For many people, the hardest journey isn't changing their circumstances—it's changing what they believe about themselves.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Anya and Aiyanna Smith open up about identity, healing, overcoming the feeling of never being enough, and discovering who God says they are. They share what they would tell their younger selves, how God has walked them through difficult seasons, and the hope they have for the future.

If you've ever questioned your worth or struggled to believe you're enough, this conversation is for you.

Topics Covered

• Healing from past wounds
• Identity in Christ
• Letting go of the "not enough" mindset
• What they would tell their younger selves
• Where they hope to be in five years
• God's faithfulness through healing and transition

Connect with our guests:

Aiyanna ("Yanna") Smith

📱 404-989-3997

Anya Smith

📧 [email protected]

Welcome to The Journey of You—where testimony becomes transformation, and where your story is your testimony, not your identity.

Hosted by Tonia D. Benas, this podcast is a sacred space designed to help you shift your mindset, elevate your perspective, and step boldly into who God created you to be. Because your story matters. Your journey matters. And how you live the dash between birth and legacy is a testament of His grace at work in you.

Tonia is a transformational coach, author, communicator, and faith-driven leader who guides you through the heart-work and the Holy Spirit–led work of becoming. With honest conversations, spiritual insight, and practical tools, she helps you adjust the lens through which you see your life—so you can see yourself the way God does: loved, called, capable, and full of possibility.

Each episode invites you to reflect, realign, and rediscover the truth of who you are. Whether you’re healing from past wounds, breaking free from labels, navigating transition, or stepping with courage into your calling—this is where the journey of identity unfolds.

Because when you shift your mindset, you shift your life.

You’re invited to walk this path intentionally, faithfully, and authentically.

This is YOUR story. YOUR journey. YOUR life.

Let’s live it on purpose.

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Contact – Tonia D Benas

Mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Introduction — The Journey of You

This brief introduction opens each episode of The Journey of You, a reflective podcast hosted by Tonia D. Benas.

Podcast Outro — The Journey of You

This brief closing message appears at the end of each episode of The Journey of You.

Sometimes the life we carefully planned isn't the life God has prepared for us.

In Part 1 of this special conversation, identical twins Anya and Aiyanna Smith share their journey from growing up in a large family to stepping into a new season of independence. They reflect on the lessons God taught them about love, patience, surrender, fear, and trusting His timing when their plans didn't unfold as expected.

If you're navigating a season of change, this episode is a reminder that God often does His deepest work in the middle of transition.

Topics Covered

• Learning love and patience in a large family
• Moving into a new season of independence
• Letting go of control
• Overcoming fear and anxiety
• The importance of prayer and godly community
• Trusting God's timing

Connect with our guests:

Aiyanna ("Yanna") Smith

📱 404-989-3997

Anya Smith

📧 [email protected]

Welcome to The Journey of You—where testimony becomes transformation, and where your story is your testimony, not your identity.

Hosted by Tonia D. Benas, this podcast is a sacred space designed to help you shift your mindset, elevate your perspective, and step boldly into who God created you to be. Because your story matters. Your journey matters. And how you live the dash between birth and legacy is a testament of His grace at work in you.

Tonia is a transformational coach, author, communicator, and faith-driven leader who guides you through the heart-work and the Holy Spirit–led work of becoming. With honest conversations, spiritual insight, and practical tools, she helps you adjust the lens through which you see your life—so you can see yourself the way God does: loved, called, capable, and full of possibility.

Each episode invites you to reflect, realign, and rediscover the truth of who you are. Whether you’re healing from past wounds, breaking free from labels, navigating transition, or stepping with courage into your calling—this is where the journey of identity unfolds.

Because when you shift your mindset, you shift your life.

You’re invited to walk this path intentionally, faithfully, and authentically.

This is YOUR story. YOUR journey. YOUR life.

Let’s live it on purpose.

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Contact – Tonia D Benas

Mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Outro — The Journey of You

This brief closing message appears at the end of each episode of The Journey of You.

Podcast Introduction — The Journey of You

This brief introduction opens each episode of The Journey of You, a reflective podcast hosted by Tonia D. Benas.

What if the greatest thing holding you back isn't what happened to you—but what you're still carrying?

In this deeply personal episode, Tonia explores the power of letting go of old stories, past disappointments, unmet expectations, and identities that no longer fit. Drawing from her own season of transition, she reflects on the wilderness journeys of Scripture, the danger of looking back like Lot's wife, and the freedom that comes when we release what God is no longer asking us to carry.

Sometimes the heaviest things in our lives are not sins. They are weights.

Old wounds.

Old labels.

Old versions of ourselves.

Old expectations of people, relationships, careers, and outcomes.

Through biblical wisdom and honest reflection, you'll be encouraged to examine what may be occupying space in your heart and discover how letting go creates room for God's new work in your life.

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Hebrews 12:1

• Genesis 19:26

• Exodus 14:13-15

• Philippians 3:13-14

• Isaiah 43:18-19

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why letting go is often harder than holding on

• The difference between honoring a season and remaining attached to it

• What Lot's wife teaches us about looking back

• Why Israel's wilderness journey was a season of transformation

• How old stories can keep us from embracing new identity

• What it means to truly become a new creation in Christ

• Questions to help you identify what God may be asking you to release

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• What am I carrying that God never intended me to carry this long?

• What expectation am I struggling to release?

• What story about myself am I still believing?

• Am I trying to recreate a season that has already ended?

• What new thing might God be preparing me for?

QUOTABLE MOMENT:

"Sometimes the greatest act of faith is not holding on. Sometimes it's letting go."

CONNECT WITH TONIA:

If this episode resonated with you, I would love to continue the conversation with you. Join me on Substack, where I share reflections on faith, identity, alignment, healing, purpose, and becoming.

Continue the Conversation:

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Contact – Tonia D Benas

Never let anyone or anything stop you from blooming. There is something great inside of you that others need. Dare to just be you.

In this episode, I share a quiet reflection on alignment—the kind that doesn’t arrive through striving, but through stillness.

Over the past season, I stepped back, sat more deeply with God, and allowed Him to tend to places within me that had been holding weight for far too long. In the midst of uncertainty, transition, and unanswered questions, I discovered something sacred: alignment isn’t about having everything figured out—it’s about being rooted.

This conversation isn’t a lesson or a checklist.

It’s a testimony of what God can build in us when we stop performing and start trusting.

If you’ve ever felt like you were searching for yourself, hiding behind what felt safe, or learning how to stand firm while everything around you felt unsteady—this reflection is for you.

May it remind you that God is at work in you, even in the quiet.

1. Romans 8:31
2. Psalm 27:1

Wisdom isn’t always loud.

Sometimes it looks like staying rooted while God builds you from the inside out.

Never let anyone or anything stop you from blooming.

There is something great inside of you that others need.

Dare to just be you.

Welcome to The Journey of You—where testimony becomes transformation, and where your story is your testimony, not your identity.

The Journey of You is a reflective podcast hosted by Tonia D. Benas, offering space to slow down, listen, and reconnect with who you are becoming.

Through personal reflection, faith-centered insight, and honest conversation, Tonia explores themes of identity, stillness, healing, and growth — not as lessons to master, but as journeys to walk with intention and grace.

Each episode invites you to consider how your story is shaping you, how God is forming you beneath the surface, and how staying rooted in Him allows you to live with clarity even through transition.

This podcast is for those who are learning to trust the quiet work of God, honor their process, and walk forward with faith — one step at a time.

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Welcome to The Journey of You—where testimony becomes transformation, and where your story is your testimony, not your identity.

Hosted by Tonia D. Benas, this podcast is a sacred space designed to help you shift your mindset, elevate your perspective, and step boldly into who God created you to be. Because your story matters. Your journey matters. And how you live the dash between birth and legacy is a testament of His grace at work in you.

Tonia is a transformational coach, author, communicator, and faith-driven leader who guides you through the heart-work and the Holy Spirit–led work of becoming. With honest conversations, spiritual insight, and practical tools, she helps you adjust the lens through which you see your life—so you can see yourself the way God does: loved, called, capable, and full of possibility.

Each episode invites you to reflect, realign, and rediscover the truth of who you are. Whether you’re healing from past wounds, breaking free from labels, navigating transition, or stepping with courage into your calling—this is where the journey of identity unfolds.

Because when you shift your mindset, you shift your life.

You’re invited to walk this path intentionally, faithfully, and authentically.

This is YOUR story. YOUR journey. YOUR life.

Let’s live it on purpose.

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Contact – Tonia D Benas

Welcome to The Journey of You—where testimony becomes transformation, and where your story is your testimony, not your identity.

Hosted by Tonia D. Benas, this podcast is a sacred space designed to help you shift your mindset, elevate your perspective, and step boldly into who God created you to be. Because your story matters. Your journey matters. And how you live the dash between birth and legacy is a testament of His grace at work in you.

Tonia is a transformational coach, author, communicator, and faith-driven leader who guides you through the heart-work and the Holy Spirit–led work of becoming. With honest conversations, spiritual insight, and practical tools, she helps you adjust the lens through which you see your life—so you can see yourself the way God does: loved, called, capable, and full of possibility.

Each episode invites you to reflect, realign, and rediscover the truth of who you are. Whether you’re healing from past wounds, breaking free from labels, navigating transition, or stepping with courage into your calling—this is where the journey of identity unfolds.

Because when you shift your mindset, you shift your life.

You’re invited to walk this path intentionally, faithfully, and authentically.

This is YOUR story. YOUR journey. YOUR life.

Let’s live it on purpose.

The Journey of You | Tonia D Benas | Substack

Contact – Tonia D Benas

In today’s soul-to-soul episode, I’m speaking directly to the young adults navigating the uncertainty of early adulthood—those standing between where they’ve been and where God is calling them to go. If you’ve ever felt stuck, confused, or unsure of who you are and what your purpose is, this message is for you.

I share how clarity doesn’t always come in a moment—it comes through movement, obedience, and seeking God above all else. You’ll hear personal wisdom from my own journey, scriptures that anchor your identity in truth, and steps to help you walk forward with confidence. You are not lost—you are becoming. And clarity is coming.

Scriptures Mentioned:

• Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”
• 1 Corinthians 14:33 – “God is not the author of confusion…”

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How clarity grows in the midst of movement
• Why confusion is not your identity—peace is
• Practical and spiritual steps to move from stuck to secure
• How to trust God in the becoming
• Why your purpose is not found—it's revealed

Let’s Connect:

If this episode spoke to you, I’d love to hear your story. Reach out on Instagram or message me through my website. You’re not alone on this journey—and I’m here to walk it with you.

Follow + Subscribe:

Be sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes that help you grow in faith, purpose, and identity.

Remember, this YOUR Story, YOUR Journey, YOUR Life.

Tonia D Benas is the founder of The Journey of You. The Journey of You is YOUR Journey. Your path from birth to expiration and the dash in the middle that is totally yours to own! That dash is your story, your journey, along this path of life - and how you spend it matters.

Tonia empowers Christian women to overcome self-limiting beliefs in order to think, act & live their purpose, one mindset shift at a time.

She continually reminds us that our story matters, and that we all have one. How we view that story colors our viewpoint of ourselves and dictates everything that we do or don't do. It's important to notate what lens we are viewing our story through and adjusting that lens if we need to.

If you need help adjusting your lens and viewpoint of your own story, visit Your Story Matters Lead Magnet to begin rewriting your story now!

This is YOUR journey; it's where YOUR life begins! (Life on your terms!)

Tonia D Benas is the founder of The Journey of You. The Journey of You is YOUR Journey. Your path from birth to expiration and the dash in the middle that is totally yours to own! That dash is your story, your journey, along this path of life - and how you spend it matters.

Tonia empowers Christian women to overcome self-limiting beliefs in order to think, act & live their purpose, one mindset shift at a time.

She continually reminds us that our story matters, and that we all have one. How we view that story colors our viewpoint of ourselves and dictates everything that we do or don't do. It's important to notate what lens we are viewing our story through and adjusting that lens if we need to.

If you need help adjusting your lens and viewpoint of your own story, visit Your Story Matters Lead Magnet to begin rewriting your story now!

This is YOUR journey; it's where YOUR life begins! (Life on your terms!)