As we draw a close to another incredible series, I'll be going off the cuff, today. This connection series has got me so inspired to be real and present with you. Because if there's anything we all have learned from these powerful conversations and expansive insights, it's that communication is key to have healthy connections with those in our lives. Like, people don't know what they don't know. Right? So let's discuss how we can open the door for others - because when we let others show up for us, what we're really doing is showing up to ourselves. Tune in and dive into some 1:1 time with me.

I ALSO TALK ABOUT…

• The impact that carrying assumptions has on your relationships.
• How to communicate your needs.
• Ways to check in on your people.
• Reflective questions for showing up to yourself.

RESOURCES (CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS):

• Episode 86: How To Set Boundaries For Inner Peace And Healthy Relationships With Nedra Glover Tawwab
• Episode 106: Having A Healthy Relationship With Yourself + Breaking Through The Self-Development Trap
• Episode 107: Friendship Goals – How To Have Healthy, Lasting Friendships With Brittany Lackey And Germani Manning Of The Black Girl Bravado

SPONSORS:

• Lovers and Friends | Become your own relationship expert by tuning into the Lovers and Friends podcast hosted by Shan Boodram on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, or wherever you get your podcasts.
• milk + honey | Use the code BALANCED to enjoy 20% off your next order of skincare and body products at milkandhoney.com.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-111-letting-people-show-up ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

How full does your cup feel these days? And how much time are you dedicating to yourself and your needs? Tune in to my conversation with Tiffany Hall, LMFT, and let's check-in. When looking at people-pleasing behaviors, I think we can sometimes get too literal. People-pleasing isn't necessarily going out of your way to please the people around you — it's simply putting other's needs before your own.

Start by just reflecting on your life since the start of the pandemic - have you been neglecting yourself to appease those around you? And if so, how does that make you feel?

Talking to Tiffany was amazing - IMO, she is the expert on letting go of people-pleasing impulses. She shared so many insights on how we can begin to focus on how we see ourselves instead of how others may view us. We went everywhere in this conversation, and then some. Tune in to learn how you can break free.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• Disconnecting how others view us from how we view ourselves.
• Locating where people-pleasing behaviors began.
• Reparenting is a necessary, ongoing process.
• How to set boundaries that are realistic.

RESOURCES:

• Follow Tiffany on Instagram @thisistiffanyrenae
• What is your People-Pleasing Personality? Take the quiz.
• Join Tiffany's People Pleasing Recovery Program
• Learn about Tiffany's therapy services.

SPONSOR:

• Olive & June | Get a salon-quality manicure at home with Olive & June's Mani System. Visit oliveandjune.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 20% off your first Mani System.
• Hello Fresh | With HelloFresh, you get fresh, pre-measured ingredients and mouthwatering seasonal recipes delivered right to your door. Visit hellofresh.com/balanced14 and use the code "BALANCED14" for up to 14 free meals, including free shipping.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-110-letting-go-of-people-pleasing ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As important as it is to strive for work-life balance, the act of trying to achieve that can get you into a toxic trap of scarcity (especially if you try to constantly "check-out" between those hours of 9-5).

Yikes! I know - but that's why it's such a gift to have Tiffany Dufu on the show. She helps rein us in, providing check-in points to see if we're actually getting what we need out of our professional and personal relationships. In this episode, we look at what it means to operate within a team and what our place within that space actually looks like.

And just in case you haven't met Tiffany yet, she is the author of Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less and the founder of Cru - an expansive support group for helping you reach your entrepreneurial and life goals. Trust me, this episode is going to be a trip!

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• The profound difference between pronoia and paranoia.
• Reframing what it means to drop the ball.
• Not asking for help when you need it is an act of scarcity.
• Making good on your dreams and ambitions.

RESOURCES:

• Join Cru and get the support you need!
• Read Tiffany's book → Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less
• Follow Tiffany on Instagram - @tdufu
• Check out Tiffany's website: http://tiffanydufu.com/
• Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-109-professional-relationships ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We hear time and time again how intuitive and wise our inner self is, but that can be hard to believe when we don't feel connected to or even understand who that inner self even is. If you can relate, get ready to feel seen by our expansive guest, Mari Roberts - a psychic life coach who specializes in bringing purpose into the 9-5 lifestyle.

There were so many wonderful gems dropped throughout this conversation. It's surprising to learn just how much we're impacted by our inner child! But Mari walks us through endless exercises to nurture our inner child and heal our connection to our intuition. Mari's insights will be so liberating for anyone who is living in self-doubt, uncertainty, and overwhelm. I know I'll be keeping this episode handy in my own back pocket!

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• Everyone has their own inner wisdom and intuition.
• Exposing the truth on the glorified side-hustle.
• How to bring purpose into the 9-5 culture.
• Intuitive exercises for connecting to your authentic self.

RESOURCES:

• How to Listen to the Pings: Your Personal Internal Signals
• Check out Mari Roberts website and sign up for her newsletter.
• Follow Mari on Instagram → @MariRobertsLife
• Join Mari's Cultivate Your Inner Wisdom program

SPONSOR:

• DAILY HARVEST helps you stock your home with delicious meals packed with produce and made to keep up with the pace of your life. Visit balancedblackgirl.com/harvest and use the code 'BALANCED' for $40 off your first box.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-108-connecting-your-inner-child ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the words of TLC, what about your friends? Our friendships are some of the most significant and long-lasting relationships we'll ever have, yet the significance of friendship is often overshadowed by conversations about romantic partnership. Today we're continuing our relationships and connection series with a dynamic crossover episode with Germani Manning and Brittany Lackey LA-based best friends and hosts of The Black Girl Bravado.

Germani and Brittany share the story of how their friendship came to be, how it's evolved over the years, and how they navigate being best friends and business partners. We explore different forms of friendships, and ways we can all strengthen and improve our friendships. If you like this episode, make sure you subscribe to The Black Girl Bravado podcast for more supportive, uplifting conversations.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• Making platonic soulmates.
• How to handle friendship break-ups.
• Trauma bonds & one-dimensional friendships.
• What it takes to have great friendships.

RESOURCES:

• The Black Girl Bravado Podcast
• Follow The Black Girl Bravado on Instagram
• Brittany Lackey's Instagram
• Germani Manning's Instagram
• Make sure to listen to the crossover episode on The Black Girl Bravado!

SPONSOR:

• Athletic Greens | Try Athletic Greens whole-foods sourced nutrition. Visit athleticgreens.com/balanced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-107-friendship-goals ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Many conversations about relationships revolve around our relationships with others – romantic, platonic, family – but today we are talking about the relationship each of us has with ourselves. How you treat yourself can set the tone for others treat you. When you have a strong connection with yourself, you are more equipped to uphold necessary boundaries, listen to your intuition, and show up in all areas of your life with authenticity.

This is the perfect episode to listen to when you're ready for loving self-reflection and beautiful moments with yourself to wander amongst the gems.

I ALSO TALK ABOUT…

• Journaling prompts for deepening your connection to self.
• How to observe yourself & lean into your needs.
• The way you talk to yourself impacts your self-worth.
• Three steps to building a healthy relationship with self.

RESOURCES:

• Ep 89: Building A Foundation For Self-Healing With Yasmine Cheyenne
• Ep 90: Small Daily Habits That Make A Big Difference For Your Well-Being
• Episode 92: Make Mindfulness Work For You + How To Prepare For Your Level-Up With Dora Kamau
• Episode 97: Creating Space + Keeping Promises To Yourself
• Episode 98: Good Girl Gone Bad: Releasing Shame And Living On Your Own Terms

SPONSORS:

• Ritual | This new plant-based protein powder is designed to be a part of your daily ritual. Visit ritual.com/balanced for 10% off the first three months of your subscription on any product.
• Hello Fresh | With HelloFresh, you get fresh, pre-measured ingredients and mouthwatering seasonal recipes delivered right to your door. Visit hellofresh.com/balanced14 and use the code "BALANCED14" for up to 14 free meals, including free shipping.
• Olive & June | Get a salon-quality manicure at home with Olive & June's Mani System. Visit oliveandjune.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 20% off your first Mani System.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-106-healthy-relationship-with-self ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Next week we're diving into our relationships and connection series. To prepare, enjoy this guided meditation to help you cultivate a deeper appreciation and better relationship with yourself. Grab your headphones and set aside 10 minutes to connect with yourself.

We're ending this vibrational series with a big bang and a lot of inspirational chills. Grab some tea, a journal, and get ready to be enlightened by the endless gems Alea Lovely shares in this episode on owning our own magic. Alea provides truly unique perspectives on life, love, spirituality, manifestation, and what it actually means to raise our vibrations.

Alea is an energy reader and coach, spiritual teacher, and host of the Spiritual Shit podcast. She helps people discover and move past their blocks through empathetic energy healing, mediumship, channeling, writing, and mentorship. She specializes in helping people find the answers they are looking for within themselves and through spirit. And she is truly the perfect guest to take us home as we round out the raising your vibration series.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• How to check in with our own energy.
• The difference between masculine and feminine energy.
• Making necessary shifts to align our reality with desired outcomes.
• Navigating spaces as an empath or highly sensitive person.

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about Alea on her website.
• Tune in to Alea's podcast, Spiritual Shit.
• Manifest Them - an online course for finding aligned love
• Instagram: @thelovelyalea
• Marie Kondo - well known Japanese expert on tidying up
• Holly Laurel Slooth - the intuitive healer Alea mentioned who helped align her chakras and meet her partner beyond the Earthly plane
• REWIND: Releasing Self-Judgement and Perfectionism with Shirin Eskandani

SPONSOR:

• OUAI restores hair health from the outside and from within, through effective hair care products and proven nutritional supplements. Use the code Balanced for 15% off your purchase at theouai.com

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-105-owning-your-magic ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're switching gears and diving into using our sense of spirituality within our religious practices. And who better to have that conversation with than Christa Keyes - a Human Design reader who specializes in understanding the design God gave us.

I wanted to bring Christa on the show to help ground any listeners who may be struggling between the different kinds of spirituality within them - the spirit of God and the spirit within themselves.

Tune in to learn a new perspective on Human Design (as well as any other spiritual practice), and how we can use it as a tool to draw us closer to God - to learn how He made us and the purpose we hold in our lives.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• Using Human Design as a tool in a way that aligns with us.
• Drawing yourself closer to God.
• Honoring our design.
• How to live with your purpose.

RESOURCES:

• Where to pull your Human Design Chart: https://www.geneticmatrix.com/?idev_id=4573
• Episode 67: How to Manage Your Energy Using Human Design with Jas the Moon Mother: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com/ep-67-human-design/
• Christa's Website: www.hdbygod.com
• Follow Christa on Instagram @human.designed.bygod

SPONSOR:

• Athletic Greens | Get your daily nutrition in one healthy scoop. Visit athleticgreens.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 5 free travel packs and a year's supply of Vitamin D.
• OUAI Haircare | Hit the reset button with the OUAI Detox Shampoo. Visit theouai.com and use the code BALANCED for 15% off your order.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-104-faith-based-design ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We face some hard truths in today's episode, and also some thoughtful opportunities to change our relationship with emoting. As Black women, we are all too familiar with the strong Black woman stereotype. Many of us encountered guilt and shame when experiencing any emotions outside of gratitude. And although it's good to have perspective, we still are human and need to be able to express all of which makes us who we are - and that includes our full spectrum of emotions.

So grab a journal and have a cup of tea by your side. Get ready to push pause and give yourself the space to explore your feelings - perhaps even meeting sides you that you've never seen before.

I ALSO TALK ABOUT…

• Our emotions are our teachers.
• Gratitude is not a catch-all.
• Blanket support is not real support.
• Creating safety to emote.

RESOURCES (CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS):

• ep 54: Wholehearted Living With Shirin Eskandani
• ep 101: What's Your Energy Saying Sis? Raising Your Vibration
• ep 102: The Power of Walking: How to Raise Your Vibration Through Movement

SPONSOR:

• RITUAL | This new plant-based protein powder is designed to be a part of your daily ritual. Visit ritual.com/balanced for 10% off the first three months of your subscription on any product.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-103-overcoming-toxic-positivity ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today's rewind episode features an interview with coach, speaker, writer, and one of my favorite people Shirin Eskandani of Wholehearted Coaching.

She has been a featured wellness expert on the Today Show and Cosmopolitan Magazine. Certified by the International Coach Federation, her holistic approach to transformation is influenced by her background in guided meditation, spirituality, and the arts.

Prior to building her successful coaching business, she was an award-winning opera singer, performing at Carnegie Hall and The Metropolitan Opera. She is the co-founder of Brown Girl Brunch and has been a featured speaker at ALT Summit, Well Summit, the Assemblage, and Soho House.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT…

• Overcoming feelings of perfectionism.
• Figuring out what comes next after reaching your goals.
• How to perform mindset work.
• The importance of practicing self-compassion.
• Living wholeheartedly.

RESOURCES:

• Check out Shirin's 21 Days of Joy
• Sign up for Shirin's free manifestation workshop.
• Check out Shirin's program Manifest Them
• Learn more about Shirin’s Wholehearted Women Program
• Follow Shirin on Instagram: @wholeheartecoaching
• Tune into Shirin's podcast

SPONSOR:

• Olive & June | Get a salon-quality manicure at home with Olive & June's Mani System. Visit oliveandjune.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 20% off your first Mani System.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-54-wholehearted-living ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Movement is a powerful practice to raise your vibration. I know that I always feel an improvement in my energy and the way I'm feeling, whether that's through my body, my mind, or even both. And part of that has come to be by the way I have changed my relationship to my movements. It's not always the act itself, but the why of what we're doing.

Tune in to not only be inspired to move your body, but also to learn how to explore that why and define the intentions that serve your goals and desires. And remember, tag us if you go on that walk. Let's create a #BalancedBlackGirlWalks movement. 👟

I ALSO TALK ABOUT…

• Using movement for clarity
• The sedentary lifestyle
• Scientific benefits of walking
• Setting intentions and taking action

RESOURCES (CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS):

• Girl Trek
• Ep 39: Creating A Community Of Black Girl Magic – Balanced Black Girl Podcast LIVE
• Walking slows progression of Alzheimer's
• How walking benefits the brain
• Walking can lower risk of heart-related conditions as much as running
• Stanford study finds walking improves creativity

SPONSOR:

• Athletic Greens | Try Athletic Greens whole-foods sourced nutrition. Visit athleticgreens.com/balanced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-102-power-of-walking ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In continuing to celebrate our 100th episode mark, we're diving into a six-episode series talking all things on raising our vibrations. I kick things off by getting real and personal - as I always do, reflecting on how I went through a period of not getting the results I desired by not tapping into the energy I was creating.

What about you? When was the last time you checked in with your own energy? Are you attracting the results you want from life? Consider this episode a vibe-check, exploring why we're not reaching our goals and how we can shift to continue becoming what we want to be.

I ALSO TALK ABOUT…

• How our energy impacts our sense of being
• Why we're not getting the results we want
• Discipline vs. aligned action
• The effects of low self-worth
• What I'm doing to raise my vibration

RESOURCES (CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS):

• Switch On Your Brain Everyday, by Caroline Leaf
• Vibrate Higher Daily, by Lalah Delia
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, by Joe Dispenza
• Ep 87: How To Have Laser Focus And Cultivate Ancestral Healing With Juliet C. Obodo

SPONSOR:

• OUAI Haircare | OUAI restores hair health from the outside and from within, through effective hair care products and proven nutritional supplements. Use the code Balanced for 15% off your purchase at theouai.com.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-101-raising-your-vibration ◉ IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles 〆

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/balanced-black-girl/donations

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

To celebrate the 100th episode of Balanced Black Girl, I'm answering your burning questions. From dating to podcasting to personal growth and everything in between.

Topics include advice I would give myself in my 20's, my favorite journaling prompts, advice for working with brands and building community as a content creator, and ways we can be kind to ourselves.

I also talk about...

• Boundary-setting and healing from toxic relationships.
• Having the confidence to take big leaps.
• YouTube vs. Podcasting
• Financial wellness habits.
• Living alone for the first time.

Resources (contains affiliate links):

• You Are a Badass at Making Money
• We Should All Be Millionaires
• I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Second Edition: No Guilt. No Excuses. No BS. Just a 6-Week Program That Works
• Episode 53: Building Financial Wellness with Tonya Rapley
• Episode 85: Getting Financially Fit with Ornella Yovo

Sponsors:

• Ritual | This new plant-based protein powder is designed to be a part of your daily ritual. Visit ritual.com/balanced for 10% off the first three months of your subscription on any product at
• OSEA | OSEA offers luxury skin and body care that's good for your skin and for the planet. Use the code BBG for 10% off your purchase at oseamalibu.com.

balancedblackgirl.com/ep-100-ask-me-anything 〄 IG: @balancedblackgirlpodcast @balancedles〆

Summer is officially here, and many of us are starting to venture outside again. I’m sitting down with Dr. Danielle Richardson, Los Angeles-based optometrist, yoga teacher, and wellness entrepreneur to discuss how we can keep our healthy habits intact as we ease back into being social this summer.

Dr. Danielle's science background and yogic studies blend together to create her unique approach to total wellness of the mind, body, and soul. She focuses on creating evidence-based wellness content to empower busy people to make healthier decisions. 

Dr. Danielle shares the evolution of her wellness journey – from stressed optometry student, to having a life-changing experience in Bali, to building her own impressive wellness brand, Dr. Danielle’s definition of balance has evolved throughout her journey.

This episode will inspire you to make wellness-focused habits a part of your daily life and create space for self-care even during the busiest of seasons.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Easy ways to feel your best this summer.
• How to incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine.
• Ways busy entrepreneurs and side-hustlers can make space for self-care. 
• The importance of taking care of your eye health, and easy ways you can protect your eyes each day.

Resources:

• Follow @FierceClarity on Instagram for live weekly yoga classes
• Follow @FierceClarity on TikTok
• Check out the Fierce Clarity shop for updates on their upcoming activewear line.

Sponsors:

• Seed | Get 20% off your first month of Seed’s Daily Synbiotic by visiting seed.com/balanced and using code “BALANCED”
• Vuori | Go to vuoriclothing.com/BALANCED and discover the versatility of Vuori Clothing and get 20% off your first purchase.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, and follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

Download our free glow-up guide. This guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

What does it mean to be good vs bad? Whose definition of a "good girl" are we holding ourselves to?

In this episode, I’m diving into who is benefiting from this mold of goodness because chances are, you aren't. Chances are you’re hiding behind the idea of being good and it’s dimming your light. By stepping out and speaking up for yourself more, you’re allowing yourself to do things purely for fun or that bring you joy.

You don't need to try to be good. You don't need to try to be bad. You just need to be you and that is enough.

In this episode, I discuss:

• The definition of a “good girl” vs “bad girl”
• Society's stereotypes of who women should be and how women should act
• Breaking the mold and redefining yourself
• What it means to live on your own terms

Sponsors:

Athletic Greens | Try Athletic Greens whole-foods sourced nutrition. Visit athleticgreens.com/balalnced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Ask yourself, what is it that you truly want? Where do you want to be? 

What does your best life look like? How do you want to feel?

Many people think being busy and piling more work on your plate means you’re productive and making more money but that is not reality. Busy is not a badge of honor.  

In this episode, I’m opening up about my struggles with creating space in my life to do the things I truly love and that bring me joy. During a recent meditation, I realized that a lot of my actions are actually creating the exact opposite effect of what it is I want to feel. And that a lot of my daily actions are the exact opposite of what I actually tend to preach on this show. 

Trust me, I'm not all-knowing or perfectly balanced. Sometimes we need to call ourselves in and have those moments of honesty and I am no exception.

Tune in to hear ways to create space in your life from exactly where you are and with exactly what you have.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why it’s important to reflect on what you want your life to look like
• Ways to intentionally create more space
• Setting goals that set you up for success
• How to detach yourself from time

Sponsors:

Seed | Show your microbiome some love with Seed’s Daily Synbiotic. Go to seed.com/balanced and use the code “BALANCED” for 20% off your first month.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

What if I told you there was a tool that can help boost your sense of overall well-being, improve your mood, improve your memory, heightened creativity, and help you manage stress?

In this episode, I'm talking about journaling. Journaling is important because it helps you capture a moment in time, gives you the opportunity to reflect on what’s happening in your life in real-time as well as reflects on the past. Journaling can help you heal from past trauma, be an emotion regulator, and help you call in what you want your future to look like.

A 2015 study conducted by Penn State found that positive effects journaling is associated with decreased mental distress and increased well-being. That study also associated journaling with less depressive and anxiety symptoms after one month of consistent practice and improved resilience after two months of consistent practice. And the benefits of journaling, don't stop at the mental and emotional level. There can be physical benefits to a form of journaling as well.

So grab your notebook and a pen and get ready to free the mind of your thoughts, positive and negative.

In this episode, I discuss:

• How to get the most out of your journaling practice
• The mind, body + emotional benefits of journaling
• Common roadblocks women have when thinking about journaling
• Tips + tricks to improving or establishing a journaling practice

Head to balancedblackgirl.com/journaling to download your free prompts.

Sponsors:

Seed | Show your microbiome some love with Seed’s Daily Synbiotic. Go to seed.com/balanced and use the code “BALANCED” for 20% off your first month.

Fitbit | Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Have you ever had a season or period of time that feels like an extended lonely season, which has likely been exacerbated by the pandemic? Do you jump from relationship to relationship to find your worth?

Today’s episode is one that has been on my heart for a really long time. I’m diving into my extended single season. I’ve been single for 4 years now and it wasn’t by accident. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of good and bad relationships. Relationships where I think I’ve found my person. Relationships that I knew weren’t right for me but I went into them anyway trying to find a connection, a sense of purpose. 

In the past four years, I have had moments where I loved it and where I hated it. I’ve had moments where I resented it and moments where I resented myself and others. And I’ve had moments of incredible peace and gratitude for where I am and where I’m at.

The really interesting thing about this place of just being that I’m currently in, is I’ve felt really big shifts all around me. For the first time ever I feel like I’m slowly but surely being seen. I’m attracting new experiences and people that are truly in alignment with my standards and what I’ve envisioned for myself. 

In this episode, I discuss:

• The season of solitude
• Letting go of childhood beliefs about relationships that are no longer serving you
• Reflecting on past relationships and your behaviors in those relationships
• Knowing when to shift and become truly aligned with yourself
• Why wanting connection with others is not a sign of weakness

Sponsors:

Athletic Greens | Get your daily nutritional needs met with a single scoop of Athletic Greens. Visit athleticgreens.com/balalnced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

Fitbit | Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Our hair is a part of our identity and represents our individuality. What does your hair say about you?

Hair was a pain point for some growing up, especially for those who experienced not truly knowing how to do their own hair, love and accept their hair and let it be in its natural state.

My guest today, Keziah Dhamma, was one of those women. Growing up in Sacramento, CA she never had anyone that looked like her that she could look up to. Everyone around her had their hair straight. So she turned to relaxers at the age of 12 and never looked back until she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in broadcast journalism and found the water in LA was so harsh on her hair, she had no alternative but to go natural! She did her big chop in 2009 from her hair breaking off so much and struggled for years on not loving her hair and herself.

Almost giving up to return to straight hair. Keziah decided to give it one more shot, and exhaust all options before giving up. She turned to experts to help her understand her hair and process. She has gotten educated by some of the best in the industry: @curldoctor and @vernonfrancois

On her journey to loving and accepting her hair, Keziah Dhamma invented the first-ever Snappee hair tie made for natural hair and founded SwirlyCurly and CurlCollege. SwirlyCurly’s mission is to make the natural hair journey easy through innovative products and CurlCollege the educational side to teach others the system to get beautiful, healthy, natural hair the easy way!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Keziah’s hair journey and how she came to be a natural hair educator
• Why you need to have a simplified hair routine as your baseline
• How to hydrate your hair and proper hydration methods
• Environmental conditions and hair care
• Your natural hair toolkit - Things that are a must + things to avoid
• Natural hair care for children

Hit play to learn how to transition to natural hair and find a hair routine that works for you!

Resources:

• SwirlyCurly offers Natural Hair Masterclasses every two weeks. Keziah teaches specific topics like moisture, hair growth, transitioning, etc. 
• Visit SwirlyCurly.com for natural hair accessories and tools. Use the code balanced15 for 15% off your order.
• Subscribe to Keziah’s YouTube channel.
• Follow Keziah and SwirlyCurly on Instagram: @swirlycurlyhair, @curlcollegeonline, @keziahdhamma

Sponsors:

• Seed Daily Synbiotic: Not all probiotics are created equal. Seed’s 2-in-1 synbiotic is a broad-spectrum prebiotic and probiotic that offers benefits beyond the gut. Visit seed.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 20% off your first month of Seed’s Daily Synbiotic.
• Fitbit: Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Has someone ever told you that you need more discipline in your life? Have you told yourself you’re not disciplined enough?

Most people, including myself, don’t realize that the lack of discipline and accountability is holding us back. Reframing our mindset to take the necessary action steps to correct it, we will start to see a positive change in our lives.

Discipline is something that I have been working on for a while now. It is not something that comes easy to me, it is something that I have to work at every day. I have to be disciplined in how I spend my time and it all starts with small habits that I practice daily. There is no such thing as the perfect routine or perfect balance of life but by being mindful of our actions we can achieve freedom.

Discipline is not negative. Discipline can and is a positive practice that is mostly attributed to our own success. Here are four affirmations that I repeat to myself to stay positive about discipline:

• I find peace through discipline.
• Discipline sets me free.
• I create ease through discipline.
• Opportunity finds me through discipline.

Tune in to hear why discipline is all about reframing your mindset and being intentional about your daily habits.

In this episode, I discuss:

• The importance of redefining discipline for ourselves
• The difference between discipline and punishment
• Ways to create discipline in our life
• Why discipline starts with small, intentional habits

Sponsors:

Athletic Greens | Try Athletic Greens whole-foods sourced nutrition. Visit athleticgreens.com/balanced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

Fitbit | Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

Resources:

EP 90| Small Daily Habits That Make A Big Difference For Your Well-Being

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

What does mindfulness mean to you? Do you integrate mindfulness into your daily routine?

I have my moments of calmness and I have my moments of not being calm. It’s all a part of the human experience. Mindfulness is about understanding how to leverage certain tools to bring you back to a state of calmness and zen.

Don’t feel guilty about not being calm and centered all the time because we are all human. We are all living a different human experience unique to us. But how can we incorporate mindfulness into our routines as a way to guide us and bring us back to center? 

My guest today is Dora Kamau. Dora is a meditation and mindfulness teacher, who uses meditation as a tool to guide individuals in experiencing who they truly are. Unshaken and impenetrable by the qualms of life, Dora utilizes her own lived experience to guide in-person and online gatherings for women to connect through intentional conversations. Over the last 2 years, she has led thousands in meditation with individuals participating from all over the world and from all walks of life.

In November 2017, Dora founded Bliss Your Heart, a flourishing women’s community-based in Vancouver, in which she’s hosted workshops focused on self-care, self-love, and mental health. With a calling for compassion-centered care, Dora is also a registered psychiatric nurse that integrates holistic, trauma-informed practices for women living with substance dependence and mental illness. In 2020, she completed Sumi Touch's All Black Doula training to continue to support expecting birth folks in marginalized communities.

Her work in the community has aligned her with brands such as Headspace, Insight Timer, NBC, lululemon, Reebok, Little Burgundy, Saje Natural Wellness, Call it Spring, and many others.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dora’s journey into mindfulness + meditation
• How teaching and guiding others has impacted Dora’s own mindfulness practice
• Keeping yourself centered when life gets tough
• What we can do to help others care for themselves
• Personal development and how to prepare yourself for growth + opportunities

Hit play to learn how to integrate mindfulness into your everyday! 

Resources:

• Follow Dora Kamau on Instagram @dora_kamau
• To learn more about Dora and how she can help you explore mindfulness, check out www.dorakamau.ca
• To follow Dora + listen to her meditations on Insight Timer, head over to insighttimer.com/dorakamau
• Listen to Dora’s meditations on Headspace, signup for free at www.headspace.com

Sponsors:

Athletic Greens | Try Athletic Greens whole-foods sourced nutrition. Visit athleticgreens.com/balalnced for a year’s supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packets.

Fitbit | Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Has the past year got you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Our brains are running on overload, we are not motivated, and we’re mentally and physically exhausted. What we are experiencing is burnout. Whether the burnout is from work, friendships, family, or even school, burnout is everywhere and the pandemic has only intensified the issue.

This week on the podcast, we are diving into all things burnout with Erayna Sargent. Erayna is sharing her personal experience with burnout and how she navigated her path to recovery. She learned that burnout is hard but recovery was even harder. She set a mission to encourage hustle culture to adopt the new mantra ‘Work hard. Self-care harder.’

Erayna Sargent is a Burnout Coach and the founder of Hooky Wellness, the first stop for Burnout relief. Leveraging her 15 years in marketing & innovation at Nestle & Intuit, she uniquely blends leadership coaching with Design Thinking providing an approachable path to real results. Erayna has coached professionals & teams across organizations including Google, Accenture, Nestle, and Teach for America.

Erayna has an MBA from Indiana University and is a member of the Mental Wellness Initiative at the Global Wellness Institute. She has guest appeared on podcasts including NPR Life Kit and Dribble and featured in Ozy Media, Hour Detroit and Architectural Digest. Erayna is a Detroit native, currently residing in Charlotte, NC with her husband and their two cats.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Erayna’s personal experience with burnout and her recovery
• Tools and processes to dealing with burnout
• Tactics for overcoming burnout
• Building your burnout battle team
• Ways to support others experiencing burnout

Hit play to learn new tools to tackle burnout and the recovery process!

Resources:

• Social media handles -- @Hookywellness, @Burnout_whisperer, @PlyHooky
• Burnout Bingo Workbook: https://hooky.typeform.com/to/txKqnU5b
• Workplace Support Workshop for Leaders and Teams: https://www.hookywellness.com/workplace

Sponsors: 

• Seed Daily Synbiotic: Not all probiotics are created equal. Seed’s 2-in-1 synbiotic is a broad-spectrum prebiotic and probiotic that offers benefits beyond the gut. Visit seed.com/balanced and use the code BALANCED for 20% off your first month of Seed’s Daily Synbiotic.
• Fitbit: Fitbit Sense paired with Fitbit Premium supports total-body wellness and stress management. Get 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free with the purchase of a Fitbit Sense. Visit fitbit.com for more information. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

How do you start your day? How do you end your day? What are a few things that you do daily, weekly, or even monthly to help yourself feel energized, rested, and vibrant?

These questions are more complicated than you think because not a lot of people really think about their daily habits and routines. We go through each day in such a rush that we forget to pause and evaluate the things we are doing or the actions we are taking every day. Are they serving us?

In today’s episode, I am talking about habits related to your well-being. I've really been reflecting on some of the habits that have kept me going and also things that I think promote longevity for all of us. The ways that we can continue to pour in and take care as we continue to navigate these challenging situations that we're all facing.

I’m taking you behind the scenes of my small daily habits that have made a huge impact on my mindset and the way I show up in the world.

Tune in to hear why small habits have a giant impact on you and the people around you.

In this episode, I discuss:

• My daily habits and how they have changed the way I show up
• Why doing small things each day can keep you energized and rested
• The importance of incorporating small habits into your daily routine

Mentioned in this episode:

• Check out the Journey to Launch podcast for advice on reaching financial freedom.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

What does it mean to heal? How can you facilitate your own healing journey? How can you continue to keep yourself going? If you're someone who is going on a healing journey you have probably asked yourself similar questions. 

In today's episode, we're really going to talk about the necessary tools needed to truly heal ourselves and healing in a very practical sense. 

My guest today is Yasmine Cheyenne. Yasmine is an advocate for mental health and self-healing expert. Yasmine is also known for her transformative teachings around self-healing which she offers through keynote speeches, corporate presentations and one-on-one coaching. Her instruction has helped thousands of students take control of their financial and physical health by creating boundaries, designing their dream job, finding the love of their life and more.

Yasmine discusses how we can break the cycle of negative self talk and empower ourselves. And we also dive into discernment, boundaries, looking after ourselves.

Yasmine’s knowledge on boundaries, self-awareness & self-acceptance, and healing ourselves comes at a time when women are feeling out of alignment. Hit play if you’re ready for a real discussion on boundaries, making space for ourselves, and being worthy!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Understanding the difference between intuition and ego.
• The power of discernment and trusting red flags.
• Why self-healing is so important.
• Establishing healthy boundaries.
• What it means to protect and refill your sugar jar.

Resources:

• To keep in touch + get started on your healing journey, sign up for Yasmine’s newsletter and receive 2 free workbooks! 
• Listen to Yasmine’s podcast, The Sugar Jar Podcast
• Follow Yasmine on Instagram @yasminecheyenne 

Episode Sponsor: 

Skillshare | Visit skillshare.com/balanced for a free trial of Skillshare premium membership. After you sign up, check out Yasmine’s course Writing for Self-Care.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Why is rest important? How can you incorporate more rest into our day? What does rest look and feel like to you?

Rest is something that is often overlooked even when it's planned. Chasing rest can feel like a never-ending cycle which causes you to feel more exhausted. Giving yourself grace and taking a break to rest is something we need to incorporate into our everyday lives.

Recently, I took a month off from recording new episodes for this podcast and creating new content altogether. I knew I needed rest but what I didn’t understand was what was I taking a break from? What does rest look like to me? 

Yes, it was amazing to not be on social media or creating new content but I still didn’t feel relaxed and rested. I thought taking a break was going to fix all my problems. But I realized I was burnt out. I realized I was experiencing decision fatigue. Even though I was taking a “break” from putting out new content, I was still holding space for making decisions instead of communicating my boundaries to other people in my life that support me.

Understanding what you're taking a break from will help you feel truly rested and at peace.

In this episode, I discuss:

• What does it mean to rest?
• 3 mistakes I made when taking a break to rest
• Ways to incorporate more rest into our daily lives
• How to be intentional about getting the rest you need

Skillshare | Explore your creativity at Skillshare.com/BALANCED and get a free trial of Premium Membership.

Vega | Head to myvega.com/BALANCED to check out Vega's full line of plant-based nutrition.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Our thoughts are powerful. The way we think about ourselves, consciously and subconsciously, controls every aspect of our lives. How are you speaking to yourself? Are you holding on to childhood trauma and emotions that have led you down a path to burnout, living up to other people's expectations, and unhappiness?

In this episode, Les is diving deep into mental health, your subconscious, and how to heal ancestral trauma using hypnotherapy with Master Hypnotherapist & NLP Master Practitioner Juliet Obodo.

To Juliet, hypnosis is the key to unlocking your potential through mental alignment & inner child healing. Her work with FWRD Institute offers Collection Brain Trainings, Kindred Leadership Programs, & Conscious Culture Trainings. 

Juliet is a Master Hypnotherapist & NLP Master Practitioner and Trainer with a mission to help treat, heal, and transform racism as well as facilitate individual and corporate transformations through brain training. After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology she went into tech sales instead of medical school for Psychiatry. After 10 years in corporate, she left to run her own design agency & a business funding startup.

However, running two 6-figure businesses led to severe burnout. During her search for a cure, she re-discovered NLP & Hypnosis. She began to coach other stressed-out business owners but wanted to make more impactful transformations which led to her certification as a Master Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner and studying for her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a focus on Ancestral Trauma.

If you’re struggling with holding onto childhood trauma, unworthiness, or you’re ready to reframe the way you’re thinking about your life, hit play now!

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why we need to have healthy coping skills
• Using hypnosis to release the emotional blocks and limitations we put on ourselves
• Ways to retrain our brains and the way we think
• The power of our thoughts and manifestation
• How to reprogram your subconscious mind using NLP
• How ancestral trauma affects the way we live our lives

Resources:

• Follow Juliet on Instagram @julietcobodo
• Connect with Juliet on Twitter @julietcobodo
• Check out Juliet’s website to learn about her work: www.fwrdinstitute.com

Episode Sponsors:

• Skillshare | Get a free trial of Skillshare Premium by going to skillshare.com/balanced
• Vega | Check out Vega’s full line of plant-based nutrition at myvega.com/balanced

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Having boundaries is a healthy habit. It's something that we all have to work on every day. Having healthy boundaries within ourselves and with others leads us to a more peaceful and happy life. 

Do you struggle with setting healthy boundaries with family and friends? How do you navigate challenging situations?

Today’s guest is Nedra Glover Tawwab. Nedra is diving deep into the importance of setting and maintaining healthy boundaries and how to navigate shifting your boundaries as we move through this new normal.

Nedra Glover Tawwab is a licensed therapist and sought-after relationship expert. She has practiced relationship therapy for 12 years and is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice, Kaleidoscope Counseling. 

Every day she helps people create healthy relationships by teaching them how to implement boundaries. Her philosophy is that a lack of boundaries and assertiveness underlie most relationship issues, and her gift is helping people create healthy relationships with themselves and others.

You don’t want to miss this episode because Nedra isn’t holding anything back. She dives deep into family dynamics, navigating the boundaries within ourselves, and why it’s necessary to use our voice and ask for what we want. 

After this episode, you will be ready to take charge of your life and stand up for yourself, even when the people around us disagree.

In this episode, we talk about...

• The foundation of setting and maintaining healthy boundaries
• Ways to shift your boundaries when challenges arise
• Navigating boundaries in family relationships
• Empowering other people in the relationship
• Using your voice to stand in your power

Resources:

• Order Nedra’s book Set Boundaries, Find Peace
• Follow Nedra on Instagram @nedratawwab
• Check out Nedra’s Website: https://www.nedratawwab.com/

Sponsor:

• This episode is sponsored by Vega Nutrition. Check out their full line of plant-based nutrition products at myvega.com/balanced.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Does thinking about your finances cause you stress and anxiety? 

Has the pandemic impacted our finances?

Getting financially fit not only helps you plan and save for your future but it also allows you to start living and building generational wealth.

Today’s guest is Ornella Yovo. Ornella is passionate about helping people achieve their goals, relieve anxiety around money, and make #MoneyMoves happen. As an avid advocate for women and minorities, she has spent years providing financial education and guidance to those in need. She wants people to know that you can still live the life YOU want while working towards financial stability.

Having worked for a large wealth management organization, Ornella has learned the tools to build and maintain long-term wealth, while also keeping in mind the human and emotional aspects associated with money. She understands that people need guidance and just aren’t always sure who or where to go. She hopes to empower people to embrace the conversation about their finances and offer a comfortable environment to do so!

What does financial wellness look like for you in 2021?

In this episode, we talk about…

• An introduction to investing, and the best platforms for getting started.
• Building an emergency fund.
• The best financial apps to use.
• How to start building generational wealth on a tight budget.
• Affording rest.

Resources:

• Connect with Ornella and the Financial Gym
• Follow Ornella on Instagram @ornellayovo and @osqrd.co
• Find out more about O-Squared Consulting and how Ornella helps entrepreneurs make better business decisions.

Episode Sponsor:

• Vega | Check out Vega plant-based nutrition at myvega.com/balanced 

Unlock more content in Guided, the Balanced Black Girl online membership community. Go to https://community.balancedblackgirl.com to join us. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

This week marks 1 year since COVID was declared a pandemic and all of our lives changed drastically. Do you remember what you were doing this time last year? 

If I knew what was coming, I would have spent those last weeks in February and first weeks of March differently. I would have spent that time with people who are near and dear to my heart. 

Reflecting on the past year has brought up so many feelings and emotions. Feelings of grief, and those moments of isolation and loneliness, burnout, creativity, nostalgia, and perseverance.

This experience has taught me to be cognizant and aware of my time. I have to be just as discerning about where, how, and with whom I spend my time with. And where, how, and with whom I spend my money with. We all have the gift of discernment, and we have all had times where we used it and were grateful. 

A big lesson I learned on the anniversary of this week is to use my discernment. We can’t predict the future, and we can’t change the past, but we can lean into our relationship with spirit to guide us. We can lean into getting quiet and going within to listen to our intuition.

Join me for a guided journaling session, reflecting on a full year of living through a global pandemic. In this episode, we are acknowledging the lessons learned, creating space for rest, and feeling hopeful for what’s ahead. Grab your journal or your favorite note-taking app and let’s get to it. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of discernment.
• Biggest lessons learned over the past year.
• Creating space for both highs and lows.
• Staying hopeful for the future.

Sponsors: 

• Skillshare | Go to skillshare.com/balanced for a free trial of Skillshare premium.
• Vega Plant-Based Nutrition | Head to myvega.com/balanced

Today’s episode is a rewind solo episode about the importance of setting boundaries and protecting your energy so you can channel it into the areas of life that make most sense for you.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with responding to everyone wanting to check in with you because you’re their go-to “Black friend”, if you’re being put in the position to educate others and are trying to figure out how to navigate it, and if you’re looking for ways to set clear boundaries so you can take care of yourself during this critical time, this episode is for you. 

Resources:

• Check out #ProtectYourEnergy, an extensive doc with canned responses to racial gaslighting and taxing conversations.
• Follow @balancedblackgirlpodcast on Instagram.
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook.
• Follow @balancedblkgirl on Twitter.

Today’s episode is a rewind interview with guest Alina Brown, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner co-founder of WellnessCon, and creator of the Auralign Planner. 

Alina creates video content for her Wellness YouTube channel called ‘Alina Alive,’ where she helps her subscribers take practical steps to deepen their wellness journeys.

In 2019, Alina co-founded WellnessCon, an annual outdoor wellness conference dedicated to promoting diversity in the wellness space while fostering a community for wellness lovers, wellness influencers, and conscious companies. ⁣

Alina is also the creator of the Auralign Planner, a weekly planner focused on seasonal intention-setting and key astrological events.

Alina truly believes that just as nature works synergistically to foster diverse rainforests and deep-sea life, we as humans can best thrive and achieve optimal health synergistically through working together.⁣

Resources:

• Follow Alina on Instagram @heyalinalive
• Check out the Wellness Con website for updates: https://www.wellnesscon.co/
• Subscribe to Alina’s YouTube Channel
• Check out the Auralign Planner 
• Our favorite smudge Kit: Heritage Apothecary

Today’s episode is a rewind interview featuring Shena Tubbs, a Relational Trauma and Attachment Specialist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Love Addiction Coach based out of Houston, TX. 

She is the founder of Black Girls Heal, an online community dedicated to helping women of color break the cycles of unavailable relationships and feeling not enough by healing what’s within. 

In addition to Black Girls Heal, Shena has a private practice where she specializes in helping women heal from unresolved childhood relational trauma, love addiction, and changing relationship patterns. She also hosts the Black Girls Heal podcast which talks about all things intimacy, attachment, and healing internal wounds.

RESOURCES:

Listen to the Black Girls Heal Podcast

Follow Black Girls Heal on Instagram: @blackgirlsheal

Apply to the Black Girls Heal Recovery School

This episode is sponsored by Skillshare. Head to skillshare.com/balanced to get a free trial of a premium membership.

Today’s episode is a rewind interview featuring Toya Coleman, historian, creator of Toya from Harlem and host of the That Wasn’t In My Textbook podcast. 

Born and raised in Harlem, with a BA in African-American studies, Toya was inspired to create her platform as a way to capture the historical places in Harlem that were being erased in the name of gentrification. Currently, she lives in LA and has expanded her message from Harlem to cover black history nationwide. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit Toya’s Website
• Follow Toya on Instagram: @toyafromharlem
• Subscribe to Toya’s YouTube Channel
• Sign up for Toya’s Newsletter
• Follow Blvck Vrchives on Instagram: @blvckvrchives
• Follow Blk Mkt Vintage on Instagram: @blkmktvintage
• Learn about The Heroines of American Black Press
• Listen to Toya’s Podcast: That Wasn’t In My Textbook

This throwback episode of Balanced Black Girl is brought to you by Skillshare, an online community that offers membership with meaning. Explore your creativity with a free trial membership at www.skillshare.com/BALANCED.

Have you been wondering how your menstrual cycle affects your work, relationships, and overall balance in your life?

My guest today is Berrion Berry. Berrion is a Menstrual Health Educator, Integrative Health Practitioner & the Founder of The Flo Academy. Part of her mission is to teach menstruating individuals how to master their menstrual cycles one period at a time.

As the founder of The Flo Academy, Berri focuses specifically on teaching those who identify as female entrepreneurs or modern women, how to have better periods and healthier hormones, through online menstrual health education.

From hormone balancing to cycle syncing, to mood-enhancing and self-healing, Berri covers it all and is excited to help you have your best period yet.

Her story is beautiful and enlightening. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share Berrion’s story.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Understanding the four phases of your menstrual cycle.
• How to align your work with your menstrual cycle.
• Improving your relationship with your period.
• Understanding the best way to adjust your diet and exercise routine throughout your menstrual cycle.
• Why authenticity is a key component of balance.

Resources:

• Check out The Flo Academy
• Listen to Berrion’s podcast, Flow with Berrion Berry
• Follow Berrion on Instagram @berrionlberry and @thefloacademy

Episode Sponsor:

• This episode is sponsored by Foria. Foria is an innovative health & sexual wellness company with product lines for intimacy, relief, and optimal wellbeing. Get 20% off your first order at www.foria.com/BBG

Unlock more content in Guided, the Balanced Black Girl online membership community. Go to https://community.balancedblackgirl.com to join us. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Our guest today is Laticia Rolle -- entrepreneur, community builder, podcaster, sister, and so much more. Laticia was one of the first people I met after moving to LA, and every time we speak I’m blown away by her warm authenticity.

Laticia is the creator of Girl, We Got This, a podcast and platform dedicated to sharing the raw, authentic stories of women from all walks of life. She is also the Founder of Tress, the hat that fits and protects our natural curls.

Her story is beautiful and empowering. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share Laticia’s story and journey because it resonated with me so deeply, and I hope it resonates with you as well.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Adapting to new environments while still honoring yourself
• Defining your self-worth and feeling accepted after heartbreak
• How Laticia’s journey with self-love evolved over time
• Why Laticia seeks support through therapy and how it has helped her come into herself
• Building a supportive community that truly empowers women
• Navigating the ups and downs and challenges of life

Resources:

• Listen to Laticia’s podcast Girl, We Got This
• Follow Laticia on Instagram @laticia.rolle and @girlwegotthis.co
• Check out Tress for curl-friendly hats and hair necessities

Episode Sponsor:

Foria has a special offer for sex and wellness essentials for Balanced Black Girl listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/bbg.

Join our membership community Guided for live Q&A with podcast guests, bonus content, monthly book club, and support on your wellness journey. Go to https://community.balancedblackgirl.com to join us. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In this episode of Balanced Black Girl Podcast, I’m guiding you through a year-end reflection exercise to acknowledge our greatest lessons of 2020, and begin calling in where we want to go in 2021.

As we get ready for next year and reflect on this year, I want you to think about where you were this time last year and I want you to think about where you are right now. We have had a trying, difficult, and traumatizing year. We have all grown in ways that we may not even understand. In order to uncover how much we have grown, we need to understand where we have been. So when you’re thinking about who you are in this moment and who you were 365 days ago, your outlook, your priorities, your sense of resilience, your belief in yourself. What has changed? What lessons have you learned along the way?

In this episode, I talk about:

• Year-end reflection to acknowledge our greatest lessons of 2020
• How to begin to call in where we want to go in 2021
• Uncovering who you are at this moment and who you were 365 days ago
• Navigating how much we've grown by first understanding where we have been

Guided reflection questions to ask yourself:

• My biggest lesson of 2020 was…
• My greatest blessing of 2020 was…
• This is who I’ve grown…
• I’m proud of myself for…
• I’m calling in…

Resources:

• Join our virtual wellness studio, Guided for exclusive content and support.
• Follow Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Instagram @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Subscribe to our newsletter

Episode Sponsor:

• Quip | Visit www.getquip.com/balancedgirl to get your first refill free

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Damona Hoffman, dating coach and media personality. In this episode, we are talking all about enjoying and taking ownership of your dating experience particularly during a pandemic when the dating landscape feels more challenging than ever.

Damona is known for her work on two A+E Networks' TV series: #BlackLove and A Question of Love. She’s a regular contributor to The LA Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN Headline News (HLN), BET.com, and more. Damona also hosts and produces the weekly podcast, Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman.

Over the years, Damona has dedicated her time to teaching people how to celebrate their unique experiences and individuality, and learn to love as you are without conforming to find love. It all started when Damona had to learn how to navigate the complex world of online dating to find love, happiness, and her soul mate.

Damona is energetic, informative, and passionate and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and mission.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How to successfully use dating apps to find a partner.
• Ways to effectively use your online profile to attract your ideal partner.
• The three C’s of dating online.
• Navigating interracial relationships when racial tensions are high.
• Opening ourselves up to attract a partner outside of the restrictive guidelines we have set for our future partner.

Resources:

• Follow Damona on Instagram @damonahoffman
• Follow Damona on Twitter @damonahoffman
• Listen to Damona’s podcast, Dates and Mates
• Check out Damona’s website 

Episode Sponsor:

• Foria has a special offer for sex and wellness essentials for Balanced Black Girl listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/bbg.

Unlock more content in Guided, the Balanced Black Girl online membership community. Go to https://community.balancedblackgirl.com to join us. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your self-care to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Tiffany Wright, a mental health professional, author, speaker, and wellness consultant based in Inglewood, CA. She obtained a BA in Sociology and BA in Psychology from the University of California Davis and her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City. 

Tiffany is known for her clinical work that focuses on trauma, grief, esteem, relationships and eating disorders. Her areas of expertise are creating culturally relevant healing spaces, trauma-informed care and leadership, tools for self-care, historic and intergenerational trauma, and grief & loss.

Over the years, Tiffany has facilitated healing, educational and professional workshops, seminars, training, and events for universities, high schools, social service agencies, and community members in the US and abroad around the topics of empowerment, wellness, trauma, and mental health.

Currently, Tiffany is enhancing the lives of millennials and future generations by providing tools and resources that develop a deep practice of self-love and understanding of mental health.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Navigating your personal transformation.
• Finding positive ways to cope with life stressors.
• How to find the answers we’re looking for within ourselves.
• The importance of supporting our strong friends and helpers. 

Resources: 

• Get on the waitlist for the Balanced Black Girl membership community
• Check out Tiffany’s books The 5 Commandments of Self-Love, and Be Love: Daily Intentions Guiding You to Self-Love
• Visit Tiffany’s platform The Be Life
• Follow Tiffany on Instagram @tiffinspires 
• Listen to Tiffany’s podcast The Shift Is Real 

Discount Codes:

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In this solo episode of Balanced Black Girl Podcast, I’m sharing how my wellness journey has evolved over time. From early childhood experiences to the intersection of body image and career, today’s episode is an honest reflection on how our relationship with ourselves can evolve over time. 

In this episode, I talk about…

• Navigating challenges around body image
• Improving my relationship with food and fitness
• The importance of support and community 
• Finding a sense of purpose
• Unapologetically tending to our mental health

RESOURCES:

• Get on the waitlist for the Balanced Black Girl membership community
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook
• Follow Balanced Black Girl on Twitter: @balancedblkgirl

Discount Codes:

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, and follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

Download our free glow-up guide. This guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Tarin Calmeyer. Tarin is committed to sharing practical tools to understand the body, energy, and mindfulness to take her clients from stress to success. She is a Yoga, Meditation, and Wellness Coach with a background in Osteopathy.

Tarin has more than 10 years of experience coaching burnt-out people around the world to reconnect with their bodies and minds. Tarin has focused her teachings around holistically approaching the aspects that contribute to overall wellbeing.

She has extensive experience working with brands from Women’s Health to Puma to Movenpick Resorts to create engaging wellness experiences and content.

In 2020, Tarin founded Remote Team Wellness as a solution for forward-thinking companies to prioritize their people’s wellbeing by connecting them to world-class wellness instructors and facilitators.

She is a beacon of light and love and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and mission.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Building body awareness.
• The healing practice of osteopathy: what it is and its benefits.
• Establishing a mindfulness practice. 
• Maintaining wellness practices while working and socializing remotely. 
• How to remain focused and centered while working from home. 
• The importance of accepting our current reality and the things we cannot change. 

RESOURCES:

• Learn more at Remote Team Wellness at www.remoteteamwellness.com
• Follow Tarin on Instagram: @thechocolatepretzel + @remoteteamwellness

Discount Codes:

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Content warning: Mention of sexual trauma and pregnancy loss

Today's conversation is about our spiritual evolutions and how that plays into our wellness. Spirituality is individual and for those who grew up in the church, that is often your first and largest spiritual influence. There are also some people who start to approach spirituality differently – people who want to have a hybrid of some of those church practices that they grew up with and some of the spiritual practices they learned about at different points in life.

Our guest today is Lyvonne Proverbs Briggs (aka “Pastor Bae”) a body and sex-positive preacher, writer, speaker, and spiritual life coach. Lyvonne is the founder of Beautiful Scars, a healing-centered storytelling agency focused on fostering pleasure and resiliency. She is also the curator of The Proverbial Experience, an Instagram church. Briggs has been featured in ESSENCE, Cosmopolitan, and The Washington Post, and Sojourners named her one of “11 Women Shaping the Church.” Briggs, an NYC native, is currently based in New Orleans, LA.

Lyvonne is dedicated to her faith and helping Black women heal their childhood trauma and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and mission.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Decolonizing your faith, African spirituality, and having a sense of curiosity
• Releasing shame related to sexual trauma
• Fostering conversations about our sexuality in our everyday conversations
• Trusting your inner knowing because that’s where the power lives
• Sensuality vs. sexuality and the ongoing practice of honoring your body
• What it means to be a Surthrivor

RESOURCES:

• Check out Lyvonne’s Website: lyvonnep.com
• Follow Lyvonne on Instagram: @lyvonnep 
• Connect with Lyvonne on Facebook
• Follow Lyvonne on Twitter: @lyvonnep
• Subscribe to Lyvonne’s YouTube Channel 
• Subscribe to Lyvonne's Patreon for additional coaching and support
• Join Lyvonne's online course 'i'm a Surthrivor' and use the code 'BALANCEDBLACKGIRL' for 16% off

Discount Codes:

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re having a heartfelt conversation with Zuri Adele. Zuri  is an actor, currently known for her portrayal of Malika Williams on Freeform’s “Good Trouble.” 

She is an alumna of Spelman College, UCLA’s school of theater, film, and television, and the British American Drama Academy, and a former acting teacher at both the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa and UCLA.

Before “Good Trouble,” Zuri performed on many stages with Georgia Shakespeare, the SITI Company of New York, and the UCLA MFA Acting program.

She is passionate about wellness, access to education, and social justice, Zuri launched and oversees the Zuri Adele Fellowship for HBCU Alumni, which provides support for HBCU graduates pursuing their Master of Fine Arts degrees in theater, film, and/or television.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How to hold space for one another and cultivate community
• Being in spaces where you can be your authentic self
• Creating intentional wellness practices 
• How different wellness practices shape our lives
• The foundation of how to take care of yourself first

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about Zuri at  Zuriadele.com
• Follow Zuri on Instagram: @Zuriadele
• Catch up on Good Trouble on Freeform

Discount Codes:

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Dr. Sarah L. Webb is currently an Assistant Professor in the department of English and Modern Languages at the University of Illinois Springfield. Dr. Webb first wrote publicly about colorism in the summer of 2011 in a post titled: “Colorism: 5 Reasons I Haven’t Said Much… Yet.”

After seeing the interest, positive responses, and negative reactions to her early writing on colorism, Dr. Webb recognized the need for a dynamic platform dedicated entirely to this issue. She also saw the need to focus on solutions, and so she launched the blog Colorism Healing in July 2013.

The goals of Colorism Healing are to raise critical awareness about colorism as a global issue by providing a hub of information and resources, foster individual and collective healing as well as systemic solutions by producing, facilitating, and curating creative and critical work.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The history of colorism, and its roots in anti-blackness.
• Understanding systemic inequalities that stem from colorism.
• How to navigate gaslighting in relation to colorism.
• Ways we can build trust and strengthen sisterhood among Black women of all skin tones.
• The intersection of colorism and patriarchy.
• Healing from the effects of colorism.

RESOURCES:

• Visit the Colorism Healing website
• Follow Dr. Sarah L. Webb on Twitter: @drslwebb
• Follow Colorism Healing on Instagram: @colorismhealing
• The Colorism Healing Writing Contest 2020

 Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, and follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, download our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

This bonus episode features a brief guided meditation with inspiring mantras to help you de-stress and return to your center.

RESOURCES:

• For full podcast episodes and show notes, visit balancedblackgirl.com
• Register for our Self-Care for Stress Management Workshop on September 26, 12:00 pm PDT on Zoom.
• Follow Balanced Black Girl on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook
• Follow Balanced Black Girl on Twitter
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

Meditation music by Chris Collins, indiemusicbox.com

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, download our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Half healer, half businesswoman Maryam Ajayi is both an Energy Healer who practices the Akashic Records, Breathwork and Reiki, and an Entrepreneur, who is the founder of Dive in Well, which creates space, community, conversations, and change for a more diverse and equitable wellness industry through both on and offline experiences. Based in LA, she is passionate about de-stigmatizing the wellness industry, advocating for inclusive spaces for marginalized communities, and using her voice to empower and uplift others around the world.

In this episode, we talk about …

• Maryam’s backstory and how she came to space she is in
• Spirituality, Spiritual Practices, and Self-Awareness
• Understanding the perspective of others
• Mental, spiritual, physical, and social wellness

RESOURCES:

• Visit the Dive in Well website
• Follow Maryam Ajayi on Instagram: @maryamajayi
• Follow Dive in Well on Instagram: @diveinwell
• Join the Balanced Black Girl Webinar

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

Tweetable Quotes from Maryam Ajayi:

“The bigger you shine your light, the bigger your shadow is.”

“Why do we as Black women have to be more self-aware than others?”

“Being held accountable is an opportunity to evolve as a human.”

“Start learning who your well ancestors are and tap into them.”

“How could you not be changed when people come and speak their truth, you think about the ideas around it, and you know you have the power in the room to affect change?”

“We are going to reach a peak where we can’t ignore the diversity problem in wellness anymore.”

“Slowing down allows spirit to move through me.”

“Support me by supporting yourself.”

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today we’re talking about nutrition for better health and dismantling food inequality with Akua Woolbright, PhD. Dr. Woolbright is an expert in plant-based nutrition who specializes in teaching people how to harness the healing power of foods to prevent and reverse disease, feel great, look younger, and live longer.

In 2009, Dr. Woolbright joined Whole Foods Market to help create and implement the company’s signature healthy eating program, blending science and evidence-based recommendations with a back-to-basics approach.

In this episode we talk about…

• The difference between rural and urban poverty and farming
• Nourishing our bodies and making healthy eating equitable
• Getting rid of biases and stereotyping in health education spaces
• The importance of nutrition education
• How to break through the barriers of food accessibility

Resources:

• A Life At Work by Thomas Moore
• Learn more about the Whole Cities Foundation
• Sign up for our Self-Care for Stress Management virtual class on September 26 at 12:00 pm PDT

• Dr. Akua Woolbright’s email: akua.woolbright@wholefoods.com

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today we’re sharing the second part of our conversation with the BROWN GIRL jane team, sitting down with co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Tai Beauchamp.

BROWN GIRL jane is a Black woman-owned and founded company that offers broad-spectrum CBD products created especially for women of color.

Named one of the 50 most influential people in the multicultural market by WWD, Tai is an award-winning producer, TV host, and brand consultant, known most for her expertise in marketing to women. Formerly an editor for Harper’s Bazaar, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Seventeen magazines, Beauchamp departed publishing in the earliest days of social media to leverage her vast audience platform to empower, educate and entertain women of all ages.

Tai has become a go-to thought leader for platforms like ABC, NBC, E!, BET, TVOne, The Wendy Williams Show, The View, The Chew, and the Tamron Hall Show. She’s hosted her own shows on TLC, Cleo TV and GSN as well as worked with fortune 500 companies and impact organizations like AdColor, CoverGirl, Essence, Ford, GM, Hilton, InStyle, Lexus, McDonald’s, Proctor and Gamble, Sundial Brands, Prudential, Target, Walmart, and The Wing. Currently living in Los Angeles, Tai is a New Jersey native and proud Spelman College alum.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of understanding your “why”.
• Staying aligned with your purpose.
• The collective power of sisterhood and genuine friendships and Collaboration.
• Stress management and taking care of yourself during busy seasons of life.

RESOURCES:

• Visit the BROWN GIRL jane website to shop their CBD tinctures and beauty products.
• Follow BROWN GIRL jane on Instagram @itsbrowngirljane
• Follow Tai on Instagram @taibeau
• Like BROWN GIRL jane on Facebook @browngirljane
• Follow BROWN GIRL jane on Twitter @BROWNGIRLjane

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In part one of this two-part conversation, we’re sitting down with Nia Jones Alugbin and Malaika Jones Kebede, sisters and co-founders of BROWN GIRL jane.

BROWN GIRL jane is a Black woman-owned and founded company that offers broad spectrum CBD products created especially for women of color.

Malaika Jones Kebede is co-founder and CEO and started BROWN GIRL jane after falling in love with the healing power of plants and CBD. After suffering spinal nerve damage during the birth of her third child, she began experimenting with holistic alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical medicine and fell in love with the natural healing wonders Cannabidiol.

Nia Jones Alugbin is co-founder of BROWN GIRL jane and lives in Brooklyn with her two young sons and husband. She spent most of her career as a leader in Philanthropic Management and Diversity shaping the direction and enacting change through institutional policies and capital support. She graduated from Spelman College and received a Master’s degree from New York University.

In this episode, we talk about…

• What CBD is and what its benefits are.
• Managing stress and anxiety in our daily lives.
• Why supporting diverse-owned cannabis companies is so important.
• Creating a community focused on healing as a collective.
• Allowing flexibility in our approach to self-care.

RESOURCES:

• Visit the BROWN GIRL jane website to shop their CBD tinctures and beauty products.
• Follow BROWN GIRL jane on Instagram @itsbrowngirljane
• Like BROWN GIRL jane on Facebook @browngirljane
• Follow BROWN GIRL jane on Twitter @BROWNGIRLjane

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re discussing ways to heal from and cope with racial trauma with our guest, Jacquelyn Ogorchukwu Iyamah.

Jacquelyn is a Nigerian American Storyteller and User Experience Designer in the wellness space. She has a degree in Social welfare, where her focus was on making wellness more accessible to overlooked communities. She also has a degree in UX design, where she spent a year researching what it would take to design a platform that reduced the barriers of therapy for Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

In 2018, Jacquelyn published The Geometry of Being Black, a poetic body of work that provides a glimpse into prominent experiences of the Black community.

In this episode, we talk about…

•       The difference between coping and healing.
•       Defining racial trauma, and understanding its signs and symptoms.
•       Understanding The Four Bodies of healing.
•       Identifying and coping with racial battle fatigue.
•       Activism as an act of hope.

RESOURCES:

• Check out Jacquelyn's course Making the Body a Home: Unpacking Internalized Racism     
• Follow Jacquelyn on Instagram: @ogorchukwuu
• Read The Four Bodies: A Toolkit for Healing Racial Trauma
• Follow Jacquelyn on Facebook: @ogorchukwuu
• Follow Jacquelyn on Twitter: @ogorchukwuu
• Order Jacquelyn’s book The Geometry of Being Black
• Register for the Unapologetic Retreat and use code LES10 for $10 off
• Take the Balanced Black Girl Listener Survey

Balance Black Girl Partners:

•       BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
•       Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
•       Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
•       Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In this solo episode, Les will dive into the topic of worthiness. While each of us is born inherently worthy, we receive messages that lead us to believe our worthiness is transactional or something we have to earn back.

Les will discuss her own struggles with worthiness, along with a guided meditation and journaling exercise that will help you reclaim your worthiness no matter what life throws your way.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Les’s reflections on questioning her own worthiness.
• Examining your personal definition of what it means to be worthy.
• How to focus on being instead of doing.
• Take part with me in a guided journaling meditation to reclaim your worthiness.

RESOURCES:

• For show notes and episode information go to com
• Follow Balanced Black Girl on Instagram @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Meditation music is The Healing by Sergey Cheremisinov

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Dr. Sara C. Flowers. She became the Vice President of Education at PPFA in 2018. An advocate for evidence-informed practice and emotional intelligence in sex education, Sara’s research focuses on fidelity and adaptation of sex education curricula, dismantling sexual and reproductive health disparities, serving the youth of color, and strengthening reproductive health access. In this role, Sara sets the vision, priorities, and strategy for sex education and training at Planned Parenthood. She is the spokesperson for sex education, providing contextualization and grounding for the nuanced ways sex education works to support and progress the federation’s vision and mission.

Sara holds a Doctorate in Public Health from The Graduate School and University Center, CUNY, as well as a BA in Psychology and a Master of Public Health degree, both from The George Washington University. She currently serves on the board of directors for SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How COVID impacts our sexual health and relationships
• Evolution of sex education over the years
• How to initiate honest conversations with your partner or potential partners
• Communicating and connecting with others during this pandemic
• Consent conversations, not just in a sexual context
• Communicating with teenagers in this pandemic
• Reproductive health care and how black women can advocate for themselves

RESOURCES:

• Connect with Dr. Sara through PPFA’s website
• Follow Dr. Sara on Linkedin: @drsaracflowers
• Article about consent by Dr. Sara C. Flowers. Practicing What I Preach: Consent, Young People, and Respecting a No
• Ask Roo, a sexual health chatbot from PPFA

Balance Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Adunola Adeshola, a career strategist and Forbes contributor. She teaches flourishing and unfulfilled corporate professionals how to secure new positions they love at companies they love. 

Her clients have landed interviews and job offers at Tiffany & Co., Macy's, CBS, BP and other amazing Fortune 500 companies in their industries. Her expertise has also been featured in Bloomberg, Fast Company, Business Insider and other publications.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How to overcome imposter syndrome in the workplace.
• Transitioning to remote work.
• Advice for navigating a toxic company culture.
• How to navigate career changes during a time of uncertainty.
• Stress management and maintaining balance while job seeking. 

RESOURCES:

• Check out Adunola’s Website Employee Redefined
• Follow Adunola on Instagram: @thenewemployees
• Download Adunola’s free guide, How to Go from Zero Interviews to Dream Job Offers
• Read Adunola’s Forbes column

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty.

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Be Casting.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Dr. Kristamarie Collman, a double board certified family medicine doctor. Leveraging her professional background in medicine paired with a natural flair for beauty and style, Dr. Kristamarie takes a holistic approach in helping women to live healthier lives. 

She empowers women of all ages with tools and tips to “glow up” and ultimately feel their best.  Dr. Kristamarie graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Rutgers University – New Brunswick and continued her education at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY, earning a Doctor of Medicine. She later joined the ranks of Halifax Health Medical Center as a resident physician in Daytona Beach, FL, where she was also nominated to serve as Chief Resident. 

She currently resides in Charlottesville, VA, where she practices in acute care and outpatient Family Medicine. Beyond the doctor’s office, Dr. Kristamarie shares engaging social media content focused on inspirational messages, healthy lifestyle and wellness advice. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her fiancé, their dog and trying out new food recipes in the kitchen. She is also the author of “Glow Up Your Life: The Rx for Looking and Feeling Good from the Inside Out.” 

In this episode, we talk about…

• Ways we can advocate for ourselves and loved ones when receiving medical care.
• What to look for when searching for healthcare providers.
• Incorporating holistic medicine with western practices.
• Managing stress and anxiety around COVID-19.
• Her experience navigating a fibroid diagnosis.

RESOURCES:

• Download Glow Up Your Life by Dr. Kristamarie
• Follow Dr. Kristamarie on Instagram: @drkristamarie
• Like Dr. Kristamarie’s page on Facebook

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty, available at Wal-Mart and walmart.com. Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Be Casting.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

We are now in the middle of a global pandemic and cultural revolution at the same time. It’s a lot (to say the least).

In this solo episode, Les is discussing the importance of setting boundaries and protecting your energy so you can channel it into the areas of life that make most sense for you.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with responding to everyone wanting to check in with you because you’re their go-to “Black friend”, if you’re being put in the position to educate others and are trying to figure out how to navigate it, and if you’re looking for ways to set clear boundaries so you can take care of yourself during this critical time, this episode is for you. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• Defining the role you want to take on in our current state.
• Listening to your body and redefining what self care means at this time.
• How to respond to emotionally taxing conversations. 
• Guided journal prompts for clarity.

RESOURCES:

• Check out #ProtectYourEnergy, an extensive doc with canned responses to racial gaslighting and taxing conversations.
• Visit the Balanced Black Girl Community Healing Resource Guide for an extensive list of Black-focused virtual healing events, mental health resources, and Black-owned self care businesses. 
• Follow @balancedblackgirlpodcast on Instagram.
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook.
• Follow @balancedblkgirl on Twitter. 

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty.

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for $5 off your order of adaptogen blends

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Be Casting.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Jasmine Offor-Verville. Jasmine is a writer, speaker and truth-teller empowering us to unearth our individual Divine Destiny through the lens of Human Design. 

Her provoking conversations and practice pioneer a new way of being that will allow each of us to see our divine nature. Through her resources, workshops and writing, Jasmine is changing the way we see ourselves so that we no longer have to look out for validation but return back within.

In this episode, we talk about…

• What the different Human Design types are, and how they differ from one another.
• How Human Design differs from, and works with astrology.
• Ways to customize your self-care practices for your Human Design type.
• How our Human Design impacts how we approach relationships, career, and purpose.

RESOURCES:

• Visit Jasmine’s Website
• Follow Jasmine on Instagram @moondustourmother
• Book a Soul Session with Jasmine and use the code “BalancedBlack” for 10% off
• Listen to Jasmine’s Podcast, Divinely Human

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for 15% off your order of adaptogen blends

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos .

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Alina Brown, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner co-founder of WellnessCon, and creator of the Aligned Life Planner. 

Alina creates video content for her Wellness YouTube channel called ‘Alina Alive,’ where she helps her 23,000+ subscribers take practical steps to deepen their wellness journeys.

In 2019, Alina co-founded WellnessCon, an annual outdoor wellness conference dedicated to promoting diversity in the wellness space while fostering community for wellness lovers, wellness influencers, and conscious companies. ⁣

This year Alina launched the Aligned Life Planner, a 2020 planner focused on seasonal intention-setting and key astrological events.

Alina truly believes that just as nature works synergistically to foster diverse rainforests and deep sea life, we as humans can best thrive and achieve optimal health synergistically through working together.⁣

In this episode, we talk about…

• Creating wellness habits you can stick to by using the three pillars of wellness.
• Healthy eating on a budget.
• Why seasonality is important for goal-setting and for our wellness practices.
• How to incorporate astrology into your wellness practice.

RESOURCES:

• Follow Alina on Instagram @heyalinalive
• Check out the Wellness Con website for updates: https://www.wellnesscon.co/
• Subscribe to Alina’s YouTube Channel
• Check out the Aligned Life Planner
• Smudge Kit: Heritage Apothecary

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for 15% off your order of adaptogen blends

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty. Pick up Cantu’s Shea Butter collection at Walmart and walmart.com.

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s bonus episode is a candid conversation with Les’s mom Trina in honor of Mother’s Day. 

This episode is a special one, as they talk about navigating motherhood through the different stages of life, and how their mother/daughter relationship has evolved over time.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Trina’s experiences as a teen mom.
• Breaking generational cycles through intentional parenting.
• Establishing parent/child relationships well into adulthood.
• Identities outside of motherhood.

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for 15% off your order of adaptogen blends

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Kathleen Booker. She is an effervescent native New Yorker whose energy is infectious. Kathleen is passionate about Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy and knows first-hand the energy, healing, peace, and joy it creates in one’s life. 

As a certified and insured Breathwork Coach, she has worked with many masters in the field of Conscious Connected Breathwork therapy. For over 10 years, Kathleen has used her Breath coaching and intuitive skills to support individuals in clearly identifying areas in need of growth, healing and focused goal creation. 

Kathleen’s instinctive sense of what will motivate and empower her clients is the impetus for their transformation. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• Why connecting with your breath is so important.
• What conscious connected breathwork is, and how to experience its benefits.
• The importance of asking for help.
• Ways to create more calm in your life. 
• Practices to feel grounded and fulfilled.

RESOURCES:

• Special offer for Balanced Black Girl Listeners: Book a free breathwork session with Kathleen
• Visit Kathleen’s Website
• Follow Kathleen on Instagram: @iamkathleenbooker
• Connect with Kathleen on LinkedIn 

This episode is sponsored by Cantu Beauty. Check out their Natural Hair Collection at Walmart and walmart.com.

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Peak and Valley | Use the discount code balancedblackgirl for 15% off your order of adaptogen blends

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Adriana Jean Louis, doula and founder of Doula Philosophy.

In her final year of college, Adriana submitted a thesis on the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis in the Developed United States through the lens of public policy. In her professional life she runs a private practice, Doula Philosophy and also works jointly with non profit organizations that specifically cater to vulnerable women and families. 

When working with these organizations, Adriana works directly with adolescent mothers, mothers of Haitian descent, women of color and women with a history of trauma. In private practice Doula Philosophy offers birth, postpartum and home doula services to families in Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. 

Her passion in Black maternal health and mortality, hospital intervention and the power of informed and autonomous decision making is the hallmark of her practice. Adriana has had the pleasure of being invited to speak at TeamBirth a hospital quality improvement conference, Harvard University, Boston College Law and UMass Dartmouth to name a few on the fundamental difference of doula care in birth outcomes and welcomes the opportunity to educate further whenever possible. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• What doulas do, and why expecting parents should consider working with a doula.
• The state of the Black Maternal Health Crisis in America.
• Ways Black folks who intend to have biological children can advocate for themselves.
• Why Black mothers are less likely to breastfeed, and how we can better support Black mothers who want to breastfeed.
• Resources for aspiring doulas.

RESOURCES:

• Visit the Doula Philosophy Website
• Follow Adriana on Instagram @adrianathedoula
• Follow Pump Mama Pump on Instagram @pump_mama_pump
• Visit the Evidence Based Birth Website

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com
• Peak and Valley | Use the code balancedblackgirl for 15% off your order at peakandvalley.co 

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Today’s guest Patty Dean, also known as Patty Pilates, has been teaching classical Pilates for 20 years. Through her teaching, she has worked with celebrity clients, athletes, children of all abilities and everyone in between. 

Patty Pilates Style actually started when she was a fashion stylist assistant for a celebrity stylist and fell in love with the method. After being a stay at home Mom she decided to go back to teaching Pilates by making it a little more affordable to Black folks and my Inglewood community. 

Her motto is,  “if you have a spine, a stomach and breath you can do Pilates...I can work with you”. She has witnessed endless life-changing testimonies when a client is committed to the Pilates method. She has worked with a vast spectrum of bodies and is grateful to continue working with more -- especially with Black folks.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Building community through genuine connections.
• The origins, mental, and physical benefits of Pilates.
• Making Pilates accessible.
• Modeling self-care for our children and communities.

RESOURCES:

• Follow Patty on Instagram to stay updated on her virtual class offerings: @pattypilatesstyle
• LA-Area Folks: Contact Patty at pattypilatesstyle@gmail.com for special pricing on private Pilates sessions. 

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today we’re talking to Bridget Todd, political strategist, media personality, and co-host of AFROPUNK’s Solution Sessions Podcast where she focuses on amplifying Black stories globally.

Bridget has had an extensive career in media, education and politics. The former Howard University educator is a trained human rights activist and coordinated digital strategy for organizations such as MSNBC, Planned Parenthood, and the Women's March. She also facilitated a training program for political operatives that the Washington Post called “the Hogwarts of the Democratic Party.”

Bridget joined the podcast world as a producer for MoveOn.org’s flagship podcast in 2012. She also cohosted iHeartMedia’s “Stuff Mom Never Told You” podcast, where she discussed feminist issues and activism to over 2 million subscriber’s month.

Paper Magazine named Bridget as one of their top women in Politics to follow, and she received a Webby Award nomination for her role on AFROPUNK’s Solution Sessions Podcast. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Refinery 29, Policy Mic, The Daily Show, The Atlantic, the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and more.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of telling Black stories in a loving, authentic way.
• How to get comfortable using our voices.
• Owning and protecting our creative ideas and contributions to popular culture. 
• Navigating burnout, and why rest is essential.

RESOURCES:

• Check out AFROPUNK Solution Sessions. 
• Follow Bridget on Instagram: @bridgetmarieindc
• Follow Bridget on Twitter: @bridgetmarie

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Today’s guest is Nadine Joseph, founder and CEO of Peak and Valley, a conscious company that combines ancient wisdom and modern science to make everyday wellness essentials. 

Nadine has a unique background entrenched in both the worlds of wellness and that of the scientific community. She combines the experiences gleaned from her time studying and conducting neuroscience research at both Johns Hopkins and UCSF with her holistic wellness upbringing.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How stress impacts the body.
• Practical tips for managing stress.
• What adaptogens are, and how they can help us manage stress.
• Ways to make exercise nourishing, not stressful. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit the Peak and Valley Website
• Peak and Valley Adaptogen Blend -- use the discount code “balancedblackgirl”
• Follow Peak and Valley on Instagram: @peakandvalleyco
• Follow Nadine on Instagram: @itsanadine

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL for 20% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Toya Coleman, creator of Toya from Harlem. Toya From Harlem is an online platform for millennials of color who want to learn more about Locs, history, art and culture without boring pretentious language.

Born and raised in Harlem, with a BA in African-American studies, Toya was inspired to create her platform as a way to capture the historical places in Harlem that were being erased in the name of gentrification. Currently, she lives in LA and has expanded her message from Harlem to cover black history nationwide. 

One of her proudest accomplishments was her feature on BET.com titled,“See This Artist's Recreations of Iconic Imagery For Black History Month” where she recreated iconic photos of Black men in history. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• Underrated moments in Black history.

• The best social media accounts to follow to learn about Black history.

• Black women’s stories that aren’t often told.

• Gentrification’s impact on Black history. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit Toya’s Website

• Follow Toya on Instagram: @toyafromharlem

• Subscribe to Toya’s YouTube Channel

• Sign up for Toya’s Newsletter

• Follow Blvck Vrchives on Instagram: @blvckvrchives

• Follow Blk Mkt Vintage on Instagram: @blkmktvintage

• Learn about The Heroines of American Black Press

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com

• MBlack Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com

• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment

• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements

• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos. This episode was recorded with Inclusive Media Podcasting Network. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

In today’s episode, Les is holding it down solo discussing listener-submitted topics. Starting off with some reflection on 2019 and a renewed mindset for 2020, this episode gets deep down and personal about family, relocating, dating, manifestation, and more. 

Whether you’re considering a relocation and are afraid to take the leap, you’re feeling stuck in a situation that you aren’t sure how to navigate, or you’re interested in creating a meditation routine, this episode has something for you!

The tea is hot today. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• Goal setting for 2020. 
• Relocating to a new city: preparing financially, taking the leap, building community.
• How to get unstuck. 
• The single life and dating in a new city. 
• Creating a meditation routine.
• Overcoming the winter blues.
• Manifestation and how to get out of your own way. 

RESOURCES:

• Get the show notes for all episodes at balancedblackgirl.com
• Follow Les on Instagram: @balancedles
• Follow Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Liberate Meditation App 
• Calm App
• Episode 54: Wholehearted Living with Shirin Eskandani

Les’ Top Reads from 2019:

• The Game of Desire by Shan Boodram
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
• More than Enough by Elaine Welteroth
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Sinikiwe Dhliwayo, a creative and public speaker who for the last decade has made a home at the intersection of wellness and publishing. Sinikiwe has worked in all facets of the photo and magazine publishing industry and oversees photo and video shoots from inception and conception to execution and delivery. Her skills include casting, producing and art direction as well as creative problem solving and most importantly, creating meaningful and impactful connections with target audiences.

Sinikiwe is also the founder of NAAYA, which roots people of color in their wellness. Whether making yoga accessible to those who need the practice most or telling the stories of marginalized folx through elevated photo and video, Sinikiwe is dedicated to changing the conversation around what it looks and feels like to be well. Her work and efforts to make the wellness space more equitable. 

Later this year, Sinikiwe is kicking off NAAYA’s first 200-hour yoga teacher training, created specifically for people who identify as BIPOC. Head to the NAAYA website to learn more.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of mindfulness practices for people of color.
• Cultural appropriation in yoga.
• The intersection of wellness and media.
• Advice for beginning your yoga journey.

RESOURCES:

• Visit the NAAYA Website to subscribe to the newsletter
• Follow NAAYA on Instagram: @naaya.wellness
• Follow Sinikiwe on Instagram: @sinikiwe.stephanie

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl is edited by Bex Carlos.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Jennifer Sterling, Registered Dance/Movement Psychotherapist and Holistic Nutritionist.

She is also the Creator of Bodyful Healing, a wellness platform that offers body-based, holistic support to Black women living with depression.

In 2019, Jennifer’s book Dear Strong Black Woman: Letters of Nourishment and Reflection from One Strong Black Woman to Another was published. Dear Strong Black Woman is a collection of 31 letters of nourishment and connection from one strong Black woman to another.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of safe spaces for Black women living with depression.
• Breaking down the myth of the strong Black woman.
• Learning about dance/movement psychotherapy.
• How nutrition and mental health are interconnected.

RESOURCES:

• Check out Jennifer’s book, Dear Strong Black Woman
• Jennifer’s Website: bodyfulhealing.com
• Follow Bodyful Healing on Instagram: @bodyfulhealing
• Like Bodyful Healing on Facebook
• Follow Bodyful Healing on Twitter: @bodyfulhealing

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements
• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today we’re talking to Shena Tubbs, a Relational Trauma and Attachment Specialist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Love Addiction Coach based out of Houston, TX. 

She is the founder of Black Girls Heal, an online community dedicated to helping women of color break the cycles of unavailable relationships and feeling not enough by healing what's within. 

In addition to Black Girls Heal, Shena has a private practice where she specializes in helping women heal from unresolved childhood relational trauma, love addiction, and changing relationship patterns. She also hosts the Black Girls Heal podcast which talks about all things intimacy, attachment and healing internal wounds. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• How we repeatedly get into unhealthy relationships and how we can break the cycle.
• Understanding and overcoming love addiction.
• Learning your attachment style, and the origins of your attachment style. 
• Unpacking relationships with unavailable people.

RESOURCES:

• Visit Shena’s Website, BlackGirlsHeal.org
• Check out the Learn to Thrive course
• Check out the Healed and Loved Woman Mentorship program
• Follow Black Girls Heal on Instagram: @blackgirlsheal_
• Like Black Girls Heal on Facebook

Episode Sponsor:

• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

Today, we’re talking to Sojourner White. Sojourner is a traveling scholar whose experiences as a Fulbright Fellow in Spain and service year as a Pubic Ally with AmeriCorps led her to become an International Social Worker. 

Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, her travel journey started in the U.S. with her family, however studying Spanish opened her eyes to the world of international travel. Since studying abroad in 2015, she has traveled from Mexico to Morocco and many European countries in between. 

Sojourner is living up to her name all while pursuing her Master’s degree and writing her way through the world on her blog “Sojournies.” She offers tips and resources to other students, professionals, or anyone interested in making travel part of their lives too. Her adventures have shaped her views of Blackness, womanhood, and wellness, no matter where she may be in the world.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How Sojourner’s study abroad experience sparked her love for travel.
• Ways Black women can benefit from traveling internationally.
• Travel tips for Black women.
• Practicing self-care and prioritizing wellness as a grad student. 
• The importance of crafting your own life journey. 

RESOURCES:

• Download Sojourner’s travel guide: 5 Things You Should Never Forget Before Your First Trip Abroad
• Visit Sojourner’s website, Sojournies
• Follow Sojourner on Instagram @thesojournies
• Like Sojournies on Facebook
• Follow Sojourner on Instagram Twitter @sojournies
• Self Explored, Self Restored Journal
• Becoming Journal

Episode Sponsor:

• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Shirin Eskandani, life coach, public speaker, and writer who specializes in mindfulness and mindset work.

She has been a featured wellness expert on the Today Show and Cosmopolitan Magazine. Certified by the International Coach Federation, her holistic approach to transformation is influenced by her background in guided meditation, spirituality, and the arts.

Prior to building her successful coaching business, she was an award-winning opera singer, performing at Carnegie Hall and The Metropolitan Opera. She is the co-founder of Brown Girl Brunch and has been a featured speaker at ALT Summit, Well Summit, the Assemblage, and Soho House.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Overcoming feelings of perfectionism.
• Figuring out what comes next after reaching your goals.
• How to perform mindset work.
• The importance of practicing self-compassion.
• Living wholeheartedly.

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about Shirin’s Wholehearted Women Program
• Visit Shirin’s Website
• Follow Shirin on Instagram: @wholeheartecoaching
• Like Wholehearted Coaching on Facebook

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• Skinny Dipped | Use the code BBG for 15% off your order at skinnydipped.com
• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off Organifi supplements

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

• How to create your own definition of financial wellness.
• Initial steps you can take to build financial wellness.
• Strategies for eliminating debt.
• How to stick to a budget without feeling deprived.
• Wealth-building for Black women.
• Finding affordable ways to practice self-care. 

• Visit Tonya’s Website
• Follow Tonya on Instagram: @myfabfinance and @tonya.rapley
• Like My Fab Finance on Facebook
• Follow Tonya on Twitter: @myfabfinance
• Check out the My Fab Finance Blue Ribbon Club

• Check out BECU.org
• Learn more about BECU’s free Financial Health Check
• Learn more about BECU’s online budgeting app, Money Manager

• 5 Ways I Cut My Budget to Build Emergency Savings
• Money Management Tips for Side Hustlers
• Planning for a Summer Vacation: How to Achieve Travel Goals
• Adding Financial Wellness to Your Wellness Routine in the New Year: How to Set Realistic Financial Goals and Add Financial Wellness As A Key Pillar to Your Wellness Routine

Today, we’re talking to Shayla Varnado. Shayla is a serial entrepreneur, entertainer, side hustle queen and the founder of Black Girls Wine.

Black Girls Wine, affectionately known as BGW, is a lifestyle brand that celebrates Black girl magic by curating exclusive experiences for women who love wine. With over 11 chapters in 10+ cities, the brand is growing and the world is taking notice.

A decade of creating businesses has led Shayla to her passion for teaching women how to increase their income by monetizing their gifts with online + offline strategies that actually move their business forward. She is the author of 44 prayers for the Christian Entrepreneur. And she is the host of a weekly podcast called "The Business Besties" where she shares the real deal of what it takes to run a business.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of creating community and experiences for Black women.
• The backstory of Black Girls Wine.
• Wine education tips for beginners.
• Knowing when to pivot in business.
• Favorite Black-owned wine companies. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit the Black Girls Wine Website: https://www.blackgirlswine.com/
• Join the Black Girls Wine Society: https://www.blackgirlswine.com/society
• Follow Black Girls Wine on Instagram: @blackgirlswine
• Like Black Girls Wine on Facebook
• McBride Sisters Wine: Black Girl Magic Rosé
• The Lotus and the Vines
• Divine Wineries
• Shoecrazy Wine

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• This episode is sponsored by Skinny Dipped Almonds. Use the code “BBG” for 15% off your first order at skinnydipped.com. 
• Organifi | Use the code “BBG” for 15% off Organifi supplements at balancedblackgirl.com/organifi. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s episode is a special one - it is the one year anniversary of Balanced Black Girl Podcast! To celebrate the first year of the show, we are diving into our favorite question: what does being a Balanced Black Girl mean to you? 

Host Les is sharing what being a Balanced Black Girl means to her, and we are revisiting some of the most powerful responses to this question from previous episodes of the show, including:

• Episode 11: Creating Your Own Lane with Falesha Johnson
• Episode 17: Buying Black and Living Green with Dr. Kristian Henderson
• Episode 18: Making Self-Care Accessible with Michelle White
• Episode 25: Creating a Foundation of Mindfulness with Nkenji Clarke
• Episode 36: Let Your Fears Make You Fierce with Koya Webb
• Episode 47: Healing from Burnout with Davia Roberts
• Honorable Mention: What being a Balanced Black Girl means to Michelle Obama (from our book club meeting with her in March 2019) - 

RESOURCES:

• Our Website: balancedblackgirl.com
• Follow us on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook
• Follow Balanced Black Girl Twitter: @balancedblkgirl

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use code “BBG” for 15% off supplements at balancedblackgirl.com/organifi

This podcast is edited by Bex Carlos of Explain to Me Podcast. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Jasmine RaShae, founder of Soulful Flow Yoga. Jasmine is a native of Baton Rouge, LA who currently resides in Seattle. She is a yogi, storyteller and a brand alchemist. 

Her platform is used to authentically connect with her following and cultivate a sense of community. She achieves this through a three-prong approach, the creation and practice of Soulful Flow Yoga, custom curated content on her lifestyle blog, “Do It For the Story" and brand storytelling for an array of clients, as the female founder of a boutique consulting agency, The J. RaShae Project.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Ways anyone can benefit from yoga. 
• Making yoga more accessible to communities of color and children.
• Why telling and sharing our stories is so important.
• Helpful tips for balancing self-care and still showing up for others. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit Jasmine’s website: www.jasminerashae.com
• Follow Jasmine on Instagram: @jasminerashae
• Follow Soulful Flow Yoga on Instagram: @soulfulflowyoga
• Take Jasmine’s Class (Seattle area)

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use code BBG for 15% off supplements from Organifi. Go to balancedblackgirl.com/organifi

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Adrienne Thomas. Adrienne is an unapologetically Black educator who hails from the city of Chicago. She is a passionate social advocate with a focus on Black liberation. 

While Adrienne is also a powerlifter and musician, her passion lies within classroom education, where her goal is to create inclusive curriculum that truly supports the lived experiences of our diverse students and children.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How the US school curriculum can be more inclusive. 
• Why it is so important for all students to learn from diverse curriculum.
• Tangible ways to support educators. 
• How inclusion has evolved in the powerlifting space. 

RESOURCES:

• Support Adrienne’s classroom library
• Follow Adrienne on Instagram: @adriennewhoo
• Episode 24: Elevating Marginalized Communities Through Fitness with Maria Rodriguez
• Organic Bath Co Body Butter
  

Favorite of the Week:

• Organic Bath Co Body Butter
  
  

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN all-natural products from Black artisans | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology Prepped Meals | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment
• Organifi | Use the code BBG for 15% off supplements from organifi.com

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Kimjoy Long, esthetician at Spruce Apothecary in Seattle. Kimjoy specializes in sugar hair removal and offers high-quality holistic skincare and green beauty services. 

Through her training to become an esthetician, she realized many beauty and skincare treatments are not designed with the needs of women of color in mind. She strives to provide products and services that are safe for melanated skin. 

Kimjoy is a mother of three who is passionate about helping women, especially mothers, prioritize their own self-care. As an esthetician, she not only cares for clients’ skin concerns but strives to cultivate a loving safe space for them to thrive in.  

In this episode, we talk about…

• Why you should consider visiting an esthetician. 
• Unique skin care considerations for Black women and other women of color. 
• How the beauty education space overlooks the needs of those with melanated skin. 
• Creating space for self-care as a mother. 

RESOURCES:

• View Kimjoy’s services and book an appointment with her at Spruce Apothecary (Seattle area)
• Follow Kimjoy on Instagram: @lovesprucekimjoy
• Follow Spruce Apothecary on Instagram: @spruce.apothecary

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Davia Roberts.  As a certified yoga teacher and licensed mental health therapist, Davia uses her background to make mental health resources accessible. She is the voice and brains behind the AFFIRM podcast, a mental health and wellness podcast for women of color and founder of the wellness platform, Redefine Enough.

Now based in Washington, DC, Davia travels the country bringing mental health and wellness education to millennials and corporate professionals. Her mental health work has been featured on stages like SXSW and major publications such as Bustle, NaturallyCurly, and Mash.

She's using her expertise to help people get into therapy and teaching businesses how to use mental health education to erase burnout from the workplace.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Common misconceptions believed about therapy.
• Why talk therapy isn’t for everyone and other types of therapy to consider.
• Healing from workplace burnout.
• How companies and organizations can support the mental well-being of their employees. 

RESOURCES:

• Visit Davia’s Website: https://www.justdavia.com/
• Follow Davia on Instagram: @justdavia
• Follow Davia on Twitter: @justdavia
• Listen to Davia’s podcast, AFFIRM
• Psychology Today Therapist Directory
• Open Path Collective Therapist Directory
• Therapy for Black Girls Therapist Directory

Balanced Black Girl Partners:

• BLK+GRN | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blkgrn.com
• Black Girl Sunscreen | Use code BBG20 for 20% off at blackgirlsunscreen.com
• Methodology | Use code BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30 for 30% off your first Methodology shipment

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Klarke Foreman. Klarke is an energetic, God-fearing teen advocate, and businesswoman. The Houston-native is Founder and CEO of Kween to Queen, a mentoring organization for teen girls.

Additionally, she is the Chief Operating Officer of Pink Productions, a platform dedicated to providing opportunities for women worldwide. She is also the co-founder of Foundation First, a digital marketing production company that helps entrepreneurs build a solid business foundation. She’s been featured in Teen Vogue, 979 The Box, Fox 26 and more for her efforts.

In this episode, we talk about…

• What inspired her to create her mentoring organization Kween to Queen.
• The importance of role models for the next generation.
• Creating your own definition of what a “role model” is.
• Why queens have no size.

RESOURCES:

• Klarke’s Website
• Follow Klarke on Instagram: @kweenklarke
• Follow Kween to Queen on Instagram @kweentoqueen
• Follow Klarke Twitter: @kweenklarke
• Read Klarke’s feature in Teen Vogue

This episode is sponsored by Sound Craft Seltzer - the perfect drink for summer!

To unlock exclusive Balanced Black Girl content including weekly bonus episodes, support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE. 

Today’s guest is Minda Harts, author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table, which is out today.  

Minda is a well connected, sought after speaker and thought-leader, frequently speaking on topics of Advancing Women of Color, Leadership, Diversity, and Entrepreneurship. In 2018, Minda was named as one of the 25 Emerging Innovators by American Express. 

Minda is an assistant professor of public service of NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and the founder of The Memo LLC, a career development company for women of color. Minda was also chosen by General Assembly to serve as one of their Dream Mentors, alongside women like Cindy Gallop. Secure The Seat is her weekly career podcast for women of color. Minda is originally from Southern California and currently resides in New York City.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Minda’s most valuable career lessons.
• Why we need to talk about race in the workplace.
• How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts can better us.
• Advice for those looking for upward mobility in their careers.

RESOURCES:

• Check out Minda’s new book, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. 
• Follow Minda on Twitter @mindaharts
• Listen to Minda’s podcast, Secure the Seat

Today’s episode is sponsored by Sound Craft Seltzer, the drink of summer. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In today’s summer rewind episode, we’re revisiting this conversation with Dr. Kristian Henderson of BLK+GRN.

Dr. Kristian Henderson is a professor of public health, a natural lifestyle enthusiast, and the founder of BLK+GRN, an all-natural marketplace by all Black artisans. BLK+GRN curates products that are sold in categories like skincare, home, bath and body to meet the needs of wellness seekers who want to buy Black and live green.

In the U.S. black women buy nearly twice as many body care and beauty products, with nearly 75% of the products marketing to black women containing toxic ingredients that can have a negative impact on our health. Through the creation of BLK+GRN, Dr. Kristian is tackling this issue head-on. She is an unshakable optimist who is passionate about helping women cultivate a lifestyle that’s free of artificial ingredients, toxins, and harmful chemicals. She believes that doing so is the only way to foster true happiness.

In this episode, we dive into the importance of understanding what ingredients are in our body care products, and how doing so can have a profound impact on our health. 

She and her team are leading their community into a Toxic-Free 2019 when it comes to products, mindset, and lifestyle. We had an inspiring, insightful conversation that will have a positive takeaway for everyone. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share her story and mission. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• How to make the switch to non-toxic products.
• Toxic ingredients we should avoid. 
• The importance of supporting Black-owned businesses.
• What inspired her to start BLK+GRN.

RESOURCES:

• Stay up to date on Dr. Kristian’s Recovery
• Send support to Dr. Kristian’s family
• BLK+GRN Website: www.blkgrn.com 
• Follow BLK+GRN on Instagram: @blkgrn
• Follow Dr. Kristian on Instagram: @drkristianh
• Follow Facebook: BLK+GRN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLKandGRN/ 
• Follow BLK+GRN on Twitter: @blkgrn
• From the BLK+GRN Blog: The Black Girl’s Guide to Self Care

Use the code ‘BBG20’ for 20% off your BLK+GRN order!

To unlock weekly bonus episodes, support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Time to take it back to an earlier interview! In this rewind episode, we’re sharing the first-ever interview on Balanced Black Girl featuring Chrissy King. 

Chrissy King is a Milwaukee-based ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, lifestyle coach, fitness blogger, and truth-teller. While on her own fitness journey, Chrissy was introduced to strength training and powerlifting, which helped her build confidence and inner strength. Chrissy shows her clients that fat loss and weight management don’t have to be cumbersome or restrictive. She also encourages women to love their body in every stage, regardless of size or body fat percentage. 

In this episode, we talk about... 

• Ways the wellness community can be more inclusive and representative for all 
• True self-care that doesn’t feel like a commodity
• How to hold ourselves and each other accountable when we miss the mark with diversity and inclusion
• Why it is important for women to feel comfortable taking up space.

Resources:

• Visit Chrissy’s Website
• Follow Chrissy on Instagram @iamchrissyking
• “Is Fitness Only for Thin, White Women?” 
• “Words That Don’t Belong to Us: Why It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Using the World ‘Savage’”

This episode is sponsored by Sound Craft Seltzer - the perfect drink for summer!

To unlock exclusive Balanced Black Girl content including weekly bonus episodes, support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re having an open, honest conversation with Shan Boodram about sex, dating, and relationships. 

Shan Boodram is a sexologist, popular YouTube personality, intimacy expert and author of The Game of Desire. Published by HarperCollins, The Game of Desire will teach you the self and social awareness to make dating your new favorite hobby. Shan analyzed the competitive dating landscape and the common pitfalls women face in the pursuit of passion, then developed a five-phase workshop to help down-on-love daters achieve romantic success. She has appeared on The View, MTV, E!, The Rachael Ray Show, The Steve Harvey Show, and CNN Radio, and has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, and Time magazine. 

We talked about how women can have more ownership over their dating lives instead of leaving it up to chance or in the hands of others.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How women can be in the driver’s seat of their dating lives and romantic relationships. 
• The importance of understanding your attachment style.
• How we can all become relationship experts.
• Creating your ideal relationship related to your commitment style. 

RESOURCES:

• Get Shan’s new book, The Game of Desire
• Check out Shan’s websites: shanboodram.com and thegameofdesire.com
• Follow Shan Instagram @shanboody
• Watch “The Disappointments of Dating as a Black Woman” on YouTube
• Find Your Attachment Style
• Find Your Commitment Style

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

Want to unlock weekly bonus episodes? Support Balanced Black Girl as a patron on Patreon. 

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In this episode, we’re talking to Monique Melton, host of the Shine Brighter Together Podcast. Monique is an anti-racism educator, published author, and international speaker. She is also the founder of Shine Brighter Together, which is a community dedicated to healthy relationships & diverse unity.

She travels the world speaking at conferences and events on topics related to anti-racism, personal growth, diversity, and relationships. She’s been published in magazines, featured in blogs and podcasts and has touched the lives of people all over the world.

She is a natural big-bold dreamer and a deeply rooted woman of faith. She is a proud Navy wife to her high-school sweetheart and she is a loving mother to two little ones. She has a BA in social science with an emphasis in sociology & psychology and two years of graduate school education in Clinical Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Why being “not racist” isn’t enough.
• Practicing self-care after performing intense emotional labor.
• Understanding internalized racism.
• Dismantling problematic beliefs and behaviors.

RESOURCES:

• Register for the SHINE Seattle Class
• Monique’s 10-Week Anti-Racism Course, Unity Over Comfort
• Follow Monique on Instagram @moemotivate
• Listen to the Shine Brighter Together Podcast

Support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon for exclusive episodes and content. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Kristin Iris. Kristin is a Film Producer, Speaker, and Coach who helps Black creatives cultivate liberation, joy, and power through deep personal work and Black creative expression. Her work centers on helping Black folx dismantle their internalized oppressions and stand in their power she works in particular on healing “The Oreo Complex” or the idea that an individual isn’t Black enough. 

As a creative she shares powerful messages through her writing (currently working on a novel and a screenplay), videos, and her podcast Melanated Rising which is meant to inspire, uplift, and ignite Black creatives all while changing the narratives around Blackness. She is also a Producer at MegaMind Media, a Black-owned feature film and television production company.

Her mission, whether in her art, coaching, or speaking, is to challenge and break down oppressive power dynamics and systems by inspiring and igniting Black folx into their greatness and their capacity to make great change in the world. 

We had a great conversation about the unique challenges Black entrepreneurs and creatives face, and how we can unlock our creative power to achieve success. 

In this episode, we talk about…

• How everyone can unlock their creativity.
• Being a Black woman in the online coaching space. 
• Unique obstacles Black entrepreneurs and creatives face. 
• Understanding and dismantling The Oreo Complex.

RESOURCES:

• Visit Kristin’s Website: www.kristiniris.com
• Listen to Kristin’s Podcast Melanated Rising.
• Check out Kristin’s course, From Oreo to Empowered.
• Follow Kristin on Instagram: @kristiniris

Want to support Balanced Black Girl? Join our community on Patreon to unlock Feel Good Friday episodes and bonus content. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking about sexual health, effective sexual education for Black and brown students, and how to create our own individual definitions of what it means to be sex-positive with Michelle Hope. Michelle is a dedicated Sexologist, educator and activist with a Master’s degree in Human Development and extensive post graduate training in sexuality. As a veteran speaker, Michelle has over 15 years of experience delivering impactful informative lectures and trainings across the nation. She believes as though her work, in marginalized urban communities, has provided her with deep insight and comprehension of the holistic implications of sexuality on one’s life.

Michelle has dedicated her career to understanding and communicating to the masses the complex intersections of various social identities: race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, through a Reproductive Justice lens. She has taken deliberate actions in exploring and developing a unique language to speak to communities of color. Michelle feels as though her experience in working with marginalized urban communities, and understanding holistic sexuality, has shaped her perspectives on the direct connections between sexuality and generational poverty in those communities. 

Her passion and commitment to the work has provided her with a unique style that has the ability to captivate and educate across various populations; with a proven track record of developing, implementing and evaluating dynamic and creative programming for individuals.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The implications of how our community views, talks about, and teaches about sex.
• How being overly sexualized and fetishized impacts Black women.
• Understanding where feelings of shame around sex and sexuality come from.
• How consent and pleasure are deeply intertwined.
• Helping individuals define what being sex positive means for them. 

RESOURCES:

• Michelle’s Website: http://www.mhsexpert.com/
• Follow Michelle on Instagram: @mhsexpert
• Follow Michelle on Twitter: @mhsexpert

PARTNERS:

• Get 20% off your order on BLK+GRN using the code 'BBG20'
• Get 20% off Black Girl Sunscreen using the code 'BBG20'
• Get 30% off Methodology Meals delivered to your doorstep using the code 'BALANCEDBLACKGIRL30'

Support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon for weekly bonus episodes. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Moji Igun. Moji is the founder of Blue Daisi Consulting, a sustainability consulting company that helps small businesses reduce waste and implement sustainable practices.

After pursuing a career in engineering and realizing it wasn’t the right fit, Moji channeled her passion for sustainability to create meaningful work for herself.

Climate change is creating a state of crisis that impacts us all. Moji is sharing her expertise in low-waste living and shares practical advice we can all take to make our planet a better place.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Simple ways to adopt a lower-waste lifestyle.
• How sustainable practices are rooted in the Black community.
• Using your interests and skillset to create the job of your dreams.
• How to create a foundation of sustainability when starting a new business.

RESOURCES:

• Blue Daisi Consulting
• Follow Moji on Instagram: @hippiemoji
• Follow Blue Daisi on Instagram: @bluedaisiconsulting 
• Support Balanced Black Girl on Patreon to unlock weekly bonus podcast episodes.

This episode is sponsored by Sound Craft Seltzer. Fermented on unprocessed, whole, and organic ingredients, Sound Craft Seltzer Co. elevates hard seltzer to another level. 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s episode is a special one - it is from our first LIVE recording of Balanced Black Girl Podcast. We hosted our first live podcast at The Collective in Seattle and had an open, honest conversation about the importance of community, and how we can build more authentic connections and relationships. Get to know our amazing guests.

Michaela Ayers is the founder of Nourish, a social impact organization that drives cultural change through human connection and experiential learning. Through the lens of social justice, she designs meaningful moments that embrace diversity and foster a culture of belonging.

Trina Baker co-leads the Seattle chapter of GirlTrek, the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls in the United States. With nearly 100,000 neighborhood walkers nationwide, GirlTrek encourages women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and communities.

Falesha Johnson is the founder of Felite Performance where she works as a speed and agility coach for young athletes. She is also a seasoned public speaker, and the Associate Director of Development at the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The need for consistent sisterhood, and why it is so important for our health.
• How to take online connections offline.
• Finding community when you move to a new city.
• Overcoming feelings of competition with other women.
• Connecting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about The Collective Seattle.
• Connect with GirlTrek in your city.
• Check out future events with Nourish.
• Support Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Patreon for exclusive podcast episodes.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In today’s episode, Les is flying solo answering all of your burning questions about fitness, wellness, entrepreneurship, mental health, and more. The tea is hot today.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Current favorite workouts and why.
• Tips for navigating post-grad life, and finding your purpose.
• Staying organized when it comes to wellness, fitness, and life.
• Future Balanced Black Girl events and meet-ups.
• ...and more

SUPPORT THE SHOW - Become a Balanced Black Girl patron on Patreon to unlock Feel Good Friday episodes and exclusive podcast content. https://www.patreon.com/balancedblackgirl

LIVE PODCAST - Join us on June 21st for the first live recording of Balanced Black Girl in Seattle. RSVP here - only a few tickets left! 

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s guest is Koya Webb. Koya is an internationally recognized yoga teacher, personal trainer, holistic health and wellness coach, author, motivational speaker, and professional fitness model revolutionizing the holistic living landscape.

She is the creator of Get Loved Up, a platform that encourages people to “love yourself, love others, and love the planet” by practicing environmental sustainability, plant-based nutrition, and mindful movement.

Koya is gearing up for the release of her latest book, Let Your Fears Make You Fierce: How to Turn Obstacles Into Seeds for Growth, an insightful guide sharing the ways she has lived in fear and the tools she's used to get herself to a more confident and fierce place, moving through life in alignment with everything she believes in.

We had an inspiring conversation about overcoming obstacles and finding triumph over limiting beliefs. Get ready for some serious inspiration.

In this episode, we talk about…

• Turning obstacles into inspiration.
• Listening to your body as an important form of self-care.
• The importance of diverse yoga training programs.
• Why love should play a major role in your wellness routine.

RESOURCES:

• Get Koya’s new book, Let Your Fears Make You Fierce: How to Turn Obstacles Into Seeds for Growth
• Sign Up for Koya’s Get Loved Up Yoga Teacher Training
• Follow Koya on Instagram: @koyawebb
• Follow Get Loved Up on Instagram: @getlovedup

Join us for our first live show in Seattle on June 21st all about creating community. RSVP here.

This episode is sponsored by Black Girl Sunscreen. Finally, a sunscreen designed to protect your melanin without the white residue. Use the code “BBG20” for 20% off your order at blackgirlsunscreen.com, or grab Black Girl Sunscreen at your local Target!

Like the show? Want to see it thrive? Support Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Patreon for exclusive benefits and perks!

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In today’s Feel Good Friday episode, we’re talking about incorporating rest and recovery into your fitness routine. While moving your body is important, in order to make progress, the magic is in the rest. If you don’t adequately recover from your workouts, your body isn’t able to repair and become stronger. This episode breaks down what signs to look for to help you decide when to recover, and how to determine when it’s time to take your fitness routine down a notch.

RESOURCES:

• To hear future Feel Good Friday episodes, support Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Patreon.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s episode is a solo one, with host Lestraundra doing a recap of the April/May 2019 Balanced Black Girl Book Club pick, Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower. Released in 2018, Eloquent Rage is authored by Brittney Cooper, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University and co-founder of the Crunk Feminist Collective.

The book is considered a Black feminist’s manifesto, and challenges the idea of Black women’s anger being a detriment to the nation. In fact, in the book it is suggested that Black women’s anger can be a source of power that can help us all.

In mid-May, several members of the Balanced Black Girl Book Club met in Seattle to discuss the book, and it was a lively, powerful discussion. Today’s episode serves as a discussion point for anyone who wants to continue the conversation, or who wasn’t able to meet IRL.

RESOURCES:

• Get your copy of Eloquent Rage HERE
• Sign up for book club updates: https://www.balancedblackgirl.com/book-club/
• Get your copy of our June/July book club pick Queenie HERE

This episode was sponsored by Sound Craft Seltzer Co. Sound Craft Seltzer Co. elevates hard seltzer to another level. Find your local Sound Craft Seltzer Co. retailer here.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In today’s Feel Good Friday episode, we are talking about getting back into a workout groove after taking time off. Whether you took a step back from fitness because of an injury, lack of time, or you just weren’t feeling it, you can definitely get back at it. Here are five tips to keep in mind (including a mindset tip that is essential).

These tips were inspired by my own fitness journey. After taking the first few months of the year off from consistently exercising, I recently got back in the swing of things using the five steps outlined in the episode.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Kayla A. Greaves is an award-winning journalist who currently works at Bustle as the fashion & beauty features editor. She was previously a lifestyle editor at The Huffington Post, and her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Teen Vogue, ELLE, Blavity, FASHION magazine, Upscale magazine, S/magazine and more.

Using an intersectional and inclusive approach, her pieces focus mainly on women's issues, culture, beauty, and fashion. Kayla has interviewed the likes of Academy award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Campbell, TIME 100’s Most Influential People and women’s rights activist Jaha Dukureh, Kelly Rowland, and Tess Holliday among others.

Earlier this year, Kayla created a series for Bustle called “Good Hair” which explored the joys of having 4C hair. Though the natural hair movement is alive and well, it hasn’t necessarily been inclusive of all textures. We discuss hair texture discrimination in the natural hair space and celebrate the beauty of 4C hair.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of representation in journalism and media.
• Kayla’s natural hair journey.
• Why representation and celebration of 4C hair is so important.
• The history of hair texture discrimination.

This episode is sponsored by Black Girl Sunscreen. Finally, a sunscreen designed to protect your melanin without the white residue. Use the code “BBG20” for 20% off your order at blackgirlsunscreen.com.

RESOURCES:

• Kayla’s Good Hair series on Bustle
• From Bustle: How Black People Came to Believe 4C Hair Was A “Bad Hair" Texture
• Follow Kayla on Instagram: @KaylaAGreaves
• Visit Kayla’s website
• Follow Kayla on Twitter: @KaylaAGreaves

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today’s Feel Good Friday episode is about a topic nearly everyone has struggled with at some point: making friends as an adult.

When you’re a kid, making friends is all about proximity, but as you get older it gets a little more complicated. After you finish school and are no longer surrounded by people your same age, or from your same area, how’s a Balanced Black Girl supposed to make friends? Let’s discuss some tips to help you meet an amazing squad.

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

Today, we’re talking to Harmony Tamaalevea, the founder of The Literacy Lounge. The Literacy Lounge is a monthly subscription box that highlights Black literature while promoting reading as a means to a less stressful life.

Getting diagnosed with Lupus at age 18 shaped her outlook on life, and helped her shift her perspective on all things health and wellness. This episode will inspire you to see self-care in a whole new way.

In this episode, we talk about…

• The importance of promoting and celebrating Black literature.
• How an autoimmune diagnosis inspired The Literacy Lounge.
• Why reading is so important for self-care.
• How to make your business idea come to life (even if you’re young!)

RESOURCES:

• The Literacy Lounge Website
• Follow The Literacy Lounge on Instagram: @literacyloungebox
• Like The Literacy Lounge on Facebook
• Follow The Literacy Lounge on Twitter: @litloungebox
• Join the Balanced Black Girl Book Club

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

PS: If you really want to take your year to the next level, snag our free glow-up guide. This free guide has everything you need to implement a self-care practice that works. You’ll get daily journal worksheets, inspiring quotes, affirmations, and a bonus workout. Get the guide HERE.

In this Feel Good Friday episode, we’re talking about a hot topic: side hustles. The internet is constantly telling us we all need to start side hustles and seek entrepreneurship - but do we really? Entrepreneurship isn’t a glamorous path to take, especially while you are working another job to pay the bills. If you’re on the fence about side hustling, or have a side hustle and want to take it to the next level, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How to know if side hustling is or isn’t for you.
• Time management tips for side hustlers.
• Delegation tips for side hustlers.
• How to make time for self-care while balancing multiple hustles.

RESOURCES:

• Follow Balanced Black Girl Podcast on Instagram: @balancedblackgirlpodcast
• Like Balanced Black Girl on Facebook
• Follow Balanced Black Girl onTwitter: @balancedblkgirl

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.

Today, we’re talking to Mary Vin Rose, host, producer, and actor based in New York City. Mary is best known for her limited talk cable series Healthy Living in The Bronx, where she highlights people and organizations that are helping Bronx residents live a healthier life. Mary is a self-love and mental health advocate who is dedicated to promoting wellness through art and media.

We had an inspiring conversation about the power of promoting healthy living in marginalized communities, practicing self-care when we need it the most, and overcoming the obstacles life throws our way.

In this episode, we talk about…

• How Healthy Living in the Bronx started.
• The intersection of wellness and art.
• The importance of representation in wellness and media.
• Self-care for introverts.

RESOURCES:

• Visit Mary’s Website
• Follow Healthy Living in the Bronx on Instagram: @healthylivinginthebronx
• Watch Healthy Living in the Bronx

If you like this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. Keep in touch with Les on Instagram @balancedles, follow the show @balancedblackgirlpodcast, and join the Balanced Black Girl Podcast Community on Facebook.