This week on The Mediocre Black Woman, I sit down with Dr. Ebony Stone—executive coach, author of The Power of the Pause, and a truth-teller about what it really means to take the cape off.

Dr. Ebony opens up about the moment she realized she had been “functioning in a deficit” for years, and the journey that followed—crying in her car during therapy sessions, learning to protect her peace, and discovering sanctuary in writing and gardening. She reminds us that burnout doesn’t mean you failed. It simply means something in your life is asking for change.

Together, we talk about:

* Growing up with the message that Black girls must work twice as hard for half as much

* The pressure to collect accolades, titles, and roles—even at the expense of self

* Finding identity outside of résumés, status, or job titles

* How gardening blossomed into both self-care and community care

* The expectations placed on Black women in corporate spaces and why many of us are over “proving”

* Building community, finding therapy, and holding space for emotions while staying hopeful for the future

Dr. Ebony challenges us to sit with the question: Who are you, really, when the titles, roles, and résumés fall away?

📚 Don’t forget—Dr. Ebony is offering The Mediocre Black Woman listeners an exclusive 20% discount on her book The Power of the Pause. The code is in the show notes.

* www.drebonyston.com/my-book (20% discount with code $2025Mediocre$

* www.drebonystone.com/freebies

This conversation is a reminder that our worth is not measured by the letters after our names, the companies on our résumés, or the titles on our business cards. It’s measured by how deeply we allow ourselves to live, rest, and simply be.

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

Compassion & Accountability

The Pisces Lunar Eclipse carries powerful, emotional energy—a call to release illusions, strengthen boundaries, and reconnect with intuition. Pisces is compassion, surrender, and softness. But under an eclipse, those qualities get tested.

Over the past week, I kept seeing the same theme arise in conversations around me: the tension between compassion and accountability. It showed up in friends’ lives, in unexpected situations, and even in my own reflections. Spirit kept pulling me toward this message like a mirror.

We live in a world that often treats compassion and accountability like they’re opposites—as if you can only choose one. Compassion without accountability can become enabling. Accountability without compassion can feel like punishment. But when they walk together, they create freedom.

What Came Through During the Live

I started by sharing what was already in my spirit before I even pulled cards: compassion and accountability are not enemies. We can care deeply and tell the truth. We can be gentle and set boundaries.

Community has been reminding me of this too. When people come together around a mission—like the women in the podcast workshop I hosted this weekend—fear gets pushed aside. Community holds accountability. And accountability, when rooted in care, becomes compassion in action.

That was the energy moving through me as I went live.

The Cards I Pulled

Earlier that day, I pulled cards to ground this message. Here’s what came through:

* King of Swords + Queen of Swords → Truth, clarity, accountability, boundaries.

* King of Cups → Compassion, emotional steadiness, heart-led leadership.

* Ten of Pentacles → Community, legacy, and how our choices ripple into what we build together.

* Eight of Pentacles → Practice and discipline—this is a skill we refine daily.

* High Priestess → Intuition, inner wisdom, the third eye. A reminder that speaking truth in real time strengthens our sight.

It made me laugh when the High Priestess came out in the middle of all that sword energy. She’s Pisces energy through and through—and the heart of this eclipse.

The cards confirmed what I’d already been feeling: that compassion and accountability belong together.

Speaking Truth as Practice

In a reading I had on Friday, I was told that one of my assignments in this lifetime is to speak my truth more—especially in real time. The more I practice using my voice, the more my third eye strengthens.

That’s why I knew I couldn’t just write this message—I had to show up live, face and all, even though that makes me uncomfortable. Because compassion is the intuition side, the softness. Accountability is the throat chakra energy, the voice. And together, they sharpen each other.

BTW, it is Wyclef, lol! And City High!

A Real-Time Example

So what does holding compassion and accountability look like in practice?

A friend suggested I handle a sudden situation face to face. But I had to be honest—I couldn’t. If I sat down in person at that moment, all my compassion would’ve gone out the door. I would’ve gone off.

So instead, I chose to send a text/voice note. Not to avoid the conversation, but to keep it open. To hold accountability—“this needs to be addressed”—while still leaving space for compassion. That was how I built a bridge instead of burning one.

That’s the balance: choosing the channel, timing, and tone that allows both compassion and accountability to exist together.

The Eclipse Invitation

This Pisces lunar eclipse is asking us to release the illusion that compassion and accountability are opposites.

Compassion without accountability keeps us stuck.Accountability without compassion breaks us down.But together, they heal us and lift us up.

So as you move through this week, sit with these questions:

* Where are you being asked to show compassion with accountability?

* Where are you being asked to ground accountability in compassion?

* What illusions about conflict, care, or boundaries are you ready to release?

Because the High Priestess whispers: you already know. Your intuition has been pointing you there. The invitation is to trust it—and maybe even speak it out loud.

✨ Compassion and accountability are not opposites. They are partners. And when we let them walk together, we step closer to freedom. ✨

Hey y’all! As I mentioned in the video, I’m hosting a podcast workshop this Sunday 🎙️. This round is capped at 15 women, and we’ve only got 2 spots left — so if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to grab your seat!

👉 If registration fills up, no worries — you can join the waitlist. And while this round is focused on women, the waitlist is open to everyone for future workshops as I expand beyond my current audience.

✨ Registration Page: Click Here to Register✨ Waitlist Form: Click Here to Be Notified of Future Iterations

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

This week, I wanted to give us something we don’t always get enough of: space to breathe. The past month on The Mediocre Black Woman has been full of transition for so many of us, endings and beginnings of many kinds. Many of you have even reached out to share your own stories with me, and I just want to say thank you for trusting me with them.

I know these times can feel heavy. Sometimes survival mode takes over and we forget to ask the simplest question: How am I feeling — in my mind, in my body, in my spirit?

So instead of just talking about it, this episode takes us somewhere new. I guide you through a short meditation — nothing fancy, nothing you have to get “right.” Just a moment to plant your feet, breathe deeply, and remember:

✨ You’re allowed this moment.✨ You’re allowed to be here.✨ You’re allowed to feel what you feel.

And whatever you’re carrying — grief, discomfort, joy, or bliss — you can let it move through you in this moment together.

✨ Community Gratitude & Updates

* We hit 25,000 downloads in just 8 months! I’m so thankful for each of you.

* Our membership is evolving. Our space is being reimagined, and I’ll announce the details later this week.

* Podcast Workshop this Sunday. There are 4 spots left in this free workshop. If you’ve been dreaming of starting your podcast, now’s the time to go from zero to 100 with support and community. [Register Here!]

* Subscribe to The Mediocre Black Woman on Substack. [Subscriber Here!]

License Code For YouTube: UZV9VRUSSQCGPYX9

💭 An Invitation

Wherever you are — at work, in your car, in your prayer closet, or stretched out on the floor — this episode is an invitation to pause. To breathe. To be reminded that you are not alone, and you are always allowed to come back to yourself.

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

Earlier this week, my bestie Goddess Jasmine came on the pod to talk about not letting people play with us anymore. Well… Spirit heard that and said, “Bet. Let’s take it to the next level.” 😅

In true dramatic fashion, Jasmine went from dreaming about fighting coworkers to literally getting on a Zoom with HR and her micro-manager. But before they could even get the script out, she dropped the mic with: “Actually… I was going to resign today.”

Whew. The way Spirit be moving. This bonus episode is equal parts comedy, chaos, and clarity:

✨ Quitting on the spot before they could even say the words

✨ Crying in the car, then laughing mid-Zoom

✨ When your ancestors, astrology placements, and Aries-Capricorn energy all conspire to say “you’re done”

✨ The sacred relief of walking away from work that drains you

✨ And the hilarious reality of being #Unemployable in this season of life

We recorded this fresh, in real time, while the energy was still raw. No 3-month reflection, no neatly packaged takeaways—just two Black women processing what it feels like when Spirit yanks you out of something you weren’t supposed to be in anymore.

It’s giving: HR drama, ancestral intervention, bestie banter, and a whole lot of freedom.

So, pour your tea, and press play. Because this is one of those stories you’re going to want to tell your own bestie later with a loud: “Girl, you not gonna believe what happened on TMBW this week.”

👉🏾 Head over to Substack and drop your #Unemployable story in the comments if you’ve ever had Spirit end a job for you. And then send this to the friend who’s one HR meeting away from walking out too.

✨ A Quick Note for Aspiring Podcasters

Since we’re talking about Spirit-led pivots… if you’ve been feeling the nudge to start your own podcast, I’m hosting a free podcast accelerator workshop in September.

We’ll go from 0 → 100 together in one sitting (with just a few homework items after), and I’m capping it at 15 women so we can really get things done in real time. You’ll leave with your podcast framework, your trailer drafted, and the confidence to actually launch.

Spots are limited, so if you’ve been saying “one day I’ll start,” let this be your sign:

👉🏾 Sign up for the Podcast Accelerator here

(P.S. If you’re in the paid membership, you’ll also get access to the full replay and resources even if you can’t attend live!)

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

August has been Bestie Month here at The Mediocre Black Woman, and this week y’all get to meet thee bestie—the one I voice note with on the daily, Goddess Jasmine of Housewife Turned Healer.

This episode is giving “stop playing with me before I write about you” energy 😂. Not because anybody’s out here taking notes with revenge in mind, but because sometimes the stories are just too funny, too wild, and too relatable not to share.

And trust me, those voice notes with Jasmine are basically mini-podcasts already—10 to 20 minutes of rants, revelations, and ridiculous laughter. That’s exactly what this episode feels like: a bestie voice note you get to eavesdrop on.

We get into it all—✨ breaking cycles of being “played with” in relationships and friendships✨ sacred rage and the grief stages that come when you finally choose yourself✨ the audacity of exes (with no horse, no boom box, no baby bleeding—just vibes 🙄)✨ friendship breakups that sting just as much as romantic ones✨ and the power of discernment when opening your heart or your home

But underneath the jokes and side eyes is something sacred: Black women finally centering ourselves not out of spite, but out of self-respect, divine timing, and deep love for who we’re becoming.

This one is close to my heart. Jasmine has been walking with me through this whole TMBW journey, and to share this space with her feels like a full-circle moment. May you hear yourself in our stories, may you laugh with us, and may you feel less alone in your own sacred shifts.

Drop your favorite moment in the comments—and then send this episode to your bestie, because y’all know healing hits different when you don’t do it alone.

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

Resources:

Subscribe on Substack - The Mediocre Black Woman

Subscribe on Substack - Housewife Turned Healer

International Women's Prayer Circle

What happens when you’re blindsided by a layoff, on your way to get your nails done? Or when you remember that even though you were the “one of one” in your company, they can and will still cut your role without hesitation?

That’s where me and my girl Tasha found ourselves not too long ago. One email/text message flipped our whole day upside down: “Sis, my role was impacted.” A few minutes later, I found out mine was too.

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The Gap Between What We Feel and What We’re Allowed to Say

Black women are praised for pushing through, for surviving, for being resilient. We’re not praised for pausing. We’re not encouraged to sit in confusion or grief or even relief when it shows up in unexpected ways.

That’s what this episode is really about. Because sometimes you feel sad, but you can’t explain why. Sometimes grief feels like both devastation and relief. Sometimes the only honest answer to “How are you?” is: I don’t even know. And we rarely give ourselves permission to say that out loud.

Naming the Unnamable

The part of the conversation that stayed with me the most was this: naming what we feel is a radical act.

It sounds simple, but it isn’t. Grief, anger, relief, jealousy, hope—they can all live in the same body at the same time. And when we don’t have the words for that complexity, we shrink our humanity down to “fine” or “good.” What would it look like if we stopped performing “fine”?

Tasha opened up about losing her mom and feeling both deep sadness and a strange sense of relief that her mother’s pain was finally over. I shared how sometimes my emotions show up late, like my spirit takes inventory first before letting my body catch up. It can be complex.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Borrow Our Friendship

If you’ve ever been laid off, you’ll hear yourself in this episode. If you’ve ever been confused by your own emotions, you’ll hear yourself too. And if you’ve ever wished for the kind of friendship where you can voice note your way through a breakdown, cuss about corporate nonsense, and still end up laughing by the end of the day—then borrow ours for a bit.

This episode is tender and raw, but it’s also full of joy. It’s the reminder that while we don’t always get to choose what happens to us, we can choose to honor what we feel in the aftermath.

Because we’re not just strong. We’re not just resilient. We’re human.

xoxo,

Goddess Theadora

Perfectionism can feel safe… until it starts choking your authenticity. In this conversation with my sister friend Keachia — licensed therapist, coach, and truth-teller — we unpack the ways shame, the need for validation, and the mother wound shape how we see ourselves… and how we can break free.

This episode has divine timing written all over it (you’ll hear why mid-recording 👀).

We talk about:

* Why “one more degree” isn’t the answer

* How perfectionism keeps us small

* Healing the mother wound

* Redefining what success actually feels like

If you’ve been holding your breath, waiting for the “perfect time” to start over, this is your sign.

Let’s Get Into It

This is the first episode in a series of episodes with my sister friends — conversations with the women who pour into me, challenge me, and hold me accountable to my own becoming. We’re starting with sister girl Keachia — licensed therapist, coach, and truth-teller extraordinaire. It’s beautiful because I got to see her in person a few days ago. And we got to love on each other and it was amazing!

In this episode we talk about perfectionism as a drug of choice. Shame as a wound we try to hide under credentials, titles, and gold stars. And the moment — right in the middle of recording — when Keachia’s long-awaited therapy license came through. The way it happened? You’ll hear it in real-time, and it’s wild.

We also got into:

* Why we keep reaching for “one more degree” instead of trusting our already-existing gifts

* The safety and trap of perfectionism

* Giving ourselves internal permission to thrive without waiting for external validation

* Redefining what’s next when the life you envisioned completely falls apart

* Healing the mother wound and the ways it shows up in our relationships

This isn’t just an interview — it’s two women in the thick of transition.

By the end, Keachia shares her free masterclass happening today and tomorrow—a two day experience, Healing the Inner Child: From Pain to Purpose, and her eight-session program that’s already impacted hundreds of women.

If you’ve been holding your breath, waiting for the “perfect time” to start over, this conversation might just be the nudge you need to exhale.

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

Can I just be in my feelings? Do I have to understand the lesson?! lol!!!!

This was me yesterday—fully avoiding the prayer closet, chile. Knowing damn well going in there always gets me together. And maybe that’s the point.

I didn’t want to recognize the lesson or get clarity. I wanted to sulk, pout, shout, and cry. (Granted, I still did most of that in the prayer closet.)

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

But I walked out with red eyes, used tissues, and clarity on how to usher in the next wave of content. 🙃 Sometimes I’m like, can y’all just tell me all of that without the theatrics?? It reminds me of that TikTok audio: “Am I the drama?!”

Yes, Spirit Team. Y’all are the drama. 😂 They’re probably looking at me like, “Gurl! It is not us!” 😂

And even as evolved as I am, I still want to be stubborn—because I’m human. I don’t want to let go. I don’t want to take the high road. I would very much like to continue feeling sorry for myself just a bit longer. (Can you feel their eyes rolling?)

But I did walk out of that prayer closet with more peace and more clarity.

So boom, here’s the tea…This month, some of my closest friends are making cameos on the podcast to share their own moments of transition. I know it’s not the sexiest summer plan you’ve ever made—but it might be the most necessary.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

We’re talking real talk and real grief—but we’re also gonna laugh while we do it. And this voice note from me? Consider it the kickoff.

When I first built this space, it was with many of these women in mind. I wanted a space where we could be candid, vulnerable, healing, and show up JUST AS WE ARE.

This month, I’m sharing my besties with you. And come September, we’re welcoming some newer voices into the mix—folks who’ve been through the fire and found their way through.

Sometimes we’ll have solutions. Sometimes we’ll just sit in the mess together. But either way, this is The Mediocre Black Woman, baby.

xoxo,

Goddess Thea

Hey y’all. Happy Tuesday! Before we get into it—yes, I sound a little different today. I’m not fully sick, but I’ve been feeling the effects of a full-body purge these past two weeks since being laid off. It’s like my body is finally releasing what I’ve been holding onto in silence for too long. So I’m just clearing space. And that feels like a win.

This week’s episode is a voice note. Not because I didn’t have anything else planned (believe me, the pipeline is full), but because I needed to speak from the swirl of thoughts and feelings I’ve been holding. And I wanted to talk directly to you.

Let’s Start Here

One of my best friends sent me a headline from MSNBC that read:

“300,000 Black Women Have Left the Labor Force in Three Months. It’s Not a Coincidence.”

Shoutout to everyone sending me stories and posts about Black women. I love that folks want to hear what I think and trust me to hold space for this.

But, this headline? Because we’re not just leaving the labor force. We’re being pushed out.

And sure, some of us are walking away on our own. But even when it’s our decision, it often comes from exhaustion, betrayal, or being overextended in environments that never truly valued us, unless our effort translates to someone else’s benefit.

I’m not letting soft language gloss over that. We’ve been pushed!

🧳 When the World Has a Plan for You, but You Don’t Have One for Yourself

Shortly after that headline, someone sent me a post on LinkedIn from Sable Ryan. She shared how she was fired from her “government job—a job she loved”—and how it became the catalyst to choose herself by relocating to Panama and building a life on her own terms.

She said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“The world will always have a plan for you, but do you have one for yourself?”

That line sat in my spirit. Because it’s not just about losing a job, it’s about realizing how many of us have never truly centered ourselves in our own plans. We’ve built careers, homes, and whole realities around what other people need from us. But what happens when those systems collapse? Or when they spit us out?

That’s why I keep saying it: The way forward for us is sovereignty.

Not just rest. Not just sabbaticals. But sustainable, rooted sovereignty, something that can’t be taken, revoked, or laid off. Something that lives in you.

🕯 Five Minutes Toward Freedom

So here’s my ask: Wherever you are in your process: looking for work, transitioning out, or just floating in the in-between…take five minutes. Every day if you can.

Five minutes on the toilet, in the shower, on your drive, in the kitchen, anywhere.Ask yourself:

* What do I want next?

* What would it look like to design a life rooted in me?

* If I ruled the world, what would that world feel like?

You don’t need all the answers today. But five minutes of honest dreaming is better than none at all. And if nothing changes? Nothing changes.

Now, Let Me Brag on My Friends Real Quick

🌸 Jasmine – Housewife Turned Healer

Jasmine is reclaiming her story, her voice, and her softness after years of being consumed by external expectations. Her Substack is called Housewife Turned Healer, and it’s a raw, grounded reflection on coming home to yourself.

She’s also hosting her first International Women’s Prayer Circle on Sunday, August 2 at 7AM ET / 6AM CT. It’s non-denominational, sacred, and open to all women who are ready to start the month with intention.

👉 Subscribe + Join the Prayer Circle →

🧠 Keachia Bower – Inner Child & Mother Wound Healing

Keachia is a licensed therapist and coach with powerful offerings focused on healing the inner child and unlearning inherited pain. She’s hosting a free two-day masterclass on August 12–13, diving deep into the Mother Wound and how it plays out in our adult lives.

👉 Reserve your spot here →

A Mini Celebration!

On December 9, 2024, I wrote in my journal:

“I’ve decided I’m going to be a mediocre black woman moving forward.”

That one line changed everything. By December 13, I launched this podcast. And here we are, seven months later with:

* 45 episodes

* 108 Substack posts

* 21,000+ podcast downloads

* 3,100+ subscribers

* 12,000+ monthly views

* 105 countries

* 49 states (South Dakota, we’re looking at you)

None of this is lost on me. This space started as a whisper to myself. A dare to stop performing. A prayer for enoughness. And it’s turned into a whole community. So thank you. I don’t take a single listener, reader, or comment for granted.

🛎️ Before You Go…

Here’s how you can tap into everything mentioned today:

* 💌 Subscribe to Housewife Turned Healer

* 🙏 Join Jasmine’s Women’s Prayer Circle – Aug 2

* 🧠 Register for Keachia Bower’s Free Masterclass – Aug 12–13

* ✍🏾 Comment below with how this landed for you

* 🔥 Check TMBW After Hours this weekend for my full breakdown of the MSNBC headline

Black women: we deserve to be more than essential and disposable.

xoxo,Goddess Theadora