On today’s episode, I am just so excited to introduce you all to one truly amazing woman who will both educate and inspire you. Keisha Shields is an executive and leadership adviser who shows women how to finally let go of other people's expectations of what their life should be and how to show up authentically in every way, with zero apologies. She specializes in how stigmas, stereotypes, grief and trauma can keep high-achieving women from using their voice to build the legacy, success and wealth they want, on their terms. One reason that Keisha is such a huge success in her business is that, as the wife of someone who has been sentenced to life in prison, she knows all about stigmas and stereotypes, and, more importantly, exactly how to move beyond them to show up authentically.
Keisha begins our conversation by sharing her backstory, the stigmas and stereotypes she felt, the physical and emotional impact of her fear of having her story discovered, and her reasons for deciding to stay with her husband. She describes the two different worlds in which she found herself, her approach to friendships both then and now, and the transition she made to showing up as her true self. Together, we discuss the stories we make up about how others see us, and Keisha talks about her current business, the traits she displayed as a child that are still with her today, how she’s actually doing these days, and what is next for her. At the conclusion, I share with you my greatest takeaway from this incredibly personal and inspiring conversation, and I encourage you to share yours with me as well. Let’s face it, we all have some aspect about ourselves which we’re hiding for fear of the judgment others may pass upon us. Whatever that aspect is, there’s a very good chance that it is not of the same magnitude as Keisha’s, which makes her story of overcoming stigmas and stereotypes both powerful and inspiring on a whole other level, and one that we all need to hear today.
As always, and especially as we head into September and all that entails, if you feel that you need additional support or just want to chat, please feel free to send me an email at [email protected] or DM me at https://www.instagram.com/kellythealth/ or join my free FB group The Goal-Getter’s Club at https://www.facebook.com/groups/goalgettersclubkellythealth/
The Finer Details of This Episode:
- Keisha’s backstory
- The stigma and stereotype of being a partner of someone who’s in the penal system
- The physical and emotional impact of her fear of people finding out about her husband’s situation
- Her decision to stay with someone with a life sentence without the possibility of parole
- Keisha’s two separate worlds
- Her approach to friendships
- Her transition to showing up in her true, authentic self
- Making up stories about how people see us
- Keisha’s business
- Her childhood traits that are still with her today
- How she’s doing right now and what’s next for her
- What Kelly learned from this conversation
Quotes:
“There was this huge stigma about, you know, having somebody who’s in prison, and what that means.”
“I started to really get curious about how stigmas and stereotypes really played a role, and who showed up at the forefront and who did not.”
“Aside from being Black, I break every other stereotype that they have had about what that looked like, and it makes me smile because, like it just challenges…the assumptions that people make.”
“The fact that he was in prison wasn’t actually the problem…it was the fact that my husband had a life sentence…as a teenager.”
“I was having to hide all of who I truly was.”
“You realize that you shine the best when you are able to truly be, you know, who you are.”
“We bury ourselves under stigmas because of the potential repercussions that can happen.”
“For…12 years, I created this monster in my of what people were going to say…I self-sabotaged.”
“People who have known me all my life would be surprised to hear this interview.”
“I live my life now by my own expectations, and that feels really good for me.”
“You have to feel very secure, hot, fabulous and when you do that, like, everything will change and you’ll be rock-solid and nothing anybody tries to do to take away from that will actually, you know, unground you.”
“When we see people who certainly have a situation that there is a stigma around, when we see them overcome that and own it, it’s so powerful and inspiring.”
Show Links:
Have you joined my free Facebook community - The Goal-Getter’s Club? Join here
Keisha’s homepage
Keisha’s podcast
