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What happens when you refuse to let your past determine your future?

In this powerful episode of the Sense Only Podcast, Alicia Mullings sits down with the inspiring Yvonne Michéle — singer, storyteller, author, coach, motivational speaker and advocate for using our voices to create change.

Yvonne shares her deeply personal journey from childhood trauma and years of silence to finding her voice, reclaiming her power and turning her lived experience into a mission to help others heal and grow.

Her story is a reminder that healing isn't always a straight line, that courage doesn't mean the absence of fear, and that our past does not have to dictate our future.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Finding your voice: Why speaking your truth matters, even when fear, shame or family expectations tell you to stay silent.

• Healing from childhood trauma: How unresolved experiences can affect us throughout adulthood, and why our stories deserve to be heard.

• Taking responsibility for your future: The difference between being responsible for what happened to you and taking responsibility for what happens next.

• Doing it scared: Why you don't need to have every answer before you take the first step towards your purpose.

• Breaking cycles of abuse: How silence, learned behaviours and unresolved trauma can affect families and communities across generations.

• Protecting our children and communities: Why safeguarding, compassion, accountability and collective healing matter.

• Self-love and personal growth: Why the relationship you have with yourself is fundamental to how you show up in the world.

• Purpose, faith and legacy: How personal transformation can become a way to support, encourage and serve others.

Yvonne also shares the story behind her book Permission to Speak Granted, her powerful one-woman musical Caught You in a Lie, and her belief that our voices are among the greatest tools we have for change.

One message runs through this entire conversation: you are not defined by what happened to you. You still have a say in what happens next.

This is more than a conversation about overcoming adversity. It's about finding the courage to move, planting the seeds for change and recognising that healing can extend beyond ourselves into our families, our communities and the generations that follow.

ABOUT SENSE ONLY

Greetings and salutations! I'm Alicia Mullings, host of the Sense Only Podcast — a space for those who are tired of the noise, distraction and disconnection in the world, and for those who know that change begins within and is expressed through how we show up, serve and lead in our communities and beyond.

We're here to challenge perspectives, encourage meaningful action and bring people together through conversations that matter.

CONNECT WITH YVONNE MICHÉLE

Website: https://yvonnemichele.com/

Explore Yvonne's work, books, programmes and creative projects through her website.

JOIN THE SENSE ONLY MOVEMENT

If this conversation resonates with you:

👍 Like this episode to help more people discover it.

💬 Comment below: What is one thing you need to find the courage to do scared?

🔔 Subscribe to Sense Only and turn on notifications for more meaningful conversations about personal development, healing, purpose, service and legacy.

📩 Share this episode with someone who may need the reminder that their voice matters.

Change begins within. Let's be the change we want to see in the world.

#SenseOnly #YvonneMichele #HealingFromTrauma

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What if the things that happened to you are not actually who you are?

In this powerful conversation, Alicia Mullings sits down with holistic health practitioner Jacob Modak to explore unresolved trauma, healing, identity, the nervous system, family patterns, boundaries, spirituality and the possibility of transforming what we've lived through.

Jacob's own journey began in adolescence, when he became conscious that something within his home environment was deeply challenging. Rather than simply accepting what he was experiencing, he spent years trying to understand why he felt the way he did — eventually turning that personal journey into professional work helping others navigate unresolved trauma.

One of the central ideas Jacob shares is simple but profound:

Trauma may cover who you are, but it does not become who you are.

Using the analogy of a beautiful statue covered in mud, Jacob explains why the residue of our experiences can sometimes become so dominant that we lose sight of what exists underneath it.

The conversation explores:

• Why unresolved trauma can become part of someone's identity
• The difference between setting a boundary and holding resentment
• Why healing does not mean simply "getting over it"
• How our mental, emotional and physical experiences can be interconnected
• Why understanding can change our relationship with painful memories
• How childhood and generational patterns can shape us
• The importance of having healthy outlets when you're young
• Why some people resist healing even when they know they need it
• How language can influence the way we understand ourselves
• Why you cannot heal trauma from the same perspective in which you experienced it
• The connection between self-perception, self-expression and daily behaviour
• What it means to "love from a safe distance"
• How Jacob transformed his relationship with the word "business"
• Why healing can become a journey from pain towards purpose
• And, most importantly, why Jacob believes that healing is possible.

Jacob also shares a deeply personal account of his relationship with his parents and how years of difficult family patterns eventually gave way to sobriety, accountability, compassion, forgiveness and healthier relationships.

This isn't a conversation about pretending difficult things didn't happen.

It's about asking:

What if what happened to you isn't the truth of who you are?

And if it isn't…

Who are you beneath it?

🎙️ Welcome to the Sense Only Podcast.

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who may need to hear it.

Find Jacob:
JacobModak.com

#SenseOnly #JacobModak #TraumaHealing #HealingJourney #PersonalDevelopment #SelfAwareness #MentalHealth #HolisticHealth #Healing #Trauma

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What happens when we stop looking outside ourselves — and start asking what needs to change within us?

In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, Alicia Mullings sits down with Leo Muhammad known to many through the legendary British sketch show *The Real McCoy* to explore identity, Black unity, self-repair, history, education, Africa, imagination, comedy, service and legacy.

Leo reflects on his journey from stand-up comedy to *The Real McCoy*, the creation of Mr Fraser, his philosophy of “edutainment” and why he believes comedy can make people laugh while making them think.

The conversation then goes much deeper.

We talk about what it means to know who you are, the importance of learning from our elders, the role of education and knowledge, the power of unity, returning to Africa, building for ourselves, and the responsibility each of us has to contribute something meaningful.

Leo argues that:

**“That process of reparations begins with self-repair.”**

We also explore what self-repair actually means, why he believes knowledge, wisdom, understanding and unity are essential, and why he lives by a simple philosophy:

**Leave people a little better than when you found them.**

This conversation is not about giving you every answer.

It's about asking better questions.

Who are we?

What have we been taught?

What do we need to repair?

What are we building?

And what will we leave behind?

Watch, listen and tell us what stayed with you.

---

### CHAPTERS

00:00 — Leo Muhammad: Finding His Voice
03:41 — From Leo X Chester to Leo Muhammad
08:32 — What Makes Us Proud?
10:14 — Africa, Elders & Generational Wisdom
13:35 — The Power of Black Unity
15:35 — Beyond Labels: What Unites Us?
18:56 — “If I Change, You Change, The World Changes”
21:21 — Reclaiming Our Education
23:04 — Re-Education & Becoming a Student
26:34 — Humility, Growth & Unity
30:21 — Marcus Garvey & Leo’s Awakening
34:24 — Why Struggle Is Part of the Process
35:01 — “Anything You Can Conceive…”
37:38 — Preparing for an Uncertain Future
38:46 — Security, Unity & Building for Ourselves
40:44 — Empire, History & Power
43:45 — Who Are We? Identity & Civilization
45:28 — Envy, Jealousy & Human Behaviour
49:57 — “We Don’t Die, We Multiply”
53:16 — Difference, Unity & The Bigger Picture
58:31 — What Can We Actually Control?
1:02:49 — How The Real McCoy Began
1:05:13 — Finding His Voice Through Comedy
1:08:04 — Writing With Purpose
1:14:34 — Creating Mr Fraser
1:15:58 — The Real McCoy & Leo’s Public Life
1:19:20 — Why Did The Real McCoy End?
1:22:59 — Black Men, Identity & “Staying Small”
1:25:18 — The Messages We Are Sold
1:26:36 — Music, Culture & Who Controls The Narrative?
1:27:43 — Building Our Own & “Doing For Self”
1:31:00 — A Changing World
1:33:19 — Africa As A Place Of Possibility
1:34:14 — “The Continent Is A Blank Canvas”
1:35:10 — Coming Home & Telling The Truth
1:37:10 — Black Consciousness & Identity
1:39:30 — Relationships, Identity & Community
1:40:43 — White Supremacy & Black Inferiority
1:43:08 — “Knowledge Is Power”
1:44:09 — Debt, Consumption & Modern Slavery
1:45:10 — Community, Loyalty & Betrayal
1:47:49 — The Race We’re Running
1:49:19 — Black Excellence & The Even Playing Field
1:50:18 — Surveillance & Power
1:54:20 — Image A Nation & The Power Of Imagination
1:57:07 — Final Words

---

## THE QUESTION FOR YOU

Leo said:

**“That process of reparations begins with self-repair.”**

What does **self-repair** mean to you?

Personally. Professionally. Collectively.

Tell us in the comments.

---

## CONNECT WITH SENSE ONLY

Subscribe for conversations with thinkers and builders who care about purpose, service, community and legacy.

This is Sense Only.

A space for those who are tired of the noise, distraction and disconnection in the world — and who know that change begins within, and is expressed through how we show up, serve and lead.

---

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#SenseOnly #LeoMuhammad #BlackUnity #SelfRepair #BlackIdentity #TheRealMcCoy #BlackHistory #AfricanDiaspora #BlackBritish #Legacy #AliciaMullings

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One year ago, on my birthday, I launched the Sense Only Podcast.

I had no idea what would happen next.

I simply knew that I had a calling to do something, and I knew I had to stop hiding.

One year later, I’m sitting here reflecting on a journey that has taken me further than I could ever have imagined.

From travelling to Atlanta and New York to interview incredible people, to the many unexpected YESes, to opportunities I never thought would come my way, this year has taught me something powerful:

Sometimes the biggest thing standing between you and what you want isn't rejection.

It’s your assumption that you’ll be rejected.

This episode is a personal reflection on my first year of Sense Only — the people who said yes, the conversations that changed lives, the moments of divine alignment, the lessons, the nerves, the growth, the people who believed in me, and the woman I am becoming through this work.

I also reflect on the moment I realised that Sense Only had become bigger than me.

From the messages following my conversation with my uncle Leroy about Black men's mental health and suicide, to the response to my conversation with Kate, I began to see that these conversations weren't simply episodes.

They were creating change.

And that is what means the most to me.

This year has also pushed me far beyond the private person I once was. I've travelled internationally, approached people I admire, built teams, started producing documentaries, created new projects and learned to step into my calling with much more courage.

I've learned:

• You don't ask, you don't get.
• Sometimes you have to stop getting in your own way.
• Being of service matters.
• The right people will show up.
• Your network can be more powerful than you realise.
• You cannot allow people who don't know you to dictate the life you're meant to live.
• And sometimes you simply have to begin.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that we all have the power to make a difference.

So as Sense Only turns one, this isn't the end.

We're only just getting started.

Thank you to everyone who has watched, listened, shared, commented, supported, appeared on the podcast, opened a door, said YES, believed in the vision or simply sent a message.

And a very special thank you to my big cousin Derrick, aka Flash, for believing in me from the very beginning and helping me build the space in which so many of these conversations have taken place.

Thank you.

Here's to year one.

And here's to everything still to come.

Stay blessed.

Alicia Mullings

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
00:42 One year of Sense Only
01:30 The power of YES
02:40 When Sense Only became bigger than me
03:30 Uncle Leroy: Black men's mental health & suicide
05:30 The messages that changed everything
06:50 Kate and the impact of the conversation
08:00 The woman I'm becoming
09:00 From private person to travelling the world
10:00 Learning to ask
11:00 Creating again
12:00 Becoming a documentary producer
13:00 The importance of being of service
13:45 The people who helped me get here
14:30 My mentors and accountability partner
15:30 My biggest thank you
16:00 My cousin Derek and believing in the vision
18:00 Why relationships matter
19:00 Overcoming nerves
20:00 Learning to live with the trolls
21:30 If you never ask, you'll never know
22:30 Divine alignment and AJ McQueen
24:00 The vision gets bigger
25:00 Sense Only is becoming more than a podcast
26:00 The course, community and SenseOnly.com
27:00 We all have the power to make a difference
28:00 Sense Only turns one
29:00 We're only just getting started

If this episode speaks to you, please don't keep it to yourself.

SHARE IT.

Subscribe to the Sense Only Podcast and join the conversation.

What would happen if you finally stopped getting in your own way?

#SenseOnly #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Purpose #SelfDevelopment #MakeADifference #Entrepreneurship #BlackPodcast

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What if the connection that changed your life came from the last place you expected?

For David DaCosta, it came from Tinder.

What started as an unexpected conversation on a dating app eventually connected David to the mentor who helped transform his life — taking him from earning around £900 a month as a cameraman to around £8,000 a month within a year.

Today, David has built a huge community around travel, entrepreneurship and personal development, and he joins Alicia Mullings on the Sense Only Podcast for a conversation that goes WAY beyond travel.

We talk about:

✈️ Why David believes travel is “medicine”
💰 The mindset shift that completely changed his relationship with money
📱 How Tinder unexpectedly led him to his mentor
🔥 Why he stopped chasing people who weren't aligned with him
🌍 How travel can challenge stereotypes and change the way we see the world
👨‍👧 Why being present for his daughter is one of the things he's most proud of
🏠 “It doesn't matter who's in the White House, it matters who's in your house”
📈 Entrepreneurship, financial freedom and building a 50,000+ person network
🗣️ The controversial conversation around network marketing and the “pyramid scheme” label
📱 Why David says, “If you're not making money from your smartphone, it's not a smartphone, it's a dumb phone”
❤️ Relationships, emotional intelligence and choosing the right people
🎒 Why sometimes the best way to experience a country is to leave the five-star resort behind
🤝 The power of community especially when travelling solo
🌎 And why Alicia believes we shouldn't allow borders to stop us from experiencing this incredible planet

This is a conversation about travel.

But it's also a conversation about freedom, mindset, money, relationships, community and choosing the life you actually want to live.

David's story is a reminder that sometimes the biggest changes in our lives begin with one unexpected connection, one decision or one willingness to think differently.

If something in this conversation resonates with you, don't just watch it.

Share it with somebody who needs to hear it.

🎙️ Welcome to Sense Only a podcast for people who know that we need to be the change we want to see in the world.

Subscribe, comment and join the conversation.

Where can you find David?
Instagram: @MrGoTravel
Facebook: David DaCosta

#SenseOnly #DavidDaCosta #Travel #Entrepreneurship #Mindset #FinancialFreedom #TravelTheWorld #NetworkMarketing #PersonalDevelopment #TravelIsMedicine

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What happens when you stop running from your gifts and start using them for something greater?

In this episode of Sense Only, I sit down with AJ McQueen for a conversation that goes far beyond music.

AJ is the creator of Godbody Weekend, an intentionally curated experience centred around community, service, wellbeing, opportunity and transformation.

What began as an idea has grown into a movement — one AJ hopes will continue long after he is gone.

In our conversation, AJ opens up about:

✨ Why he believes nothing in life is accidental
 ✨ What it means to live with intention and purpose
 ✨ Why he describes his gifts as something he once tried to run from
 ✨ The sacrifices behind building Godbody Weekend
 ✨ Why community is at the heart of the experience
 ✨ His vision for the Free Food Program
 ✨ Creating spaces for people who feel overlooked or disconnected
 ✨ His journey from politics and community activism into music and philanthropy
 ✨ Being recognised with his own day in Houston
 ✨ Why he wants Godbody Weekend to outlive him
 ✨ And what he hopes someone will say about the experience 20 years from now

AJ describes Godbody Weekend as a place where people can encounter community, friends, opportunity and a world of possibilities they may never have known existed. 

And perhaps one of the most powerful ideas he shares is this:

This is a conversation about purpose, service, courage, community, transformation and using your existence to create something meaningful.

If you're ready to stop simply observing the world and start thinking about how you can become the change you want to see in it, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Listen. Think. Feel. Sense Only.

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What happens when the behaviour we say we don't want is the behaviour we keep rewarding?

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Alicia Mullings sits down with **Stephan Speaks** for a conversation that goes far beyond relationships.

They explore masculinity, modern dating, social media, discipline, accountability, ambition, purpose, vulnerability, faith, healing and the uncomfortable ways our environment can shape the behaviour we eventually complain about.

Stephan challenges us to look beyond the surface.

Why are some men withdrawing from traditional ideas of courtship?

Why aren't conversations in places like the barbershop what they once were?

Are men and women being influenced by what they see rewarded online?

Why can two people face the same temptation but experience completely different levels of difficulty?

Is discipline really just about willpower or are our circumstances shaping us more than we realise?

And what happens when ambitious women struggle to find partners who can genuinely align with their purpose?

Alicia also puts herself in the hot seat, asking Stephan for honest advice about relationships, ambition and what it means to make yourself approachable when you're living a purpose-driven life.

Stephan shares practical advice on giving clearer signals of interest, approaching relationships differently, letting go of unrealistic checklists — and why sometimes you simply need to bring uncertainty to resolution.

But the conversation ultimately goes somewhere deeper.

Healing.

Fear.

Disappointment.

Faith.

And the decision to actually LIVE rather than spend your life trying to protect yourself from getting hurt.

Stephan's message is simple but challenging:

We cannot control everything that happens to us. We cannot guarantee that people won't disappoint us. And we cannot avoid every painful experience.

So perhaps the question isn't:

“How do I avoid getting hurt?”

Perhaps it's:

“How do I live fully anyway?”

This is a conversation about taking responsibility for the culture we create, the behaviour we reward, the choices we make and the life we are brave enough to live.

💭 **What part of this conversation challenged your thinking most?**

Tell us in the comments.

And if this conversation made you think differently about relationships, masculinity, femininity, purpose, discipline or healing, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

---

00:00 — Are We Rewarding the Wrong Behaviour?
01:00 — The Barbershop, Masculinity & Community
03:00 — Why Men's Spaces Have Changed
05:30 — Social Media & The Reward System
08:00 — Are We Rewarding Bad Behaviour?
10:30 — Why Discipline Is Circumstantial
13:00 — Stop Judging People You Don't Understand
15:00 — The Chocolate Analogy: What Discipline Really Means
17:00 — Ambitious Women & Finding the Right Partner
20:00 — The Trade-Offs of Purpose & Relationships
22:00 — Why Some Men Compete With Ambitious Women
24:00 — Where Are The "Regular Guys"?
25:00 — Why High-Achieving Men Value Availability
26:30 — Why Men Aren't Approaching Women Anymore
27:30 — How Women Can Give Clearer Signals
29:00 — Four Ways To Show You're Interested
30:00 — Stop Letting Crushes Drag On
31:00 — Healing, Fear & Actually Living
33:00 — You Can't Avoid Being Hurt
34:00 — Everyone Is Capable Of Disappointing You
35:00 — Don't Let 1% Define The Other 99%
36:00 — Live Your Life To The Fullest
36:30 — Final Thoughts

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🎙️ **ABOUT SENSE ONLY**

Sense Only is a podcast for people who are tired of noise, distraction and disconnection.

We have conversations with people who are questioning the status quo, identifying problems and doing something about them.

Because change begins within and then shows up in how we live, serve, lead and contribute.

If you're ready to think deeper, question more and make sense of the world around you...

**Welcome to Sense Only.**

Subscribe and join the conversation.

---

🎙️ **GUEST**

Stephan Speaks
Relationship & Personal Development Creator

Find Stefan: stephanspeakshop.com

---

⚠️ This conversation contains opinions and perspectives intended to encourage discussion and reflection. You don't have to agree with everything you hear to find something worth thinking about.

#SenseOnly #StephanSpeaks #Relationships

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This isn't just another finance podcast.

It's a conversation about becoming the person capable of changing your family tree

00:00 Where Are The Men?

02:26 Meet Albert Butler

03:45 Why Money Creates Clarity

06:19 Four Generations From Zero

10:57 The Five Muscles of Enterprise

13:19 Looking Yourself In The Mirror

17:22 Why Money Is Just A Tool

20:34 Signal vs Noise

24:08 Purpose Before Profit

26:00 Be The Bamboo

29:40 Your Circle Determines Your Future

34:30 Write Your Dreams Down

37:51 Why Families Sell Their Legacy

45:00 The Biggest Wealth Transfer In History

48:08 Build AI — Don't Just Use It

56:22 Saving Families

1:05:37 Financial Illiteracy Costs Everything

#SenseOnlyPodcast #Legacy #Purpose #GenerationalWealth #Leadership #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #FinancialLiteracy #eyl #earnyourleisure #daveramsey #ramseysolutions #19keys #AliciaLyttle

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Welcome to the Sense Only Podcast.

In this deeply moving and thought-provoking conversation, Alicia Mullings sits down with educator, motivational speaker, community leader and founder of the Young Leaders Academy, Andrew Mohammad.

From growing up without confidence to building leadership academies across the UK and relocating to The Gambia, Andrew shares the experiences, lessons and philosophies that have shaped decades of service to young people and communities.

Together they explore:

✅ Why identity matters

✅ The importance of knowing your history

✅ Leadership through service

✅ Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey's influence

✅ Financial literacy for young people

✅ Why confidence changes everything

✅ Raising the next generation

✅ The role of social media

✅ Community, culture and legacy

This is more than an interview.

It's a conversation about purpose, responsibility and building a future worth leaving behind.

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You've been spraying water on your hair to moisturise it. A cosmetic scientist just explained why that's making it drier.

Coach Klerissa McDonald is the founder of Curly by Nature a hair care brand she formulates entirely from scratch in her Northwest London studio. With 25 years of experience as a stylist, cosmetic scientist and professional formulator, Klerissa has built something rare: a framework that treats your hair as personal, not generic.

In this episode, we go deep on what the hair care industry isn't telling you from why the 4C/4B typing system was created to sell products (not solve problems), to the chemicals sitting on your extension bundles, to why healthy eating and exercise can be a bigger game-changer for your hair than any product on the shelf.

We also talk about something that doesn't get said enough: the psychological damage done to Black women around their hair and why community, education and a proper personal profile matter more than a shelf full of products.

This conversation also gets into Black business ownership, legacy, and what it really means to build something for your community not just for a payout.

In this episode: The Healthy Hair Care Code: 7 principles that will change how you think about your hair. *Why your hair type number (4C, 4A etc.) tells you almost nothing useful * The real science behind why water alone is drying your hair out  *What Black hair education looks like in professional hairdressing, and what's been missing *The chemicals on extension hair and what you should do before installation *Why products alone will never grow your hair, and what will  *Dyke and Dryden: the first Black millionaires in the UK you've probably never heard of *Selling Black businesses: selling out or scaling up?

🛍️ Alicia personally uses and recommends Curly by Nature products. Try: Blessed, Missed Me, Embrace, Hugs & Kisses and use code SENSEONLY for 15% off.

⚠️ Products drop ONCE A MONTH. Join the waitlist so you don't miss it: 🔗 curlybynature.com

🔗 Find Coach Klerissa: Website: curlybynature.com Instagram: @curlybynature YouTube: Curly by Nature

💬 THE SENSE ONLY PODCAST is for those tired of the noise, distraction and disconnection. And for those who know we must be the change. 

Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

📲 Follow Alicia Mullings: Website: senseonly.com

#SenseOnlyPodcast #CurlyByNature #KlerissaMcDonald #AfroHair #NaturalHair #HealthyHair #HealthyHairCare #BlackHair #CurlyHair #HairCare #CosmicScientist #NaturalHairCommunity #HairEducation #4CHair #BlackOwnedBusiness #BlackWomenHair #AfroHairCare #HairGrowth #NaturalHairUK #BlackPodcast