This week on our journey of Leveling Up, we’re talking about how to know when you need to let go of your routines and try something new. I love my routines. They’ve helped me accomplish so many things my 23-year-old self dreamed of. But as much as they served me to get here, they aren’t helping me move to the next level. My routines don’t fit my new dreams, so I’m shaking things up! Tune in to learn how your routines can hold you back when it’s time to refresh your habits and the small changes y...
Apr 18, 2023•47 min•Ep. 185
Welcome back! This week, we’re continuing the Level Up series with a topic that we can all resonate with—getting back on track after falling off. I’ve needed to do this so many times I’ve lost count, and it can be a vicious cycle. We fall off, then get trapped in a negative thinking pattern and start to internalize beliefs that we lack discipline or drive. But the truth is that those routines just don’t fit us anymore! So tune in to hear my favorite practices for getting out of that cycle and ba...
Apr 11, 2023•26 min•Ep. 184
It’s a new month and that means a new series! Today we’re stepping into April and focusing on Leveling Up. So stay tuned for conversations about getting unstuck, motivating yourself out of a rut, and busting through plateaus. In this episode, I share my first big experience getting out of a rut with my 25 by 25 list. Spoiler, I didn’t reach all 25 goals, but it DID help me learn what I’m capable of and just how much life can change in a pretty short amount of time. I also talk about… How being s...
Apr 04, 2023•40 min•Ep. 183
Today, we’re closing out our book club series talking about a very underrated form of self care— hobbies—and how Black women, specifically, need to embrace them for their own wellbeing. Tune in to learn about the research-backed benefits of hobbies and how regardless of your age or skill level, there are so many hobbies out there for you. I also talk about… Re-evaluating why we’re seeking out another degree or business Digging deeper to see what areas we’re truly dissatisfied with The slippery s...
Mar 28, 2023•26 min•Ep. 182
Continuing our Black author's book club series, this week I’ve invited Lyvonne Briggs back to the show. Lyvonne is the author of the book Sensual Faith: The Art of Coming Home to Your Body . She's an Emmy Award winner, a body and sex-positive womanist, preacher, spiritual life coach, and speaker. She is the host of the Sensual Faith podcast and co-host of Sanctified, a faith-based Spotify exclusive podcast on Jamel Hills’ Unbothered network. Together, we have an incredibly rich and powerful conv...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 181
We’re continuing our book club series with another conversation with the very first Balanced Black Girl guest, Chrissy King. In celebration of Chrissy’s new book The Body Liberation Project , we have an honest, vulnerable conversation about what body liberation is and how we can work towards it individually and collectively. We also talk about reading and writing as an act of self care. Chrissy King is a writer, speaker, former strength coach, and educator with a passion for creating a diverse a...
Mar 14, 2023•58 min•Ep. 180
It’s a new month, so we have a new theme—Book Club! For the next few weeks you can look forward to conversations with amazing authors from the Balanced Book Club. Today I'm joined by Clarkisha Kent to celebrate the launch of her new book Fat Off, Fat On: a Big Bitch Manifesto . Clarkisha is a Nigerian-American writer, culture critic, former columnist and author. She is also the creator of the Kent Test, an immediate litmus test designed to evaluate the quality of representation that exists for B...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 179
We’ve had some incredible episodes on intimacy these past few weeks, and today we're wrapping up the series with licensed marriage and family therapist Kamil Lewis. Kamil’s work focuses on sex therapy and examines intersectional identity specifically with race, sexuality, and gender. She’s the CEO of the therapy practice The Expansive Group and co-host of the podcast Safe Word. In this episode, we discuss ways to connect with ourselves and how the ability to connect with others really starts wit...
Feb 28, 2023•55 min•Ep. 178
All too often, our formative experiences with our bodies and sensuality are tied to shame. That can lead to us feeling disconnected from ourselves and confused about what we want or need from intimacy. In this episode, we’re continuing our series on intimacy as we delve into the topic of physical intimacy with Krystal Taylor. Together, we talk about unpacking sexual shame and feeling more comfortable in our bodies and relationships. Krystal is a certified tantra yoga instructor who specializes i...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 177
As adults, building and maintaining friendships is a challenge. What felt so easy as kids, now feels like an overwhelming task full of rejection, uncertainty, and confusion. But connection plays a huge role in our overall health and well-being. Studies show that it’s even more important than regular exercise! So in today’s episode, we’re diving into platonic intimacy with Dr. Marisa Franco. Dr. Franco is a psychologist, international speaker, and professor. She’s also the author of The New York ...
Feb 14, 2023•55 min•Ep. 176
It’s February, and around here that means celebrating Black History Month, Aquarius season, and (at least in this episode) very reluctantly love. If you’ve been listening to Balanced Black Girl for a while, you know I loathe talking about modern dating and the way relationships are discussed online right now. However, we can’t talk about living a healthy lifestyle without talking about building and maintaining healthy relationships. Join me in this safe container, free from discussions about who...
Feb 07, 2023•29 min•Ep. 175
It seems like there’s always something new to distract us and keep our attention spans ever-shrinking. So today, we’re wrapping up our Reframing the Reset series by talking with Dr. Tara Zinnamon about de-commoditizing our attention spans to regain agency and awareness of where our attention is going. Dr. Tara Zinnamon is a neuroscientist, yoga, breathwork, and meditation teacher who has a unique perspective as she balances her knowledge of neuroscience and yoga in her personal and teaching prac...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 174
For this week’s Reframing the Reset episode, we’re talking about alcohol, and exploring this sometimes-sensitive subject in a non-judgmental, open, and educational way. Join in as I share my personal journey with alcohol consumption — from my not-so-inspiring first drinking experience to my somehow less inspiring last. We’ll also dive into some pretty surprising heath information and the cultural connotations of drinking for women. I also talk about… The false sense of confidence alcohol can pro...
Jan 24, 2023•43 min•Ep. 173
Starting a new year often gets people interested in improving or revisiting their exercise regimens. But workout culture is so fraught with harmful weight loss narratives that the critical benefits of movement often get overshadowed. In this episode, I share my knowledge of cardio, mobility, and strength training, and my own life-changing fitness journey. I also explain my strategy for building a health-focused routine rooted in building strength and longevity as an act of kindness to your futur...
Jan 17, 2023•58 min•Ep. 172
Screen time has a way of sneaking up on us, and before we know it, our time for the things we really want to do is gone. So this week, we’re continuing the Reframing the Reset series with a topic we’ve all struggled with at some point — digital self-care. In this episode, I discuss some best practices to help keep you in the driver’s seat on your devices. And I share some tools I’ve used to help organize my digital world that I hope will be helpful to you as well. I also talk about… Cultivating ...
Jan 10, 2023•34 min•Ep. 171
Happy New Year, and welcome to our first episode of 2023! To kick off the year, I’m revisiting last year’s Reframing the Reset series with even more clarity and actionable items. We’ll be exploring ways that we can reset in the new year to feel our best all year long. This week, I focus on the idea of strengthening our habits in sustainable and stackable ways that affirm us as the version of ourselves we want to be. I also talk about… Investing time upfront to free you up for what’s most importa...
Jan 03, 2023•43 min•Ep. 170
Join us for the Reframing the Reset series and challenge kicking off on January 2, 2023. Each week in January we'll be releasing a new episode to inspire you to refresh your habits. As a community, we'll be participating in weekly challenges for accountability to help you apply what you hear on the podcast. Visit balancedblackgirl.com/reset to sign up for the challenge, and join Club Balanced , our community in Geneva to connect with other Balanced Black Girl listeners. Our Sponsors: * Check out...
Dec 27, 2022•56 sec
Before we start talking about 2023, I think it’s important to look back and reflect on 2022. So in this solo episode, I’m sharing my process for conducting a life audit. I explain what a life audit is, why you might benefit from doing one, and how it can help you find deeper satisfaction next year. I also talk about… Our upcoming Reframing the Reset series + challenge Checking in with how you feel vs how you want to feel Celebrating the areas of life where you feel satisfied Showing love to the ...
Dec 20, 2022•13 min•Ep. 169
In this week’s episode, we are continuing our end-of-year rest and digest series with the incredible, Alex Elle. Together, we have an honest talk about healing — the good, the challenging, and everything in between. Alex also shares what it’s like to heal your inner child while raising children, the importance of taking time for reflection, and even the joys of her walking practice. This conversation is packed with wisdom, thoughtfulness, and stunning truths. Alex Elle is a New York Times best s...
Dec 13, 2022•50 min•Ep. 168
For me and so many others, Winter can be draining and leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves and our communities. So as we move toward the end of 2022, I find myself thinking of ways to be prepared for the holiday season and Winter blues. In this solo episode, I encourage you to think of Winter as a call to rest, set the stage to call in your manifestations, and channel the energy of the Winter Solstice to prepare for the bloom. I share my favorite ways to stay balanced, set boundaries, an...
Dec 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 167
It’s so important to balance life, family, friends and your career, but it can be challenging — especially during the holidays. In this episode, I’m joined by Abena Antwi, a Chemist and Associate Product Designer at Burt’s Bees. She shares how she balances her career in chemistry and cosmetics, making time for her family, and taking care of herself. We Also Talk About… Why Abena wanted to become a chemist & how she ended up in cosmetics The challenges of being a working mother and being pass...
Dec 01, 2022•35 min•Ep. 166
Podcasting is a growing industry with so much room for Black creators to share themselves, their views, and their brands. That’s probably why Black people make up 12% of the total population, but 15% of the podcast host population. But how do you get started? And how do you help your podcast be heard? Today I’m joined by Nakia Swinton, Supervising Producer at iHeart Radio, Co-host of Sufficiently Black, freelance producer for Balanced Black Girl podcast, and general podcast wizard. Together, we ...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 165
Black women have been the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the US for the past few years with 17% of us in the process of starting new businesses. But in 2020—a record-breaking year for venture capital investment—less than 100 Black women raised $1 million or more for their businesses, which is very small in the VC world. In this episode, I’m joined by Kathryn Finney, Founder and Managing General Partner of Genius Guild, a $20 million venture fund that builds and invests in scalable com...
Nov 22, 2022•43 min•Ep. 164
There is a big difference between building an audience that’s watching you and building a community that’s engaging with you. So how do we build strong, engaged communities that connect people rather than simply entertaining them? This week, I’m joined by Kim Johnson, head of community at Geneva, a New York based messaging app. Geneva helps creators, brands and leaders build communities from the ground up. So in this episode we dive deep into all things connection, conversation, and community. W...
Nov 15, 2022•54 min•Ep. 163
Asking for help and leaning on your community can be intimidating, especially when you’re an entrepreneur. So this week in our Black Women in Business Series, we're focusing on what it looks like to make big career changes, bring physical products into the world, and bootstrap a startup. In this episode, I’m joined by my friend, Anicia Anya. She is the founder, chef, and CEO of Kid’s Table, New York City's only meal delivery service for kids which she launched in 2021. Her mission is to help par...
Nov 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 162
It’s challenging to stay balanced and relevant as a Black woman content creator and business owner with a full-time job. That’s why in today’s episode we’re continuing our discussion of side hustles with Alexis Barber. Alexis is a full-time tech industry employee, content creator, and owner of Too Collective luxury robes. She’s also the host of the podcast Too Smart for This and lives a bi-coastal lifestyle between New York City and Los Angeles. And even with all that on her plate, she reminds u...
Nov 01, 2022•57 min•Ep. 161
Today I’m kicking off our business and entrepreneurship series sharing my experiences having various side hustles. From podcasting, to personal training, to working in retail and corporate at the same time, I’ve done it all and I’ve learned a lot about how to find your balance while juggling multiple careers. If you’re interested in having your own business and don’t know where to start, or want to run and grow a business without burning yourself out, this episode is for you. In this episode I t...
Oct 25, 2022•50 min•Ep. 160
We’re wrapping up our Money and Abundance series with an important conversation about working through financial trauma and redistributing wealth to support our community. How we feel about and manage our money is often influenced by our early experiences with money, and some of these experiences can have a lasting impact. Our guest today is Nafasi Ferrell. Nafasi is a Financial Coach certified in the Trauma of Money Method (TOM) where she proudly serves on faculty as a Racial Wealth Gap Educator...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 159
For most people, work and money go hand-in-hand, and it’s hard to build wealth when we’re being underpaid. That’s why in today’s episode we’re talking about how to use the skills you have to increase your pay with Mandi Woodruff-Santos. Mandi Woodruff-Santos is an inclusive wealth-building advocate, career coach, and co-host of the popular award-winning podcast Brown Ambition. She’s a regular contributor to Yahoo Finance Live and her personal finance and career advice has also been featured on T...
Oct 11, 2022•57 min•Ep. 158
Curious about investing in emerging technologies such as crypto and NFTs but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right episode! While traditional forms of wealth-building such as the stock market and real estate are still relevant, tech is becoming an increasingly important space for wealth-building, and in this episode we’re sharing how to get started. Our guest today is Grace MacJones. Grace is a Nigerian-American technologist, podcaster, and Azure Cloud Engineer at Microsoft. She is...
Oct 04, 2022•57 min•Ep. 157
