Latest / Rise and Thrive with Dr. J. Nicole Podcast / Where Are They Now? Life After the Breakthrough | Rise & Thrive Reunion

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Where Are They Now? Life After the Breakthrough | Rise & Thrive Reunion · Rise and Thrive with Dr. J. Nicole Podcast

0:16
There's something so very powerful about pausing long
0:19
enough to reflect not just on where you've been, but on who
0:23
you've become along the way. Welcome to Rise and Thrive for
0:26
Doctor J Nicole, where we rise in faith and thrive in purpose.
0:29
And today's episode is deeply special because it's not just a
0:33
conversation, it's a reflection. Over this past season, we've had
0:37
some powerful voices, meaningful stories, and transformative
0:41
conversations. And today, we're bringing
0:43
together several of those voices to ask a simple question, but a
0:47
very important question. Where are they now?
0:49
What has shifted? What have they outgrown?
0:52
What has challenged them and what may have been revealed?
0:55
Because growth doesn't just happen at the moment.
0:57
It happens in the days, the weeks, and the months after the
1:00
conversation ends. So today, we are leaning into
1:04
that. Now, before we begin, I want to
1:06
invite you into this moment with us.
1:08
This is not about perfection. This is about progress.
1:11
It's also about honoring the journey and recognizing that
1:15
transformation is ongoing. We have several incredible
1:19
guests today that bought so much wisdom, vulnerability and truth
1:24
to this platform. And we're first joined by
1:27
Brittany Livingston. Welcome back to Rise and Thrive.
1:32
Hey, I'm glad to be back. Yeah, just happy to be here.
1:37
Good, Awesome. So attachment, you know, that's
1:40
one of my favorite topics. In case guests don't know who
1:44
you are, maybe didn't catch their catch your episode, tell
1:47
them a little bit about yourself.
1:49
So I'm Brittany Livingston. I'm a licensed clinical social
1:52
worker in both Maryland and DC Currently, I work in a Met.
1:56
However, most of my social work has been in the foster care
2:01
setting, both with unaccompanied minors and with youth in
2:05
traditional foster care here in the District of Columbia.
2:09
And so attachment has really been something that's important
2:12
to me, especially in a foster care setting, because you know
2:15
the importance of making sure that we are creating healthy
2:18
attachments with the children that we encounter.
2:20
However, I do know that attachment, I think this is what
2:23
we talked about last time, you know, attachment shows up in our
2:26
everyday lives, how we show up with our children, how we show
2:30
up with our spouses, how we show up with our parents at work.
2:34
And so that's really what what we focused on last time.
2:36
And so definitely much needed topic.
2:40
So many people reached out to me and was like, hey, that was, you
2:43
know, very, very important. You know, they talked about how
2:47
where they thought that they were as far as attachment was
2:49
concerned, wanted to take the attachment quiz and do some of
2:52
their own personal work as it relates to attachment.
2:56
It just shows up in everyday life.
2:57
So awesome. So that's perfect.
3:01
So people have reached out to you.
3:03
So that means that your episode had a meaningful impact.
3:07
Yeah, yeah, yes, definitely. It was definitely a topic that
3:11
was that was of interest to people, mainly because, you
3:15
know, it just shows up in every, everything that you do, you
3:18
know? Yeah, it's important to pay
3:20
attention to. So you know how you show up and
3:23
you know how you want to make changes to how you show up or
3:25
not make changes to how you show up.
3:26
So definitely important topic. Awesome.
3:30
Well, I would guess, was there anything particularly meaningful
3:34
that came out of it or something that surprised you after being
3:38
on the podcast on Rise and Thrive?
3:43
Well, it surprised me how many people reached out to me to talk
3:46
about their attachment style, how they showed up.
3:50
It to me, it just showed up as an important topic to other
3:53
people. I didn't realize how important
3:55
it was to other people. Although I know it's important
3:57
to me. I know that it, it can be
3:59
helpful to other people to, to pay attention to that was that
4:04
was pretty neat. And then just doing a personal
4:07
reflection, you know, always when, when you just, you know,
4:09
talk about things, it's always a nice idea to have their own
4:13
personal reflection. So just reflecting personally on
4:15
like kind of where I was, where I am, where I wanted to be, you
4:18
know, things. That love that love that.
4:22
Okay, Brittany. Well, thank you so much for
4:25
joining in. It was an absolute pleasure to
4:28
have you be part of season 1 and and look forward to more
4:32
opportunities for us to connect. And thank you for just blessing
4:35
the audience with your presence and your knowledge.
4:38
Before we continue today's conversation, I want to share
4:40
something that has become part of my personal self-care
4:43
routine. I've partnered with Canvas
4:45
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4:48
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4:51
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4:53
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4:56
And if you've been following Rise and Fried, you already know
4:59
caring for yourself is not vanity, it's alignment.
5:01
And if you want to try Canvas beauty for yourself, you can use
5:04
my affiliate link in the show notes and use my code Genie 3
5:09
for a discount at checkout. Now let's get back to you,
5:12
Today's episode. Welcome back to Rise and Thrive.
5:17
Dr. Owen Edwards, please meet my silver and sister in Christ,
5:20
Kamaya Omate. How are you?
5:23
Yeah, so it was such an honor to have both of you featured on
5:27
Season 1 of Rise and Thrive. And so it's, it's wonderful to
5:31
have you all back to just hear about how things have been, what
5:35
you've learned, any unexpected things that came from your
5:40
wisdom, the gems that you dropped while you were here on
5:42
Rise and Thrive. We recorded it early on in the
5:49
year and then mine came out in October.
5:53
Regarding Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
5:55
Doctor Edwards So I had, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in
5:58
2021 and I am thriving. Not just surviving, I'm
6:02
thriving. And so just, you know, first of
6:06
all, my family and friends were awesome.
6:09
So, you know, I forwarded the link and they forward it to
6:12
other people actually. And I've gotten asked to speak
6:16
at a couple engagements. They were kind of short notice
6:18
so I didn't. So I thought that was great, but
6:22
just people forwarding it out to others because that's the whole
6:26
point for breast cancer is to share.
6:28
I people share with me to make my experience as what it was, as
6:33
you know, the best that it could be under the circumstances.
6:35
And I just wanted to share with others and I was able to do that
6:39
through the broadcast. So thank you so much.
6:42
I think it's helpful and, and people still talk about it and
6:46
still share it and was just stating, you know, just the
6:50
openness. That's how I am open regardless.
6:53
And so again, we can learn from each other.
6:56
I did get the opportunity to talk to people and I said that
6:59
during the broadcast, I had talked to a few people and I was
7:02
hoping to talk to a few other people prior to the broadcast
7:05
just about my relationship with them and talking about what they
7:09
meant to me and how they supported me.
7:11
And I was able to do that for quite a few people before the
7:16
broadcast came out. And I was just very just happy
7:20
about that. Things that I felt like I could
7:22
have done better with my relationship with other people
7:26
and just thanking them for their relationship with me.
7:29
So I was able to do that. So, you know, things are going.
7:33
I'm still living, I'm still thriving.
7:35
Every six months I go get tested.
7:37
I'm either a breast MRI or a mammogram.
7:40
I just had one in February. It's always stressful to go
7:43
through that. There's been a couple times, I
7:46
didn't say this last time over the last few years I had to get
7:48
an additional biopsy, but things still have come out good.
7:52
And so it becomes stressful. But I'm almost at that five year
7:55
mark, so which is great. I'm just thankful.
8:00
Yes, thank you, Kamanya. Like the outpouring of support
8:03
and in the comments like your community, they really showed up
8:08
for your episode. And what I love about this is
8:10
that the episode is always out there, so you can continue to
8:15
send it to people. And actually, if we want some
8:19
clips we can get, I can get you some more clips if you want to
8:21
use those at all for anything with future speaking
8:24
engagements. And feel free to always just,
8:26
like, use it, you know, it'll be great.
8:27
However. Yeah.
8:28
Yeah. However you want to use it
8:30
because that's amazing. And God is so good.
8:35
So good. Yes.
8:37
So, Doctor Edwards, how has life been since your episode of Rise
8:42
and Thrive aired? Life has been good and busy so I
8:45
can talk about staying the course.
8:47
So I I think was the end of my interview last time I mentioned
8:51
my LLC, the outstanding one solutions and these days DEI
8:56
diversity, equity and inclusion is a little bit under attack, a
8:59
little bit too under attack for my liking.
9:01
However, a dear mentor of mine sat down with me before I
9:06
graduated actually and said listen, you may need to pivot.
9:10
And if so, that's OK because nobody's sending anyone to an
9:13
early grave and black folks were pretty resistant.
9:16
So I prayed and stayed the of course and said, OK, well, we'll
9:19
see what happens. One day while just working on
9:22
different projects of folks, I received a text message and the
9:26
text message said, hey, oh, do you mind taking a look at this
9:29
training for me? I just want a second set of
9:31
eyes. And I know nobody would do it
9:33
like you. So I said, OK, so before I went
9:36
to bed that evening, I stayed up to about maybe one in the
9:38
morning because certain friends just do things for immediately
9:42
when you can. And I knew that, you know, she
9:44
had other things going on. And this training was she's an
9:50
incredible designer, clothing designer, right?
9:53
You the training for her and sent it back and thought nothing
9:56
of it. And she called and with such a
9:58
heartfelt message and a voice note actually, and said, listen,
10:02
I really appreciate you for doing this for the moment like
10:04
this. And she said, my Mama told me
10:06
not that's your friend. That's So after that I said,
10:09
sure, no problem. Then I got off the phone and I
10:11
said bingo, this might be the next direction for the LLC.
10:15
So I incorporated instructional design principles.
10:18
Little did she know instructional design background
10:21
in my undergrad program at Oakland.
10:23
And so I started that and my website is just about done with
10:28
the updates. And so that was wonderful.
10:31
The other thing is we talked about faith.
10:36
One thing that I believe in is, you know, like writing the
10:39
vision, making it plain, whatever that looks, come on
10:41
when God. And so I had written a little
10:45
sticky on my mirror and I said one of the things I want to be
10:49
able to do is serve as an adjunct professor.
10:52
I don't want to be full time. The whole published parish, not
10:56
my ministry. OK.
10:57
Yes, I am. OK, so I just had it on my
11:01
mirror on a little sticky and all it said was adjunct faculty
11:04
because the way that my life operates in the way that I am
11:08
connected to God, I do have to be careful with my tongue
11:11
because what I say sometimes comes true, OK.
11:15
And also being mindful of what you let people speak over you.
11:19
All right. And so one day I got a call out
11:23
of the blue. I got did my PhD at Florida
11:25
State University. Fortunately, the individual who
11:29
was supposed to teach a course over the summer last year, his
11:33
mother passed away the near coming.
11:35
So I gave my condolences and I had two days to do the syllabus
11:39
and the reviews that I got back after this 12 week summer
11:43
course. I can say the name of the course
11:45
because this is how God works. So I talked about DEI being
11:48
under attack, then got right back around and said, well,
11:52
you're going to teach black and Latino education history and
11:54
policy, right? And they class online for
11:58
various reasons and it's asynchronous.
12:00
And so I did that to the best of my ability and I did with
12:03
excellence because I'm a product of the program.
12:05
And I thought that I think this class should stay around for a
12:10
year, right? And so did that.
12:13
And guess what happened today? I'm about to wrap up the
12:16
syllabus because I've been invited back to teach the class
12:18
again. I know God, God all the times.
12:26
And what you're talking about, it aligns with the series that
12:29
we're doing at church, actually. Wow, okay, okay, fantastic.
12:33
Yes, So just yes, that and staying the course and there and
12:37
there you have it. Those are a few things that I've
12:39
been up to. That's amazing.
12:42
So have either of you, was there something that either of you
12:47
said in the in your original episode that you had to like,
12:50
live out in a newer or deeper way?
12:52
Because sometimes we have a way of like, holding ourselves
12:55
accountable right through our words.
12:57
Were there any things from your episodes that you're just like,
13:00
I really got to like lock in with that.
13:05
Just trusting God more, you know?
13:07
I was speaking to someone recently about having a job,
13:12
right, and not explaining how working remotely has been a
13:17
blessing. At the end of last year, towards
13:19
the end of last year, I went home to Detroit to take care of
13:23
my 95 year old grandmother and my parents were away on
13:26
vacation, right? Again, I was invited back
13:29
because nobody's going to do it like me.
13:31
And I was able to do that for like 11 days and you know, 95.
13:39
That's a blessing. And just in the, in the natural
13:42
world, we don't know how long any of our loved ones are going
13:45
to be here. So the fact that I was able to
13:47
do that, I said, thank you, Lord.
13:49
And Lord, I want to be able to continue to work remotely
13:51
because no one in the normal job was going to say, where you
13:56
think you've gone for 11 days, sit your tail down and get back
13:59
to this work. You know, And a part of that
14:03
was, you know, hanging in there and obtaining the PhD, earning
14:08
it because it allowed that door to open.
14:10
And so yes, trusting God, because at first I was like,
14:15
wait, am I going to really be able to do this?
14:17
Because at the time, I was teaching the class, another
14:19
class in person. And I say, yeah, You had
14:23
examples of what other professors have had to do in the
14:25
past. We've been through the pandemic
14:27
with many things. So I put that class on Zoom for
14:31
just two classes and came right on back in person.
14:34
And it was like I never left. And.
14:37
At the end of the day, a part of honoring your parents is also
14:41
honoring your grandparents. I'm very blessed.
14:43
Many people don't have grandparents anymore.
14:45
You know, I'm not perfect, but I do my very best.
14:47
I always have to honor parents. That's faith, too, because I
14:54
still continue to have faith that Lord, while I'm away, I'm
14:57
getting back on this plane. You don't still take care of my
14:59
loved ones. I was in Detroit for Christmas,
15:04
and thanks for Christmas and the New Year's, I planned a funeral.
15:08
Within four days. My godmother's father passed
15:10
away. And still, you know, and when
15:13
those things happen, it was expected, But when it happens,
15:16
sometimes your loved ones can't think.
15:18
And I was there always on the laptop.
15:21
Who would have thought? Who would have thought I would
15:23
end up writing the entire obituary and getting it off, you
15:26
know, to the folks to have because the whole thing was we
15:30
knew what's going to happen. We did not know when it was
15:32
going to happen. And then my godmother was like,
15:33
I wouldn't want you to have to fly all the way to Florida and
15:36
then come back. And again, being able to work
15:39
remotely allowed me to be at the Funeral Home, speak up when
15:44
things needed to be said. Only because when folks are hurt
15:47
you, you're just hurt. And so we need somebody who can
15:50
be level headed while still praying at the same time for the
15:53
for the family, you know. And so listen, my mom and my
15:57
godmother have been locked in since 1969.
16:00
This is not some made-up stuff. How do you get a God, a God,
16:04
Grandma? No, no, this she was really my
16:07
God, my forever when I when I was brought home from the
16:10
hospital, I was on her dining room table.
16:11
She was rocking me and making me laugh.
16:13
Who would have thought? Years later, I end up writing
16:15
her obituary. You know, those are just some of
16:18
the things very recently that I have been working on and been
16:22
thankful that guy has been able to make me strong, you know, in
16:27
those moments. And because it was tough, he
16:30
just, you know, writing and and then it also helped the family
16:35
to just be forward thinking moving forward, you know, And so
16:39
yes. Thank you.
16:41
And you mentioned you did and you mentioned how important like
16:45
you know, grandmother's were to you and you talked about that
16:47
wisdom. And so just having to go live
16:51
that and show up for them if they're family, that's hugely
16:54
important. Thank you.
16:56
Come on, you. So, you know, over the past few
16:59
months, I think I talked about just regarding making sure that,
17:03
you know, of course, I'm taking care of myself, that I'm around
17:05
people who are going to uplift me with their words based on,
17:11
again, what we're talking about in church too.
17:13
You know, the power to turn, like you said, Doctor Edwards,
17:16
is so important. It could be used for good as I
17:20
tell the clients we work with, or it could be used for whatever
17:23
else y'all going to do, but you wanted to be used for good and
17:26
for me to surround myself with people like that.
17:29
One thing that I did do is that I'm still working, but I'm
17:33
officially retired for my job. So being in child welfare for 26
17:37
years is a lot. And So what I can work up to
17:40
three more years is called the Deferred Retirement Option
17:42
program. I'm officially retired but I can
17:45
work in my same jobs, have the same benefits up to three years.
17:48
I can leave anytime, but I plan to stay for the three years just
17:50
because I feel like I'm young enough to still stay and get the
17:53
money. That's about the money too.
17:56
I get the money that will be saving my retirement.
17:59
But first of all, it's just a blessing that I could live,
18:02
leave when I want to and then do something because I'll have a
18:06
one child still in college and do something that's less
18:09
stressful. They say when you live leave
18:10
child welfare, you take 10 years off of your face.
18:13
Everybody I see really 10 years come off of them.
18:16
It's I'm excited about that. And so that's a blessing.
18:20
But also just to continue to be around people again, that is
18:24
going to uplift me and not hear, you know, and sometimes you do
18:29
have to hear because sometimes this stuff is true.
18:32
But you know who people are going to tell you who are the
18:34
people who love you, who really wants the best for you.
18:37
And not that anything is perfect, but there's also
18:42
negativity at work, you know, at church, in the streets or
18:45
whatever that that you don't have to be around.
18:49
And so I do appreciate again the lesson that Brother McClure said
18:54
today, talked about today regarding it's the power of the
18:58
tongue and what are you using? It for.
19:00
And just continue to want to uplift others.
19:04
Again, not everything has to be rosy or happy all the time, but
19:08
knowing that you're saying things out of love is more
19:11
important to me than, you know, just something just come out
19:14
your mouth and something crazy. Yep.
19:17
Yep, agreed. Well, thank you both so, so
19:21
much. Were there any other things that
19:23
you wanted to share before heading out?
19:26
I appreciate you all dropping by to to give the Rise and Thrive
19:30
community updates. Now just thank you for the
19:33
opportunity. Again, I appreciate just the
19:37
original opportunity, so thank you so much.
19:39
Thank, Thank you, thank you, thank you.
19:42
Y'all have been very supportive to me and my obedience and what
19:45
God was telling me to do and to, you know, be able to use this
19:49
and help people tell their stories and to help our brothers
19:52
and sisters because y'all know this thing called life is crazy
19:55
and it's getting crazier every day.
19:57
Yeah, it is these. Days so it was just like an
20:00
honor and really and truly even just the way the podcast came
20:04
about and how quickly folks responded and the recording how
20:10
everything happened. So you all are.
20:13
A very important part of my story as well.
20:15
So thank you both. Likewise, thank you so much I.
20:19
Love you. Take care, bye.
20:21
Bye, bye. Good afternoon, Mr. LaRoche.
20:25
Good afternoon, Madam. Welcome back, Yes, welcome back
20:30
to rise and Thrive. How are you?
20:33
I am great. Good to see you.
20:36
It's good to be seen or not viewed.
20:38
OK, I like that. I like that.
20:41
So we might have a couple people popping in because folks are
20:44
just kind of like popping in and out, but just like giving
20:46
updates. So when you relax with us on
20:48
Rise and Thrive, we were talking about faith and different things
20:52
that you had going on from, you know, a pretty serious car
20:56
accident that shook things up being executive MBA program and
21:02
many things. So just like, but it was seeing
21:05
like what's how's life been since the episode?
21:09
And we'll start there. How's life been since the
21:12
episode? Life since the episode.
21:14
So as of probably tonight I would be finished with my
21:18
executive MB once I deliver these next two projects before
21:23
we have until midnight to submit.
21:26
So that is really the first major just life in general,
21:32
living in living in this, the time that we're in is really a
21:37
matter of endurance. Not it's not a it's not a
21:43
Sprint, it's a marathon. So we have to think like it's a
21:46
marathon and not like it's a 100m race.
21:49
Trying to figure out what are your long haul decisions, your
21:53
investments, your conversations, you know, everything that you
21:57
really put forth. What is it going to be centered
22:02
our own. So that gives it that.
22:06
If it gives you any ambiguity for sure we could dive into the
22:08
details, but just as a ballpark thinking.
22:13
Well, first of all, thank you for taking time since you know
22:17
you're right there at the end. So I appreciate you popping in
22:20
today to update folks. And please, if you would like to
22:24
go a little bit deeper, it is very much welcomed.
22:28
Well, I mean deeper in what sense there's, I think the last
22:30
time we spoke there was so much that I covered.
22:33
As I mentioned, you know, perseverance through faith is
22:36
one of the things that I wanted to lean on then.
22:40
But of course now it's continued faith.
22:42
So how far have I actually come since then is an interesting
22:48
space. Of course, still have the same
22:53
car, so that's a good thing. OK.
22:56
I'm coming on to the end of my three-year stint as my chapter
23:01
as president. I'm in Washington, DC, so I feel
23:04
like I'm at the point of turn, the turning point in the road
23:08
where I have put forth a lot of energy.
23:12
That MBA took a lot of time, a lot of energy.
23:16
Presidency, exact same thing. Now I am the director of
23:20
communications for the Eastern region of Alpha.
23:22
So that has been a different conversation in itself, but it's
23:28
a turning point, right? After investing 3 years into my
23:31
fraternity on the chapter level, now it's on the national level.
23:36
What can I do regionally to create new systems, improve
23:41
systems to help change the narratives?
23:47
Awesome. And So what has that?
23:49
Well, congratulations on all of the things that you have going
23:52
and welcome in the Quandra. Just we're just catching up with
23:56
Michael here since his episode and we're going to circle to you
24:00
in just a moment. So, Michael, what was the
24:04
response to the episode from people in your community?
24:08
Support. I think a lot of people aren't
24:11
the surface level, right? When you look at a person, what
24:14
you see on Instagram, for perfect example, is surface.
24:17
It's not in depth. It doesn't give you any grand
24:22
sense of detail about what a person endures on a day-to-day
24:25
basis or how they're surviving. So it gave some perspective to
24:31
individuals. Like what, like I said, didn't
24:34
know or you were not, you know, you were in a car accident,
24:37
you're doing your MBA, all of these little subtle nuances that
24:42
if you don't necessarily share on social media, people aren't
24:45
going to be Privy to. So not to say that I wouldn't
24:50
share it on a regular day basis. It's just like I said,
24:53
perspective. When you're having a
24:54
conversation with people, they're not going to peer too
24:57
deeply into your lives because it's not necessarily their
25:01
interest, nor is it their business.
25:03
So you're not just going to voluntell information.
25:05
You're just you're living and you're enjoying their company,
25:09
not for anything else other than time and space and
25:12
opportunities. So I think that has been the
25:17
generic response like wow, you know, we did not know just your
25:21
introspective view on things and life.
25:24
And most people know me as fun. So the fun side of me is is not
25:30
as colorful as the introspective, deep
25:33
conversational sides. OK, OK, good deal.
25:39
And then what are you stepping into in this season of your
25:43
life? So you've been planting a lot of
25:45
seeds and doing a lot of work. What does that next season look
25:48
like for you? Right now I just wanted to be
25:52
summer. Agreed.
25:55
I would like to skip past the flowers and the blossoms and
25:58
even the pollen. I just would like a nice sunny
26:02
atmosphere of a season for myself because just as was our
26:08
winter here in the DMV, it was a cold few months right on last.
26:14
Last few years have been very trying and kind of getting tired
26:20
of especially I know for black women, it's, it's very clear
26:24
evidence. You all have been tried through
26:27
and through from elections to just being a black woman in
26:31
America. It comes with a very heaven, a
26:34
very heavy burden. But it's a shared experience,
26:39
right? Black men don't necessarily
26:41
emote as well as our Queens, but it is important for us to get
26:47
into spaces and how we we can share emotions, really start to
26:51
listen to the, the, the cues, the tell tale cues of the black
26:55
man and his plight. So it's been a rough winter and
26:59
we are all looking forward to sun, sunshine in our lives.
27:03
I am grateful for the snow because it, you know, it secures
27:08
the seas that are in the ground to actually help it grow.
27:13
It provides moisture. And you know, we I always like
27:15
to speak in metaphors, but the reality is that I am looking
27:19
forward to green grass and that that is that is the the reality
27:24
of a lot of people's lives over the past few months.
27:28
So is there anything specific that you'd like to see out in
27:31
that field of green grass? Speaking it into existence,
27:37
Finishing this executive MBA has been valuable and now I want to
27:42
see what it leads me in career wise, simple as that.
27:48
Whether it is entrepreneurial because I did defend
27:52
specifically based on a topic that I felt very passionate
27:55
about, that that is really a lucrative business venture.
28:01
But career wise, that is a dream.
28:04
OK, I've been here from, you know, started from the bottom.
28:09
Now I am here. But now it's time to actually
28:12
pick fruit and reap the rewards and benefits of of sacrifice.
28:18
Well, thank you so much. Well, I can't wait to see what
28:22
the harvest looks like and if there's any way that I can
28:25
support you, don't hesitate to reach out.
28:28
I appreciate you taking time out because you got that twelve that
28:30
midnight deadline. So we going to let you go and
28:33
thank you for dropping back in to rise and Thrive.
28:36
And no problem, I will send you my thesis and when you find
28:39
opportunity to invest, please, I'm taking it by the 10's and
28:42
20s of thousands. But that's how la Quandra you
28:44
too. You sit in the back there and
28:46
there will be coming in emails one at a time.
28:48
So that's how it goes. All right.
28:51
Sounds good. Well, thanks, Michael.
28:54
You're welcome. Ciao.
28:55
All right. Well, hello, Laquandra, and
28:58
welcome and Chief, good to see you.
29:01
Hello. Hello.
29:03
How are you? Good afternoon.
29:05
Yes, I am well and glad to see two of my favorite people here,
29:10
just like the good energies, like if y'all two met and
29:13
friends right, like kind of similar to me and you, chief.
29:17
So welcome back to rise and thrive.
29:19
So the Quandra tell us, how have things been since your episode
29:24
of well, you had two? We split it in two since your
29:27
episodes of Rise and Thrive at the Air.
29:29
And what was the response in your community?
29:32
The response, I think everybody's response was just
29:37
being appreciative of how vulnerable that was.
29:41
And I've just, I keep saying I'm just like that.
29:44
I'm an open book. I just know that whatever it is
29:47
that I'm saying, it could be a help to someone else just
29:51
sharing my story. And I tell people that all the
29:53
time, like we are just a sum of our experiences.
29:57
And so you never know how sharing your experiences is
30:03
going to help or minister to somebody else or help someone
30:07
else see that they aren't the only people who have gone
30:11
through things but have come out on the other side, right?
30:15
Yeah. And actually recently I had
30:19
someone watching and they said to me, no, you know, you did
30:25
great. No, you know, nothing.
30:27
I mean disrespectful or anything to you.
30:32
You ate him up in that podcast. And I was like, I was, well, no,
30:38
I didn't. I was like, I was just telling
30:40
my story. I'm sorry that that's what my
30:43
story was. It wasn't meant to be offensive.
30:46
And if he was offensive, he could have responded.
30:49
If he was offended or what have you, he could have responded,
30:52
you know. But then also I thought about
30:54
it, I was like, that was all of like 10 minutes, 10 or 15
30:59
minutes of what it was that we even talked about, even out of
31:02
like what an hour and 45 minutes.
31:04
So but I understood, but it was still like, you know, but your
31:10
story I could tell like it's just your story.
31:13
That was like exactly story meant to, you know, being mean
31:19
or derogatory or anything towards anyone.
31:21
It was just my story and I'm sorry.
31:24
Yeah. And you were very clear about
31:25
that when you were saying it, right?
31:27
Like you were, you were being very respectful of it and
31:30
honoring that, right. And you have a curious child.
31:33
He will listen and you're mindful of those things so and
31:37
very. But also, I think what you're
31:39
speaking to is sometimes people won't speak the truth because of
31:45
how it might interpret right like that.
31:47
You had no agenda. You were literally just telling
31:50
your. Story.
31:50
Yeah, that's all. And I don't think they took it
31:52
as me having an agenda. They were just like.
31:55
Good to. All kind of like it was hard to
31:57
hear type of thing yeah, it might be hard to hear, but it
32:00
was hard to live so. But since then, let's see, you
32:04
know, we talked about me starting my master's program,
32:09
all the things. So the day actually I took my
32:16
comprehensive exam. Yes, she graduate.
32:20
I don't graduate until December. But I was just like, you know,
32:24
bored. Look, OK, because I'm not hey, I
32:29
don't believe I can do it, but I know that you can.
32:31
You told me to do. Amen.
32:33
Do to do it. OK, so just do it for me.
32:36
That's it. That's all that you told me to
32:38
do this. And so I believe that you're
32:40
going to make it so. And so don't allow me not
32:44
believing in me to come off as me not believing in you.
32:47
But I know I know what you're. Yeah.
32:50
And so I you know that when it happens, it's going to be
32:53
because you did it. And so you have all the glory.
32:55
So classmates, she got down before me and she checked her
33:00
score and she texted me and she was like, I did really bad.
33:04
And I was like, you got your score already?
33:06
And she's like, yeah. And I so let me check and see if
33:12
I can check mine. Yeah, I checked mine and I was
33:16
like, oh, I did really bad. She was like, did you get more
33:19
than 54 wrong? And I was like, no, a little
33:22
less right. And so I'm not understanding.
33:26
So it was 160 questions, weighted 136 of the 160.
33:35
I only got 85 of those 136, correct, right.
33:42
I'm not realizing that it's graded on a curve because of how
33:45
the tests are designed. It's almost like you have to
33:48
beat the exam, right? Not always knowledge of subject
33:55
matter. It's more so you have to pay
33:57
attention to the verbiage of the questions.
33:59
And they're like, so tired of rebreathing questions that I
34:03
don't know what to do. So I just kind of stopped and
34:06
had to do a little breath work and everything I look over
34:08
because I'm tired. And so I was like, man, yeah, I
34:14
got 85, right? And she was like, yeah, well, I
34:18
only got 82. And I was like, oh, OK.
34:20
And so then in a couple of my other classmates started just
34:23
reaching out to me, telling me what their scores were.
34:26
And I was like, oh, oh, so far there was about 15 of us that
34:33
took the exam. I think I have 5 total scores.
34:37
There was an 85 and 84 and 82, a 60, a 58 and a 57.
34:44
My score is the 85. And so from the scores that I've
34:49
received, I've set the curve. Yeah.
34:52
And so I'm just grateful because that I was going to be the
34:57
person to kind of set the curve. And so I knew what God was going
35:00
to do, but I didn't know that he was going to do it like that.
35:02
And so, yeah, how? And so I'm grateful.
35:08
That's just really it. I'm just really trusting God to
35:10
do this and just get me through this program because I'm
35:13
exhausted. Yes.
35:15
He will well ask him for rest, ask him for energy.
35:18
So you ain't got to do it in your own energy.
35:20
All right, beautiful people. If this episode has already
35:23
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35:27
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35:30
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36:16
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
36:19
OK, so Coach Rice, come on in. How have things been with you
36:25
and what was the reception or the response from your community
36:29
after your episode aired? It's funny how whether people
36:36
are believers or not, I say we have been given the gift of
36:44
manifestation regardless of where we believe in the source
36:48
of it, right? The folks that actually tuned
36:54
in, they were like, yeah, this is you and this is a here, here
37:01
was a revelation. And I had to say this to
37:03
somebody on my team the other day.
37:06
And you know, everything that we've done, all of us, all human
37:10
beings that we do with any level of proficiency or mastery, at
37:17
some point, we weren't good at it.
37:20
Correct. I remember you said be OK with
37:23
being beginning or being a beginner.
37:26
When I literally, I literally was telling a mentee of mine
37:29
who's at Morehouse now, and he and I were basically applying
37:34
the things that I did in 2023. I'm just, I'm doing it with him.
37:40
So today is the first day of 75 hard.
37:43
I don't know if we've ever done it and.
37:45
So. OK, but either way, neither here
37:47
nor there. The, the short moral of the
37:50
story is I let him know. I said there was a time in my,
37:58
in my profession as an educator, especially when I first started
38:01
teaching, that I thought I had to be in control of.
38:10
And as a male teacher, of course we feel like we have to be
38:14
stern. The kids are going to respect me
38:17
and so on and so forth. Biggest mistake ever because I
38:20
realized it became a social stress for me with, you know,
38:25
just just with having to be in control.
38:27
I was like, chief, you're not serious all the time.
38:30
You're not being yourself right now.
38:32
You want control versus connection.
38:34
And so I'm just like, hey, what's the better way to really
38:39
reach these young people? It's not about them.
38:42
It's not about getting them to do what they're expected and
38:46
supposed to do. It's about letting them know
38:51
that you actually care about where they are in the moment.
38:55
And so I told my mentee he's he's at, of course he's at
38:58
Morehouse. And so he's not doing so well.
39:02
He's not, he's not doing so well in a because you have to take
39:06
public speaking. It's part of what we do.
39:10
And it's so he was like, yeah, man, it's a professor, man,
39:13
she's hard. I said, well, listen, bro, this
39:17
is Morehouse. This is what we're known for.
39:20
We're known for grooming orator orators and professors and
39:25
teachers and ministers. And I said, brother, you got to
39:29
go through the gauntlet. And I said, just know that none
39:34
of us were good at what we do right away.
39:38
Correct. And it's OK, maybe maybe we're
39:41
above average, but I mean, I'm sure you all both of you such as
39:46
could look back at something that you, I thought you did
39:50
really well four years ago. I was like, no.
39:52
I was all right. Versus now, especially if you
39:55
put if you put in the reps, I don't care what it is, if it's
39:58
being a better friend, if it's being a better doesn't matter.
40:01
And so, you know, with that in mind, just documenting
40:06
everything. Getting back to our episode,
40:09
when he found, when he when he found out how valuable
40:12
documenting is, he was like man. It just the floodgates open up.
40:18
And so if you could see my wall now there's just a whole bunch
40:20
of stuff that I'm measuring, right?
40:22
And I say, you know, before you, before you manifest, you have to
40:27
master. Before you master you have to
40:28
measure. And so now when I just put the
40:31
numbers up, I'm like, OK, bro, this is what you did.
40:33
This is what you did, this is what you did.
40:34
Here are the numbers. And so application is my word
40:38
for this year. OK, love.
40:40
That my phrase for the year is make it a habit.
40:44
So I'm sorry, make it a routine so it doesn't become a chore no
40:51
matter what it is. So application in all things as
40:54
a martial artist, we say it's not the artist or practitioner
40:57
and even do martial. Arts.
40:59
I'm sorry. Oh.
41:00
So you do martial arts? Yeah, we did talk more about.
41:03
Didn't I know that? Yeah, my first.
41:04
Me and my son are first degree black belts and Shaolin Kung Fu.
41:09
OK, that's, that's intense. It's very unexpected.
41:13
But but you know what? Well, let me say thank you
41:15
because most people look at martial arts as you know now.
41:20
Now trust me, Kung Fu is it's hard on your body, don't get me
41:24
wrong. But between Kung Fu and Tai Chi,
41:27
the most valuable lesson that I learned from martial arts was
41:30
application of self in scenarios in which you see something that
41:36
can be done, you just pick it up.
41:37
And I tell people they were like, what's the biggest lesson
41:39
you learned from being a martial artist?
41:40
I was like to be the laundry guy in your home.
41:46
This 2007, I do the laundry twice a week, Sundays and
41:50
Wednesdays kicking in. It don't matter what.
41:52
OK. And then as the kids got older,
41:54
I'm like, OK, let's just make this a team effort.
41:56
If I wash and dry, you fold or if you wash and let's do it that
42:00
way. But one of the things that
42:04
helped me as a father and a human being was to learn
42:14
practice how to respond versus react.
42:17
And again, that's part of that goes back to when I wasn't so
42:22
good at classroom management. I was reacting versus respond.
42:26
I was trying to respond. I was reacting to the call for
42:30
me to be an impactful educator in the classroom instead of
42:35
responding. And I thought that every time I
42:38
showed up, everything just had to be spit and Polish like the
42:40
military. It's like, no, bro, this is not
42:42
the military. The military's military.
42:44
These are young people who oftentimes when people talk to
42:49
them, they talk to them at high volume, if they even talk to
42:51
them. And so as a black man teaching
42:55
black children, it's like, Nah, bro, somehow you have to show up
42:59
as love in whatever way you can for them.
43:03
And so once I embraced like, dude, just show them parts of
43:07
your personality. I didn't, I didn't get better.
43:10
It didn't get easier. I think the walls came down mine
43:14
and theirs. So that's that's the roundabout
43:19
way in terms of, you know, measuring, like going back and
43:23
being objective about man, who were you there?
43:25
Who were you in that season? And as we go through spring
43:28
cleaning, since it's spring in theory, hopefully in practice.
43:35
And you know, the other day was spring equinox, where we have
43:38
the equal amounts of day and night.
43:40
Yeah. So you hope there's some sort of
43:43
refreshing. Of course, we just, we just
43:45
wrapped up Ramadan, Easter has come in and so on and so forth.
43:49
So it's it's very timely that you're doing this.
43:51
And so, you know, I think since the episode, I'm just getting
43:58
back to practice. You're just practicing.
44:02
All of us are practicing. You know, I have to have to
44:04
remind my own children. I'm like, this is the first time
44:06
I've had adult children brand new.
44:10
It's my first time. It's your first time.
44:11
So it's my first time. So I just have to, you know, I
44:14
have to remind her like, this is the first time I've had adult
44:16
children. And, you know, even in certain
44:19
scenarios, I've learned to respond versus react.
44:22
And not that they're, you know, out of pocket.
44:25
It's funny, it's funny when my coworkers would see my kids when
44:29
they were younger say then you have such really good kids.
44:31
I was like no don't say that. They're like why not?
44:34
I said. I said they're good kids now.
44:35
I said, does that mean they're going to grow up and be bad
44:37
adults? I said it could work the
44:40
opposite way because y'all know, y'all seen some bad kids that
44:42
grow up to be really good adults.
44:44
I said, does it work the opposite way?
44:46
You'd be really. You are hilarious now they gone,
44:50
they they gone Step in some mud a little bit a couple of times,
44:54
but hopefully it's not too deep, right And they got you and mom
44:58
to help pull them up out of there and clean them up.
45:00
Listen, I take 0 credit for that.
45:01
I look, I think sometimes, you know, I've been really blessed.
45:04
I mean, we didn't have, we didn't have, nor have we ever
45:07
had any major, you know, just like unthinkable scenarios with
45:13
our, our kids and even their friends necessarily.
45:17
But I think they watch the way that we have cultivated our
45:21
circle. So their circles are very, you
45:25
know, very selective, but very, but very impactful.
45:28
Very, very. They have high quality friends.
45:31
They have quite high quality people in their circles.
45:33
That's so important, so important.
45:37
So, Laquandra, what are you stepping into in this next
45:40
season of your life? Well, I feel like I need to
45:44
connect, connect with Coach because I want my son to be a
45:47
morehouse man so bad. I've been trying.
45:50
I've been like, you know, dropping little, like, hey, you
45:54
know, don't you want to go back to Atlanta?
45:56
He was born. I could totally see him at
45:58
Morehouse. Exactly.
46:00
Until I'm totally see it, I'm. Gonna be a Morehouse man.
46:04
OK, you know, we'll see. What you what?
46:06
What Is this your only child? Is this your only child?
46:08
Yeah, so he's 11. OK, so I'm just, you know.
46:12
Speaking, Getting ready early. Getting ready early.
46:15
Humble One thing I want to say, coach, though, you said that,
46:19
you know, don't call them good kids because you don't know if
46:22
they're going to turn it to bad ones or what happened.
46:24
One thing. About it regardless.
46:30
Shameka, can you mute please? She did.
46:33
Oh, regardless of what is going on, you know, they watch, they
46:40
don't listen to what we say, they watch what we do.
46:42
And so just how they are and how they move right now is a
46:45
testament to just you and their upbringing, right?
46:49
You and your, your wife or what have you, you're up their
46:51
upbringing just watching you all.
46:54
And so ultimately we can't block them for whatever their
46:57
testimony is going to be. So we all have our own and so
47:01
they're going to have their own too.
47:02
And just you're just going to be there to support them through it
47:05
and. It's a lot.
47:08
Yes. And so I just this season
47:13
graduation, OK, I had to say I'm sitting down in 2026.
47:18
If I can't drive there, I'm not going.
47:20
OK, so I'm doing my best. Like, well, the man made it so I
47:25
can't really go out of the country right now.
47:27
So it's cool. But yeah, if I can't drive
47:31
there, I'm not going. But I really just need to sit
47:33
down. But also just I'm practicing.
47:38
So you driving to Texas? Absolutely.
47:40
What do you mean? I gotta call you later, girl,
47:42
That's crazy. I've driven there several times.
47:45
I go there, I drive there in Georgia and Louisiana, so it's
47:50
fine. But yeah, so ultimately just
47:52
graduation is on my mind. This exam is out of the way.
47:56
I'm going to take the national exam two months after I
47:59
graduate. That's the limit that I'm giving
48:01
myself. So I graduate in December.
48:03
So I will be taking the national exam by February at the absolute
48:07
latest. And just honing in on this boy
48:10
mom parenting because my son likes girls a lot.
48:16
And and the girls like him. They like him OK.
48:19
He's a very handsome kid, but he's also like, he's very
48:24
charismatic, but he's very unbothered as well.
48:27
And so I'm going to honor that in him.
48:30
Like, I just appreciate the fact that he comes to me and talks to
48:34
me about just stuff Like, I hugged Jade today and I hugged
48:40
her twice yesterday and I was like, oh, my goodness.
48:43
I was like, oh, OK, yeah. So no matter how uncomfortable I
48:47
get, right, I'm just going to act like I'm not.
48:51
And just a lot. And Auntie over here is like,
48:54
and who was this little girl? Jay, Who is this girl?
48:57
Listen, it is a lot, but it's getting to the point now where
49:01
we're going to have like the those talks, you're going to get
49:07
photos of all the St. DS, all the things as you go
49:10
into middle school and all the things because it's exposure.
49:14
It's what you're these kids have the world at their fingertips,
49:17
right? And so I just need to be
49:20
proactive. I don't want to gaining
49:24
knowledge of something before I the person that is giving it to
49:28
you. So I want to make sure that
49:29
you're receiving it the right way.
49:31
But ultimately, just once I get done with school, I'm going to
49:36
pour more into my business. Don't stop.
49:39
Love all the things. Love on the line with my yes
49:42
lips lip. Gloss.
49:44
And I have lip liner two week so.
49:46
Jeannie, I just shared your link with somebody today.
49:49
They I was wearing the the pink one that has like the glitter
49:53
and I forget the color now maybe.
49:57
Yeah, I'll have that on today. Somebody at church was like, I
49:59
was like your lip gloss. I was like here girl, I'm send
50:01
you the. Link Yes, guy, That's it.
50:03
And so just focusing more on my career and my business and just
50:09
walking to into what it is that I'm purpose to do in the earth.
50:12
And so that's just what I'm doing now.
50:16
Awesome. Awesome.
50:18
Well, welcome in future Doctor Shamika Ellis.
50:23
Hello. Hello.
50:25
Can you hear me OK? Yes, that's perfect actually.
50:29
Hey, how's it going? Good.
50:32
How are you? I'm good, I'm good.
50:34
I'm on my my, my, my balcony. The sun is sunny.
50:38
Enjoying this sun? Yeah.
50:40
It's not that Morgan, my niece goes to Morgan.
50:44
Yes, yes she does. She does.
50:46
I got to meet her during homecoming.
50:50
Yes, OK. Well, Shamika, we're I'm I'm
50:55
trying to Quandra, you're welcome to stay.
50:58
You're and you're free to go because I know you also, you
51:01
know, took your exam and I know you just ready probably to crash
51:04
out. So is there anything you would
51:06
like to leave with the audience before you leave us today?
51:10
Everything in love, That's it. That's always going to be my.
51:14
Men, I love that. So y'all have a great rest of
51:17
your day. YouTube.
51:20
Coach will connect. Jeannie, please Mika, I love you
51:24
too. Boo.
51:25
Well, and I'll talk to you soon. Take care, good to meet you.
51:32
So finally, the three of us together again.
51:35
The game. 'S all together.
51:37
Look, the number of times coach is like, we gotta go karaoke.
51:40
It's like Shalamar Shalamar, you know what I'm saying?
51:44
The second time around. Except it's 2 girls and one guy,
51:49
right? Yes, yes.
51:52
The Shalamar it's still reverse exactly.
51:54
Yes, Shamika, how have things been since your episode and what
51:58
was the response in your community to your episode of
52:01
Rise and Thrive? Well, to answer your first
52:04
question, how things been going really, really.
52:06
Well. I haven't dropped out of my
52:08
program yet, which is good. Actually.
52:10
It it was kind of like the a little bit of the fuel that I
52:13
needed to kind of keep going. I'm definitely much closer to
52:16
doing my proposal defense. And honestly, I think the
52:19
response to the episode has been overwhelmingly amazing.
52:24
There are a lot of people that were like, I had no idea about
52:27
your story. You know, they felt like there
52:31
were some Nuggets that I dropped and I was just like, yeah, I got
52:34
bars. No, but seriously, you know,
52:37
just a lot of folks that saw it that were just really interested
52:41
in and learning more. And a lot of them even said that
52:44
they resonated with some of the things that I felt in terms of,
52:48
you know, struggling to pray for myself in terms of, you know,
52:54
questioning my faith, considering everything that I
52:58
went through and, and my faith journey and know that I wasn't
53:02
alone in that experience. So that's been really, really
53:08
good. It's led to a number of, I don't
53:13
want to say opportunities, but just opportunities to engage
53:17
more with folks, especially within the, that have a
53:21
background with foster care or experiencing homelessness.
53:24
So that's been really good. And it's I'll be honest, it's
53:27
been a little overwhelming because I'm like, there's still
53:29
moments where I'm like for real me, you know, you think I'm an
53:34
expert you. Sure, you.
53:36
Are by lived experience and now you're a doctorate education.
53:40
Correct. So, so that's been really,
53:42
really good. Awesome.
53:45
Love that. Love that.
53:47
And so has there been anything that you maybe said in that
53:51
original episode that you had to like, live out in a newer,
53:54
deeper way? This goes for both of you.
53:58
Year ago. I know the time has.
54:03
Gone. I know, I know.
54:05
I'm like I'm still trying to remember what I did yesterday
54:09
but then my I could. Feel it in my legs, right?
54:13
Well, remember the memory is the second thing to go.
54:17
Thanks for that, Coach. What's the 1st?
54:19
I can't remember. Thanks for that goat.
54:23
I'll be I'll be here all week. I'll be here all week.
54:26
Right bars and jokes exactly take the shoulder.
54:30
Back like a podcast, right? Right.
54:32
In the podcast. I mean, if I oh, go ahead, no.
54:37
You go ahead, go ahead, because I'm still thinking.
54:39
I mean, you know, I think it's just because I say it to myself,
54:43
probably not as often as I should, but I'm reminded of just
54:48
being a beginner. You know, just with no, I think
54:52
in in this season, you know, I'm more I'm more reminded of the
54:56
application of the beginner. And part of being a good
54:59
beginner is learning how to get organized again for the season
55:04
that is upon us. So what worked in this season?
55:07
It worked for that season. But guess what?
55:09
You may have to pull something back.
55:11
You may have to add something. You may have to double down or
55:14
triple down on something else. And so I know in my spirit of
55:19
responsiveness, one thing I said to my guys in my program is that
55:23
I said, man, if I ever raised my voice, the day I raised my voice
55:26
is the day that I resigned. I said because I have.
55:29
I haven't raised my voice in my home in more than 11 years.
55:36
Yeah. And again, it I'm like, I don't,
55:40
I tell them I don't micromanage men.
55:42
It's not what I do. Now, some men may need to be
55:46
micromanaged by someone else, but I'm not the one.
55:49
I'm just not the one. And it's not that I don't care.
55:51
It's the fact that I'm being a beginner with letting you know I
55:56
don't micromanagement. So you'd be a beginner at
55:59
micromanaging yourself. If you care to send your very
56:03
best always. We're always here to help.
56:06
Just because I said I don't want to micromanage you doesn't mean
56:08
I don't want. I just won't micromanage you
56:11
because my system may not work for you.
56:14
I'm not telling you to be a morning person.
56:16
That may not be well, you need to be in this season, but I know
56:20
you asked the Quandra, what was she stepping into?
56:23
I am stepping. I'm stepping into shutting stuff
56:27
off stuff that I can do that I enjoy doing.
56:30
But it's like, yo, bro, this might not be the season that you
56:34
need to be engaged with that particular group or that
56:38
particular project. And that's nothing toward it's
56:41
nothing to them. But at times you're like none of
56:43
us, Of course, none of us are getting any younger.
56:46
And it's kind of like, all right, bro, you the only reason
56:48
you can't make more progress is because you're not singularly
56:52
focused on the thing that means the most to you.
56:56
So that's the reason for me challenging a lot of a lot of my
56:59
guys and, and whoever wanted to join the 75 heart, because it's
57:03
a really good time to again be a beginner.
57:07
And so as, as I'm stepping into saying no more often, I, I'm
57:13
already seeing even in the, even in the days prepping for today,
57:16
I've already seen where it's benefiting me.
57:19
And so I'm super excited about how much more creativity is
57:24
going to come out of my brain and my heart and my spirit, you
57:28
know, inshallah. I mean, of course, not mine, but
57:30
you know, of course, as he directs me on what to share and
57:34
what to do. So I'm I'm excited about that.
57:38
Love that shameka. I believe for me, it's since my
57:46
episode, I've I've been thinking and trying to be a lot more
57:49
intentional about prayer. I know that wasn't like the the
57:54
core of it. We talked about a lot of
57:57
different topics, but prayer was at at the core of it for the
58:01
most part. And it's definitely not forced
58:04
me, but made me think about being more intentional about
58:08
prayer for myself and making sure I'm prioritizing what it
58:13
is, what are my desires, the desires of my heart.
58:19
And that's definitely been a journey for me because there
58:22
there are a lot of moments where I still struggle with it, but
58:25
it's I'm noticing it's becoming easier to put myself first.
58:31
And not to say that I'm neglecting other things.
58:33
Like obviously when I pray, I pray from a spirit of gratitude
58:36
and thanking God for, you know, just who he is and sending his
58:40
son. But instead of like focusing on
58:45
all these other things or people first, let's focus on me for a
58:50
change. And that's been admittedly, it
58:52
was, it was really uncomfortable at first because I just felt
58:55
like, well, you know, we're supposed to be serving others
58:58
and doing all these things. But I'm like.
59:00
No, but you could. You could do both.
59:02
It's not a either or, it's a both in.
59:06
So, so that has been, but it's so leading to that, you know,
59:10
also just thinking about, you know, not only just praying for
59:13
myself first, but also making sure I'm putting my needs first,
59:17
just generally. And, and being clear about what
59:21
it is that I need, which is honestly been helpful because
59:24
I'm in a new relationship and just being very intentional
59:27
about making sure that I'm in a good space, right?
59:30
And not trying to and not say not try to, but making sure I'm
59:36
prioritizing myself and then him and versus the other way around
59:39
where in the past I've ignored my own needs and desireside as a
59:44
train in the background. So sorry.
59:47
So but also not even just with, you know, my relationship, but
59:51
just even at work and with my friendships.
59:55
And that's happy they making sure like not trying to feel
59:57
like I'm over exerting myself with that.
59:59
So those are the big things for me.
1:00:03
Yeah. Thank you.
1:00:04
Thank you, so you 2 are the last guests that are stopped again
1:00:09
today. Are there any final words,
1:00:12
reflection, hymns, bars that you all would like to leave with the
1:00:17
Rise and Thrive family? She's thinking I don't want the
1:00:20
Muses visiting her. I'm I'm going to let her go.
1:00:23
Now you go, go, go. Go.
1:00:24
I would say young at heart or it doesn't matter what you consider
1:00:32
yourself to be on our path to mastery, on our path to clarity,
1:00:37
on our path to purpose. Here's one of the things all of
1:00:42
us have to just really think about.
1:00:46
There are times when it does get boring and some people think
1:00:50
when it gets boring. That is not meant to be for us
1:00:57
and this is not what God has for us.
1:01:00
But in our state of boredom is. We all know from our childhood
1:01:04
and our state of boredom is when we're the most creative.
1:01:08
And at times in this journey to clarity, mastery, and all of the
1:01:12
above, it's OK to get bored as long as we recognize it, embrace
1:01:19
it and realize on the other side of it, there's so many other
1:01:24
things are going to open up in terms of how we show up and how
1:01:26
we serve people and how that gift that we've been given comes
1:01:30
back 10,000 fold. And proof of that is just
1:01:36
anything we y'all can name a time when you were just bored,
1:01:39
whether it was in a personal relationship, if it was a job,
1:01:42
if it was school, but you endured it.
1:01:46
And at some point on the other side, you know what that was
1:01:48
worth the boredom. At some point that was worth it.
1:01:50
The boredom was worth it at some point.
1:01:53
And so I, I believed I, I know there's actually a, there's
1:01:56
actually a Ted talk and they talk about, you know, boredom is
1:02:00
when we're the most creative. And so I just know that in this
1:02:04
next season, as I'm stepping into, I'm like, yeah, Chief,
1:02:06
you're going to get bored, but stick it out.
1:02:10
Because at times, you know, when, when I was bored, I gained
1:02:14
the courage and the clarity to step away from a job that I
1:02:16
actually love, the people that I work with.
1:02:18
But I just knew. But at, at some point I got
1:02:21
bored and I was like, OK, bro, you, you got clarity and you got
1:02:25
some courage and you just made the move.
1:02:27
So, and it landed me in a, in a space in which I still enjoyed
1:02:33
the work. I still enjoyed the people that
1:02:36
I did it with, but I didn't work as much.
1:02:39
And I had, I really had a large, I had a large, I had the
1:02:43
opportunity to have a larger impact.
1:02:45
And so, you know, it's OK to be bored.
1:02:48
It's OK to be bored. Just don't stop.
1:02:51
Just don't. For me, I think the one thing
1:02:55
that I'm, I want listeners to take away is don't wait until
1:02:59
you feel ready. Let readiness catch up.
1:03:04
That's a bar. It is a bar.
1:03:07
I think there are a lot of times in, in thinking about my own
1:03:10
life and the, the trauma I experience and just general life
1:03:14
experiences. I've, you know, I always felt
1:03:18
like I, I needed to be ready, like I need to do stuff to, you
1:03:22
know, to, to get ready. I'm not ready yet, right?
1:03:26
And I'm just learning. Sometimes you just got to do it.
1:03:30
Let readiness catch up. And yeah, that's what I got.
1:03:36
That's so good, so much in there, right?
1:03:39
That's that sounds like that's a podcast within itself.
1:03:41
It can. Let readiness catch up can.
1:03:43
You say that again so we can quote this or say it again.
1:03:47
So don't wait until you're ready.
1:03:50
Let readiness catch up. That's good stuff.
1:03:55
Well, I want to thank you both. Well, actually, Shameek, I want
1:03:57
to give you an opportunity to say what you're stepping into
1:04:00
this season before I let you both go.
1:04:03
Who? I am stepping into the life that
1:04:09
God has designed for me. OK, I'm stepping into
1:04:16
dissertation finalization. I am stepping into abundance.
1:04:25
I'm stepping into intentional living.
1:04:33
Love that, love that. That's a great place to end.
1:04:37
Today, I want to thank you both for accepting my invitation to
1:04:41
join me on Rise and Thrive with Doctor J Nicole.
1:04:44
It was just an idea that I had and it's already coming up on a
1:04:48
year. Season 2 is going to premiere on
1:04:51
April 21st. So thank you both for
1:04:54
contributing and for believing in the vision for Rise and
1:04:58
Thrive for Doctor J Nicole. Awesome.
1:05:00
Thank you. And know that y'all have like a
1:05:03
open pass to come back whenever you want or if something comes
1:05:06
and you're like, hey, let's talk about this.
1:05:10
And anytime me and Chief catch up, it's like a podcast episode.
1:05:13
Anyway, Super Soul Sunday on any given day of the week.
1:05:19
Hey, hold on, Wait a minute. That readiness catch up.
1:05:22
I'm just saying that sound like a show.
1:05:24
I'm saying, what are you doing with your doctor?
1:05:27
All right. All right, well, thank y'all,
1:05:28
both. Thank y'all.
1:05:31
Take care, take care. So as you can see, we've had
1:05:34
amazing guests all season long come through rise and thrive
1:05:38
with Doctor Jane of Fall. I hope that you've enjoyed the
1:05:43
reflections from the guests that were able to join us today and
1:05:47
also be reminded of some of those gems that were in their
1:05:50
episodes. I'll leave you with this Rising
1:05:54
is not about becoming someone else.
1:05:56
It's about returning to who you were always meant to be and
1:05:59
thriving. It's not about perfection.
1:06:02
It's about alignment. It's about choosing environments
1:06:05
that honor you. It's about releasing what no
1:06:08
longer fits and what no longer serves you.
1:06:10
It's about trusting that your growth is not accidental.
1:06:14
It is intentional. Every step you've taken, every
1:06:18
season you've learned, every boundary that you've set is
1:06:22
shaping a life that reflects your values, your faith, and
1:06:25
your purpose. So wherever you are in your
1:06:28
journey right now, keep rising, keep evolving, and most
1:06:33
importantly, keep thriving. And if this conversation has
1:06:38
resonated with you, if you've been reflecting on your own
1:06:42
patterns or your growth or your next season, I want you to stay
1:06:46
connected with us because this is just the beginning.
1:06:49
Rise and Thrive by Doctor Jay Nicole Season 2 premieres April
1:06:53
20th and we're stepping into this next season with intention,
1:06:56
elevation and expansion. And we are launching a new and
1:07:01
elevated Rise and Thrive collection that is meant for
1:07:06
lifestyle, right? It's including some new pieces
1:07:09
as well as some HomeGoods that are designed to reflect the
1:07:12
lifestyle that we talk about here, faith, healing and
1:07:15
purpose. So please be on the lookout for
1:07:18
that. But before we go, I want to hear
1:07:21
from you. What is one thing that you've
1:07:23
outgrown in this season of your life?
1:07:26
I want you to drop it down in the comments.
1:07:28
And if this conversation spoke to you, make sure you subscribe,
1:07:31
you follow also like, share with someone that's in need, comment,
1:07:37
leave us a review. That's what's going to help this
1:07:39
platform to grow. And please, please, please stay
1:07:42
connected for season 2. I'm Doctor J Nicole, and this is
1:07:48
Rise and Thrive, where we rise in faith and thrive and purpose.