We recently had the chance to connect with Justine Arian-Edwards and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Justine , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m being called to slow down, to tune in, to listen, and to respond. Previously, I was afraid to slow down for fear of losing momentum, or not being productive enough. I didn’t trust myself enough to go slow. I think Covid changed that for a lot of people, myself included. In some ways, we were forced to show down. The past few months I have especially felt a pull to let go of the hustle and just allow whatever wants to happen to happen. It has been a huge mental shift but one I now embrace and am grateful for. Slowing down has allowed me to be more present, more open, and more intentional. I feel more peaceful, more content, and more grateful. Who knows if this will be my new way or is just a season. Either way I’m rolling with it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Justine Arian-Edwards, and I am a women’s leadership and life coach, facilitator, author, and speaker. I recently earned a Master’s degree in Transformative Leadership and am in the process of creating an organization dedicated to strengthening the skills women need to lead authentically, collaboratively, and powerfully—particularly in social impact spaces such as unions, politics, activism, nonprofits, entrepreneurship, and academia.
For more than 22 years, my work has spanned multiple stages of women’s life cycles—from pregnancy and childbirth, to identity after children, to entrepreneurship, relationships, and ultimately leadership. What has remained consistent across all of this work is my commitment to supporting women in discovering their unique strength, voice, and capacity for impact. I help women align deeply with their values and vision so they can bring to life what they are here to contribute—whether that shows up through leadership, advocacy, creativity, or community-building.
At the heart of my work is the belief that when women lead from alignment—rooted in purpose, relationship, and courage—they don’t just change their own lives; they help reshape the systems and communities they touch.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I wasn’t smart enough, pretty enough, or simply enough. I carried a quiet sense of inadequacy that shaped how I saw myself for many years.
With time, experience, and self-reflection, I’ve unlearned those beliefs. I no longer measure myself against standards that were never meant for me or compare myself to people I was never meant to be. I now know that I am enough exactly as I am, and that I bring real value.
Today, the only standard I hold myself to is living in alignment with my values which include: making a difference, acting with integrity, showing up authentically, and leading from the heart.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that has held me back the most in my life is the fear of failure, or more specifically, the fear of being perceived as not good enough. For a long time, that fear kept me from taking big risks or fully going after the things I dreamed about, because I didn’t want to be seen trying and not succeeding.
As I’ve learned to let go of the need to look a certain way and strengthened my belief in my own worth, that fear has gradually lost its grip. I now approach my work and my life as a student—giving myself permission to learn, to be imperfect, and to not have everything figured out right away.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I believe we are here to make a difference. I believe our life’s purpose is less about what we do and more about who we choose to be—the fullest, most authentic expression of ourselves. What we do is simply the outward expression of that purpose, and it can take many different forms.
I also believe that anything is possible. While I can’t prove any of this, these beliefs bring me a deep sense of peace, purpose, and passion. They shape how I show up in the world and allow me to help my clients expand how they see themselves—and what they believe is possible for their lives.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What light inside you have you been dimming?
The light I have been dimming is my willingness to fully trust the reach of my leadership and the scale of my impact. Like many women in social change work, I often hold an internal tension between thinking big—claiming space, visibility, and influence—and deeply valuing the quality, care, and relational depth of my work. At times, I think I’m playing small; at other times, I feel fulfilled knowing I’ve made a meaningful difference in one person’s life.
I have a natural gift for seeing potential in women and championing their growth, particularly in spaces where their leadership has been overlooked or undervalued. I’m realizing that I’ve been sharing that gift more cautiously than I could. When women are truly seen, affirmed, and encouraged to lead from their values, the ripple effects are powerful. I’m learning that my work and impact doesn’t require choosing between depth and reach—it asks me to trust that relational leadership can scale, and that uplifting women’s leadership is itself a catalyst for systemic change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://justinearian.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinearian_edwards/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinearian/
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