Most deals are barely worth mentioning. But then there's AT&T's best deal on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 featuring FlexCam with Galaxy AI. You can get it on them when you trade in your eligible smartphone any year, any condition. It's a deal so good you'll be shouting!
So grab a ladder and learn how to get that new phone on AT&T. AT&T. Connecting changes everything. Requires trade-in of Galaxy S, Note, or Z series smartphone. Limited time offer. 256 gigabytes for $0. Additional fees, terms, and restrictions apply. See att.com slash Samsung or visit an AT&T store for details. I'm a good lawyer and I want to win. I'm a savage. I think I killed GT.
She needs someone who's going to fight for her. If we don't follow the right plan, we lose. The hit series Reasonable Doubt, now streaming on Hulu. She was defending herself against a monster. Starring Emma Yatze-Coronalde. I'm the best lawyer you have ever worked with. And Morris Chestnut. I'm not gonna stop. I think I love it, love it. Never underestimate.
The power of attorney. Always bet on tax. Reasonable Doubt. New episodes Thursdays. Streaming only on Hulu. Hello. From Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, host of Womanica, a daily podcast that introduces you to the fascinating lives of women history has forgotten.
Who doesn't love a sports story? The rivalries, the feats of strength and stamina. But these tales go beyond the podium. There's the team table tennis champ, the ice skater who earned a medal and a medical degree, and the sprinter fighting for Aboriginal rights. Listen to Womanica on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
can't bless who you pretend to be or who you compare yourself to he can only bless you and the lane that was created for you I feel that for somebody you don't need no edge entity you need boundaries what I don't need your likes I don't need your validation all I need is a God fighting for me that says all things all things all things Chad
Okay, ladies, now let's get information. Okay, like who else is singing with me? Now let's get information. Okay, prove to me you got some coordination. It's 2022 and we in this thing. How you feeling? Okay, I am on day 17 of the 75 hard challenge and child, they definitely gave it the right name because it is a challenge. I can tell you though, for real.
I am enjoying doing something that is for myself, that is making me better. This morning, I looked in the mirror and I said, wow, you are really allowing your actions to line up with the type of woman you say you want to be. And that's been a beautiful journey for me. If you're still waiting for your 2022 motivation to kick in, just remind yourself of the woman you want to be. The steps to get there may be challenging, but sis, guess what? You got this. Okay, that requires some type of intimacy, some revolutionary intimacy, if you ask me.
Shout out to the folks that decided to ease their way into the new year, though. I understand that. Take your time, but make sure you don't get left behind. OK, listen, so I'm excited about today's co-host. If no woman left behind was a person, it would be my girl, Maya Douglas. She is that girl. She is making it her mission to help women tap into bravery. And we love a brave woman. She even got brave on this podcast and told me her business writer.
Maya. What's up, friend? Let's get this going. Hey, girl. Hey, what's up, girl? How are you? I'm good. How are you? Hey, I said that's a writer, Maya. That's how I know her. Yes, that is indeed her. How are you? I'm doing great. Thank you. How's your new year?
It's going well. My mom just got over COVID, praise the Lord. And that was a big thing for me because I'm, you know, she's back home in Philly and I'm in Atlanta and I couldn't get to her, but she's good. Thank God for brothers. That is amazing. Do something because you don't do nothing else. Come on. Now is your time to stand up. How many brothers do you have? Do something for us.
It's just me and my brother on my mom's side. And then my dad, I have three sisters and a little, two sisters and a little brother. So you have a full family to pull from.
Well, it's different because we have different fathers, but I do in some ways. Yeah, I do have a full family to pull from. Yes, ma'am. Well, thank you for doing this with me. I know we're going to have a good time because I see all of your tweets. So this is going to be fun. We're just going to have girl talk, get to know one another, see what you're dreaming and hoping and all of those things. Yeah.
I'm excited. That's going to be fun. Let's do it. Let's do it. 2022 is off to the races, ladies and fellas, because I know the fellas be chiming in. And I am here today with Maya. Maya, can you tell me, like, do you have a 2022 goal? Like, what are you leaning into, pressing into, believing God for, manifesting? What's going on for you in 2022?
Yes, ma'am. So I actually am fasting right now. I'm doing the Daniel Fast in January. And I said, God, when I'm done at the end of the month, I want my kingdom husband.
That's the goal. But I'm more excited about this youth conference I'm doing back home in Philly and my alma mater at Temple University. And it's a two-day conference. And I'm just so amped to take back the city for Christ. I mean, you see, and I'm sure you've heard what's going on in the city. We're losing kids to murder, even with the fire that happened in Philadelphia. It was just heartbreaking. So this is a big deal for me. And then lastly, I'm putting out my...
next romance novel. So I'm ready. I'm ready. Okay. You got, you got things popping. Is this your first time hosting an event?
This is not. So the first time I just have to say thank you so much, Pastor Sarah, for being obedient, because sitting under one L.A. 2018 to 2019, I remember God saying, you know, when I send you back home, you're going to birth your own ministry. And I set you under this to see that you could do it with style and do it with transparency. And so this is my first one was Girls Anthem 2019. And I hosted 20 young ladies.
Chick-fil-A spot today. Come on Chick-fil-A. And it was so amazing. So this will be the second one, but it'll be co-ed. And it's like, I'm expecting 400. So it's just so different from just 20. So I'm excited. Okay. So how did you go from, you know, I feel like I should maybe be starting a ministry, something that's geared towards helping people.
to identifying specifically, like I want it to be for young people. Like, is there a connection between your own life and your own journey and why you feel so passionate about what you're doing now? Yeah.
Yeah, I so my love of writing was young adult writing and writing young adult. I would write these stories like about young girls in single parent homes and, you know, young guys who felt like they were misfits and they didn't have any placement in life. And so I just said when I was featured on Good Day Philadelphia on Fox, I remember her asking me this question because I had the conference and I just said, I want to be.
what I wish I would, I wish I would have seen when I was young in church. And I think so many young people are crying out for God, yet they're not looking for God the way our grandparents shoved it down our throats or our parents. They're looking for him in a fresh new way. And so, yeah, I'm passionate as someone who was touched at four. I'm passionate about seeing the young lady who was molested, like break free from that. Um,
So, yeah, it definitely ties to my own life and just wishing that we had amazing youth ministries when I was young, growing up in Philly. But it's still like just this disconnect. I feel like now there's like everything for kids and then married couples. And there's somewhere in between our kids are kind of getting lost in the shuffle.
Thank you so much for sharing about your story and your journey. When I think about the new year, I think about all of the women who are making a commitment to say, you know what? I really want to learn more about myself. I really want to unravel some of my own pain and trauma. I found an amazing trauma therapist for myself because I'm at a stage in my life where I'm like, I want to understand how my series of traumas are showing up in my life. And that feels so powerful and empowering. How did you go from...
whoever we become when we experience trauma, right? You mentioned that you got molested to transitioning into something that is transformational for other people because so many of us, we just get stuck in the pain and the shame and the frustration that the idea that it could be used to help someone feels completely out of bounds. And yet you've been able to make this pivot. How did you do that? Yeah.
You know, it's so funny you talked about therapy because shout out to BetterHelp. I'm not trying to plug them because I know you already did. That's all right. That's all right. I remember in 2020, granted, I was essential. So I was a banker. My mother and I were both essential. I was still living in Philly. And I remember...
Um, I was going through something with my agent, my literary agent. I was hoping to put out my first little great book and we just cannot see eye to eye. And so when I got the email, they was like, you know, if you don't get this draft, right, we're going to have to part ways. I said, so let's just part ways. Okay. Cause you're not going to just boot me out. I'm just going to leave. Cause I heard the Holy spirit say, just walk away. And in that he was like, go to therapy because your husband is coming and I need for you to heal this wound. And so I was like, well,
you know, it was actually a young lady who touched me and she, you know, she didn't know any better. She was a kid, you know? So what I experienced, I was like, God,
I thought I forgave her. What's the big deal? He said, you did, but you didn't heal the wound. And so you can't, the ministry had already had its first event. You can't go any further. You'll start bleeding when everyone that you pray for, if you don't tap into that. And so I went to therapy and I walked through those things and tried to understand why was it that
you know, my mother didn't come rescue me. And why was it that I had these different layers? And then when I was able to understand the generational bondage of people saying what goes on in this house stays in this house and understanding that I didn't need to be upset. I just needed to break through from it. I applied therapy, Joyce Meyer, healing the soul of a
woman. Oh my goodness. When I tell you anyone who is going through healing, let God heal you the way he wants. Do not assume it's going to be just therapy. I would listen to that audio book at night and cry myself to sleep. And God was like, I'm healing you in your tears. Don't even worry about it. And so that was the first step. I made the pivot because I wanted to make sure that these young girls, that I wouldn't bleed on them in the process of healing from my own wounds.
If you're anything like me, then it gives you great joy to tell your kids we have food at home when they ask if they can eat out at their favorite restaurant. Peaceful plot twist. I always mention that it's going to be a HelloFresh night. America's number one meal kit saves the evening and saves me some coins. HelloFresh is 72% cheaper than a restaurant meal of the same quality. And speaking of saving, HelloFresh meals also save me so much time in the kitchen. HelloFresh
HelloFresh recipes take around 30 minutes or less with low prep time and easy cleanup. Sis, what are you waiting for? Go to HelloFresh.com slash Women Evolve 16 and use code WOMENEVOLVE16 for up to 16 free meals and three free gifts.
HelloFresh has allowed me to share my love for cooking with my children. I don't have to micromanage because of HelloFresh's easy-to-follow recipes. The end results not only look amazing, but it's also amazingly delicious. If you haven't already, go to HelloFresh.com slash WomenEvolve16 and use code WomenEvolve16 for up to 16 free meals and three free gifts.
Man, that is so powerful. The intentionality that goes into healing. There are so many of us who end up feeling like I can't afford to heal, right? Like my life is barely hanging on by a thread as it is. And if I open up this trauma, if I open up the past, I'm afraid of what I will confront in the process.
And what I hear you saying and what I feel like other women need to understand is that at the end of the day, that all you can do is find more parts of yourself to love, more parts of yourself to embrace so that you can show up more fully in your life. And that's one of the things that I felt like I've been working on with my own therapist is I just want to show up in my life fully. I don't want to be afraid that I can't handle another heartbreak. I don't want to be afraid that I can't handle failure.
all because I've got all of these things crammed in the closet. Instead, I want to trust that I'm brave enough, resilient enough, vulnerable enough, humble enough to live and not just survive. And so many of us in 2022 are making it our mission to say, you know what? I want to survive. I don't want to just show, I want to do more than survive. I want to thrive and I want to show up as all of who I am. Can you remember a moment where you felt like, you know what?
I'm showing up differently. I'm showing up more confidently, more courageously than I have in the past. And I know it's because of the work I've been doing.
Yeah, I think I think with this perfect example, when God called me back to Christian romance, I was like, I'm done, God. I wrote 14 books. I ain't a millionaire yet. What are we doing this for? I'm over it. And so writing Storms of Love, I remember like being fearful because I didn't understand what the Lord was doing. And I remember him saying, God,
all of your other romance novels, yes, you wrote them, but you weren't the woman you are now. You're healed. And so I decided, like, I'm going to show up to this computer every day and not worry about the publishing process. And I remember you talking about that with, like, Woman Evolved. I can't worry about who's going to buy it, who's going to see it. And,
And whether it's going to be a bestseller or not, I am concerned about what God is doing through me through this book. And so I would show up every day for a whole month and just pound away at the keys. And the fact that I wrote it in a month is just amazing, but pound away at the keys and say, God, I am a different woman. And so even if you're just showing me that...
even the way I'm writing on these pages reveals how healed I am because what I wrote before, it wasn't like it was a negative romance novel, but there was so many different layers of pain versus now this woman, you know, Ellie, my character and this guy, Jeremiah coming together and they are healed and God is able to present them to each other, which is what I believe he's going to do in my life. And I think one other thing I would say is that, um,
No women from Philly are known to be aggressive, which I just whatever. I don't receive that. I have the spirit of gentleness as God says. But it was different for me when the Lord told me to plant the seed with the man that I believe is my husband. And I was like, God, I don't want to do this this way. Wait, we know him already. You know the man.
I know of him. You know of him? I know of him. Like, literally, God is crazy, like, amazing how it came to me in a text and he was like, I want you to watch this YouTube video. And he was like, that's him. And I was like, really? I was like, it's YouTube, God. This is crazy. And he was like, trust me. And when I tell you
like since September 2020, I have had dreams, confirmations. It's been crazy. But the way I presented myself, I'm so used to, you know, in Philly, we just do what we got to do. I go up to a guy and be like, you cute. You my man. What's up? And so this time. Yes, ma'am. Energy. Energy, who is time?
to play games. Yes. You belong to me. But in this season, God was like, if you can be intentional and show up differently and trust me that if you plant that seed and you send that message out, I'll have him pursue you when it's time. And so I think those were two examples just this year alone where I just had to show up differently. I had to
release the outcome to God. Like I couldn't be upset that he didn't respond right away. I was like, no, he's doing what I told him. Pray fast about it. Don't respond until God tells you. Okay. So you told the man, he, your man. No, I ain't say those words. I don't think women should ever say that. I don't think women should ever say that. Okay. Hold on. Hold on. I want to, okay. I want to hear what you said, but why do you say women should never say that?
Because I believe that even if God told you a man is your husband, you have to wait for God to reveal it to him. And I think that in that you're showing God that you trust him to reveal it to him, that his heart will be so tethered to God's heart that he won't miss it.
And so we can't get in front of God and say that. But I do believe in kind of like you did with PT, you taking me to dinner. You know, I believe that you can present yourself as Ruth did in Ruth 3. She presented herself. And so for me, I just said, yeah. So, yeah, women don't do that, please, because it can scare a man off because he you want him to choose you. Yeah, that's the power. Let him choose you.
Sarah is all up in my world right now, child. She is. It's okay. It's okay, though. It's okay. So I simply said, you know, hi, we've had a few casual, you know, conversations via DM in the past. And I just really feel strongly you're attractive, but your pursuit of purpose is more attractive. And so...
If what you feel in your spirit is similar to me, I think you'll respond favorably. And I would love to get to know you offline, but please pray about it. Here's my number with kingdom love. And I signed off. You better. Yes, I better. Amen. One thing that's important to me is genuinely checking in with those that I love. So how are you today? Really? Really.
Take a minute to think about it. If you're feeling overextended, tired, annoyed, or just meh, it's time to connect with your feelings by starting your mental health journey with Headspace. We all say fine when we don't mean it. Fine isn't really an emotion, is it? How many times have you told yourself that you're fine when all you've really felt is anger, sadness, or nerves? Headspace is scientifically proven to help you manage your feelings and your mental health.
In fact, a recent study proven in just two weeks, Headspace can reduce your stress by 14%. Whether you want to relieve stress and anxiety, sleep better or improve your focus, Headspace is your everyday dose of mindfulness for real life.
However you're feeling, try headspace.com slash womanevolve and get one month free of their entire mindfulness library. This is the best Headspace offer available. So go to headspace.com slash womanevolve today. I've taken the creativity course with Andy and it reminded me how limitless I am creatively when I am less stressed. Try it out for yourself and get out of that blah and get into some chow.
at headspace.com slash womanevolve. Okay, so you sent it, but you're also walking through the process of disconnecting from the outcome. Like you're just being obedient to what you're supposed to say and leaving it out there. How do you do that?
Without feeling like pressure, internal pressure. You know what I mean? Because I think a lot of women are like, OK, I'll take this leap of faith. I'll do something like that. But at the end of the day, they do want the response. They don't want to feel rejected. And so how do you navigate this? Like ups and downs, ebbs and flows? Or do you have a place that you're anchoring yourself in?
So I remember when I sent it and I had like a little bit of a, it was November 28th, 2020. And I had like a little bit of two and the Lord was like, it was funny. You feel some kind of way because you're used to guys sweating you. That's what you're used to. You know, I grew up where I couldn't even, I couldn't, I have Sarah, I had four different bus stops. I got off in high school because I knew which guys would be on what corner. I knew who was going to be out. And so, um,
I was sweating, you know, so God is like, you're used to that. And so it took you three months to send a message. So you can't give him a couple of weeks. It was like the second week and I was hurt. And then I remember just I kept throwing it back to God like, oh, well, no response means no. You know, we get tough. No response means no. No response is a response, you know. And then eventually the Lord said, why don't you just do this?
What I tell you and just keep praying for him. Show me that you realize it. And even as I'm assigned to Hollywood, you know, I've written scripts and I've submitted scripts and God is like, what do you do? You don't hover over the seed. You release it. I know writers who it took them three years before a film came out and they submitted their scripts. So the Lord was just preparing my heart and saying, no.
This is what it looks like to stand for your marriage. When you get in it, you'll be standing and praying for a long time for something to, you know, like come off of your marriage. So I will admit that first like six months, I was really like not,
anxious, but I was like frustrated. And then I just leaned into it. And then when he had my girlfriend confirm, I was like, okay, you out here talking about, you know, him to other people. And now you got me really wondering what is up with this guy? Why him? And so,
I will admit that it was rough in the beginning, but I found myself in a place of saying, you mind your business. Don't worry about if he's praying for you. You just do what God told you to do because you're showing God something about this in the process. And think about how he will feel when you guys finally connect to know that she didn't just randomly choose me on Instagram. The Lord sent me her in a text and then she just so happened to decide to send the DM. So it's rough. It is rough because it's been...
Since I sent that November 2020, it's been a minute. And for some women, you would get discouraged and think that you were wrong. But I say that the pursuit is in God's hands and the timing of it is in God's hands, not mine. So are you, can you date other people while you wait? I'm asking for a friend. Yeah.
No, no, because see, oh my gosh. And it's funny because that's going to be my question for you at the end is that I believe in creating a safe space for a man before he arrives.
And one of the things I've even been doing as someone who went to Temple University, I had a lot of male friends. I have been like, I have not communicated with many men over the last year because I believe you prepare before they show up. And as women, we always want a guy to create a safe space for us. But what are we doing to create that space for them? So I'm not dating anyone, even some of my homies. I'm like, yo, bro, I love you. But from over there, because I can't keep covering you when I need to,
save all this energy for the man of God that's for me. You know what I'm saying? So I don't believe you should. I believe you should wait for who God said. Okay, but what were you going to ask me since we in it now? I want to know because I don't want you to forget. Oh, no, I haven't. But I was going to ask you like, it's two questions, but how did you create a safe space for PT? And so... Okay. Is that... Okay. Don't want to answer it now. Now that you told me, I'm like, wow, that feels like a moment. Um...
I was not, God didn't tell me my husband was coming. So I wasn't like preparing for someone to come into my life when I first met my husband. And I feel like once I knew my husband, I wasn't talking to other people, but people had my number. You know what I mean? I wasn't actively in any situations, but people was checking in on me.
So once it became evident that we were going to be together and really pursue a relationship, I had to build a safe space based off of me knowing him and not assuming what would be a safe space for him. Because what makes a safe space a safe space in a relationship is really dictated by where your areas of vulnerability, trauma, insecurities are. So what makes you feel safe in one place
may not make you feel safe in another relationship because when those two people come together, anything could happen. And so I think that it came through sensitivity. It came through really getting to know him, understanding not just why he did certain things, but like literally how he came to a place where he made that decision on the why.
Because a lot of times we see why people are that we see what people do, but we don't see why they do it. And when you understand the why, it helps you to create a safe space so that they never are triggered in that way again. Relationships are a commitment to protecting the spaces where a person has been triggered,
traumatized, made to be insecure and saying that as I do life with you, I'm not going to just step all over the places that have made you hard and rocky and insecure. I'm going to protect them while you do the work of healing them, right? Because I don't necessarily want them to stay there either. And so I think you're doing yourself an incredible favor by...
Understanding your own triggers and your own trauma so that when you do meet your person, you're able to introduce them to every part of you and grant them access to the places that are still undone and uncovered. Does that make you fearful, though, that level of vulnerability? Do you feel like you're ready for that?
Yeah, I think that I've always been very transparent, always been open book. And even in maybe previous dating situations, some would say I was too open, you know, like with a guy being too vulnerable because they couldn't handle it safely. And so I would be like really unfair to anyone.
then clam up with the man who is assigned to me when I've been so loose with other people. And so for me, I'm not afraid of it, but I am, the only thing that I'm a little afraid of is because I am so tough, I grew up having to be tough and the Lord has worked on that, that that would scare him
off and i just remember god saying he's able to handle all of who you are so vulnerability doesn't scare me as much as my strength does sometimes oh that's a word though that's something that a lot of women you know wonder like can my strength show up in this relationship or am i going to have to pretend to be someone that is foreign to me but i wonder at this we're going to like kind of go back and forth because i wonder if your strength is rooted
in trauma or if your strength is rooted in survival, can you trust your own strength? That's good. You know what I mean? That's good. Yeah. Should we be dismantling this, I had to survive strength or trying to protect it in a relationship when it maybe shouldn't exist in the first place? Just because...
my parents weren't able to do this or just because I grew up in this city and I had to become strong doesn't mean that I necessarily should stay in that shape and form and then make other people adjust to it. Is my work dismantling that strength? To me, that's real vulnerability is saying this is what has protected me.
me. This is what has covered me. This is what made me feel safe. This is what allowed me to be successful. And yet vulnerability is saying I'm willing to shed this skin and be someone I've never had the opportunity to be because I feel like I can rest safely in your arms. Yes. Yes. That's what it is. I agree with that. I think the strength that I had, you
Growing up and having to protect myself and shield myself from certain things and dodging bullets. And I mean that literally where I grew up in North Philly and just feeling like not only was there like this, I had to be my own physical protector, not having my father in the home, but also having to be like my own just emotional protector. And I think to your point, what the Lord has done with me over the last six or seven years has really refined me to be able to
understand that that strength is okay, but it just needs to be projected in the right way. So for example, I had the pleasure of being on a live with your future wifey podcast. I don't know if you've ever heard of that podcast, but I had the pleasure of being on the live and he, he was talking about that. He was like, is your strength based in masculinity?
Or is it just like a different type of strength? And I was like, wow, I think before it was based on masculinity. And I think I was trying to be like hard and tough. And then now I think it has come to a place where I know how to get aggressive in my prayer closet with the enemy. I don't need to be aggressive with those that God has placed in my life. And so now I feel like my strength is a beautiful strength. It's the strength of a woman who
has overcome so many things and so much adversity and it can be appreciated. And I think for women who have that question, that is like you said about our vulnerability of figuring out where it fits is to just remember that your strength doesn't have to be a weapon.
And it can just be something that is beautiful. Most men are intimidated by strong women, but the right man for you won't be intimidated by it. I believe he'll find a way to create a safe space for it. So you don't even have to be strong anymore or as strong. So he doesn't take away your strength. But you know what I mean? It's just like you don't have to be strong. You don't have to be a superwoman anymore.
I wish like I'm the analogy queen because I have these thoughts in my head that I need an analogy in order for me to fully understand. But as you're speaking, I just feel like strength is a part of your DNA. How that strength has been forced to come out of you has a lot to do with the circumstance and environment that you were placed in.
but you don't have to force it to be a part of your identity because it's already there. And so whenever you feel yourself telling yourself, I need to be strong, you're already out of bounds because strength is already a part of you. When you say I need to be strong, what you're doing is you're adding weight onto a strength that is already there. And I wish that I could like express it the way that I hear it in my head. You always say it when you be preaching. I wish I could say
It's the way I feel it. No, sis, we feel you when you say it. Because it's, I mean, you are strong. You are beautiful. You are healed. You are whole. And when you say, I need to pretend or I need to step into this extra layer, I need to be more beautiful. I need to be more powerful. I need to be more confident. You're stepping outside of who you already are. You've got to come to a place where you can trust authentically that the areas where I am strong are going to shine brighter.
I'm not going to have to force it. I'm not going to have to project it. And the areas where I'm still growing are going to shine as well. And I'm not going to allow that to change my worth and to change my value. I can tell you, like having an incredible husband now and being in previous relationships where I felt like I'm going to have to be strong to survive this.
That my husband tells me I'm strong when I'm just being who I am. Like I'm not doing anything to try to be strong because that strength just shows up. And so trust that the strength that is in you is going to come out of you without you forcing it to come out. And then that way we won't end up depleted, right? Because we end up depleted because we had to push something outside of us. But if we just show up in the world authentically, I'm strong when it comes to this. I'm still growing when it comes to that. It gives us more room to just breathe.
and be, and that's what it means to be a woman evolving. Yes, you better preach, sis. Sis, our friends at Skillshare are so committed to us learning something new every day that they're sponsoring this episode and they're giving us a one month free trial on Skillshare.com slash evolve.
I've been in a season of increasing my productivity without burning out or having to sacrifice other areas of my life like family time or me time. I've been eyeing two productivity Skillshare classes that I know will help me accomplish this goal. Real productivity, how to build habits that stick and
email productivity work smarter with your inbox because oof that inbox is stressing me out explore your creativity on skillshare.com slash evolve and get a month free trial let's answer our advice question and it's gonna be a good one because I know you help the girls get their life together
Yes, ma'am.
My question is, when and how do you get people, especially family, to see the person you are evolving into? Also, there's a thin line between a hurting child and a rebellious one. How do you spot the difference? Oh, goodness.
I don't think that there is a difference between a hurting child and a rebellious child. I think that a child that is lashing out against the rules in their parents' household, they're trying to express emotions and feelings that they can't fully comprehend. And I think to better understand them is to ask them, like, why do
you feel the need to continue to seek this type of freedom? Why do you need to fit in so badly with this crowd that you're willing to reject your family? What is going on inside of you where you feel validated by the things that you are doing, even if you know on the inside that these things are contrary to who you are becoming? And so I would say that I'm not...
That line is actually so thin that it may not exist at all. That at the end of the day, I think you got to be willing to ask some tough, maybe emotional work questions with your children to figure out exactly how you can better pray and guide them and lead them. I'm going to say one thing. I'm going to turn it over to Maya. It is not your job.
to make sure that other people see the way that you are growing. Your job is to stand flat footed in your growth and allow time and consistency to show you who can afford to be connected to your life and who must be subtracted so that you can continue to flourish. But it is not your job, nor should it become your mission to say, look, look, I grew
up here. Look, I'm maturing there. Look, I made a better decision there. Or you are only changing so that other people can validate you. Real change, real transformation is because there's something on the inside of you that says, I want to grow. I want to become better. I want to stretch. And that is the only affirmation and validation that you need to have is that I am leaning in to the direction of who I know God is calling me to be. Anything other than that is a performance. And what we don't have
it's time for that. It's time for that. Amen. What do you think, Maya?
I agree. As I was studying Joseph the other day, I thought about that. Like, you know, God pulled him away from his family. Well, he didn't pull them away. They sold them, but he ended up transforming. And they said that his brothers didn't even recognize him when he started handing out food in Egypt. That's how I look at it. The Lord moved me away from my family at the age of 27 for the first time. And I started to feel like, man, God, it,
how come when I have events or I have stuff, you know, my family doesn't show up and they don't get to see this woman of God that you created me to be. And God said, because it's not their job to see it. You just have to be it. And maybe at some point, like Joseph, I'll send you back to save your family. And so I think for us,
to Pastor Sarah's point is you do have to understand that your journey of evolving is only for you. It is not for you to get them to see it. You don't need a judge and a jury, you know, to watch it and to see what you're doing. And in fact, most of our family members can't really handle the magnitude of who we are. And I think sometimes that's okay. I think we're supposed to
be more concerned with the people that God has assigned to our anointing because we're growing for him, but we're also growing for the assignment that God has for us. So I would encourage you not to worry about, um,
what they say or how they feel now I know the journey can be lonely and that's kind of what I read in that question is getting lonely out here not having my family support this road but this isn't like a college graduation you know where something like you really want your family to be at you have to remember that sometimes the best growing is in the dark when the seed is in the soil and nothing can mess with it and I can keep watering it and putting sun on it and then you can evolve and
then you can go out and then eventually, as Sarah said, you'll attract the family members that are supposed to be in your life. And those who are not, because at the end of the day, even with you being a great person, the ones who are not supposed to see it, they won't see it. You know, God has to, it has to put you around people who can see you. Right. And there are some people that no matter how clean you are, they will still call you dirty. That is so good. I have what you said about the loneliness. Um,
that comes on the journey of transformation, I think cannot just be overstated enough. And I think that we also have to give ourselves permission to have friends for different parts of who we are. So one of my friends may help me with fashion. Another friend may be my fitness friend. Another friend is my prayer warrior, my family. I can go home and I can do all types of things. I don't have to do anything, but be myself and who they know as a little girl and a young adult woman and a woman now, like,
I can show up in all of those different versions of myself. And your family may only be able to hold a certain version of who you are. That's okay. They don't have to be able to hold everything. You have to be willing to say, I'm being fed from different sources, but I'm still being fed. And so maybe you do need to get plugged into a community where you feel like they help fuel my faith and another community keeps me on this diet and another community helps me to keep showing up and slaying these edges. Okay, but be okay. Yes.
having different people in your life. Maya, I'm grateful that you are in my life. This was an amazing conversation. I know it's going to help so many people.
Yeah, I'm excited. You definitely pivoted. I wasn't, I think, I thought I was going to talk about my business. Yeah, you're talking about my husband. We talked about your business. That's your business. That is your business. It is, it is. But I mean, the business where I make money, but this must mean he going to see this or something. This was not what I thought we were going to talk about. So that is nothing but God. Yeah.
Amen. All right. Well, if you listening, check your DMs. All right. Yes. Please go back. Thank you, Maya. I hope you have a great day. You too. Thank you so much. Bye. Bye.
Maya, thanks for co-hosting with me, friend. Thank you for letting me get in your business. Thank you for sharing with me about your life, your journey, the work that you're doing and the courage that you are using to show up in life fully in every single way. Keep doing the amazing work that you're doing through your business, Girls Anthem. You're indeed shaking up the earth. I know there are a few more earth shakers listening that I would love to co-host with. So send me an email at
podcast at womanevolved.com. You can also drop us a line or two at the same email address if you want me to be all in your business and you have an advice question. Listen, I love y'all. I can't wait to check in with you. Pray for me. I hope I'm gonna be on day 25 when you talk to me next, but who knows? Peace out.
I'm a good lawyer, and I want to win. I'm a savage. I think I killed GT. She needs someone who's going to fight for her. If we don't follow the right plan, we lose. The hit series Reasonable Doubt, now streaming on Hulu. She was defending herself against a monster. Starring Emma Yatze-Coronaldi. I'm the best lawyer you have ever worked with. And Morris Chestnut. I'm not gonna stop.
I think I love it, love it. Never underestimate the power of attorney. Always bet on Jax. Reasonable Doubt. New episodes Thursdays. Streaming only on Hulu. Most deals are barely worth mentioning. But then there's AT&T's best deal on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 featuring FlexCam with Galaxy AI. You can get it on them when you trade in your eligible smartphone any year, any condition. It's a deal so good you'll be shouting!
So grab a ladder and learn how to get that new phone on AT&T. AT&T, connecting changes everything. Requires trade-in of Galaxy S, Note, or Z series smartphone. Limited time offer, 256 gigabytes for $0. Additional fees, terms, and restrictions apply. See att.com slash Samsung or visit an AT&T store for details. Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, host of Womanica, a daily podcast that introduces you to the fascinating lives of women history has forgotten. Who
Who doesn't love a sports story? The rivalries, the feats of strength and stamina. But these tales go beyond the podium. There's the team table tennis champ, the ice skater who earned a medal and a medical degree, and the sprinter fighting for Aboriginal rights. Listen to Womanica on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.