Single Mom Tribe

This week on the Single Mom Tribe podcast, we get to know Angela of Accomplished Self, a Transitional Strategist, helping to guide others through life after loss and what that might look like...

Having lost her mother in a tragic accident just six days after being accepted into college, her 'worst case scenario' takes a sudden shift and she is met with an unbearable grief. Although she pushes on to pursues her degree, she uses her studies as a way to distract her from the pain. After seeking therapy and reemerging from this period of mourning, she begins to focus on what life could look like after such a sudden loss.

Seeing as her focus in psychology was directly tied to her relationship with her mother, Angela decided to take on a double major in sociology - creating a new path that was specific to her personal interest in the functioning of human society. Distancing herself just enough from a degree that felt deeply rooted in her mother, and opening herself up to redefining her WHY for attending college in the first place.

Angela's why shifted from something that was rooted in a relationship outside of herself to one that she valued on a soul-level. And while, we are often conditioned to believe that focusing solely on yourself is selfish, Angela believes that restructuring your WHY to encompass your personal morals, values, vision and purpose will be the driving force to accomplishing your goals.

Beyond overcoming limiting beliefs and self-identifiers that are holding you back from redefining your future, Angela dives into codependency and how we as single parents can implement strategies self-regulating techniques to empower our children to take control over their actions and emotions. Being intentional with the seeds that we plant in our child's mind can reinforce your child's confidence in their ability to things on their own, with you there to support and guide them should they need it.

This episode is filled with so much insight on grief and healing, major life changes that can really throw us off the path we once knew, permitting yourself to once again seek a fulfilling life after loss, the importance of consideration and curiosity, because there will always be other possibilities available to you, just believe.

Growth can be scary, even painful, but what's worse? Being open and putting in the work to see what is possible, or never giving yourself the opportunity to live the life that you truly deserve, the choice is yours, you decide!

To connect with Angela and the strategies that she shares about transitioning through life's greatest changes - Follow her on Instagram & Facebook: @accomplishedself

Resources - Books Mentioned During this Episode:
>> Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser
>> Motherless Daughters by Hope Edelman

This week on the Single Mom Tribe, we meet Tina Dierna, Transformational Weight-loss Coach - She shares her story of divorce, weight-loss, single-motherhood and slaying self-doubt. She believes in living life to the fullest and the recent fetes that she has overcome in life have led her to take on the persona, Mom Overboard!

As her marriage deteriorated, she decided to shift her focus from everything that she's does wrong to everything that she is capable of... which led her to purchase her first home, lose over 115 pounds to transform her body and her life, launch her own coaching program to help other women do the same, and book a 6-week Spanish immersion program for herself and to daughter in order to better serve both overseas and in her home community.

Some call her a dreamer, some an over-achiever, but she doesn't have space in her head for the naysayers, she is a nay-slayer and she is busy building the life of her dreams, teaching her daughter that she too is capable of achieving anything she desires, and leaving behind a legacy for generations to come.

Her weight-loss journey helped her to rediscover all the things that she once enjoyed doing in life, that she could once again do and share with those she loves most. Her mind became a vision board of all the things she wanted, she set attainable goals and gets them done - she is still striving for more!

Tina lives her life to the fullest, and she wants you to know that you can too - Single Mothers don't need to be bound by the limitations of societal beliefs and the noise of the naysayers - Become a nay-slayer, be willing to put in the work, find what brings you joy and do it!

To learn more about Tina's Weight-loss Journey and Discover all the Tip she shares along the way, follow her on Instagram: @mom.overboard

Website / Blog: https://www.twlcoachtina.com/

Facebook: Tina Dierna FB Group: Transfomational Weightloss Support

In a very special two-part episode, we are diving a bit more deeply into Karen Stanley's story, and this week we get to meet her husband, John...

I have always wanted to hear from the other side, man that fell in love with the single-mom, the man that loved her, despite the weight of the baggage she believed she was carrying, the man that accepted this woman and her children as a packaged deal, and saw the whole package as a blessing!

That is a true story of hope for any woman journeying through life as a single mother, and it's a story I am so honored to be able to share.

This week we hear John's story - The loneliness he experienced after his first marriage fell apart, the work he did on himself to try and work through his own personal traumas, and the prayer he recited on the night that he decided he was ready for love.

John takes us through his first and second date with Karen, and when he knew she was 'The One' - Discovering that the true gift of real love is having a helpmate, someone that will help you in everyday life, but who is also strong and empathetic enough to walk with you through the healing of past traumas together.

As they blended their lives and their families, John wanted to give her children everything he never had as a child; proving to them that he will always honor and protect their mother. While also showing them that while he was not going to replace their father, he wanted to me a strong role model in their life, providing them with safety, peace and a sense of security. Stepping in to a powerful role in their lives and changing their family for the better, you'll see...

So if you're a Single Parent, and you've grown weary and nearly lost all hope of every finding love in a life partner, John and Karen want to tell you 'DON'T GIVE UP!' - If it is possible for one of us, it is possible for all of us! This week's episode is sure to deliver a dose of HOPE that many of us need, and a few tears may be shed along the way... Keep believing, your blessings are surely to arrive!

Keep in Touch with Karen at: https://mrskarenstanley.com/
- or -
Follow her on Instagram: @officialmrskarenstanley

Becoming Mrs. Stanley is the Single Mom's Guide to Attracting Mr. Right, and in Karen's story that was Mr. Stanley, in her book Karen shares the strategies that she used to become the woman that she would want to date in order to attract the man she wanted to date.
Karen began to look at partners of her past as Teachers, realizing that each of them came in to her life and made his exit with a lesson for her to learn, and as she identified each lesson, she came to the realization that each one was leading her closer to her ideal partner.
In her book, Becoming Mrs. Stanley, Karen shares her seventeen-month journey that ultimately led to the day she accepted an invitation to her last, first date! And how the strategies that she used shifted her energy to become her Best Version self, and as she shifted, so did the way in which one man saw her, a man that had already been in her life through a business connection, but now he was seeing her differently, he was seeing her in all her glory, because she finally stepped into her power, knew her worth, and truly believed that she was capable of having the love that she desired.
The catalyst to this confidence was her Best Friend's Wedding, when she saw her say I do, to a man that adored her. She too had been a single mom, and with unshakable certainty she knew in her heart that a second chance at love was possible. So as Karen listened to the Father of the groom share his testament to ever-deepening love, Karen began to believe that, good men, men that desire real love do exist, and if it was possible for one woman to find her ideal-partner, it is possible for all women, should they so desire.
From that day on Karen's life started to change, she was becoming the women that she wanted to attract, she wanted a man that would love and interact with her kids, so she stopped waiting and began getting out and throwing the football with her son, she was no longer waiting on a man to throw the ball. She began visualizing the things they would do together, creating physical space for him in her life and with each lesson, her Soulmate list became a bit more descriptive as she became more clear about what she did and did-not want in her partner.
And in the span of 17-Months, that man came into her life, and soon thereafter, Karen became Mrs. Stanley! She now shares her strategies with women and single-mothers in her book and through her weekly blog, offering incredible resources to help all of us embody our own inner Boss!

To check out Karen's work, visit her website: https://mrskarenstanley.com/

Or follow Her on Instagram: @officialmrskarenstanley

Carisa Montooth is a 6th Generation Energy Healer and New Age Love Coach, she could wow us with her degrees in psychology and counseling. She could tell us all about her advanced certifications in the most amazing and scientifically supported energy work on the planet; she could tell us how she comes from a family of healers; going back decades... or She could simply tell us all about what she does, which is exactly what we get on this week's episode of the Single Mom Tribe!

Carisa sets the stage to help us to get out of our own way and call in the most authentic, juicy, sexy, soulful, adoring, committed, generous, loving, and stand the test of time relationship. Because she believes that we should never settle for anything less than everything we want in our romantic lives.

Carisa has gifted our listeners with a Free Tutorial on the 5 Most Common Side-Effects of Heartache and How to Heal Them... To get Your FREE copy of Her e-book, visit: https://theheartachecure.com/

You can follow along with all the Carisa has to offer at: http://carisamontooth.com/

Find Her on Instagram: @carisalovehealer

And geek out on her incredible teaching on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgd-8At-80plT8UHS3ry0A

Michelle Bowen is a parent empowerment coach, entrepreneur and mother to a child who she gave birth to during the early stages of her awakening. The only way for Michelle to continue to further expand in her awakening was to utilize her relationship with her child.

Your Child is Your Guide was birthed from her own process with her child that brought about an enormous transformation in her own life. In her practice, she specializes in guiding parents to the realization of the divinity of their child and the relationship with them, which initiates a level of accountability that aids in the acceleration of both your healing and actualization.

Michelle learned that her child was her guide, and continues to provide parents with the guidance and applicable practices that allow them to see the same. The courses created by Michelle along with her other offerings show you how to achieve the actualization of the unconditionally loving relationship you seek with your children.

Michelle believes that the relationship you foster between you and your child is up to you regardless of your conditioning. You have all the power to overcome your conditioning and it only costs you the choices you choose to make in each moment. Our children are guiding us to freedom. When we, as parents allow them the freedom to be themselves and to feel freedom in each moment, we unlock the chains that bind us to our own past conditioning and gift ourselves with that same freedom that translates into all other areas of our lives.

To continue following along with Michelle's wonderful teachings you can connect on Instagram at: @yourchildisyourguide

Watch Her tutorials on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQhf52TbY1FRG_Irnmmd3Q

Connect with Her directly: https://www.michellebowencoaching.com/

Shah Granville and her organic, luxury skincare company, Sweet Curly Beauty are both pure radiance from the inside-out. I enjoyed so many aspects of this conversation that I’m finding it hard to put it into words how to summarize all of the magic that was shared in the course of an hour, but I’ll do my best…

Shah does not shy away from the difficult topics of conversation and is very aware of the problems that people of color are facing in our world today. Shah Granville is an actor and producer, born and raised in Los Angeles, she holds a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA, studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and the Sanford Meisner technique in Santa Monica. She holds both film and theatre credits, when she is not on set, she is busy advocating for children’s access to education and women’s empowerment through business literacy with various organizations around the world. Shah is also the founder of Sweet Curly Beauty, a skincare company that focuses on luxury, organic products and reintroducing Black Women into the conversation of skincare, and it is an honor to share her inspiring journey with you today.

Shah is the fourth of five children in her family, she embraces her familial roots, describing it ever so beautifully as a tapestry of heroic women, resilient matriarchs, and mothers rich with spiritual intelligence that fostered their children’s creativity, a heritage holding seventeen generations of ancestral secrets, recognizing motherhood as a gift from God, and I could not agree more. Shah lovingly envisioned her future daughter, with skin the color of the earth and eyes like stars in the night sky; promising to show her where she comes from and teach her just how much she is loved, in hopes that she won’t take long to learn to love herself.

That self-love that Shah describes meant freedom in her own life. Her journey to self-discovery has helped her to identify her values, the meaning of both her yes and her no, and the importance of self-care, beyond the surface of her skin; she focuses on being lit from within and radiating that light out in to the world. Shah believes that every woman should see herself when considering aspirational beauty, and through Sweet Curly Beauty, she is opening up the conversation of skincare to black women. It is no longer a ‘thank you for the invite’, rather black women have a seat at the table, and they should be the center of their Universe, and the Heroine of their story; Sweet Curly is that portal, the return to self.

Shah identifies where the work can be done in order to better our world; adults need to be intentional in dismantling their own biases and decolonizing their bookshelves, systems of education and community funding. However, our children can be the generations of change through better exposure to diversity, as we amplify melanated voices and create value around people of color in business and communities, children will be able to grow up without having to overcompensate for this current state of lack. This is why a huge part of the vision for Sweet Curly Beauty, is to give back to our communities, because Sweet Curly cares; not only does she intend to be a household name, but one that creates a culture of mindfulness and self-love.

Lastly, Shah reminds us to prioritize ourselves in order to reclaim our freedom, as women we play many roles in this world; it is important that we always keep a portion of our truest self with us in our back pocket, to know that she is there supporting us no matter what role we are playing in life.

To follow along with Sweet Curly, you can find her on Instagram @sweetcurlybeauty – or – online at www.sweetcurly.com Shah has generously gifted all of our listeners with 20% off their entire purchase, using code: TRIBE20 at checkout. Sweet Curly Beauty products are also available on www.post21shop.com

Trina Johnson is a Co-Founder of Blue Forest Farms and BFF Hemp, and she too is a Single Mom; she took the time to sit down with us and have a very transparent conversation surrounding many of the issues at play today. Trina broke into the Cannabis industry, as it was emerging becoming legalized, as a Colorado native it made sense; she saw this as a one and a lifetime opportunity to pave the way in world change. Cannabis has a very dark history and many people (of color) are still behind bars for their relationship to the plant, embodying an undeniably powerful energy and an abundance of healing properties, Blue Forest Farms has built their business structure around inclusivity. Trina believes that Hemp is the answer, and it will influence every industry out there and benefit the ways in which we live.

As both a woman in business, and the mother of three Jamaican-American children, Trina has witnessed firsthand the roles that white-privilege has played in her life and the ways in which she can strive to make a difference in identifying and dismantling systemic-racism for her children, her company and her community. Trina does not shy away from the difficult conversation, and brings awareness to what most (white) people wouldn’t dare acknowledge as privilege. She bravely opened up to me about that awkward moments, which I too have experienced, when strangers assume that your child is adopted or you’re the hired help. Touching on raising black children in a white world, and ways in which she has supported her children in embracing the totality of who they are.

Trina opens up about her divorce, the importance of understanding your love language and her excitement surrounding her second GO at life and love. She is a firm believer that we are here to create a life worth living, she trusts in the power of surrender, knowing full and well that she doesn’t need to force her way through anything, because she in fact, is guided and supported in every situation. Trina teaches her children that it is important that take ownership of your actions and apologize when someone has been hurt, because everyone’s actions are a reflection of themselves and not the person(s) they’re interacting with. When you can remember these lessons in the moment, it leaves room for grace and offers a softness that every situation needs. Trina reminds us that when you choose LOVE, you can’t go wrong!

It was an honor to learn more about Trina and Blue Forest Farms, and she has generously gifted our listeners with a 50% discount on all products from the BFF Hemp retail line; upon checkout, use code: tribe50 to received 50% OFF your entire purchase at bffhemp.com

You can also learn more about the evolution and inclusivity of the farm at blueforestfarms.com

Thank you so much for tuning in with us today, remember you’re right where you are meant to be in this very moment - stay green and be blessed!

The only way to undo racism is to identify and describe it — and dismantle it. Anti-racism is actively taking action, and using our voice to dismantle white supremacy on all platforms; it’s far more than being “not racist”. It is identifying your own white privilege and admitting that you yourself are a part of the problem, it’s saying, “I will call attention to racism when I see it”, because calling things out as they truly are is liberating and it needs to be done.

While I realize that this is a conversation that needs to be had with Black Teachers and Leaders, I also knew that right now the black men and women of this country are exhausted, not only by the treatment they’ve endured for centuries, but by the system that has cheated them time and time again, and the hundreds to thousands of well-meaning white folks wondering what they can do, what it’s like and how they’re feeling. I am dedicated to learning more from the lens of the Black Teachers that are already sharing so much, but I didn’t feel that right now was the time to put myself among the many others begging for podcast content from an already exhausted voice, no matter how powerful the message might be.

I want to serve the black community but not from the place of white martyr or savior, I want to do so authentically and while I believe that it is important to hear more from Black, Indigenous and People of Color, especially those that are walking or have walked the journey of single-motherhood, I didn’t want add to their current state of overwhelm. And, maybe those are just the excuses that I’ve used to justify to myself why I haven’t stepped beyond the comfort level of featuring women I already know… So with that I decided to reach out to a friend, who although she is a white woman, she is a student of anti-racism, and a very vocal one at that. She studies a black advocate, educator and activist, so I thought she’d would be a good place for me to start, but this will definitely not be the one and only conversation had around this topic on this platform.

As a survivor of sexual, verbal, psychological and emotional abuse, Erica has explored the deeper layers of trauma through the lens of Eating Psychology, 12-Step Recovery and Anti-Racism, all in an effort to discover what “hurt people hurt people” truly means on a cultural, historical and interpersonal level. An extroverted introvert, Erica can usually be found taking a mid-day long drive along the California Coast, accompanied by a great playlist and an even greater desire for truth, connection, sushi and plenty of alone time. She also has a knack for taking everything personally and dancing like everyone is watching.

Being a white woman raising a mixed race child, I’ve constantly struggled, wondering if I am doing enough to help her to embrace both cultures from which she comes, and the truth is I’m not, the truth is I need to do more. With that, I thank you for joining me today to unpack an uncomfortable topic, identifying and learning ways in which I can dismantle my own white privilege in order to better serve my child and our community. I hope you listen in again soon as we continue to hear more from teachers, leaders and mothers, to expand our own stories as single-mothers and recognize what we can do to raise children that are both courageous, compassionate, and eager to build an all-encompassing world. Until next time...


Books:
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1728209803/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1591713685&sr=8-2

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Antiracist-Ibram-Kendi/dp/0525509283/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1591886296&sr=8-2

Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings

https://www.amazon.com/Fearing-Black-Body-Racial-Origins/dp/1479886750/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31JPIRKL8802Z&dchild=1&keywords=fearing+the+black+body&qid=1591888473&sprefix=fearing+the%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-1

This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell

https://www.amazon.com/This-Book-Anti-Racist-lessons-action/dp/0711245215/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1591888733&sr=8-1

Podcasts:
Speaking of Racism

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speaking-of-racism/id1448794346

Follow Erica on IG: @whats_eating_erica_j

Suggested IG Handles to follow:
@ckyourprivilege
@speakingofracism
@rachel.cargle
@moemotivate

Since Shannon's last appearance on the Tribe, she realized she does have a story to share in all that she's overcome. This podcast planted the seeds, and as you sow, so shall you reap. Shannon listened to the calls of her heart, and she is now supporting others in overcoming their obstacles, getting out of their own way, and rediscovering who they are at the core level in order to ignite a more purpose driven life.

Shannon leads all of her clients through a multitude of practices, she's not a one-size-fits-all type of coach, but she never misses the three A's of Self-Acceptance - Today She wants to Gift You with Her Favorite Strategies - You can find Shannon on Instagram @_shannonreynosa - She will Send You Your Very Own Copy!

When you think you've surrendered, surrender some more. Forget what you think you need and honor how you want to feel... May blessings be upon you! - Love & Light -