If you want change, be the change

If you want change, be the change: Ariana’s journey of growth and self-leadership

Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu – With feathers the bird can fly

There are defining moments in life when everything shifts. For 42-year-old Ariana Taura, that moment came not with fanfare, but with quiet courage to make the decision to say yes to herself, to healing, and to a new pathway forward.

Encouraged and supported by her mother, Ariana joined AWDT’s Wāhine o te Whenua programme during a deeply reflective time in her life. “I was on a healing journey,” she says. “My mum had seen what the programme had done for other wāhine and she wanted that for me. So, when the opportunity came, I said yes. I was ready.”

That one decision marked the beginning of a new chapter for Ariana. One that lead to a powerful reframe of how she sees herself, in how she shows up, and in how she moves through the world.

Breaking open to rebuild

Like many wāhine, Ariana had spent years in a space of service, both within her career and her whānau life. She had worked for her iwi for a decade, navigating treaty settlements and later leading a large conservation project. The weight of responsibility within her role, coupled with being a wife and mother of four took its toll.

“The pressure, stress and expectation changed me. I became someone I didn’t want to be.”

Despite the mounting pressure of her work environment (which just piled on top of the stresses of everyday life, and middle age), Ariana didn’t stop. “I didn’t give myself time to heal. I just kept going, because that’s what so many of us do.”

Eventually, the pot boiled over. And when it did, Ariana made the brave decision to step away. To pause, breathe, and allow herself space and time to recover. As her mind quietened, she turned inward. To herself. To her childhood and the tapestry of her life. To her choices, to her whakapapa. To her wairua. And here, she began to reconnect with her heart.

A return to self

Ariana’s experience on Wāhine o te Whenua helped her to rekindle parts of herself she hadn’t realised were absent. It wasn’t just about gaining leadership tools, it was about remembering who she truly is.

“There are parts of a woman that can only be healed by other women,” she reflects. “I never understood how important these relationships are until I did the programme. I was trying to heal through my relationship and through my work, but what I really needed was the strength and understanding of other wāhine.”

And so began Ariana’s journey of shedding old patterns, especially the tendency to carry everything for everyone. In the space that opened up, she found something powerful: her feminine energy. A quiet force waiting patiently to return. Like a koru, ready to unfurl toward the light.

Stepping into a new purpose

Shortly after completing Wāhine o te Whenua, Ariana applied for a new job as a Senior Ranger – Treaty Supervisor and got it.

“I didn’t even realise how senior it was at first,” she laughs. “A week before, someone told me it was a leadership position and I thought ‘oh snap, what have I done?’ But it was too late, and I just had to back myself.”

In her mahi, Ariana is implementing Treaty settlements. The job requires her to live away from her whānau four days a week, a huge shift for someone who has always been the centre of her kainga.

“I knew it was what I wanted to do, and that it was the right pathway for me. So, I decided to do it. I moved away, stayed with my aunt, and created a new rhythm, for me and my whānau. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy. And when I go home, we all appreciate each other more.”

Leading by example

Ariana’s courage to change wasn’t just for her own benefit, it was also a powerful example for her tamariki.

“I wanted to show them that if you want something different, you have to do something different. It’s not that our life was bad, but it was time to change it up. And that starts with me.”

This mindset became her daily mantra: If I want change, I need to be the change. And she knows her children are watching, not just hearing the words, but witnessing her transformation.

“They’re seeing me step into my power and reshape my life in a way that works for me. I want them to understand that they can do this too.”

To wāhine walking a hard path

When asked what advice she’d give to women going through tough times, Ariana speaks with conviction:

“Be kind to yourself. Keep going. You don’t know what you’re made of until you’ve been through the hard stuff. That’s the part that builds strength. It’s what shapes you into the wāhine you’re meant to be.”

And with that, she quietly spreads her wings and soars in a future filled with purpose, possibility and power.