Life and Work with Heather Vines-Bright

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Vines-Bright.

Heather, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was a young girl, like so many of us… I was a victim of bullying. This experience had a lasting impact on me and caused me to develop deep insecurities within myself. As I grew up, I tried hiding those insecurities with perfectionism and over achievement. My first attempt at hiding my insecurities led me to become an NFL Cheerleader. I cheered for five years, was a captain for three years and my last year of cheering I was voted by my peers to represent my team at the Pro-Bowl. After cheering, I became interested in fitness competitions and became a nationally placed fitness competitor, certified fitness trainer and fitness model. For the last 15 years, I have been in the Human Resources field and became a certified HR professional.

I felt that if I had all these accomplishments and accolades that the insecurities would somehow disappear and my inner critic would be silenced forever. I soon realized that by suppressing my inner critic with high achievements only made my insecurities scream louder because I never felt worthy of achieving them in the first place. I finally decided it was time to face my fears and stop wearing a mask of perfectionism. I did a lot of self-development work and realized that my insecurities were self-limiting beliefs made up in my own head and it was up to me to make a change and write a new story for myself.

I decided to create The Bright Life for women for a couple of reasons. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit within me and I wanted to create a business that could incorporate all of my experiences and skills into something that would make an impact on others. Combining my HR skills, fitness background and life experiences has led me to create programs, tools, and resources that offer ways for women to get past their self-limiting beliefs, I know how it feels to go through the struggle of not loving yourself and I want to empower women to step out of their fears, have the courage to shed old beliefs so that new ones can authentically strengthen them and they can learn to love who they are and embrace their true beauty.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a very tumultuous road filled with years of trying to find the one thing that fuels me. Not only have I not believed in myself but I didn’t have the confidence to put myself out there and share my authenticity. As a result, I have started and failed so many things. Having the courage to share my story has had a positive impact on my life and my energy has turned into compassion for my clients. This has been more rewarding than I ever thought. Starting a business is not easy and it takes dedication, consistency, determination and hard work. I feel that having a passion for what I am doing makes the sacrifices worth it and knowing that what I am creating could change someone’s life motivates me to keep going. Having a tribe to support you when things are tough is extremely key in any new venture. I find that often times, the people you thought would be there to support you through something important in your life aren’t always the ones that will be there so it’s crucial to have a support system. Whether you belong to a women’s networking group or have a business coach, it is definitely something I would recommend for young women starting their journey. These people will be there to help push your limits, give advice and support you.

Please tell us about The Bright Life.
The Bright Life is built from a deep compassion for women who are struggling with self-limiting beliefs and insecurities. My programs give women tools and a community of support to help them overcome their inner-critic, feel truly comfortable in their own skin, and learn to practice self-love from the inside-out. I offer challenges, webinars, a blog, speaking engagements, product reviews and personal coaching that focus on improving all areas of your life including confidence, self-esteem, self-acceptance, health and wellness, work life and beauty. I am most proud of my brand because it is truly made up of everything that I am as a person. I am able to take my personal experiences, skills, and knowledge and transfer them into programs that can help women that are just like me. My compassion for others is what sets me apart. I have been exactly where some of my clients have been and to see them break through their fears, shed old beliefs and build their confidence to live authentically is truly a gift.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I have attended several events and it never fails that I connect with people at these events. Find events, masterminds, and mixers local to your area or business groups on Facebook. There are so many easy ways to network these days from the comfort of your own home. I have also collaborated with other female entrepreneurs. This is a great way to network with others but also offer support for one another. Reach out to other entrepreneurs and see if you can collaborate on an event or webinar.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.livebrightlife.com
• Phone: 480-650-1095
• Email: brightlifebyheather@gmail.com
• Instagram: heathervinesbright
• Facebook: facebook.com/livethebrightlife
• Twitter: @vinesbrightlife

                              Image Credit:
James Patrick, Benizo, Scottsdale Health Magazine, Ultra Fit Magazine

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.