Here’s One Podcast All Black Women Need to Tune Into During Quarantine
When I leaned into other womens’ stories, it helped me heal through mine.
During these months in self-isolation, most of us have more time to ourselves than we’ve had in a while — to reflect, reset and realign. While you curate the tools and resources to help you do just that, there’s one podcast you’ll want to catch.
This week, I launched Life, I Swear , a podcast that shares stories and reflections from black women about trials in their lives that have helped them heal, connect and process. This first season will feature a roster of incredibly talented black women who so many of us have come to admire: Elaine Welteroth, Alex Elle, Julee Wilson, Yrsa Daley-Ward and Deun Ivory, to name just a few. These women have energized us through their work as creatives, change-makers, game-changers and advocates for black women. The insight each of them shares as guests on the show both challenges and inspires us to be good to ourselves, covering topics around identity, mental health and resilience. Together, we explore how to leverage our innate strengths in the face of trauma, grief, insecurities and the nuances of our black experiences.
Every episode of Life, I Swear closes with one question: how can black women give ourselves more grace? Every answer pushes us to get comfortable with stillness, to allow ourselves to fully feel all the feels, and to carve out space for true healing. The show is meant to make one point — that everyone is going through something and despite how hard we are on ourselves, extending ourselves grace means accepting and honoring that we are beautiful, messy, and always human.
The season opened this week with an episode featuring Deun Ivory, creative strategist and founder of the body: a home for love, a wellness and healing space for black women who are survivors of sexual assault. Deun gives others permission to heal from trauma through joy and storytelling, starting with her own story of sexual assault and encouraging others to reclaim their bodies as homes for love. Conversations like these are important to normalize, particularly among black women. Too often we go through life burdened by personal struggles without sharing out loud. It keeps us in isolation, impacts our relationships and compounds our self-doubt and negative internal narratives. Sharing our stories empowers other women to do the same while feeling safe and supported.
I decided to launch the podcast after taking a year-long sabbatical from work. After the loss of a 27-week pregnancy followed by a relationship split, I fell into depression. Life had an ironic way of finally getting me to sit still. My body was recovering and the rush of emotions paralyzed my ability to move like I had before, both physically and spiritually. With the encouragement and blessing from my employer, I took a year off to heal and reset in every way.
The gift of time was invaluable. The early months were spent sitting with grief while also fighting off the hormonal imbalances of what would have been the fourth trimester. But with time and a new testimony , I entered a new season of possibility. I used the rest of the year to design life with intention. Time was an opportunity to arm swipe anything that didn’t inspire, teach or ground me and to reclaim my needs.
As women, we often spend our lives pouring into everything but ourselves — relationships, motherhood, career, the gamut. We reserve self-care, self-trust and time with ourselves as a reward rather than a healing power. It can come at a cost: waking up one day, or every day, to realize that our external outpour of energy outweighs our joy and that the reward of that reverse investment can be underwhelming.
Regrouping and being intentional about how we show up for ourselves is an active learning journey, sometimes easier traveled in community. Birthing Life, I Swear connected me with other women whose stories resonated with mine in unique ways. In one-on-one conversations, we swap testimonies about the ebbs (pain points) and flows (joy and gratitude) of life, and ultimately, about how we can give ourselves more grace through those fluctuations. Because this life isn’t a linear experience. Imagine sitting back with your girls and unpacking stories and struggles we rarely share out loud. This is that.
The process of curating this podcast was therapeutic. When I leaned into other women’s stories, it helped me heal through mine, which in turn helped me get clearer on which seeds in my life to plant and water. I hope the episodes resonate with other women as they did for me, and give you a reason to relate, celebrate and feel good about where you are in life, no matter where that is.
________________________________ // _______________________________
Learn more about the Life, I Swear podcast and see the full lineup of guests and topics at www.lifeiswear.com and @lifeiswear.
Life, I Swear is sponsored by Canviiy, protective scalp care against itching, flaking and breakage. Its innovative formulas are based in plant science and infused with aloe, manuka honey and peppermint. You can use 10% off with the code LIFEISWEAR at Canviiy.com.
