Kris Harrington, Maya Angelou, and Courage

In this episode of Hello Moxie, host Nicole Donnelly interviews Kris Harrington, CEO of Gen Alpha Technologies. Kris shares her journey of self-discovery, the joys of aging, and the importance of living authentically.

She discusses her love for nature, the influence of Dr. Maya Angelou, and the challenges and rewards of farming. This conversation highlights the significance of courage and resilience, encouraging women to embrace their true selves.

Tune in for an inspiring discussion that empowers you to name your values and pluck up the courage to live fully!

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Transcript

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You're listening to Hello Moxie with Nicole Donnelly. In each episode, we honor the unbreakable thread that connects the fierce women who came before us to modern day pioneers carving their own paths. We'll share stories of unforgettable heroines, celebrate their courage, and bring to light the lasting impact they've had across generations. Get inspired by the stories of those who embodied true Moxie and pave the way for others to follow. Hello Moxie is sponsored by DMG Digital.

a woman owned marketing consultancy dedicated to helping B2B companies and e-commerce brands create exceptional customer experiences. Welcome to Hello Moxie. In today's episode, I am joined by Chris Harrington. Chris is the CEO of Gen Alpha Technologies, a digital commerce company for manufacturers. Chris is also a Navy veteran and a farmer.

She and her wife, Polly live and own a lovely farm in Wisconsin called Two Girls and a Farm. Most of all, Chris is one of those rare people who just exudes optimism and brings out the best in everyone she collaborates with, with her openness, warmth, and can-do spirit. Chris!

Welcome to the show. have been waiting to interview you. am so excited. This is so incredible. I just love this. Thank you so much for the opportunity, for inviting me, for having these special shows where you capture goodness and take it to everyone else. So I'm happy to be here, but I'm also happy to be a listener of everything that you do.

Awesome. Well, thank you. This show was inspired by my 11 year old self, believe it or not. When I was 11, I was just like so in love and fascinated with women in history, particularly Harriet Tubman. So was like, I am going to do honor to that 11 year old girl. And this is just a fun passion project. So love it. So what's what's lighting you up right now, Chris? Tell me what is it that's got you super excited that you're just very enthusiastic? Well, there's a few things that are lighting me up. So

know, one of the things and I probably if you would have asked me this just a few years ago, I'm not even sure that I would have been in a place to say this, but I turned 50 this year. So I'm a New Year's baby. And wow, aging is lighting me up. You know, it's just, yeah, you know,

It's so interesting because I was one of these people that put a lot of pressure on myself that I wanted to retire early and I wanted to accomplish all these things. And early for me meant in my 50s, I was going to retire, which means in the last several years, I've been saving, saving and planning, planning, and I've been carrying this burden with me.

I turned 50 and I was like, you know what? I don't want to retire anytime soon. I'm having too much fun. enjoy what I do. you know, it's such, I'm in such a different place and I let that go. that letting go has just, you know, been very freeing so that, you know, I'm lighter because of it. And

You know, one of the things that I did to celebrate my 50th birthday is I fulfilled my own childhood dream of I attended the Olympics this year. So, you know, we are just, we're recording this recently after the 2024 Olympics and which was in Paris, France. And my wife and I attended, we had such a wonderful time just exploring the country, but also seeing all of these amazing athletes. I love.

sports and everything else. So I am, I am coming out of this inspiration. I'm lighter. I'm doing things. I'm spending money. So another thing that has gotten me lighter, you know, cause I think when you realize you're going to work longer, you're like, all right, I get to spend and do some things, you know, on, my dreams and other things that I, know, ambitions that I had. And one of those is to have

a little lake property. So we have recently purchased a small cottage on a no wake lake where I've been enjoying kayaking and just being outside. No distractions of phones and technology. Of course, I love technology and all that it's provided us. You and I are an example of that, right? Both in our work.

but also in the ability to connect and be connected through different social outlets and build a relationship that has us coming together today when we've only really met once in person, right? But so many other opportunities to get to know each other over social, but there's also in this world of being connected all of the time, the freedom to just put that stuff down sometimes. And I know you.

you know, based on the things that I see that you share, that's meaningful to you too. So just kind of living out a dream, you know, you mentioned the farm earlier in the introduction. And so, so now I have the farm and I also have the lake. So I feel like I have these places of, joy and peace for me that just fulfill me and different aspects of me. So, and then, you know, we are in an election year and

We've had a recent change in who's running You know, it's specifically Kamala Harris and having a female running for the highest office as You know president of the United States it is it has just Felt so much better in so many ways especially as a woman but just in our society and the character that you get to see in the stories that you hear and

It's different and it's good and it's more of what I want to see in the United States. I think there's so much truly that brings us together than what actually divides us. And I think we have a candidate now that can do that in a very different way and I hope can. So that's made me a little bit lighter too.

so many things to unpack there. I love what you shared about how you're excited about aging. That is so refreshing. What I hear is there's a lot of freedom that comes with aging, or you've found a lot of freedom in being able to choose to do work that you love that's lighting you up. And I love that you're taking that time to kind of connect with the earth and connect with yourself through your farm and through

your new lake property, is amazing. I would just love to know, like, what have you noticed most since you've really kind of dedicated that time, since you've been on the farm and on the lake? are some things that you've noticed that maybe have changed or how your outlook has shifted a little bit differently since you've spent more time that way deliberately? Yeah, you know, I think it's that I've had more time to think about thinking.

Do you ever feel like your, your mind is so cluttered because things are happening so fast that you're not truly thinking about your thoughts all the time. And I feel like when I come back to the computer after I've taken that space and I've, know, for several years now, I've had the opportunity to dig in the dirt and I've always found that very meaningful. But when you're out on the water, there's a different kind of experience when you're just sitting in a kayak and you're looking at birds and.

It's so, it really, it's so quiet. There's no motors on this boat. There's nothing, you know, it's just, so I get to think and I don't bring my technology with me. there's nothing. so thoughts come in and then I explore those slots and I'm just having quiet time. And, know, I have, since I've been a little girl, my grandparents lived up North and Northern Wisconsin and.

which is like a five and a half hour drive. And since I was 16 years old, I drove up to see my grandparents and I would drive home. And I just loved that time in the car because I would think, and I don't get to make those trips as often as I used to. So it feels like I have that time back again, because that was the time that I would dream. would, you know, I just.

I would be looking out the window and be thinking about thinking things and what was I going to do next? Where was I going? And how did this affect me? What did I think? If I'm sad, I could sit a little in my sadness. I was happy. I could think more about my happiness. So I feel like I'm having that. That's where I am. I love that. What I'm hearing is, it's you're you're you're basically connecting with yourself through that time. Like you're really, you're

learning who you are, what you love, giving yourself space to feel whatever it is that you're feeling and really just truly getting to know yourself. And I think in today's world, I really applaud that because it takes intentionality to really disconnect. And it's so easy for us to get distracted. And I can feel the energy too. And isn't it so exciting to have a woman running for president? I am right there with you. It gives me the goose pimples just thinking about it.

And she's a very strong candidate and it's just really, there's a lot of hope and optimism, think, ahead. I just, yeah, I am lit up by that too, right there with you. think you're very excited. Yeah, she's smart. She's qualified. She carries dignity and integrity in character. I think things that we want in ourselves, but now we get to see it in a candidate as well. I have been...

of that belief that if you can see it, you can be it. So I think it's so very important for the younger generation coming after us to see this as well. took the words right out of my mouth, but you said it 10 times better. I have a 14 year old and a nine year old daughter, and I love that they get to see a woman running for president and that they can actually visualize themselves potentially being able to achieve. That is incredible. If you can see it.

You can believe it. That's so cool. love it. Awesome. we, you know, the show is all about celebrating women from history and connecting those women to the women of the day. And so I would love to hear from you, Chris, about a woman in history who has really inspired you. I want to know how you came to know about her and what, what that journey has been like for you. So let's hear it. I know, but I want to.

Well, you know, it's funny because when you asked the question and asked me to be on the show and you told me the premise and you know, I knew this was coming. I was like, it's Dr. Maya Angelou for me. I just knew and you know, obviously not a woman in history that I know very well. In a sense, you never met her. But

over my lifetime, she just has continued to come back to me if that makes sense. Dr. Angelou is one of those people through my lifetime that I would hear messages about. I would see her on TV. I would see her making addresses to us as

you know, she was, know, Bill Clinton, I think she did the poet. don't, forget what that's called, but that was one of the times that I saw her on stage addressing all of us. You know, I have been a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey because I love her interview style and I've tried to learn from the way that she interviews and she always considered Dr. Maya Angelou as a mentor.

I think she called her a sister, mom, friend. You know, she had these words for her. She came into my life in many different ways and I always had a connection. And I would see her book. I know why the caged bird sings. I must have seen it like five times in my lifetime, but never finally did read, but

on many times I'm like, this book is just not for me. This book is not for me. And I believe that books come to you when you're ready for them. And, know, it was in my early forties that I finally read, I know why the cage bird sings and I just loved the style of the writing. was so very different and so very

special. And she described a childhood that, of course, very different than mine, but one where she had a grandmother who had a big influence on her life. And I think that connected me to her immediately because I have two, I had two very special grandmothers that I was very close to. And she often has said that her grandmother raised her and she has so many stories about her grandmother.

and her mother, but you know, my grandmother's had so much meaning in my life and I think I just really connected to her. But you know, since that time, I've read some other books, I've read many of her poetry, you know, her poetry, but she said things that as I've embraced more of myself and leaning into who I am and

and being courageous, she said things like, you know, anybody who's been kind to me, I take them with me on stage. And she brings all of her ancestors with her. She brings her grandmothers with her. She brings, you know, and I learned that from her. And I take her with me when I do things like this, right? It's like she is, she's had that kind of

impact, just beautiful, beautiful. You know, she says things like, when you know better, do better. You know, and my wife and I say this all the time, just do the best you can until you know better and then do better. And it, it's her advice. We, we, we say it all the time. You know, she talks about courage being the best virtue and you know,

And without that virtue, you can't live any of the other virtues because, you know, without courage, really can't live honesty, integrity, know, fairness, right? Without consistent courage. And I see her in her life through the interviews. And I don't know, Nicole, if you have the same attachment to Maya Angelou, but it's like when you start...

Needing her you go into a rabbit hole of just finding everything about her and your and it's so good She's one of those people that is good firm and kind and loving and it's it she is like a representation of my grandmother where she You know, I had a grandmother that was very loving taught me what love is

expressed love and then I had a grandmother who was very firm and You know loud and could be rough around the edges and didn't say I love you but damn you knew she loved you because of the way she protected you and and everything else and Maya is Maya Angelou for me is that person that brings that character together and shows you how to do it as well, so

that is so incredible. my gosh, there's man, I have to say. So when you told me that Maya Angelou was your person, of course, I wanted to read as much as I could about her before the show. And when you said about the rabbit hole, I went down a similar rabbit hole. It's just, she's led such an incredible life. when you talk, I love what you shared about courage being the best virtue that that was one of the things that really, she really.

One of the things that she's known for is that, and it's her life is that, mean, the, the, the story, I've never read the story, the book, but I'm going to, I ordered it and it's on its way. And I love what you shared there about books come to you and you're ready for them. But as I was reading about like the history of how she came to write that book, it's actually quite interesting at the time she was in a deep depression because I don't, her birthday is the same day that Martin Luther King died.

and she was a very strong civil rights activist. And she went in a very deep depression after that. And she was at a dinner party and met someone there who happened to become her future publisher. And at the party, they asked people to share some of the stories of their childhood. And so she starts sharing and she has her childhood just sounds incredibly just so courageous. Yes, mean, the courage that you had to survive that childhood and become who she was.

just gives me the goosebumps. mean, what she overcame was incredible. so anyway, through that dinner party, this publisher was like, you need to write a book about this. And so she took up the challenge when she was going through a very dark time. And what's fascinating, what I loved is the way that she went about the process of writing, which I don't know, if you think about like most, I'm not an artist, I would love to be an artist, but I have not ever.

I have a dream of writing a book maybe someday, but whenever you think about artists or maybe you have the same thing, like they just kind of like willy-nilly it and they just kind of like whatever comes to them, they just write it down. She was very disciplined about how she wrote that book. And I think it was like every morning she would wake up at five, go to hotel, check into the hotel room. She would have the staff pull down all of the pictures from the wall before she got there and have Eagle Pad that she would ride on.

her story and she would go there from five until lunch every day for two years. Yeah. Wow. And that's how she wrote the book. Isn't that, I mean, I was like, that's incredible discipline, you know, to be able to take the time to do that. And what she was writing, you know, Chris was very dark. I mean, a lot of really, really dark, traumatic things that happened in her childhood. And I loved what she shared about how

whenever she would write, it wasn't necessarily catharsis for her. She felt relief because she was telling the truth. Relief because she was telling the truth. I thought that was so beautiful, like such courage to be able to do. And truth is a virtue, right? And she was courageous in those ways. I did not know the story of about how she wrote the book, but it doesn't surprise me, especially when you use words like discipline.

because she was disciplined in life. She talked about moderation and moderation in moderation. She talked about living in moderation, but that included moderation. And when you hear somebody say something like that, it's like, yes. But that was her. And not to get too much away about the book, but it sounds like you've

read a lot, you know, at seven years old, she had a dramatic event where she stopped speaking and you go through this in the story with her. And I can't imagine years without speaking before you start using your voice again. And the beautiful people around her, her grandmother being one of them, that believed so much in her.

that got her to speak again, right? And the things that would go through a child's mind while they're not speaking. And right? mean, think about all the doubts. Yes. And the thoughts that we would have and the impressions the world would have of you. And then you're internalizing that because you're not speaking. Therefore, you're not speaking to anybody.

I mean, she would write things down, you know, it's, and she read, she just ferociously read. So also imagine you're seven. And I wasn't a reader until later in life. I just didn't like reading. I loved playing sports. Just let me play outside. all I ever wanted to do. And now I enjoy reading. But, for a seven year old, you know, if you believe in like 10,000 hours and how you, you, you become

or aware or learn something so well after so much practice. Imagine all the books she was reading at that time in her life. And she grew up in the 30s and 40s where things were very segregated still. So there was all of that on her, right? So these are the things about her that I will never understand as a white woman, but I can love about her giving me.

an experience that I can appreciate and look at the world differently and try to keep understanding and bring my own humility that I won't understand things fully, but that I can learn and be different after hearing and being exposed to new information.

I don't know, I think it should be required reading personally. Just so good. man. Yeah, I mean, and what an incredible story of like she, if you think about like her voice, just as a speaker, as an activist, as a writer, incredible influence that she's had. And she was mute for years.

what she overcame and the fact that like, think that just shows you just, know, if you have someone who believes in you, sees you feel seen the impact that that can have on your life, like the way that her grandmother saw her and believed in her is just really incredible. And that she was able to rise up the way she did. I mean, it's just an incredible example of what's possible, what the human spirit is capable of overcoming and

turning into so much positive, powerful good in the world. She could have taken a very different path than she did. And she was able to use all of that and just rise from it. I mean, it's incredibly powerful. So I have to read the poem that she wrote. I know why the caged bird sings. I have to read it.

because it's so beautiful. And when I read it, it just brought me to tears. And it's just so, I think it really represents the essence of who she was. So I'm going to take a minute and read it because I thought about this. was like, should I read it on the show? But I feel like I need to read it. Yeah, please do. I love hearing other people read it too. beautiful. Yeah. It says, a free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing.

In the orange sun's rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage. His wings are clipped and his feet are tied. So he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still. And his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn and he names the sky his own. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams. His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream. His wings are clipped and his feet are tied. So he opens his throat to sing. The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown, but long for still.

And his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. I just think that is just so powerful, like her voice and the message that she shared. There are people that have been so blessed and impacted because of her voice and her call. Anyway. Yeah. No, thank you for reading that. And I'm so glad you mentioned her voice.

Not just because of all that you said but listening to her voice is so good. She has a beautiful laugh too. you know, she's been gone since 2014 but there's so much out there that people can find and if you would listen to her laugh and you listen to her speak, you want to listen. She does lift.

You know, in the world that isn't always ready to lift her words do and always. So it's beautiful. And I've heard her talk about that poem and she says, the free bird doesn't sing. It is the caged bird who longs for freedom that sings. And it's just so beautiful. So thank you for reading that.

Yeah. man. Very cool. so my next question, Chris, is what do you think of the word? I mean, obviously Maya Angelou had incredible moxie. Yes. What do you think of when you think of this word moxie? What does that word mean to you? How has she inspired you to live that way? guess is my next question. Yeah. Well, I do. When I look at the word moxie, I

I do think, you know, it's courage. It's somebody determined, you know, when we say that they have moxie. And I also think it's, it's kind of scrappy. I remember when I was in high school and I played sports, I played one of them sports was basketball. And at the end of every season, they gave away, you know, awards. So we had this awards banquet and you got an award.

And, you know, one award came from your teammates and I'll never forget that they drew me on this paper and they called me scrappy. And, you know, a word kind of carries with you in life, you know, especially when other people put it on you. Yeah. And I don't think I fully understood that word back then. I knew what they meant, right? I just.

found a way to get the ball and I was always moving and I was scrappy. I wanted to find a way to win. And I started thinking about the word moxie and I'm like, moxie's kind of scrappy. It's it's finding a way. So I took that word that was applied to me and I'm like, well, maybe moxie could be applied in the same way. Yeah, I would say that's true. You're definitely scrappy. mean, Navy veteran.

And you've lived overseas and you've built Gen Alpha from what started over 10 years ago, right? Yep. Yeah. Co-founded with some partners. Didn't do that alone. I've never done anything alone. That's what I would say. But yeah. takes a village. It takes a village. I've got an amazing support system. My family has always been there for me. I have a wonderful wife. So su-

I'll tell you what, if there's any advice I can ever give, it's make sure your spouse is a good one for sure. So, but yeah, all these things. remember watching that you guys had a PBS special about your farm. I remember watching it a couple years ago after we first met. Yeah. And it was so delightful to see you and your wife on the farm together and what you've created, the life that you've created. And

just your deep connection to the land and the passion that you have for it was just so rewarding. What have you found to be the most surprising thing about farming?

surprising. I think I would say the most surprising is how hard it is. I hate, know, farming is hard. It's hard work to have animals to take care of the land, especially when you want to do it for others. So you're, you're either

know if you're growing food for others then you you have a responsibility that there is food then at the end of the season or throughout the season you know it takes a different kind of discipline early mornings long evenings it takes working with nature and what you're given you know so you have to be adaptable and flexible it

takes trial and error because you're gonna, always say, and every season's an experiment, we're gonna put a seed in the ground or a plant that somebody else started from a seed and we're gonna try to water it and do all of the things and hope that we get the sunshine and the oxygen and all the things that are needed. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. And from one season to the next.

What worked one doesn't necessarily work the next. So you're always trying to figure things out. So it's just this, you know, because we're not doing corn and soybeans and that's not to say that that's not important or that that's not hard because that's hard too. but when you're trying to do things differently, it's hard. and I think for maybe anybody else out there that had a passion to have, you know,

a hobby type farm where you're socially and responsibly growing things. And you'd have this dream to do it one day. Don't wait till you're too old because it's hard work. So you want to get the foundation, you know, all the steps that we've done to get to even where we are today and there's still so much to do right.

It's a lot of work when I hear people say, when I'm retired, I want to do what you're doing. I'm like, don't wait till you're retired because you only have the energy. It's so maybe that's what's most surprising, but it's so rewarding. I was going to say is it's hard work, but you can tell you love it. it's so rewarding. Yes. It's so rewarding. And you know, what's really fun for me, being in the industry that I serve.

where, you know, with technology for equipment and parts, you know, support of equipment, keeping it running and, and doing all that, those things. I'm a user of equipment on the farm. So I feel like I live what customers of manufacturers go through. I find, I take it also very personally that it makes me very passionate about what I do, both when I'm doing it on the farm and then I get to talk about it. It just.

There's, there really is a genuineness for me that I love the crossover. So, so it's so rewarding. It's like a whole circle. You get to experience it on all ends of the whole experience. And I think everything that's hard is worth it. And you know, more and more life teaches me when it comes to you easily, the lessons aren't there.

You know, you know, business is hard. Running a business is hard. Getting customers is hard. Satisfying customers is hard. Having employees and ensuring your employee satisfaction and happiness and that they're going to do right by your customers. And it's going to be good for all of us. It's hard, you know, but there's, it's worthwhile. The hard is worthwhile and the reward is in doing the hard. So.

I guess that's life maybe. The surprising part is life. Yeah, I mean, it's beautiful. And it's like a beautiful microcosm for life farming, because you talked about how there's just so much uncertainty. You never know how the weather is going to be. Even if you do everything right, it could be different year after year. That's right. And it's just so true for our lives. The only thing we can count on is the fact that it's going to be uncertain. We don't know what's going to be next.

And we have to just be as adaptable as possible to just meet whatever is going to come our way and just give ourselves grace and work through it and have a kind of this mindset. You know, have, you know, the choice to just lean into it and say, we're going to figure it out. And, you know, in the case of Maya Angelou, you know, we're going to be resilient here. We're going to be disciplined and, you know, or go the other direction, but.

Yeah, I am curious about farming. I have never lived on a farm. So I've been a suburban girl my whole life. I grew up in Southern California in the concrete jungle. Okay. And have never really done farming. But I am intrigued about it. My brother has a lovely hobby farm. I live in Northern Virginia, and he lives in Central Virginia. And he has five acres and he has goats and chickens and ducks. And he has he grows a huge he has a huge vegetable and fruit garden.

And the joy that he finds in his farming, like he sends me pictures all the time of like the latest one I got was his watermelon that he's been nursing for months. He finally was able to plop his watermelon and he cut it open and he's like, I was so worried it wasn't gonna be ripe and it was perfect. And it's just like when you put your heart and soul into something like that, it just feels so much more rewarding, the outcome because you've done the hard.

you know, rather than if you just pick it up from the grocery store. think you experience the enjoying of eating that watermelon in a completely different way because of all of the effort you've put in. I think that's true for any project we take on. The more you put your heart and soul into it, the more you're going to really enjoy whatever the fruits of that labor is, you know. I agree. So it sounds like your brother and I are living a similar path right now because we're on five and a half acres. So

Exactly. have chickens and ducks and bees and the garden and fruit trees and yeah, so it's all like that. Similar. He just planted his fruit trees and so he showed them to us the last time we came. He's got cherries and apricot and peaches and of course they're not going to fruit for a little while but he could just see just like the pride, right? And his oldest daughter is

now wants a horse. So we'll see what happens. It's just, there's always like there, it's very sweet. So maybe he'll maybe someday I'll have a hobby farm. So, my gosh, that's incredible. Well, the last question I have for you, this is my, last and final question, Chris is what is it that you would like to pass on to future women from your own life experience? You know, if you were to have a conversation with my 14 year old daughter and my nine year old daughter,

What advice would you give them? would, and I hope that we're giving girls more of that opportunity today because they're seeing things differently than we did when we were young, but that they authentically lean into who they are, which requires them to know who they are. And, you know, I've, I've had coaches and

wonderful mentors in my life who help you in different areas. But it wasn't until I had a mentor in my professional career that started to help me. And it came in the way of Myers-Briggs initially, where I would do some testing to understand who I am. But then that just created a curiosity for me that kept me

Looking deeper into who am I who do I want to be? What's my you know the values that I want to live and Really naming them and claiming them so that Because if you don't name them and claim them you can't live them and we can't Authentically be who we are until

We know who we are and this is not something I've fully figured out yet. But I will say in my earlier younger twenties and into my thirties, I very much wanted to please people without always expressing who I was genuinely. And I only feel, and maybe this is part of the aging process.

I am coming into my own and Feeling like I can let the capes down I can let the armor down I can let those things that I thought were required For me to be successful in this world. I've been letting those things go and just Being who I am in all situations

And that's what I want for women. I don't want them to have to wear the armor and the masks and the cloaks and you know. And I do think we're seeing a shift. I see it in women's sports today, which is all very exciting. But.

That's, you know, I used to say that I hung out in the self-help section because that's what it was called in Barnes and Noble. I would go to the self-help section and I would find my books and that's where I would read, right? I can't, it's not called that anymore. What is it called now? I wonder, is it like spirituality or something? don't know. What they call it? There is a spirituality section, but what is it called now? I remember.

I wish I could remember because I remember realizing that they made a name change because I always say, I'm in that self help section, you know, and, but I think when you start becoming more who you are, you start living more too, which is what we're all here to do. Right. So, and this is where, again, I love technology and everything it does. And it has so many important aspects, but there are, there's also this.

very human connection that we have to continue to strive to have in life and, you know, human connection, connection with nature that isn't going to happen through our cell phones and through our technology and the devices that we've all become accustomed to. So I would also hope that young women have the same opportunities that I have had.

because I'm a Gen Xer where you have that quiet time to think about thinking, right? To have space for that. That's what I hope. Wow. think that is so, I find so many parallels between what you just shared and my own journey. Cause I have, I am a recovering people pleaser. That's something I struggle with still to this day. I'm aware of it and I'm trying to untether.

from really trying to get clarity on, is this what I really want? Is this true to me and my value system? Or am I just doing this because I want to make sure this other person is happy and satisfied first? Which in that case is not authentic to necessarily me. So I really appreciate that you shared that. think that's something I have struggled with throughout my career too.

And I don't know if it's like, and I've talked with a friend about this. don't know if it's just like, is it something as women that were wired from a young age to just be good? To just, it like this socially? I wonder if it's just part of like, we just got to be good. We've got to do the right thing, you know, rather than actually challenging that and saying, I'm going to do it because it feels right for me rather than this is to be good, right? I don't know. I wonder about that. Yeah. It's such a good question for us to keep pondering.

But I love that you came back to values too. I remember this mentor that I mentioned in my professional career. He talked about why it was so important for you to know your values and, and name them and claim them and understand them and go back to them to say, these still my values over time? But one thing he, one thing he shared with us is that when you meet somebody,

whose values are incongruent with yours, you're gonna have a challenge. And I didn't understand those words when I first learned them until I got in relationships, whether they were career relationships, relationships with customers, relationships with partners, where I had incongruent values. And immediately it's a flag. And everything in you tells you,

Yeah. Right. And to bring this back to Maya Angelou, right? She has a quote that says, when somebody shows you who you are, believe them. The first time. Yeah. Pauline and I talk about that quote all the time too. We say it. That quote is so good, but so many times I didn't believe it the first time. I don't know if you have stories of that.

and then you look back and you're like, saw the red flag, but I ignored it, right? knew it. Yeah, totally. And I think like the more that we can learn to connect with our intuition, our body knows our body knows. Yeah. If the more that we can, like what you're doing, you're practicing going to the lake and spending that time with yourself and being on the farm and thinking about thinking, the more we can cultivate that.

thinking about thinking and being with ourselves and listening to our bodies, the better we will get at being able to identify when someone's values aren't in alignment with ours or if it's not the right fit or direction or, know, you know, I, I firmly I've experienced it. Like I've said.

Yes. mean, and getting comfortable with saying no, you know, is so hard for me. It's so, my coach has been to, like, it feels so bad when I say no. And she's like, it's not going to feel good after you say no, especially if it's not something that you're used to saying. you know, you have to just be true to and be congruent. For me, it's like a congruence, you know? How can you be congruent with those values? Because

when I, when I, when I do that, like now I have this exercise because no is really hard for me, Chris. I hate saying no. It's like taking a bitter pill. And now I have this exercise. Well, every time I say no, I write down what I felt before I said the no and what I felt afterward. And it's illuminating because like usually before there's anxiety, there's frustration, there's worry, there may be anger, there may be all these things. And then after I say no,

It's like there's an initial discomfort period. But once I get over that, there's relief and like groundedness and confidence and safety and like more of a trust in myself, you know, that I'm gonna make the right choice and I'm gonna be there for myself. I don't know. Anyway, that's been my experience. I know if you've had any more.

the the saying no is I've struggled with that. I still struggle with that. I I'm going to try to use your exercise because I'm sure there's a lot I can learn about myself. If I think about the before and the after and write it down. That's so good. But yeah, I think for women, it's very hard to say no. Maybe not for all women, but I think again, a lot of us it's there's something in when you say that we just have to

be good and sometimes being good means we say yes to everything. Well, why is that good? Yeah, we have to challenge that. Yeah. man. This has been such a fun conversation. Yes. So I have to ask you, because I am a huge Myers-Briggs personality test. Maybe that's one of the things, like I've always loved taking the personality tests wherever I can.

because I'm trying to find myself. you're the same. I like know every single one. So I have to ask what is your ENF or what is your Myers-Briggs and what is your have you ever taken the Enneagram? What's what's your Myers-Briggs profile, Chris? I so I'm an analytical pragmatic, but so an ISTJ I think it is if I remember that's my husband. really? That's cool. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. that doesn't surprise me.

So yeah, I like enough numbers and facts and information to make a decision. And then I like to make decisions and, you know, move on and go get her. I just, yeah, more of that pragmatic personality. How about you? What are you? I am the exact opposite. So I am an ENFP and, and, and

flaming ENF, like just like totally out there, like extrovert, you know, intuitive feeling and perceiving like all the way. My husband's my exact opposite. And thank goodness. Like, it's like, I'm so glad that he's pragmatic, like you are. And, you know, really good at all of those grounded things. I am the dreamer. I am the visionary. I am the one that loves to.

experience new things and be spontaneous and all that. So, wow. That's why they say opposites attract. Usually you can find in spouses, if you can identify one, you know what the other one is. They say, they say if you are to divorce and you marry later in life that you typically find somebody more like you than the second marriage, but the first is opposites. That's, isn't that interesting? It is interesting. Yeah.

Well, this is so cool. And I love your advice to really try to live, find the authentic you and cultivate that. And I think that's such wise advice. So thank you. You said it better than I did, but thank you. I don't know about that, but this has been such a joy. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. I just walking away, just so inspired by everything you shared. You just lit me up.

and I know our listeners are gonna really love this conversation too. I'm gonna have my daughters listen. good. Well, you'll have to tell me if they share anything with you that's interesting that... I will. Yeah, I would like to hear that. But thank you so much for this opportunity. This is just a joy in my day. So thank you so much. Yeah. And how can our listeners get ahold of you if they wanna connect with you? Where can they reach you? Well, they can find me on...

LinkedIn, that seems to be where I am most often, Christina Harrington on LinkedIn. you know, I'm on all the social Facebook, Instagram, you can find me there as well. And the farm is Two Girls on a Farm. So if somebody were interested, it's twogirlsonafarm.com and we're out there as well. Very cool. Well, thank you again, Chris. This has been a pleasure. That's a wrap for today's episode of Hello Moxie.

I hope you felt that unbreakable thread connecting you to the women of the past, to the trailblazing pioneers of today. Their stories of audacity, resilience, and courage are a powerful reminder of what's possible for you when you choose to live with Moxie.