You want a horse? Go get a horse.

I wasn’t even 6 years old when I discovered something I really wanted: My own horse. My family had just moved to a much more rural area where EVERYONE had horses  – well, except me. I knew I wanted a horse.

My parents got me lessons at the local stables, and many of the neighbors were kind enough to introduce us to their horses and let us ride. But, I refused to stop bugging my parents. So my dad came up with a deal he figured would put off the need to get a horse for quite a while. He told me, “When you can saddle and bridle a horse all by yourself, I will get you a horse.”

Six months later I showed up in the yard with my friend Debbie’s horse all saddled and bridled. My dad asked, “Why do you have Debbie’s horse?”

“You told me when I could saddle and bridle a horse by myself, you’d get me a horse,” I told him. “So I got him ready all by myself and rode him over here.”

My dad just looked at me. “I did say that, didn’t I?” he finally said. And I had my own horse not long after that.

I was only 7 years old, and I knew what it meant to be authentically powerful as a girl. I wasn’t questioning my abilities or worrying about how others would respond to what I said and did. I knew what I wanted and what I was capable of. It felt natural. It felt like me.

Remember that? That’s “GirlAuthentic.”

Every once in a while someone will ask me about the name “GirlAuthentic.” They might have noticed the dual meaning in our logo (tie, dress) or our tag line (Equilibrium at Work; Equilibrium at work). Then they often move on to our name – because words do have power, and do shape things.

For me, “GirlAuthentic” is a call to remember.

For working women of all ages, or for those still in college or younger, it’s a challenge to never forget what it feels like to be authentically powerful as a girl. The workplace needs more of the feminine, not less. So “GirlAuthentic” is a challenge not to hide or mask what comes so naturally to you – no matter what well intentioned coaching, (but bad advice), you might receive to do the opposite.

For others, like myself, “GirlAuthentic” is a challenge to remember what we have forgotten. Today, too many women are trying to be empowered through a masculine vibration, not a feminine vibration. Some of us have gotten very good at it! But there’s a price we pay for doing so.

Three years ago, as I was reading Barbara Marciniak’s “Earth,” I realized that I had mastered the masculine vibration. But I had lost my own true voice along the way. In fact, my “success” was so complete that I am having difficulty finding that authentically powerful girl. I’m having to work to bring her back.

But I know I will. She’s in here, somewhere. I remember her.

And she wants a lot more than a horse.

When do you remember feeling authentically powerful?