In today's episode, Kay and I discuss what it means to 'own your story.' We discuss how owning our stories has inspired us to do the work we do in the mental health field. Part of healing is learning how to embrace the unpleasant moments of life and to evolve like the rose between the concrete to live a fuller, healthier life--owning your story helps you do just that.

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I've lost 3 family members in close proximity. My husband works in a field that requires him to put his life on the line. So death has been heavily on my mind. My religion teaches me that "every soul shall taste death" and how death is the ultimate promise of this life. Some of us are avoiding this reality and it shows when our family members are forced to create GoFundMe accounts to pay for funerals. But let's really do ourselves and our legacy due diligence and embrace the reality of death and prepare for it. 

Have we defined ourselves by our accolades? In this episode, I discuss what I've achieved in my life currently and whether it truly brought long lasting joy and happiness. 

Most of my life saying no hasn't been easy. In fact, I would say a weak yes when internally I felt a strong no. In this episode I'll be discussing saying yes and meaning yes and saying no and meaning no. Do you need an accountability partner to help you establish boundaries and to gain courage saying no? Coach Keyona here to help you overcome those emotional and mental barriers, unlearn the pathology of sacrificing yourself for the benefit of others, and to gain confidence in honoring your feelings and your no. Email me at [email protected] to schedule a discovery call. 

Spanking is a means of disciplining but much of our experiences with spanking has actually been domestic violence. There is a pathology within certain families in which spanking is the ONLY means of disciplining and communicating disappointment to children. From the lens of generational trauma, this pathology is perpetuated in the next generation. Have we not considered the negative impact of such type of discipline? In 2010 after a conversation with someone special to me, I wrote a piece of prose about the negative impact of beating children. Want to submit your feedback on this episode: send an email to [email protected] or DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkeyona/

In this episode, I'm coming out of my shell to really open up about being tired of playing small for the sake of respecting others' religious/political/etc. beliefs. I remain firm on being open minded, even when open mindedness is not reciprocated. I've even leaned more to universalizing the name of the Creator for the sake of not ruffling feathers because folks get so caught up in language. I'm sickaaaa it! I'm no longer shrinking to people's beliefs by silencing and censuring speaking up about my own. Of course I won't proselytize nor speak with an air of compulsion, but what I will do is speak up about my beliefs---when appropriate--and stop being silent when I disagree. It's all about balance!

In this bonus episode, I'm giving my definition of what self love and self care is with some added advice to hold ourselves accountable to practicing what we preach to others! (What a run on sentence lol)

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2.07.22 was another rough day in the world of entrepreneurship. In this bonus episode I share my raw emotions about struggling as a solopreneur. Yet, I don't wallow in the "woe is me" and I give advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. Are you an entrepreneur that's been through this phase? If so, send some words of encouragement to ya' girl by emailing me at [email protected] // Support me on Instagram.com/coachkeyona

This morning I woke up feeling uneasy. I let my emotions almost win over me. After venting to my husband, I picked up his book Battle Cry by Jason Wilson and read it over breakfast. I couldn't put it down. Although Wilson is talking to an audience of men, I resonated deeply with nearly every chapter. While I still don't like these silent, lonely, unproductive days I've been having, I do have a renewed perspective of God's possible reasoning for isolating me and giving me ample free time:  to heal, to become focused, and to prepare for the next chapter of my life. I have internal work to do and the more I keep trying to cope via the external world, the more downtrodden I'll be. Thank you Allah for guiding me to picking up the book and for the reflection.