When Meera Hardin, host of Brown Girl Trending Podcast and Woke & Pretty Podcast, immigrated to the US as a child, she and her parents were separated. She understood, even then, that huge sacrifices had been made to give her the best life possible. So, she vowed to make it all worthwhile. She made good grades, got scholarships, and after finishing school found a job that would make her community proud.  

“I sacrificed my entire senior year to apply and interview and get school paid for. I interned in high school. I did extracurriculars. I did everything possible. I never stopped to reflect  on whether there were other things that I could have done outside of working to be successful.”

She continued at breakneck speed, climbing the ladder even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to go where it was taking her. But, everything changed when she had a baby just before the pandemic. Making her family’s sacrifices worthwhile began to take on a new meaning.

“I didn't come all the way here, give myself all these opportunities, have my family sacrifice for me to do what they think I'm supposed to be doing, and still not be happy. That doesn't make sense.”

In this episode, you’ll learn how Meera rebuilt her life, as one that brings her authentic joy, meaning, and purpose: every parent’s greatest dream for their child.

Five of my favorite lessons in this beautiful story:

1. How to trust your intuition: Meera followed her gut and embraced opportunities that aligned with her happiness, leading to a life she never knew existed.

2. Overcoming the fear of judgment: Meera faced her fear of judgment by putting herself out on social media, and the outcomes were both surprising and encouraging.

3. Challenging societal norms: Meera questioned conventional paths and redefined success on her terms.

4. Living in Alignment with Personal Values: Meera got clear about her values, priorities, and sources of joy, and then attracted a life that aligned with them

5. Little Acts of Bold Truth Build Confidence: Discover how small acts of big truth let us manufacture the relationships and situations that are right for us.

Are you feeling stuck in a life that doesn't align with your true self? Do societal expectations and norms leave you yearning for a path that brings you genuine joy and fulfillment? Please listen to Meera’s story and share it with the Uplifters in your life.

You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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Thank you to

Sara Axelbaum for nominating Meera for The Uplifters! Check out her story on The Uplifters here

More about Meera:

Meera Hardin is a trailblazing figure in the media industry with a remarkable career spanning nearly two decades. Today, she is the driving force behind Amplifyer's Media and Entertainment properties.

Follow Meera:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Brown Girl Trending Podcast
• Woke & Pretty Podcast