Some women, from the time they’re little girls, were born to be nurturing, loving, natural mothers. That… was never me. Before I got pregnant, I had no intentions of being a mother. I did not want to be a mother. I was scared I was gonna suck at it, I was afraid of repeating mistakes, I was scared of perpetuating cycles. Why? Because I had a very complicated relationship with my mother, and one of the hardest things in the world is to have a complicated, toxic, acidic relationship with the woman who gave you life.

Today, I’m getting real with you about the struggles and fears I have when it comes to raising my daughter. I’m laying it all out and talking about my own deeply complicated mother-daughter relationship and what it feels like to see your amazing messages of mommying encouragement—even when I feel like they couldn’t be further from the truth.

Tune in and listen to episode seven of Mamaste with Tanika Ray.  I’m breaking down why it’s so important for me to not repeat history when parenting my daughter, how I’m avoiding the “copy & paste” style of parenting, and the beauty and the irony in how alike we both are.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• In my 20s, I was completely selfish, completely self focused, and completely tunnel visioned on what it was that I wanted to accomplish in the world (03:35)
• The very vivid memory I have of the start of my rebellion against my mother—and why I’m so dead set against reliving that cycle (04:31)
• My relationship with my daughter is better when she's in school and when she's stimulated elsewhere (09:45)
• It totally sucks having to raise yourself! (15:00)
• We are flexible, movable, malleable, evolving people, and unexpected times, without notice, are going to always happen. (19:57)
• Remember, when you don’t think you’re going to make it through the day: Inhale through the nose, hold for four seconds. And exhale. Inhale for four seconds and hold. And exhale. As we try to elongate those breaths, inhale for four and hold… And exhale. (28:07)

Let’s Connect!

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This time of year, we’re in such a beautiful state of gratitude. We’re counting our blessings and thanking the universe and thanking God and thanking Buddha and thanking Allah… We’re thanking all of our higher beings for our lives, no matter what they look like.  In order to get more in life, in order to activate more blessings, we have to be grateful for exactly where we are—thankful for right now. We may not have everything we want, but that doesn’t matter… because that's not the way blessings work. 

Today, I’m coming to you right after the last Thursday in November, and we’re talking gratitude. Although many of us have rightfully developed a complicated relationship with Thanksgiving as a concept, I still believe in the importance of celebrating the abundance and grace we’ve been given throughout the year. Most importantly, though? That belief in gratitude is one of the greatest gifts that I can give my daughter. 

Tune in and listen to episode six of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. I’m talking Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and how we decide what traditions to pass down to our kids. I’m also asking you to take the next month to practice gratitude, live in the present, and think about exactly how we can celebrate ourselves and where we are at this moment. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Celebrating Thanksgiving is great—but I’d rather call it Gracegiving to celebrate the gratitude and abundance in our lives (03:38)
• For me, holidays are all about giving my daughter more of a perspective on how others are living and teaching her to give back (06:29)
• If we can't be grateful for where we are right now, then we’re not able to open the door to more blessings and more manifestations (09:39)
• This month, I’d like us all to support mom-preneurs (11:37)
• Some of my thoughts on being a woman, a mother, and a business owner (14:06)
• A little hint toward something I’m working on for the future (25:09)

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget but before we were mommys, we were actually women first. Women with wants, feelings, and needs, totally separate from our babies! Although it can be hard for us to accept, even mamas deserve to be their fun, sexy selves that they were—and still are!—before they had kids. When we celebrate our sexuality, our independence, and our womanhood, we’re not only honoring ourselves but also setting an example for our children to emulate.

Today, I’m welcoming back my amazing friend, mommy, artist, and entrepreneur Tangie Ambrose. Tangie joins me for part two of our chat and continues to spread her Mamaste theories and wisdom while we talk about what that single mommy life is really like and how important it is to prioritize ourselves at the center of it all.

Tune in and listen to episode five of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. I talk to Tangie about how our kids know just the way to push our buttons, the complications around starting a new romance as a single mom, and why it’s so important to stay in the moment and constantly evolve your parenting.

Some Questions I ask:

• What has that been like for you, looking for a new man? (06:05)
• How do you use coconut oil in your self care routine? (08:23)
• How do you keep your private items private from your kids? (14:18)
• Do you think there are mommies out there who are really locking their toys up in a safe? (17:53)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How the way I was raised affects the way I raise my daughter (03:19)
• We learn to explore and take pleasure in our bodies in innocent ways to start—and that shouldn’t be stifled (18:49) 
• Why Tangie believes in picking her battles with her kids (26:23)
• Why I pracrice conflict resolution with my daughter now, before she’s a hormonal teenager (32:36)

Connect with Tangie:

• Instagram
• TikTok

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you first welcomed your little bundle of joy into the world—or maybe even when they were just a twinkle in your eye—did you have an idea of what kind of parent you’d be? Maybe you had amazing parents who laid down a beautiful blueprint for you to follow. Or maybe all you knew is that you DIDN’T want to make the same mistakes mom and dad had made with you. Whatever the case, once your little magic munchkin makes her way into the world, even the best laid plans can go out the window!

Of course, there’s no one right way to parent a child, but one thing’s for sure: however you do it should involve love, patience, and empathy.

Today, I am saying Heaven Hi to my sister friend Tangie Ambrose, an actress, artist, entrepreneur, and an amazing mommy inspiration. She is the person who introduced me to the concept of conscious parenting and she is the person I can always turn to when mommying tries my energy. Tangie always has a different perspective for me to appreciate and a new method for me to put into practice.

Tune in and listen to episode four of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. Tangie and I talk about living intentionally, how her gifts as a healer help her better understand children, and about our changing bodies and the shame women are made to feel around aging. 

Some Questions I ask:

• Can you break down your preferred greeting, ‘Heaven Hi,’ for us? (02:10)
• Where do you think your gift of being an amazing kid translator comes from? (06:41)
• What has been your key to sustaining life balance so that you aren't losing it? (12:21)
• What is the most amazing thing your daughter Stone taught you? And what's the most incredible thing your son Rock has taught you? (19:02)
• How can moms talk to their kids about sex in a loving, free, non-judgmental way? (29:53)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How ‘Heaven Hi’ has impacted how Tangie mommys her kids (03:56)
• About how Tangie credits her raw diet for helping her feel healthier and more energetic (13:42)
• A little about Tangie’s co-parenting philosophy (18:01)
• How Tangie decided who would be her children’s father (25:26)

Connect with Tangie:

• Instagram
• TikTok

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Way before I was working red carpets, and even longer before I was a mommy, I found my first love: dance. From the time I was a little girl, I begged my mother to put me in dance classes, and it was through dance that I learned how to connect with and be in my body. Nowadays, I love that my daughter is just as into dance as I’ve always been and that I can share that passion with her. 

Today, the show is all about dance as I welcome my dancing soulmate, V. Marie “Marie Bustin’ Moves” Moring. She’s a  TikTok superstar, fun-loving mama and grandmother, and a dance and lifestyle social media influencer. Marie tells me about how dancing together has brought her family closer, the way she keeps her heart open and believes in love, and how she’s keeping the energy alive and positive with her kids in these difficult times. 

Tune in and listen to episode three of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. I talk to Marie about raising her blended family, her staunch belief that opposites attract, and why we both believe that it absolutely takes a village to raise a child. 

Some Questions I ask:

• Tell me about when you made your first TikTok video. Did you think it would take off like this? (06:50)
• What was the first music video that you learned every move from? (09:40)
• What was the greatest mommying lesson you learned from your family? (13:16)
• How would you describe your mommying? (36:52)
• How did you teach your children to love themselves? (40:04)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• My own love affair with dance and why I love it so much still (01:27)
• Marie’s personal dance evolution (08:22)
• How Marie knew she was born to be a wife (21:50)
• About the complications that arise around co-parenting (38:29)
• About dealing with that special way your kids know just how to push your buttons (42:40)

Connect with Marie:

• Website
• Instagram
• TikTok

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I first found out I was pregnant, I was in complete shock. It was just not part of my plan—truth be told, I had never been one of those women that felt her purpose was to be a mother. But that’s the thing: God always has a plan, y'all. And even if I felt lost at first, I was able to make connections with some incredible women who helped me grow into the mommy that I’ve become.

Today, I welcome one of those incredible women: my first guest and my friend Anne Judson-Yager. She’s an actress, a reiki master, a massage therapist, a doula, and an amazing member of my mommy tribe. She tells me about growing up shoeless, her philosophy on co-parenting, and what it’s like raising mixed children in 2021. 

Tune in and listen to episode two of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. Anne and I talk about broaching the toughest subjects with our kids, how her doula work allows her to be an advocate for black mothers, and the incredibly difficult history of black women giving birth in this country—and how we can work toward changing that. 

Some Questions I ask:

• Can you share with us a bit about your background? (10:07)
• How did you explain all of the protests going on last summer to your girls? (19:44)
• How did you see it affect them? Were they able to process your explanation? (20:38)
• Can you tell me about what went into the process of becoming a doula? (24:38)
• What are you keeping out of your life so that you can be the best mom that you can be? (29:45)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• My entrance into mommyhood wasn’t planned—and I realized I needed some serious advice! (01:43)
• How finding different mommy tribes gave me some of my best friends and biggest supporters (04:47)
• The tough conversations that Anne has had to have with her kids around race (16:03)
• The ways Anne has committed herself to allyship and abolitionism (23:46)
• The profound change Anne felt in herself after the events and upheaval of last summer (30:46)

Connect with Anne:

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• Website

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I went from carefree, globe-trotting Boss Babe to mommy, I was suddenly in search of a whole new tribe to help me navigate the inevitable fumbles and failures of raising a kid. Shifting gears from red carpets to a gig called ‘mom’ required a whole new game plan. 

I made my mark as a TV and red carpet host, and you might even recognize me from some of your favorite Tv shows, ‘90s hip-hop videos or hair blogs. Today, I introduce you to my own personal journey as a mother, a professional, and a woman making divine decisions that are rooted in who I am. 

The most important thing I've learned in this life is that when things are hard, we cannot— as much as we think we can— go around it, we cannot go over it, we cannot go under it… We have to go right through the center.

Tune in and listen to the first episode of Mamaste with Tanika Ray. I’m creating a unique sanctuary for the mommy collective where we can amplify self-love and self-care, tips on raising conscious kids, and help each other fine-tune our boundaries. We’ll celebrate the highs while forgiving ourselves for the lows. Because being a mom is the most thankless, exhausting, fulfilling, unpaid job on the face of the planet—and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• My mission statement and the purpose behind this podcast (04:21)
• Whether single, married, or in a partnership, a mom is a mom is a mom (12:12)
• I consider myself a tough, strong black woman—but I was terrified of starting this podcast (14:40)
• Shout out to the Podcast Accelerator, the group that helped me finally realize my podcasting dreams (15:18)
• Mommying is a full-on circus act (19:33)
• If this pandemic has taught me anything, it’s to let go of previous attachments and to live in my greatest truth (21:01)
• I plan to use this podcast to shine my light on incredible guests and give them a platform to come through to you (25:10)

Let’s Connect!

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.