Seasoned

What happens when you return to a place that holds some of your happiest memories... and some of your darkest ones?

This week, SEASONED is coming to you from Canada.

I arrived in Toronto determined to pull off a surprise. My brother and his family had absolutely no idea I was coming, and somehow, despite my inability to keep exciting things to myself, I managed to remain undercover long enough to see the shock on their faces.

My niece's reaction alone made the journey worth it.

But coming back has also made me realise something I wasn't expecting:

Canada doesn't feel like home anymore.

Canada was home for many years. There was laughter here. Friendship. Family. Growth. There are pieces of my life here that I will always treasure.

But some of my darkest chapters happened here too.

In this episode, I talk candidly about experiencing depression while living in Canada and reaching a point where I needed professional help from a psychiatrist, psychologist and therapist, with medication even being considered.

And I talk about it because depression doesn't always look the way we imagine it does.

Sometimes the person everyone considers strong is fighting a battle nobody can see.

I also revisit a career that often left me underemployed, contracts that ended, layoffs, and an experience with an employer whose treatment of me I experienced as racist, including questioning my education and qualifications, diminishing my MBA and assigning me cleaning work that had nothing to do with the job I'd been hired to do.

Then there are the memories attached to Pearson Airport itself.

Years ago, I arrived here physically unwell and emotionally shattered after an abusive experience in my marriage. Later, I would leave Canada after that marriage had ended, waiting for the opportunity that would eventually take me home to Ghana.

So walking through Pearson again as the woman I am today felt different.

Because Ghana has given me something I spent years trying to find elsewhere.

A sense of home.

I've established myself. My career has grown. I'm happier. I'm more settled. And perhaps one of the strangest parts of growing is discovering that a place can remain important to your story without remaining the place where you belong.

Of course, this is SEASONED, so we cannot spend an entire episode being profound. 😂

British Airways also catches a few strays because WHAT exactly is happening with some of these planes, the food and the experience when airline tickets cost what they currently cost?

And somewhere between economy-class suffering and middle-aged enlightenment, I've reached another important conclusion:

I have champagne taste and a 40-ounce-beer budget.

Something must change. 😂

Therefore, as performance reviews, promotions and salary discussions approach, I would respectfully like my employers to understand that I have entered my business-class era and my compensation needs to cooperate accordingly.

This week we're talking about family, home, depression, racism, career disappointment, abuse, healing, Ghana, Canada, British Airways and the increasingly expensive standards of a 44-year-old woman who has decided she'd quite like the soft life after all.

Because sometimes you don't realise how far you've travelled until you return to the place where an earlier version of you once struggled to survive.

🎙️ SEASONED: Same City, Different Me

Home, Heartbreak, Healing & Higher Standards.

Sometimes the thing you've been hoping for finally appears... and your first reaction is:

No. Not like that.

In this episode of SEASONED, I'm talking about an opportunity that has recently presented itself in my life.

And that's all you're getting for now. 😂

I'm not telling you whether it's a person, a job, a new direction, or something else entirely. Until dotted lines are signed, things are formalised and I know exactly what I'm dealing with, we're simply calling it “the opportunity.”

But the opportunity has made me think.

Because when it first appeared, it wasn't packaged the way I expected. Meanwhile, there was something else I really wanted, something that seemed to have everything I thought I was looking for.

So naturally, I found plenty of reasons why this unexpected option probably wasn't right for me.

Some of those concerns were legitimate. Some of the confusion came from a lack of clarity. And I also have to own something: I wasn't always asking the questions that would have given me the clarity I said I needed.

Then something changed.

The door I really wanted began to look less certain, while the opportunity I'd been resisting became more interesting once I actually started asking better questions.

And that forced me to confront something deeper.

At 44, after heartbreak, disappointment and enough unexpected plot twists to fill several seasons of this podcast, I consider myself wiser and more discerning.

But sometimes, is it really discernment?

Or have I simply become very good at calling my guardedness wisdom?

There is a difference between noticing that something isn't right and searching for reasons something can't possibly be right because you're terrified of believing in it and being disappointed again.

I'm learning that protecting yourself from disappointment can also protect you from possibility.

So this week, we're talking about unexpected doors, asking better questions, loosening our grip on how we think blessings are supposed to arrive, and having enough faith to explore what is actually in front of us.

I'm still guarded. I'm still asking questions. And I'm definitely not announcing anything prematurely.

But I'm open.

And when there's something to tell, trust me, SEASONED will hear about it. 😂

Until then, perhaps the question isn't “Is this what I asked for?”

Perhaps it's:

“What if what I need has simply arrived differently?”

Welcome to Episode 7 of SEASONED.

What if dating didn't begin with “Could this be my husband?”

What if it simply began with “Do I actually like this person?”

In this episode of SEASONED, I'm talking about the way I'm approaching dating now, and it looks very different from the way I've done it before.

I'm starting from scratch.

I'm meeting people. Getting to know them. Paying attention. Building friendship. Seeing whether I even enjoy having them in my life before deciding what, if anything, they're supposed to become.

And I'm retiring my tendency to turn every little thing into a red flag or a green flag. Sometimes it's neither. Sometimes it's simply a data point.

Black shoes with white socks? Data point. 😂
 An annoying habit? Data point.
 Something that gives me the ick? Also potentially just a data point.

Because for me, character reveals itself over time. When we've actually had conversations about something that matters, how does this person listen? How do they communicate? How do they handle disagreement? Can they receive feedback? Do their actions change when change is warranted?

That's information.

There are, of course, things I don't need additional data on. Abuse, dishonesty, scams and seriously harmful behaviour can take their red flags and exit immediately. 🚩

I'm also talking about something I've had to own about myself: I have idealised men before. I've put someone on a pedestal before I've truly known him, silently promoted him to boyfriend in my head, and then felt disappointed when he failed to perform a job he didn't even know he'd been hired for.

I'm not doing that anymore.

No imaginary relationships. No boyfriend expectations without boyfriend conversations. No rose-coloured glasses.

And perhaps the biggest change is that I'm no longer dating against a clock.

I still want to be a mother. But with uncertainty around what that journey will look like, I'm releasing the idea that motherhood has to arrive in one particular package. Biological motherhood, donor eggs, surrogacy, adoption, becoming a bonus mum, or continuing to be an extraordinary aunt... I'm leaving room for God to write that part of my story differently from how I once imagined it.

So I'm not racing toward marriage because I'm afraid time is running out.

I'm getting to know people. I'm enjoying my life. I'm paying attention. I'm trusting God.

And if friendship eventually becomes “Hey...there might actually be something here,” we'll cross that bridge when we reach it.

Maybe dating doesn't need to be an audition.

Maybe it can just be two people getting to know each other and seeing where the data leads.

Welcome to another chapter of SEASONED: Where Grown Women Tell the Truth.

This was supposed to be a straightforward journey home from Nairobi.
It was anything but.
A Kenya airport workers' strike. A missed connection. A rerouting through Abidjan. Another missed flight. An unexpected overnight stay. Airport chaos. Stress. Exhaustion. And more than a few moments when I wondered, how exactly am I getting home? 😂
In this episode of SEASONED, I take you along for the journey from Nairobi to Abidjan to Accra and share the chaos, frustration and exhaustion that came with it.
But somewhere in all that disruption, something else happened.
People showed up.
Friends and family were ready to help. One friend was even prepared to arrange a car to get me from Abidjan to Accra. And a young woman I met in Abidjan unexpectedly became one of the people who helped me navigate the airport and get through the process of checking in and getting home.
Sometimes, the journey reminds you that you are not travelling alone.
And then, while stranded in Abidjan, I received another unexpected surprise. My aunt sent me a message about an interview I'd done on the Ivy Prosper Podcast, which I didn't even realize had finally been released.
It had been sitting there since March.
By the time I found out, thousands of people had already watched it. Friends were sharing it. My mum was receiving messages about it. And, incredibly, my first-ever boyfriend reached out after 20 years to tell me he'd listened to it.
As I record this episode, the interview has reached 7.3K views and counting.
So yes, this episode is about a chaotic journey home.
But it's also about unexpected kindness, community, being reminded that people are watching and listening, and the strange ways life can surprise you when you're not looking.
Sometimes the journey is messy.
Sometimes the detour is necessary.
And sometimes, somehow, you still make it home.
Welcome to another chapter of SEASONED. ❤️

Listen to Ivy's podcast here https://youtu.be/YOqwSw4hEfg

This is my final recording from Nairobi, and honestly, I didn't quite know what I was going to talk about when I pressed record.

But sometimes the best conversations are the ones you don't plan.

In this episode of SEASONED, I reflect on my time in Nairobi, what living and working here has taught me, and the unexpected ways this secondment has changed how I see myself.

I also go on a little rant about something I've been thinking about for a while: Why do some Africans leave home looking for a better life, while people from elsewhere are looking at Africa and seeing opportunity?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with leaving home to study, build a career, gain experience or create a better life. But what happens when everyone leaves? Who comes back to build? Who invests in our communities, businesses and institutions? And what are we missing when we don't see the opportunities that others are already seeing?

For me, this isn't about shaming anyone for leaving. It's about asking whether we can eventually bring what we've learned back home and become part of building the places we came from.

And then there's the more personal part of the episode.

I'm in that strange space where I've finally received something I prayed for, yet I'm still feeling unsettled. I'm learning what it means to live alone, enjoy my own company, confront my imposter syndrome and rediscover parts of myself I didn't even realize I'd lost.

Nairobi has been a chapter of growth, transition and unexpected discovery.

And now, I'm getting ready for the next chapter.

My Nairobi chapter is closing. South Africa is next.

Until then, I'm signing off with love from Nairobi. ❤️

What if the thing you thought wasn't happening was actually just taking a completely different route?

For years, I wanted to move to Africa.

It started with South Africa. I first visited in 2012, returned again in 2021, and each time, that little voice in the back of my mind kept saying, I could live here.

I tried to make it happen. I applied for jobs in South Africa. Nothing. No interviews. Sometimes not even an automated email acknowledging my application. Just silence.

Then Kenya entered the picture.

I started looking at opportunities in East Africa, but again, nothing seemed to be happening. Life took me in completely different directions, including marriage, the UK, Ghana, divorce, and eventually a move back home.

And somewhere along the way, I began to understand that perhaps the dream wasn't dead. Perhaps the route was simply different.

Fast-forward to 2026, and I'm now sitting in Kenya on a regional secondment that I didn't see coming. I applied for a role focused on Southern Africa and somehow ended up with something even bigger: a regional role spanning Africa.

South Africa. Kenya. Nigeria. Africa.

The story I thought I was writing was nowhere near the story God was actually writing.

In this episode, I talk about the long road to my secondment, the dreams that seemed to go nowhere, the doors that stayed firmly shut, and what I've learned about waiting when you desperately want something to happen.

And maybe this isn't just about careers.

Maybe there's something you've been praying for, hoping for, or quietly carrying in your heart that seems completely impossible right now.

Maybe the silence doesn't mean it's over.

Maybe the timing is simply not yours yet.

Because sometimes you ask for one country and God gives you a continent.

Welcome to Season 2 of SEASONED.

Where grown women tell the truth.

Chapter 44 wasn't supposed to look like this.

I didn't have a big birthday plan. I thought I'd celebrate quietly in Ghana with family. Then Nairobi happened, and suddenly I found myself celebrating another year of life in a new country, surrounded by people I had only recently met.

And somehow, it turned out to be exactly what I needed.

In this episode, I reflect on the unexpected blessings of my 44th birthday, the people who showed up for me, and the reminder that sometimes the plans we make for ourselves aren't necessarily the plans God has already prepared.

But this episode is about more than birthdays.

I'm talking about what happens when you finally stop being afraid to say what you want.

I've spent plenty of time being coy, speaking in parables, beating around the bush and worrying about how someone might interpret what I'm saying. At 44, I'm asking myself: what if I simply tell people what I want and let the chips fall where they may?

I'm also reflecting on taking my health seriously, navigating some difficult reproductive realities, and learning to focus on what is actually in front of me instead of allowing fear about the future to consume the present.

And when it comes to love? I'm throwing the timeline out the window.

No "I need a boyfriend by this age."
 No "I need to be married by this date."
 No forcing something because the clock says I should.

Maybe I can simply meet someone, build a friendship, enjoy getting to know them and see where it goes.

Chapter 44 is about choosing honesty over performance, presence over pressure, and gratitude for the life that's unfolding right now.

Because sometimes you don't need to know exactly what's next.

You just need to be brave enough to say what you want.

Two years ago I thought my life was over.

My marriage had ended. I couldn't see a way forward. I had no idea that God was quietly writing a completely different chapter.

Fast forward to today...

I'm recording this episode from Nairobi, Kenya.

In this episode, I share why Season 2 was delayed, how an unexpected career opportunity brought me here, and why sometimes the biggest blessings arrive disguised as heartbreak.

I also open up about recent reproductive health challenges, learning that time isn't always as unlimited as we think, and why having a Plan B isn't a lack of faith. It's wisdom.

As I celebrate my birthday in a new country, away from family for the first time, I'm reflecting on what it means to trust God when you can't yet see the whole picture.

If you're in a season where life feels uncertain, painful, or completely different from what you imagined, this conversation is for you.

Sometimes the story isn't falling apart.

Sometimes it's finally coming together.

🎙️ Welcome to Season 2 of SEASONED

If I waited for the 'perfect time,' we would still be sitting in silence.

We have officially made it to the season finale of SEASONED! In Episode 10, I am taking off the producer hat for a moment to sit down, pour a glass, and have a heart-to-heart with the incredible community that has held me down through this entire journey.

To wrap up Season 1, I’m pulling back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes reality of making this show. I’m answering the question I get asked all the time: Why now? Why did I finally choose this exact moment to speak my truth after years of waiting? > I also share a little secret about my creative process: why I strictly refuse to listen to my own episodes until after they are live in the world. For me, it was the only way to protect the raw, unfiltered authenticity you hear in every single story.

This season hasn't just been a podcast; it has been a literal therapy session for my soul. I’m sharing the massive, unexpected discoveries I made about my own life, my marriage ending, my identity, and my capacity for resilience while recording these chapters.

Inside this episode: 🙏🏾 A Massive Thank You: Honouring the listeners and the community that made this dream a reality. 🌀 The Recap: Revisiting the highs, the lows, and the breakthroughs of the past 9 episodes. 👀 The Blueprint for Season 2: A sneak peek into where we are heading next, the evolution of my "Soft Girl Era," and how the vision is expanding.

🗣️ I want to hear from YOU! Season 2 is for us, by us. Slide into my DMs or leave a comment with the topics, questions, and guest ideas you want me to tackle next season.

Thank you for a beautiful first season, sisters. Hit play, subscribe, and let’s toast to new beginnings. 

Let's be completely real: dating in this era feels like navigating a literal war zone under extreme conditions. Between the exhaustion of endless modern dating trends and the reality that men—regardless of their age—just seem completely clueless, it’s enough to make any woman want to throw in the towel.

In Episode 9 of SEASONED, we are pulling back the curtain on dating after divorce. I’m breaking down the frustrating realities of getting back out there, but also tackling a huge misconception that keeps so many women stuck: the idea that we are just supposed to sit back and wait for God to drop a husband at our doorstep. Truth is? God doesn't assign husbands. He gives us the wisdom and discernment to make the right choices.

I’m getting vulnerable about what I’m looking for this time around, why I’m fiercely protecting my peace by slowing things down, and yes... I might even dish a little bit about having a current crush (but don't get excited, it's just a crush!).

If you are tired of the games, ready to step into your "Soft Girl Era" on your own terms, and need a heavy dose of discernment, this episode is for you. Grab your tea, sis. We need to talk.