Start Within w/Coach Colette

Coach Colette is switching it up for May— it's Mental Health Awareness Month and that means the start of a new series! Each week, there will be a new mental health topic, and you'll hear tips to build your resilience and improve your mental health and wellbeing. Today, which happens to be National Silence the Shame Day— a day that aims to end the stigma around mental health — we're discussing how to process big life changes. 

Have you experienced a lot of changes in the past year? Focusing on what you can control, finding support from loved ones or those who have experienced similar things, and recognizing your strengths are all important steps in processing big changes. Coach Colette has gone through quite a few changes in her life and has used these techniques, herself, to navigate them. What other mindfulness or wellness practices have worked for you? 

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Have you ever heard of "languishing"? As we reach the end of Stress Awareness Month, in this week's episode, Coach Colette discusses a recent NY Times article by organizational psychologist, Adam Grant. In the article, Grant introduces the term, "languishing", as a possible description of how you might be feeling lately. The idea of languishing— a void between depression and flourishing, or a lack of total wellbeing— has resonated with many, including Coach Colette. She uses this episode to provide some advice for re-centering and gaining a little motivation. It could be physical activities or more mentally-stimulating activities— anything to get your body or mind moving and your soul more grounded. What's your go-to activity to ground yourself when you find yourself languishing? 

Coach Colette gets real with you in this week's Unplugged segment— she acknowledges the way languishing has impacted her professionally, mentally, and emotionally. She's been feeling disconnected from her regular self-care habits and is seeking out new ways to get into that flow state. As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Coach Colette will be introducing a plethora of ideas in the coming weeks to revitalize your own self-care habits. And, if you're in a place where the weather is warming up, why not take some of those practices outside? What self-care practices no longer serve you? How can you reflect on those habits and adjust them to feel your best?

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Did you know that communities of color are drastically more impacted by environmental issues than their white counterparts? As yesterday was Earth Day, Coach Colette uses this week's episode to speak about environmental racism. She discusses the initial definition by Benjamin Chavis in 1982, as well as findings from a 2007 study that show just how unfairly the consequences of environmental pollution are distributed. Flint, Michigan, the lower Rio Grande Valley, and Guiyu, China are just a few examples of the way communities of color face serious health complications as a result of systemic racism and the selfishness and neglect of those in power. 

How are you working to heal from the heaviness of the terrible instances of violence as well as the anxiety and anticipation of the trial? In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette reflects on the guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin's trial earlier this week, and the heart-wrenching news of Ma'Khia Bryant's murder just a half hour before the verdict was released. She considers a statement from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison that differentiates justice from accountability, which lines up with the way she's been processing these events. Coach Colette advises you to allow yourself time to process, grieve, reflect, and heal yourself. 

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Did you know that this week is Black Maternal Health Week?  Black Maternal Health Week was established in 2018 by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and was created to promote education and advocacy around the experiences of Black Mamas. This year's theme is "Black Mamas Matter: Claiming Our Power, Resilience, & Liberation". In this week's episode, Coach Colette refers back to a live Let's Talk episode from March 2020 with Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo and Anthonia Akitunde about Black motherhood (Let's Talk: Black Motherhood). She considers how Black women are particularly vulnerable to both pregnancy-related deaths and complications of COVID-19. Conversations around maternal mortality largely focus on medical causes of death, while ignoring the root cause of racial disparities in healthcare: systemic racism. Be sure to check out the Black Maternal Health Virtual Conference going on today and tomorrow, April 16th-17th. 

This week, another innocent Black person was shot by the police: 20 year-old Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Coach Colette reflects on a Tweet that resonated with her about the ongoing, deadly crisis of police brutality. She encourages you to be mindful of your media consumption during such a difficult time— it is important to step off social media if it is compromising your wellbeing, and be sure not to deny your feelings. How do you practice self-care? Meditation, yoga, EFT-tapping, breathwork? Now, especially, Coach Colette advises you to nourish and take care of yourself. Consider donating to Daunte Wright's memorial fund here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dauntewright.

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

What in your life causes you stress? April is Stress Awareness Month— a little ironic considering the year-long pandemic that's been plaguing us. In this week's episode, Coach Colette advises you to take stock of your stress triggers, and consider how stress manifests in your mind and body. How do you think about a stressful situation? Do you create stories in your mind that amplify your worries? It is important to think back to past stressful experiences and remember how you've gotten through them. What methods do you use to relieve your stress? Do you spend time in nature, journal, use essential oils, or practice EFT-tapping? 

We know that right now, communities of color, in particular, are dealing with many layers of stress, so it's especially important for you to take time for yourself and consider limiting the amount of possibly triggering news and media you consume. In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette discusses her thoughts on preparing for re-opening— going back to in-person co-working spaces, social events, and workshops. As she is still waiting to get her vaccine, she's not quite ready to be "re-opening" her own life and recognizes her privilege in being able to adjust to in-person work at her own pace. How eager are you to go back to in-person work? What are you considering as you make this decision? 

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Did you know that April is National African-American Women's Fitness Month? As today happens to be National Walk to Work Day, Coach Colette uses this episode to illustrate how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our levels of physical activity, and how Black women are particularly vulnerable. She also provides some tips for getting your body moving more. What is your favorite way to get moving? 

In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette reflects on our reliance on Zoom and the internet, as well as how an increasing number of people are getting vaccinated. How are you feeling about moving towards a more "normal", post-pandemic life? What has changed internally for you in the past year? What are you looking forward to getting back to doing, and what have you not missed? What accomplishments have you had and how do you want to build off them? What will you plant and watch bloom this spring?

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

How comfortable are you with being alone? How has the pandemic impacted that comfort level? Today is National Solitude Day. In this week’s Financial Fridays episode, Coach Colette discusses how she’s been experiencing a lot more alone time than usual, due to the pandemic. She reminds you of how beneficial alone time can be for your mental health. Solitude provides you with an opportunity to reflect, ground yourself, think deeply, and be grateful. How can you find a safe space this weekend to be alone, quiet, and reflective?

In this week’s Unplugged segment, Colette acknowledges Tuesday’s tragedy in Colorado, as well as some recent personal and professional setbacks. She describes four of the 7 Attitudes of Mindfulness that she’s come back to often this week— non-striving, acceptance, patience, and letting go.

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

if you're living in the Northern Hemisphere, tomorrow marks the Spring Equinox. Given the challenging times we've had this week, let alone this past year, it can be a good time for self-reflection and consideration. What is it that you hope to accomplish or bring into reality during the rest of the year? It’s also a great time to think about spring cleaning, whether that is de-cluttering your home space, or organizing the files on your computer or phone. How can you let go of those things that are no longer serving you?  

In light of the tragic loss and violence in North Georgia, we stand in grief and solidarity with the Asian-American Pacific Islander communities. In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette shares insights from the nation’s leading coalition documenting and addressing anti-Asian hate and discrimination, Stop AAPI Hate. Did you know that there were 3,795 incidents of anti-Asian hate reported from March 19th, 2020 to February 28th, 2021? Or, that women reported hate incidents twice more than men? The shootings that happened this week shined a light on the increasing violence against Asian-Americans in this country and around the world. How will you choose to challenge hate, discrimination, misogyny, xenophobia, and white supremacy wherever you see it?

To learn more about what you can do to stop hate against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, visit the Stop AAPI Hate website here. To learn more about the on-the-ground activism and organizing within Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the country, visit the Movement Hub website here.

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Tomorrow marks one year since Breonna Taylor was killed in her home. She was an award-winning EMT and first responder in Louisville, Kentucky. On the night of March 13th, the Louisville Metro Police executed a no-knock warrant and sprayed her home with 20 rounds of bullets, shooting Breonna eight times and killing her in her bed. In this episode of Financial Fridays, we share more about actions that still are being demanded of the Mayor and LMPD by her mother Tamika Palmer, one year later. You can visit the Justice for Breonna website here to learn more and visit the petition site here to add your name in support. Spread the word using the hashtags #BreonnaTaylor and #JusticeforBre.

By now, you've probably seen the interview by Oprah of Meghan and Harry. Did you have a visceral reaction while hearing of Meghan's trauma? In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette shares her experience of watching the interview and then explores the concept of misogynoir. It's a term coined by feminist scholar, writer, and activist Moya Bailey in 2008 to describe the specific type of misogyny rooted in racism faced by Black women. She poses questions such as: How can you #ChoosetoChallenge misogynoir and continue the fight to eradicate it? As Black women, how do we continue to process and heal from the impacts of misogynoir? To read more blog articles by Moya Bailey about misogynoir, click here. 

Black Girl Ventures and Kim Crawford Wines have partnered together to support Black and Brown female founders. You can support our Tap with Libbie mental health chatbot venture on the SheRaise platform. Sign up to VOTE for Libbie through March 18th here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!

Monday, March 8th is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It’s also a day that signifies a call to action to accelerate gender parity in all spheres, whether that be in politics, in the workplace, in the media, anywhere. This year's theme is #ChoosetoChallenge -- a signal to call out inequity wherever you see it. In this week's Financial Fridays episode, you'll hear about the important theory of intersectionality, coined by Kimberle Williams Crenshaw in 1989 to describe the impact of bias and discrimination on our social identities.

March marks another milestone. It’s been 1 year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In this week's Unplugged segment, Coach Colette reflects on the year and shares her personal and professional silver linings in the cloud of the pandemic. She also encourages you to reflect by proposing some questions. How have you flexed your resilience muscles? As you look back, it’s an opportunity to harvest those lessons learned and to plant new seeds for what you would like to create and manifest going forward.

If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it on Instagram and follow @coach_colette. Give us a shout-out on TikTok and follow @coach_colette. Tweet your thoughts and follow @Coach_Colette. If you'd like to ask a question or make a topic suggestion, send us a message here. While you’re at it, we’d appreciate a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Tell your friends about the show, and thanks for listening!