Creating Space for Vulnerability & Becoming Your Own Safe Place

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03/21/23 • 45 min

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Shades of Strong® | Strength Without Struggle for Black Women

Creating space for vulnerability is a magical thing, but that magic can only happen when Black women are brave enough, courageous enough to become one with their bodies. In today's episode we talk about why we're seeing so much discourse around the phrase strong Black woman and how that phrase contributes to how challenging it can be for Black women to not only sit with their feelings, but also embrace vulnerability as a gateway to wholeness. Tap in to hear how we're learning to sit with our feelings as Black women who grew up during a time when feeling feelings or outwardly expressing an emotion was unacceptable, how we're now doing things completely different as we age out of the traditional way of being strong, and how we're encouraging others to break away from the old school way of [not] feeling the feels. A few things that came up in our conversation: - How vulnerability is often stigmatized in the Black female community - Crying the tears and feeling the feelings of our ancestors - The difference betweem sitting with a feeling and waddling in a feeling - Learning how to sit with your feelings and becoming your own safe place RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOU IN DOING STRONG DIFFERENTLY Come gather and grow with us in the SOS Sista Circle Want to be a part of a community of sistas supporting sistas through the ebbs and flows of life? Consider being a part of the SOS Virtual Sista Circle where we gather monthly to chat it up about all the things that concern us, while holding each other accountable with love — accountable for how we see ourselves, treat ourselves, walk through the world, and how we allow others to treat us. Join us today at shadesofstrong.com. Cultivate a daily practice of nurturing yourself with Nurture Yourself Bingo Nurturing yourself does not have to be difficult, but it does need to be consistent, so why not make it fun. Nurture Yourself Bingo is divided into five categories – one category per card. Each category has twenty-four activities to support you in a daily practice of nurturing yourself. All you need to do to get started is print the cards, laminate them, and start nurturing yourself. Do one activity daily, marking a X in the squares as you go until you get bingo. Once you get bingo, do something to celebrate yourself. If you get bingo on more than one card at the same time, up the celebration. Alternatively, you can work on one card at a time and/or do more than one activity a day. It’s your practice, do what feels right for you. Whatever you decide, we've got FIVE CATEGORIES & 124 WAYS for you to do it. Connect and share with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and catch up with all things Shades of Strong at www.shadesofstrong.com.

Previous Episode

Checking In With Yourself as a Daily Practice

Checking in with yourself requires "asking all them questions" and truth be told, some of y'all ain't ready for that. But no worries that's why we're here -- to help you get ready and stay ready. Come on in and get comfortable, sis because we got things to say about the importance of Black women checking in with themselves and how asking yourself a few simples questions can help you cultivate a practice with just a little bit of effort. We're also sharing some insight on how the term Strong Black Woman started out as a way for Black women to empower themselves, and how it gradually morphed into what some now refer to as a burden of strength. Tune in NOW to hear how we check in with oursevles DAILY to be sure that what was meant to be a badge of honor is NOT becoming a burden of strength, and how you can easily integrate these practices into your daily life as ell. A few things that came up during the conversation... - What the strong Black woman looks like on Gen-X women & the generational divide - Reclaiming our identity as Black women - How Black women are carrying around generations of fatigue - Ways we can check in with ourselves DAILY to avoid stress, overwhelm and burnout RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOU IN DOING STRONG DIFFERENTLY Come gather and grow with us in the SOS Sista Circle Want to be a part of a community of sistas supporting sistas through the ebbs and flows of life? Consider being a part of the SOS Virtual Sista Circle where we gather monthly to chat it up about all the things that concern us, while holding each other accountable with love — accountable for how we see ourselves, treat ourselves, walk through the world, and how we allow others to treat us. Join us today at shadesofstrong.com. Cultivate a daily practice of nurturing yourself with Nurture Yourself Bingo Nurturing yourself does not have to be difficult, but it does need to be consistent, so why not make it fun. Nurture Yourself Bingo is divided into five categories – one category per card. Each category has twenty-four activities to support you in a daily practice of nurturing yourself. All you need to do to get started is print the cards, laminate them, and start nurturing yourself. Do one activity daily, marking a X in the squares as you go until you get bingo. Once you get bingo, do something to celebrate yourself. If you get bingo on more than one card at the same time, up the celebration. Alternatively, you can work on one card at a time and/or do more than one activity a day. It’s your practice, do what feels right for you. Whatever you decide, we've got FIVE CATEGORIES & 124 WAYS for you to do it. Connect and share with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and catch up with all things Shades of Strong at www.shadesofstrong.com.

Next Episode

When Being Independent Goes "Strong"

Being independent [in the Black female community] seems to be giving strong Black woman vibes and we think it's time to have a conversation. Listen sis, you CAN indeed do all the things. You've undoubtedly proven that time and time again, but the gag is you don't have to. When you try do everything on your own, you may find yourself gradually slipping back in the habits of being strong that you've worked so hard to free yourself from. In today's episode we talk about the importance of finding balance important to find a being independent and being open to asking for and receiving support from others. A few things that came up in our conversation: The thin line between being independent and being strong Being "too" independent and its relationship with unhealed trauma The art of clearly articulating what you need Being vulnerable enough to ask for what you need RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOU IN DOING STRONG DIFFERENTLY Come gather and grow with us in the SOS Sista Circle Want to be a part of a community of sistas supporting sistas through the ebbs and flows of life? Consider being a part of the SOS Virtual Sista Circle where we gather monthly to chat it up about all the things that concern us, while holding each other accountable with love — accountable for how we see ourselves, treat ourselves, walk through the world, and how we allow others to treat us. Join us today at shadesofstrong.com. Cultivate a daily practice of nurturing yourself with Nurture Yourself Bingo Nurturing yourself does not have to be difficult, but it does need to be consistent, so why not make it fun. Nurture Yourself Bingo is divided into five categories – one category per card. Each category has twenty-four activities to support you in a daily practice of nurturing yourself. All you need to do to get started is print the cards, laminate them, and start nurturing yourself. Do one activity daily, marking a X in the squares as you go until you get bingo. Once you get bingo, do something to celebrate yourself. If you get bingo on more than one card at the same time, up the celebration. Alternatively, you can work on one card at a time and/or do more than one activity a day. It’s your practice, do what feels right for you. Whatever you decide, we've got FIVE CATEGORIES & 124 WAYS for you to do it. Connect and share with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and catch up with all things Shades of Strong at www.shadesofstrong.com.