HBW049: Kim Coles on How to Discover Your Gifts and Share Them with the World

Today’s episode of Happy Black Woman is extra special. Rosetta has the honor of chatting with the one and only Kim Coles. You’ll remember Kim from her role on the hit show Living Single, along with many other roles during her career. These days, in addition to still being an actor, comedian, author, host, and speaker, Kim has ventured out into an area of deep meaning and passion: helping others. Today, Kim discusses how she found her mission and what drives her to dedicate herself to helping others strive and thrive. She offers insight into the path that led her to this mission and how sometimes in life, the greatest gifts can come from the darkest times.

Sometimes you have to have a breakdown to have a breakthrough.

As Kim openly shares her story, we begin to understand just how passionate she is about helping others. She discusses how she found herself facing dark times after Living Single ended and how difficult it was for her to make her way out of the darkness. Kim shares the powerful impact starting a gratitude journal had and how this ignited something in her that helping people was a part of her path. From there, Kim connected with the fact that gratitude was the key to feeling better and she knew others would benefit from her story. She bravely began to share the story of her depression and realized she was making a huge impact on the lives of others. Kim knew she had to continue to share her gifts of love and laughter through the work that she does as a coach and speaker.

Staying in your zone of awesomeness.

It’s easy to see why Kim is known for her humor and openness. She exudes a loving spirit, which makes it easy to imagine how gifted she is at helping others. As Kim and Rosetta continue to chat, Kim offers insight into some action steps that can help you connect to your purpose and happiness. These steps, which are an acronym for the word “Gift” are as follows:

• Gratitude
• Intention
• Forgiveness
• Triumphs
• Self-love

Listen in to learn more about these action steps and how you can implement them into your own life.

Finding the things that bring you joy deep down in your soul.

With so many things to juggle, Kim must work hard to stay focused and productive. She shares some insight into the things she does to stay on task and the importance of outsourcing pieces of your plan to maximize productivity. Kim also discusses the value of making lists and why it’s important to break down tasks into manageable pieces to avoid overwhelm. She also talks about some new goals she has for her business, including finding the right people to outsource to and perfecting the art of list-making. Kim clearly has her goals figured out and is diligent about making the most of her day in order to make them a reality.

Stepping out in faith in order to conquer your dreams.

As Kim and Rosetta close out their chat, they go into the inspiration round, which is filled with books, quotes, and tips that can help you pursue your dreams. Kim discusses a book that had a big impact on her as she moved through her journey: 10-10-10: A Fast and Powerful Way to Get Unstuck in Love, at Work, and with Your Family. She also shares her favorite quote, which comes from Marianne Williamson’s book A Return to Love: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Kim leaves us with a final piece of advice for women who are ready to pursue their dreams. The openness with which Kim shares her story with Rosetta is inspiring beyond belief and will certainly propel you into action on the path towards your own dreams.

Outline of this great episode

• [0:36] Rosetta’s introduction of her guest, Kim Coles.
• [2:17] Kim’s mission and the work that she does.
• [4:02] At what point in your journey that made Kim want to pursue her business of helping others.
• [10:10] What are some action steps that can help others discover their own gifts.
• [16:48] What keeps you focused and productive?
• [20:17] What makes you a happy black woman?
• [21:03] A book that has inspired you on your journey.
• [22:33] Do you have a personal mantra?
• [26:52] Your #1 piece of advice for women who are ready to pursue their dreams and start a business.
• [28:36] How to connect with Kim.

Resources & Links mentioned in this episode

BOOK: “10-10-10: A Fast and Powerful Way to Get Unstuck in Love, at Work, and with Your Family”

BOOK: “