Taking time out for yourself is something I’ve been struggling with. I think everyone can relate, on some level at least. We all need time alone. All of us. But why do we not take it? The pandemic made me realize I need solitude to be balanced. If you’re like me, you tend to be an extrovert by nature. But I also like working in teams and groups.  It’s energizing for me to bounce ideas off of others and hear their perspective on what I’m doing or planning to do. Over the past few months, though, I’ve learned that solitude is also an important part of my self-care routine and helps keep me balanced as an individual. In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of socializing and entertainment. It’s hard to find quality alone time when there are so many fun things going on every day. But what many people fail to realize is that being alone isn’t an inherently bad thing – sometimes, we actually need solitude to feel balanced. What is balance? If you’re like most people, when you think of balance, your mind immediately turns to emotional balance. While emotional balance is definitely an important aspect of overall well-being, there are many other elements that go into achieving true balance. Physical wellness and nutrition, mental health, and stress management skills—these are all elements of achieving balance in life. Healthy choices lead to physical balance. When you feel physically healthy, your body will be capable of coping with stressors that may come it's way without becoming overwhelmed by them. Solitude Allows Me To Be My Best Self It has only been since I have experienced a lack of solitude that I realized how much it allows me to be my best self. When you’re constantly surrounded by noise and motion, it’s impossible for your brain—or body—to truly relax. If you’re able to achieve even one hour of daily solitude, you will feel a significant benefit. You’ll have more energy, less stress, better sleep, and overall improved mental health. Solitude Prevents Burnout Studies show that getting alone time can reduce stress levels, prevent burnout and provide relief for those who work long hours in demanding jobs. It’s even been shown to increase performance when it comes to tasks that require our attention like driving or reading. So if you’re feeling burned out, take some time for yourself away from social media, emails, and other distractions. Take a walk in nature, paint your nails or read a book. Find time for silence so you can restore your mental energy. Alone Time Helps Me Recharge Learning to put yourself first in your relationships is one of those things that’s hard when you feel like there’s no option - like single parents, those with clingy partners, or even friends. If your people aren't into alone time, then that can make things really difficult—it can sometimes feel like you're stuck. But having a choice means being able to set boundaries and respect them, even if it means a little conflict. Taking time for yourself gives you balance so that you can enjoy relationships without becoming completely exhausted by them. Alone Time Makes Me Happier Getting time to yourself increases happiness and quality of life. One of my biggest struggles since the pandemic is finding time and space for myself. There’s always something on, always someone who needs something, and never enough time in my day to get everything done. But over time, I’ve realized that one of the best ways for me to balance everything in my life is taking alone time; there are tons of benefits that come with it. How To Find Time Alone When Time Is Limited With a busy life, free time is often hard to come by. But even if you’re already filling your schedule with work and play, it doesn’t mean you can’t find an hour or two here and there for yourself. Here are five tips for fitting in alone time without rearranging your entire schedule. Meditate. Creating and carving out meditative space means mak

On today's show, Tara Jefferson of The Self Care Suite™️ is sharing about all things self-care, boundary setting and making yourself a priority. You have to get grounded before facing what the day has for you. Tara Jefferson Tweet That Tara Pringle Jefferson is a writer, speaker, and self-care coach with a lifelong passion for creating community. As founder of the Self Care Suite, she created a wellness community for black women and other women of color to unlearn exhaustion as their default and develop self-care rituals to sustain themselves. Her work has been featured in Essence, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, The Grio, Babble, Buzzfeed, The Happy Black Woman podcast, and Sirius XM radio.In our conversation there were so many gems dropped it was hard to end the interview.2:53 - making the decision to have a vibrant life5:19 - having a safe space to share the truth of your life13:20 - non-traditional ways to implement self care22:02 - self-care, self-neglect, & guilt37:52 - learning to establish boundaries39:12 - self care vesus maintenance43:22 - how does what you are consuming make you feel?57:36 - having something to look forward to Join The Conversation Resources Mentioned The Self Care Suite Facebook GroupMorning Mantra Cards You can find and stay in touch with Tara The Self Care Suite OnlineFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTube About Your Host TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC.I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful.Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show!You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here.Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU ChallengeOrder Your Copy of Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success  In Your Personal & Professional Life WorkbookJoin the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort!Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on InstagramLike the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor PageTaKenya Hampton on Youtube

You cannot gain happiness, peace, and balance in your life while you are wishing the exact opposite on someone else’s life... TaKenya Hampton Even though friendships may seem insignificant when compared to the breakup of a serious relationship, we would feel very lonely without them.  Today I breakdown how to heal from a friendship breakup because relationships with friends can be just as meaningful and important as romantic relationships. 3:50 - failing to give friendships the attention they need 8:03 - avoiding conflict causes us to lose friendships 10:16 - are you taking things too personally? 12:34 - therapy is not evidence of failure or for crazy people 15:38 do you... 20:00 that mac and cheese is not self care 24:40 watch ya mouth... Join The Conversation Other Episodes Referenced Intentionally and Fearlessly Finding Your Forever Friends With Siobhan Sudberry Self-Love, Self-Care, & Liberation with Ariel C Williams About Your Host TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC. I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful. Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show! You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here. Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU Challenge Order Your Copy of Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success  In Your Personal & Professional Life Workbook Join the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort! Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on Instagram Like the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor Page TaKenya Hampton on Youtube

A true conversationalist in a lane all her own, Siobhan Sudberry is a community cultivator, keynote interviewer, and podcast host. She is passionate about showing women how to grow and flourish from the inside out. Her platform The BeFree Project is a call for women to remember who they are and live life on their own terms.5:48 - do you really need friends8:00 - what does it look like to intentionally find friends as an adult17:11 - vulnerability in friendships20:42 - grieving a friendship breakup38:02 - being intentional to nurture friendships42:45 - finding friends that match your energy51:22 - outgrowing friendships58:07 - friendship should feel like home1:00 - making literal space for lasting friendships  Join The Conversation Resources Mentioned The BeFree Project Podcast The BeFree Inner Circle The Free Your Mind Journal Girl BeFree Affirmation Cards Find and connect with Siobhan BeFree ProjectInstagramYouTube  About Your Host TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC.I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful.Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show!You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here.Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU ChallengeOrder Your Copy of Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success  In Your Personal & Professional Life WorkbookJoin the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort!Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on InstagramLike the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor PageTaKenya Hampton on Youtube

Self-love is a practice. It's something that you have to do every day. Ariel C. Williams Tweet That Ariel is the founder and creator of Resident Sis™️, a self-love company for Black millennial women. Affectionately dubbed as “the homegirl headquarters,” Resident Sis creates products, content, services, and experiences that help women prioritize self-love, self-care, and self-identity. Ariel is a writer, author, safe space curator, self-love coach, and entrepreneur. She has produced engaging content for various brands like Be Blogalicious, For Harriet, The Curvy Fashionista, and Slay Culture. She’s been featured in ESSENCE, xo Jane, WE TV, xo Necole, the R.E.A.L. podcast, and a host of local publications. After more than 7 years of writing and building a digital brand, Ariel used her skills and resources to launch Danzy Bird & Co. LLC, an agency specializing in online business management and copywriting. They serve small businesses, individuals, and are working towards securing government contracts. She co-authored From Blank Space to Blogging Brilliance, and independently authored The Girl Talk Chronicles: Advice On How To Manage Love, Lust & Situations; In Place of Love; and most recently a journal, Self-Love for the Soul: Journal Prompts & Affirmations for Women Cultivating Self-Love, Care, & Identity. One of her greatest goals is to reach liberation in every aspect of her life. She believes this is a powerful legacy to leave her son, whom she loves spending quality time and making memories with. You can find her on the internet talking about womanhood, motherhood, pleasure, and making it authentic with personal stories and big laughter. Ariel’s education is in sociology and creative writing, and in a previous work life, she spent several years collecting unpaid premiums for a Fortune 500 company.  6:27 - What is self-love? 7:12 - Self-love versus self-care 8:46 - Self intimacy (non-sexual) 10:20 - How self-love and being yourself go together 23:33 - Self-care versus maintenance 25:24 - Sorting out your true identity 30:30 - Releasing + being released from expectations 36:56 - Introducing therapy as a part of self-care 40:48 - Using friendships for therapy 44:57 - Filling voids in unhealthy ways 48:45 - Processing trauma 53:47 - Getting over the fear of prioritizing yourself 59:00 - About Resident Sis™️ – A safe space created for black women Join The Conversation Resources Mentioned The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Self-Love for the Soul: Journal Prompts & Affirmations for Women Cultivating Self-Love, Care, & Identity by Arielle C. Williams You can find and stay in touch with Ariel Resident Sis Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube About Your Host TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC. I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful. Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show! You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here. Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU Challenge Order Your Copy of Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success  In Your Personal & Professional Life Workbook Join the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort! Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on Instagram Like the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor Page TaKenya Hampton on Youtube

Fear is experienced differently by everyone. With some people, it’s in the anticipation – what if I fail? Others feel it while they are taking action – what if I make a fool of myself?  If you don't overcome your fears, they will overcome you... TaKenya Hampton TWEET IT 1:56 - what is fear 3:10 - when fear is useful 4:00 - when fear does not serve you 5:01 - examples of fears that are limiting your potential 12:57 - why its important to overcome your fears 13:59 - 4 things you need to do to start to overcome your fears Join The Conversation About Your Host TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC.I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful.Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show!You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here.Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU ChallengeOrder Your Copy of Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success  In Your Personal & Professional Life WorkbookJoin the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort!Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on InstagramLike the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor PageTaKenya Hampton on Youtube

Welcome to Transparency + Truth, with your host TaKenya Hampton. TaKenya Hampton is a personal and professional development coach - a.k.a. Your Growth Guide, located in Raleigh, NC. I help female growth seekers transform their relationship with themselves by releasing self-sabotaging beliefs and negative self-talk. My clients and supporters learn to embrace and embody their full greatness both personally and professionally. They are empowered to reframe the narrative, rewrite the story, and move from stuck to successful. Subscribe and leave a review on apple podcasts if you love and resonate with the show! Want to support + get video access to guest interviews/episodes & more? You can do that here? You can check out the blog here, find out about coaching services here, and get in touch here. Sign up for the FREE 5-days of Believing in YOU Challenge Pre-order Who Are You? Increasing Self Awareness To Obtain Success In Your Personal & Professional Life Workbook Join the next Self-Awareness Group Coaching cohort! Follow @TaKenyaBrownHampton on Instagram Like the TaKenya Hampton - Coach & Mentor Page TaKenya Hampton on Youtube