In 2018 I left my job as a Superintendent of three years and before that I’d spent 12 years in elected office as a Georgia State Representative. I had amassed a number of awards and plaques on the wall. I had checked all of the boxes: two degrees, a husband, a beautiful daughter. But wasn’t landing the jobs I was applying for and something felt wrong.

I began doing some self reflection and soul searching and realized I was being called to do something else. I was going through a SHIFT. I realized for the first time that so much of my adult life was about doing. I had the titles and the awards. While that was great for other people, it wasn’t enough for me. I decided that I wanted to stop doing and start being. So in that journey to be, I discovered the real and authentic me. I realized that I no longer had to be the public “Alisha Thomas Searcy” and the private “Lili”. I needed to show up as my whole self. The woman that could debate education, politics and womens issues, AND show you that I love dancing and could even show the pictures of my dance recital. That I could BE me.

Too many women are afraid to look at themselves in the mirror and say, this isn’t the life I want. I want to give you permission to say this is who I am, and this is what I want, and be willing to change those things if they aren’t aligned with who you truly are. I want you to stop being afraid of being you. Rather than hiding behind your accolades and titles, I want you to say to yourself and to the world, I am no longer afraid of saying what I want and doing something about it. We are afraid of what people will say, what they will think. Will I get enough likes on Facebook or Instagram? Will I get the reaction that I want. What if you weren’t afraid to simply be?