Self Love Lounge

This episode is from my heart to anyone who know what it’s like to show up fully but still feel unseen. To be misunderstood, mislabeled, and told to make yourself smaller in spaces that were never made for all of you. I see you. I’ve been there too. This episode is about shedding all those survival layers. It’s about choosing peace and power, the kind our ancestors prayed for, even when the world wasn’t ready to handle our full light. It’s about setting boundaries, standing in your truth, and owning your whole self, contradictions and all, without apology. If you’ve ever felt like you’re only partially welcome in your own skin, this episode is your space to come home.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@selflovelounge_ ⁠⁠

You know you’ve crossed over when your life reflects your soul, not your survival. My inner child is screaming/whispering, "omgomgomg," because it's finally happening. Since my teens, I’ve been choosing myself, even when it was hard, even when I didn’t fully know who I was. I kept choosing until it stuck. Now, adulthood isn’t an arrival, it’s a daily becoming. It means no longer abandoning the parts of me once called too much, too sensitive, too bold, too magical, too Black, too brown. I’m not just surviving anymore, I’m finally living as me. This episode is for anyone who hears their younger self whisper, “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@selflovelounge_ ⁠⁠

Sometimes we enter situations knowing they aren’t meant to last forever. We stay because it feels right, or we convince ourselves it’s different this time. But eventually, we realize the only person we needed to be was ourselves. This episode is about breaking up with the versions of ourselves and relationships that no longer align. It's about finding peace in letting go and realizing that true healing comes when we stop performing for spaces that don’t see us. If you’re navigating a similar breakup then this episode is for you.

A little message from your Host, Areena: Hey listeners, I wanted this episode to be my love letter to you. This was a really hard yet freeing experience to navigate, but I’m releasing it as a gift to help align with the New Moon in Taurus, honoring a cycle closing and new beginnings. Love you. Be gentle and let peace flow within you.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@selflovelounge_ ⁠⁠

You are here to explore, to dream, and to peel back the layers of what truly calls to you. Your desires are unfolding, revealing themselves again and again, until you are ready to fully claim them. This episode Sherhara Burrell serves as a reminder that you are the youngest you will ever be, right now. So, what’s the rush? Take your time, trust the journey, and embrace the beautiful process of becoming. The world is waiting, and you have all the time you need to discover what truly lights you up. 

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms. Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@selflovelounge_ ⁠

Guest Speaker - Sherhara Burrell is a keynote speaker, communication coach, and Co-founder of SpeakHaus, a leadership coaching company. With 17 years of experience, she helps leaders communicate confidently and shape organizational culture. She works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups, using storytelling to drive cultural transformation. Known for her signature haircut and expertise on Coming to America, Sherhara is also a newlywed and aspiring comedienne. She's passionate about fostering meaningful connections and creating impactful leadership.

A year later, it’s hard to acknowledge all that we’ve felt, just for it to now be released. The dance between what once was before what is no longer, is now surrendered. When we run at the cost of losing someone or something we know is never going to be true, walking to acceptance is the new light. This episode, to me, is a celebration, not a lesson because we’ve already experienced enough of those in 2024.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

Spiritual awakenings are often romanticized as beautiful, but in reality, they can be overwhelming and full of pain. We often find ourselves seeking, only to realize that what we seek has always resided within us. There comes a time in our healing journey when we are prompted to release everything we’ve sown, allowing our soul to blossom—a process that can only happen in the dark. Allow the dark parts of yourself to be, rather than maintaining a façade you know isn’t true. This episode is for YOU.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

We’ve been taught to fear the dark, but it’s often where we find the truest parts of ourselves. From the safety of our mother’s womb to life’s quiet, reflective spaces, darkness holds a kind of nurturing that’s rarely recognized. Our next guest speaker, lotus and I dive into reclaiming this space and the power of documenting our life for ourselves. Embracing the ebbs and flows, we learn to see the dark not as something to fear but as a space for rebirth. This episode is for those looking to reclaim all parts of their journey, finding power in places that are often left in shadow.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

Guest Speaker - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lotus Laloba is a certified trauma-informed practitioner specializing in EFT, NLP, and Quantum Reiki, dedicated to the belief that true power lies in embracing both light and darkness. As the host of the LOTUSLIKE podcast, she creates sacred spaces for mental and spiritual wellness, particularly for Black creatives. Lotus empowers individuals to cultivate confidence, clarity, and courage by exploring the wisdom in their shadows, guiding them toward self-mastery through dark feminine energy. This December, she will host manifestation parties, offering participants a powerful environment to align their energy, harness their darkness, and manifest their desires with intention and grace.

 Here is Her Morning Ritual for Free: Click Here

📷 Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠Lotus Laloba⁠

When you begin to grow, those around you may either evolve with you or remain where you left them. Choosing for yourself can trigger envy and jealousy from your circles, creating dynamics that seek to keep you in a past version of yourself that no longer exists. Executive Director of 5X, Harpo reminds us to stay grounded in who we are, affirming there’s no right or wrong way to feel safe in truth, it just is. This episode is for those who are reaching for the stars.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

Guest Speaker - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Harpo Mander is a dynamic cultural producer and leader in the South Asian arts scene in British Columbia, Canada. As the Executive Director of 5X, an organization dedicated to young South Asians, she embodies the South Asian identity in Surrey, driven by her tagline, "Building the world I want to live in."

Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Gender Studies from Simon Fraser University and a Master of Arts in Education & Society from McGill University, Harpo’s research focuses on the challenges faced by second-generation Canadians. Since becoming Executive Director in 2023, she has led the 5X Festival to amplify South Asian voices. Recognized as one of Surrey's Top 25 Under 25 in 2021, she is a community builder and thought leader, contributing insights to organizations like the BC Arts Council and media outlets such as CBC Radio.

Additionally, she hosts the podcast "Brown Girl Guilt," which has garnered over 183,000 plays, showcasing her commitment to community empowerment and cultural representation in Canada.

📷 Instagram @⁠Harpodidi

Have you ever found yourself peeling away layers of lies, only to uncover truths that shake the very foundation of who you thought you were? In this special birthday episode of Self Love Lounge, Areena Channels her journey of shedding the lies that once defined her early 20s, revealing the pain and freedom that comes with embracing truth. She dives into the chaos of losing people, dreams, and the life you thought was yours, offering wisdom for those who are struggling to find themselves. Areena encourages listeners to let go of who they were never meant to be, to embrace the courage of living authentically, and to trust that this process will lead to a more fulfilled and joyful life. Whether you're just starting this journey or reflecting on how far you've come, this episode is a reminder that being yourself is always enough.

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

Happy Birthday not to me to us. - Areena Antoine

There comes a time in our journey when our external reality no longer aligns with the truth emerging from our hearts. In those moments, our wounds slow us down, guiding our tears to transform into a soulful breath that welcomes the wisdom within our pain. Breathwork Teacher Krista Reid reminds us that a healing journey may not always be clear, but the distance we’ve traveled illuminates the many candles we blew out as our inner child, reminding us that we are our own medicine. This episode is for those who have come so far—honor yourself. We are so proud of you! Go be you for you!!!

As an energy exchange, please rate, review and write a loving note to host Areena Antoine on Spotify, Apple Podcast and All major Platforms.

Guest Speaker - ⁠⁠⁠⁠Krista Reid is here to help you connect more deeply to your heart through the power of your breath. I’m a lifelong student and certified facilitator of Breathwork, an active self-healing technique that has changed my life. This practice is an effective way to bring greater awareness to our limiting beliefs and emotional/mental blocks and build one’s ability to see the potential beyond the ‘stories’. Breathwork enables us to nourish a stronger relationship with our most confident, intuitive selves and live in greater accordance with nature. We all have the capacity to mend our spirit. With the proper tools, anything is possible.

📷 Instagram @Krista Reid⁠