I pray I continue to develop into a woman who loves herself without an ego that needs to be fed. I want to live this next year doing it afraid in order to achieve my calling and dream for my life.

A lot of my life I’ve been told I’m too much – Too loud! Too opinionated! Too! Too! Too! In third grade, my teacher told my mom to embrace my bossy attitude to make me a great leader. That was 30 years ago and I’m just now embracing that.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and it is easy to put our hope in the wrong things, which leads to disappointment, disillusionment, discouragement, and depression. Where we place our hope matters and my heart is to help foster a restoration of hope in our community and state. 

The biggest obstacle in my life has been recognizing that many beliefs I have had are not my own beliefs. Consistently choosing thoughts that align with my highest self was the most difficult conditioning I’ve experienced. 

I hope in a year I’m also giving more to myself, in the same way I give to others. I also hope I’m able to enjoy each and every day without worrying about the next day too much. 

By setting a solid example and demonstrating qualities like kindness, empathy and resilience, I hope to instill these values in my daughter, helping her grow into a responsible, driven and compassionate individual.

I hope to continue to grow in my own healing. I hope to lead from a place of wholeness so that the young people who I lead get to experience the things I needed as a child – a place of stability and belonging. 

I am a gritty person. Grit isn’t necessarily something that can be built or learned, it’s just an innate sense to persevere. I am not afraid to face a challenge and for the most part, I can see the glass half full while I’m doing it.

Things will never go as I planned, but I have the opportunity every single day to choose to be happy and see the positive, or to be stuck in my own pity and anger.

When I was in the thick of the newborn days with my daughter, I was talking to my Mema about the struggles I was having. Our baby rarely slept and cried so much and the nights were so long and hard. I remember her looking at me and saying, “Nothing ever stays the same for long.” 

Anya is a broker/owner of her own real estate firm, which is hard work on its own, but her wild capability lies in her advocacy and her heart. She is on the board for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors, she lobbies at the capitol and uses her platforms to educate the community about what’s happening in Oklahoma that impacts housing accessibility.

I feel most proud when I witness my older children expressing their love for people. They already have a heart to help others and are so empathetic towards those they see hurting it amazes me all the time. 

I received a note from an employee that said “I didn’t know this type of work environment existed, I’m grateful.” That makes me proud. When I read reviews on Google of how people love our ice cream. When I hear my husband talk about Boom Town to other people. When my kids do chores on their own, without nagging. 

I grew up in foster care, so with that I’ve had a lot of experience “blending in” to keep the peace of my surroundings at the cost of my personal peace. I think each phase of life has pushed me to have a little more courage to honor who I truly am and find my voice.

I am proud that I’ve built a career amidst always putting my kids and family first. I realize that work, energy and motivation flows up and down in different seasons, but I feel good that I have changed direction in the right timing, continued to grow my communications expertise and pursued what I’m most passionate about.

A mentor in college told me I would never be able to repay him or thank him for what he’s done for me except by paying it forward and mentoring others. That’s how you truly thank someone and make sure the good act continues to live on is by investing in others. 

I feel most proud when my team succeeds. There is no bigger compliment as a leader when your people are growing, overcoming challenges and achieving their goals. I’m also really proud of how I’ve been able to build a successful career while protecting my mental health.

My children are the biggest influence because nothing sparks a widened plain of view better than considering them. Anytime a moment feels too heavy, too hard or too insurmountable, I think of them and instantly find a better way forward.

My children are the biggest influence because nothing sparks a widened plain of view better than considering them. Anytime a moment feels too heavy, too hard or too insurmountable, I think of them and instantly find a better way forward.

Trust folks and they will trust you, lift people along with you, always remember who helped you get there and never forget why you started it all.