those rooms, each participant was asked to speak for five minutes without interruption, about their feelings toward those questions. Common themes included participants being overly apologetic, having money fears, feeling a lack of support, and coming to the realization that they have more acquaintances than friends. Participants also reported that they tend to measure their self-worth based on feedback—and that their sense of self-worth is lower due to the lack of interpersonal connection through ‘traditional’ methods because of the pandemic.

After each participant shared in the breakout groups, the full group reassembled to debrief. That’s when the work began to take shape. Participants learned that issues are never the problem—rather, it is how an individual relates to the issue, and often how an individual weaponizes that issue against themselves, that is the problem. Participants also examined the difference between asking for permission, versus asking for support. Tarita coached that “People are real, our relationships are real—their power over us is an illusion.” Tarita’s coaching style and approach were assertive and supportive. What impressed the participants most was seeing that they all faced similar challenges that deepened their sense of community and belonging. The experience reminded them how powerful they truly are. The session ended leaving participants wanting more. When asked what advice she would give to others wanting to change their life or themselves, Tarita offered, “Who you think you are cannot do it, but who you really are, can.”

Visit www.taritapreston.com to learn more, or to join one of Tarita’s upcoming sessions. BOLD Leadership for Women starts on March 15, 2021.

Tarita Preston