October 28, 2025 • 36 mins
If your calendar is full but your cup is empty, this conversation will meet you right where you are.
We sit down with licensed therapist, executive wellness coach, and mindfulness instructor Samantha Edu to explore why the bravest move isn’t another push. Your next brave step is the pause that lets you breathe, listen, and move with intention. From her powerful “fan line” story to the creation of her “Positioned To Pause” retreat, Samantha shows how community care, compassion, and worthiness can turn stretching into strength.
We unpack her signature ROOT framework; Reflect, Open, Overcome, Thrive. Her framework weaves mindfulness, journaling, visualization, and movement into everyday life. Samantha shares how doing “one brave thing” each week rewired her voice, led to a self-created leadership role, and built partnerships rooted in purpose rather than perfection.
We talk about the hidden cost of hustle, the guilt many moms carry when they rest, and how five guilt-free minutes can begin a larger shift from survival mode to sustainable growth.
We get personal in this episode:
- redefining bravery on your own terms
- unlearning self-censorship
- choosing to include yourself in the life you’ve built for others
We explore motherhood as a mirror, workplace community as a lifeline, and wellness as making room for your whole self. Get ready to swap scarcity for overflow and urgency for alignment.
Connect with Samantha at:
TikTok: @samanthaedu
Podcast: Brown Heart Wellness Podcast
YouTube: BrownHeartTV
Thank you so much for listening in! If this episode spoke to you, it would mean the world to me if you left a review or shared it with a friend. And don’t forget to tag me so I can personally thank you for helping me spread the word.
Follow and chat with me on Instagram:
Podcast account - @thrivelikeamother.podcast
Personal account - @thrive.empowered
Sending you light and love always!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hey love, I'm Ebony and welcome to Thrive Like a
(00:03):
Mother.
On this podcast, we're scaredfor our truth, but that fear is
what leaves us to truly live.
You're in the right place andyou feel like you're stuck in
survival mode and you're readyto step into who you would truly
need to be.
I'll share resources and toolsthat I use daily to help you in
(00:25):
your journey toward your mindsetand to break the wheel of
survival.
The journey may not be easy, butyou won't have to face it alone.
I'm a mama of three healing dayby day from past trauma, and I'm
on a mission to build a lifeI've always dreamed of, but
never thought was possible.
So, love, if you're ready tobelieve in what's possible,
(00:48):
let's link arms and thrivetogether.
All right, y'all.
Welcome to another episode ofthe Thrive Like a Mother
Podcast.
And as you see, I have a veryspecial guest with us here
(01:09):
today.
I'm so excited.
Okay, so our guest today isSamantha Edu.
And y'all, she is a licensedtherapist.
She's an executive wellnesscoach and she is a mindfulness
instructor.
And she's also the host of theBrown Heart Wellness podcast
where she talks about bravery,rest, and self-leadership.
(01:33):
And through her practice, BrownHeart Wellness, she helps women
and leaders find clarity,courage, and compassion.
Because thriving starts withtaking care of your whole self,
right?
That is a little bit, that is apiece, everything.
And y'all, today's episode,we're talking about slowing down
(01:53):
with intention, how to heal incommunity and how to take that
next brave step.
Yes.
Even when it feels hard.
Yes.
My goodness.
Welcome, welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (02:05):
Yes.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Me too.
SPEAKER_00 (02:09):
Y'all, do you see the let's give it up for the
setup?
I know.
Yes.
I love it.
I love it.
But I love always starting withasking our guests what season
they're in.
So Samita, what season are we inright now?
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
Yes.
Okay.
So the season that I'm in rightnow is literally like, I call it
the bravest season.
Um, and it's probably not theseason where I've been the
bravest or going through thehardest of things in my life,
but it is one where I've beenthe most intentionally brave.
(02:46):
Um, and I think that this seasonis one where I'm being
stretched, beautifullystretched, um, in order to be
able to be a vessel.
Like, and and when I think of avessel, I'm thinking of like
being able to be poured into sothat what I'm pouring out is
love, compassion, joy, fullness,honesty, and overflow rather
(03:10):
than pouring out of somethingthat's empty.
I'm allowing myself to be pouredinto as well.
SPEAKER_00 (03:15):
Oh, I love that.
Yes.
Because I feel like I'm in avery similar season, you know,
for a while.
I was doing the Thrive Like aMother podcast, and I was just
doing it, you know, by myself.
Have a business coach oranything.
I was kind of like in betweenbusiness coaches and realizing,
you know what, I need community.
(03:35):
I need someone to pour into justlike I pour into y'all every
single week.
Um, because we can't do we can'tdo it alone.
We can't.
We cannot do it alone alone.
Not for long.
No, no, no, no.
We can't.
Okay.
So we're talking about a seasonof being stretched, right?
I know that can sometimes feel alittle uncomfortable.
(03:58):
How do you keep up with doingthe brave things, still taking
the steps, even when thestretching feels uncomfortable?
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
It is uncomfortable.
And sometimes I don't keep up.
Like, I won't say that it's allthe time where I feel like I'm
just, you know, keeping up withall the things.
I'm not.
And I think another part ofbeing brave is knowing when it's
like, okay, your next brave stepis to pause.
Your next brave step is to justtake a beat, pause, see how far
(04:30):
you've come, look at whereyou're trying to go, you know,
sit down somewhere and get realquiet.
Open your heart so you can hearwhat you're supposed to be
doing, just to check in to makesure I haven't gone too far off
the path of where I'm supposedto be.
Um, and that's bravery.
And it's really hard because I'mone of those people.
(04:50):
Um, I was watching this, theseepisodes about the great
lock-in.
unknown (04:56):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (04:57):
And I was like, I mean, I'm trying to be locked
out this year.
I'm trying out the next week'sretreat.
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
I'm really trying to be locked out.
I feel that I do this everyyear, y'all.
I will, I feel like my birdmonths are my moments of just
reflection and saying, okay,where are we going in the new
year?
What have we done in this year?
Let's celebrate that for amoment because it's been, this
year has gone gone by reallyfast as well.
(05:24):
It's just flown.
SPEAKER_01 (05:26):
Yes.
And we've been doing the bravethings.
And I think like it's importantto be able to say, my gosh, I
have been stretched, stretched,stretched, stretched.
And rest for me is a part of thestretching.
That's some, there's things Ihad to unlearn in order for me
to say, wow, you get to resttoo.
And so this last part of theyear, I want to, I want to be
(05:47):
stretched in the resting.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
I'm right there with you.
I'm right there with you.
Okay, so let's talk a little bitabout retreat, y'all.
It's sold out.
Don't try to, don't try to gettickets.
It's sold out.
So if you did not get yourticket, join the wait list
still.
And we'll talk about that later.
But this message, right?
Position to pause.
This is a message that rightnow, even as we're talking, is
(06:11):
resonating, right?
This is just, of course, theyear has been the year.
Yeah.
But this is where we aretransitioning into.
Can you talk about like whatreally inspired you to create
this retreat?
Why now?
And like what this space isgonna mean for you.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
Oh my gosh, yes.
So I went to a conference acouple months ago uh during the
summer, and in the so in at theconference, they were giving
away these fans when everybodywas like, Where them fans at?
Yes, and they were giving awayfans at everywhere you went.
I probably have five fans.
And so I went to get one ofthose fans.
SPEAKER_00 (06:47):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (06:47):
And when I got there, there was like hundreds
of people trying to get thefans.
And before I knew it, I wound upin the throng of people that
couldn't move, couldn't go left,couldn't go right, couldn't.
And you see, I made shorts.
And so I could not, and before Iknew it, I was being moved
around without me doing it, youknow, because people were moving
(07:09):
and pushing people and stuff.
And then I the security peoplecame down and I looked up.
I just closed my eyes.
I was doing my breathing becauseI could feel myself like
starting to get anxious aboutit.
And when I opened my eyes, I wasin the front of the line.
And the uh security guard wasyelling, yelling, yelling.
He's literally right here, getout of the line, yeah.
And I was like, I have nowhereto go, I have nowhere to go.
(07:31):
And I didn't, I had to likepause.
And when I opened my eyes again,I realized he's right here, but
it's nothing behind him.
I can literally step to theright and I'm in the open, you
know, behind the um thing whereeverybody was, and I could
breathe.
And and so I did that.
It was hard.
I I ended up having a panicattack in there, but um, my
(07:53):
friends called me and while itwhile I was in there because I
couldn't get out because allpeople, but I had air and stuff.
And so they were like, I seeyou.
I know you can't see me, but Ican see you.
And I was on the phone.
I was like, Okay, okay, and Isee you, I can see you, I know
you're in there.
Okay, they're gonna let you out.
And so this other lady sittingbeside me, she came by herself
(08:14):
to the conference and she waslike, It's okay, can I give you
a hug?
I say, Yeah, you know, I love ahug.
And so we started talking, andeverything started coming down.
So later I was praying aboutthat, and I was like, Okay,
Lord, why did you put me in thatposition?
Because I'm about to go home.
That situation, like I'm aboutto go home.
And I remember I wrote in myjournal, you are being
(08:35):
positioned.
I wanted you to see what it'slike for you to just be
positioned, recognize you havebeen positioned to be at the
front of the line.
You need to pause and see whatto do next.
Trust that your community isaround you, they are holding
you, they're there for you, andyou're okay.
And from that point on, I waslike, I knew that this retreat
(08:58):
was about to be positioned topause.
SPEAKER_00 (09:01):
That is so powerful.
You can't do it, I do it.
I got my ticket.
So I am very excited just to bein this room.
Like, there's this, there's thisthing about being in certain
rooms that God wants you to bein.
There is just something sopowerful about it.
SPEAKER_01 (09:18):
Yes, and I'm so thankful.
It's been a such a moment ofbeing stretched, a moment of
knowing that I'm being, youknow, I've been positioned for
this moment and still having todo the work to talk, you know,
through myself, through thenarratives that have been
created.
Like, am I worthy of thisopportunity that these women
have entrusted me with?
(09:39):
You know, and then I have totalk through that and just
knowing that you've beenpositioned to be here.
You've been positioned,reminding myself over again and
just I'm excited to get in theroom.
I'm like, I'm just I'm ready toget in the room.
Um, but the retreat is gonna bereally a reflection of how I do
therapy and coaching.
Yeah.
I include mindfulness,meditation, journaling,
(10:02):
visualizations, and movement.
And so we'll walk through theroot framework, which is
reflecting.
Um, and then we're gonna be openand using our mindful movement
to open us up to newopportunities.
Then we're gonna overcome thethings that we've, you know,
that have held us back.
And then we're gonna thrive.
We're gonna celebrate.
Yes.
(10:22):
And in the middle of that, we'regonna have some charcuterie and
some chatting.
SPEAKER_00 (10:26):
Yes, that's another way.
Y'all know I have just recentlybeen obsessed.
It's now a weekly thing.
I'm making me a littlecharcuterie bop.
I love it.
I have to have that at leastonce, at least once a week.
Good name.
Okay, so let's talk about thehardship of pausing, right?
Because I know there are a lotof moms who listen to this.
(10:47):
And sometimes it's hard for usto do that without guilt.
Why, why do you think there'sthat wall or resistance?
And how can like our listenersstart to kind of break through
that wall?
SPEAKER_01 (10:59):
The pause.
Yeah, yeah.
The wall.
I think just giving yourselfpermission, permission to do
small things.
And it sounds like, I don't wantto say it sounds ridiculous for
us to say, you know, giveyourself permission to be away
for five minutes.
Because it sounds ridiculous,but it's so real.
Right?
And I say five minutes, likefive minutes guilt-free, like
five minutes of like justenjoying your meal.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
With that big boy, somebody coming up, can I get a
bite?
Or I need this, I need that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:31):
Yes.
Finding time to like reallyexplore you, I think is not
something that we were taught.
It's definitely not somethingthat um we maybe saw growing up.
I did not.
Yeah.
Um definitely I come from a loneline of superwomen and things
that they were, they were andare super women, but they
definitely were not restors andare not, still are not um
(11:55):
resters.
So I would tell women now tochange the narrative for what
you've seen and also createspace for those coming behind
you.
I want my daughters to knowrest.
I want them to know hard work,and they do because they see us
hard working hard, but I wantthem to know rest.
I want them to know rest likethey know their best friend.
I want it to feel like such acomforting space for them that
(12:19):
rest becomes a non-negotiable.
It's like I don't even know alife where I wasn't resting.
What are you talking about?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:26):
Yes, I'm a hard worker, but I take my time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:28):
I know what rest is.
Yeah, because I feel like umthey will see things we've never
seen by doing that.
You know, there are things thatheld us back because we were
striving so often.
And that striving is what heldus back because we weren't able
to play.
Yeah.
We weren't able to be creativeand all those things that you
get to do when you're resting.
SPEAKER_00 (12:48):
Yes, that is so true.
Okay, one lesson, one lessonthat came out of creating this
retreat that surprised you.
But I was not, I was notexpecting this.
SPEAKER_01 (13:03):
Man, so I did a content daily other day, and so
she asked me this question.
I was like, ooh, man.
One lesson that came out of thisthat I had to just like was the
same thing.
I think I mentioned it a littlebit earlier was worthiness.
Worthiness.
I had to keep coming back tomyself and putting myself in the
(13:25):
process, in the dream.
Like this is something I'vealways wanted to do.
And I was having a conversationwith my bestie, and she was
like, girl, if you keep on, I'mgonna I'm gonna smack you.
And I was like, I know.
And I was um I was so excitedabout the process, so excited
about how beautiful it's gonnabe, like the atmosphere it's
(13:45):
gonna be.
And I and she was like, Butyou're leaving yourself out.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
You're leaving yourself yourself in.
SPEAKER_01 (13:51):
Yeah.
And I wasn't seeing myself inthe dream because seeing me in
it means I must see that I'mworthy of being it.
And so one of the biggestlessons has that has come from
this is an ongoing practice ofunlearning what work feels like.
Look like I don't have to beoverly productive.
(14:11):
No, I just have to show up andbe myself.
I'm enough.
I'm enough.
All that I have ever created anddone was just me showing up and
be myself, and it's always beenenough.
And but to me, there's somethingon the inside that's just
something that came from, youknow, growing up and always
striving that feels like, okay,there's more you should be
(14:32):
doing.
It's more you should be doing toprepare.
It's not over till it's over,you know.
SPEAKER_00 (14:37):
Oh, yes, I feel that.
Especially the especially in ourculture, we have to give the not
100%, 110, 20 until it's like,okay, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (14:48):
Yeah, done enough.
So I honestly wish when I dothis again, and I do plan to do
it again.
My hope is that the nextiteration, and for anybody
planning to do big things likethis for yourself, is that there
is rest in the process.
We don't yeah, we're not restduring the process.
Like, okay, when this is allover, I booked a hotel, we're
(15:10):
going to the spa.
But in the middle, I'm locked ina thousand percent.
Yeah, dragging myself throughthe finish line.
Like, no, there should be restin the process.
So we give it from our overflow,creating from our overflow.
That that should just be anongoing part of the process.
It gotta be.
Like, uh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:32):
So, so Mantha, you talk a lot about bravery and
growth, but you also remind usthat before we start to take the
brave steps, we have to startwith compassion, right?
Yes.
So I love just that balance thatyou bring to it.
That is not all about just takethe step.
You have to come to it with, youknow, giving yourself some
(15:55):
grace.
So, with any brave step, any bigchange, can you unpack like what
it looks like to bringcompassion into that brave step
for yourself?
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (16:09):
A lot of times when we get ready to start a brave
step, or we're gonna go do some,make some big change, you know,
start a weight loss journey or ameal prep journey or any, you
know, some time managementthing, it's usually coming out
of a place of love or not enoughor not doing something
correctly.
(16:29):
And that's why I'm going to dogo do this thing.
And if you were coming from aplace of compassion and grace,
you might think, well, actually,I need to start this thing
because I'm coming out of aplace of overflow.
I have so my my children are,you know, involved in so many
great things.
I have so many great thingsgoing on.
(16:50):
There's so much overflow that Ineed to prepare myself rather
than, oh, I'm not doing a greatjob of making sure we eat.
I'm not doing a great job oflike feeling like, you know, me
eating healthy meals, I'm eatingsnacks all day.
I gotta help, I gotta help meget my wheel together, please.
And that feels so scarce.
(17:10):
And what would happen if we justrecognize the overflow seasons
we're in?
And that overflow is why we needthese processes.
It's not lack, it's notscarcity.
We're not doing something wrong.
We have just been placed inbeautiful seasons of overflow
that really do require us tomake some changes that will help
(17:32):
us to be sustained and scale tothe next season.
SPEAKER_00 (17:36):
Yes.
Oh, I love that perspective.
Yeah.
Because y'all, a lot of myclients, they come to me and
like, oh my gosh, I've beeneating like this, and you know,
they're beating themselves up.
I'm like, let's not start there.
Yes.
This is an opportunity forgrowth.
You know how you have started inthis step for a reason.
SPEAKER_01 (17:54):
Yes, yes.
And when you think about yourbrave thing, like I tell people
all the time, they say, Oh, Idon't know when the last time,
you know, I did something brave.
And you probably didn't beendoing brave things all the time.
I know on the podcast I wassharing um when I was younger
and I uh I gotten terminatedfrom job and I was in at defects
and looking for a job, sevenmonths pregnant.
(18:17):
It was crazy, really.
That, anyways, we won't go allinto that, but it was really
crazy what they require you todo for a little coin.
But I had somebody who said,Wow, what are you doing?
I was in a defects program, andthis woman walked up to me and
she said, What are you doing?
You're not supposed to be here.
Because you had to turn in thesewriting assignments.
And I wrote the assignment, Iturned it into her, she read it.
(18:39):
What are you doing?
Oh my goodness.
You're not supposed to be here.
Yeah.
And that that wait.
It's like the light, wait.
But you're right.
You're right.
It's like I'm supposed to bedoing something else.
And I it just didn't dawn on methat during that whole time, I
was being brave.
I just didn't feel like being, Ididn't feel like I was being
(19:00):
brave.
I felt like a statistic.
I was what, 19, 20?
I had a child, I was gettingready to have my second child.
I didn't feel like I was beingbrave.
I feel like I was surviving thebest that I could.
Yeah.
And when you start thinking ofthose things as, wait a minute,
you've been brave for a longtime.
What I'm asking you to do isjust be intentional about it.
SPEAKER_00 (19:23):
Yes.
Goodness.
Okay.
So how can moms start applyingthis idea?
Whether it's they're in a spaceand they're trying to get things
together, like, okay, what whatexactly is my brave stuff?
Right.
Like you said, what is some waysthat they can start organizing
(19:44):
themselves, get, you know,getting ready.
SPEAKER_01 (19:46):
I always ask people, what does bravery mean to you?
Like, that's my first questionall the time.
Let's start with defining itbecause we all also jump into
things and we don't know, wehaven't defined for ourselves.
We've let someone else definefor us what bravery means.
And for a lot of black women,for sure, bravery means being
strong, holding things down,taking care of all the people,
(20:08):
um, you know, growing, being aleader, all of these things.
And that's not always what webravery, how bravery shows up.
That's definitely not howbravery shows up for me.
Yeah.
Um, actually, doing all of thosethings are probably my most
natural characteristics.
Um but I would tell people toanswer the question, what does
bravery mean to me?
(20:30):
And then you write that down,think on it, and think about
like, wow, what examples ofbravery have I ever had?
And which ones did I like?
Like, which ones do I want tokeep in this season of my life?
Yeah, because what the examplesthat I had before were striving.
I need to find some differentones.
So I'd start there with thatwould be the very first step.
(20:51):
What does bravery mean to me?
Write it down.
Think about the examples thatyou've had in the past.
If you don't have any, go findsome.
SPEAKER_00 (20:59):
Yes, look for it.
Look for it.
Okay.
So let's talk about your OneBrave Theme Challenge, which I
love.
What does it mean to you?
Why, why did you start it?
And how can you at least getconnected to doing that?
SPEAKER_01 (21:19):
Yeah.
So I started the One Brave ThemeChallenge in 2023 with myself.
Um, I started uh like I waslike, okay, I work in, I've
worked in corporate for a longtime as a corporate leader.
And I found myself like reallyzoned into internal work.
I was doing a lot of internalwork all over the place.
(21:41):
I was like, wait, who am Ioutside of here?
I woke away, I don't have anexternal presence.
Um, and I I was so angsty aboutlike using my voice outside of
my job.
And so I said, you need to doone brave thing a week.
And my one brave thing startedout with reaching out to one
person a week on LinkedIn andasking for a coffee chat.
(22:04):
Well, I love that.
It was so awkward, so weird, some.
And I didn't try to like make itany way other than what it was.
I didn't have an offer.
I didn't have anything I wasasking of them, nothing.
It was just have a chat.
Have a chat with people that Ihad been following.
I really love their content.
(22:25):
Um, I had engaged with theircontent and was like, I want to
meet this person.
And so I did that each weekuntil I got comfortable just
talking to people.
And that went on for a while,and then I just said, okay, now
what's because now I'm okay withdoing that.
What's my next brave thing?
And I just kept building onthat.
And then I was like, wow.
And I created the role that I'min now, actually, for my job,
(22:47):
and was like, we need some umdiversity, equity, inclusion for
our clinicians, our providers,and created this role, and that
was something I've never donebefore.
Presented it to leadership.
You know, I had to go throughall the hoops and challenges of
doing all the things.
And um, and I got into the roleand still in it.
(23:07):
And so being able to do that, Iwas like, I could do all kinds
of brave things.
Like I'm on to something.
And but I one thing that Irealized that made me want to
introduce this, this was so longago before I relaunched the
private practice, BrownheartWellness.
But what made me want tointroduce it to Brownheart
Wellness was I noticed I washealing some things within
(23:30):
myself, the more brave things Idid.
So it wasn't about the outcomeof the thing, because some of
the things I did.
Y'all, I have applied to likeall kinds of stuff.
I applied to a TED talk.
They was like, girlby.
I've applied to conferences.
I have, I just do stuff.
So it's it's now, it's not aboutthe outcome of the thing.
Yeah, it's about the process ofit.
(23:51):
And so I unlearned, you know,using my voice, I unlearned this
idea of self-censorship.
So I just realized that I washealing myself by doing one
brave thing at a time.
So when I relaunched the privatepractice, I knew that would be
foundational.
It's like, how do I get peopleto heal themselves one brave
(24:12):
thing at a time without being soclinical?
I'm still a therapist.
I'm a therapist at heart.
Like that's what I'm doing.
But it's wrapped in one bravething at a time.
Goodness.
SPEAKER_00 (24:22):
So can you can you share a moment?
I feel like I already know theanswer to this.
Can you share a moment where youtook one brave start recently,
even when you felt like, okay, Idon't have it all figured out.
But I feel, I feel like that'sjust you in a nutshell.
Everything.
SPEAKER_01 (24:37):
Yes, every, everything is like, I don't even
know.
Um, my friend says, girl, youjust be doing stuff for the
vibes at this point.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
Say the same thing about me.
They're like, what?
You do this too?
What don't you do?
And I'm like, what try it?
You never know.
SPEAKER_01 (24:55):
And that's my thing.
It's like, you really never knowwhat's gonna happen.
I really think like the retreat,I keep going back to the retreat
because it has literally beenone brief thing after another.
Doing the retreat itself ispushing through those thoughts,
but like even reaching out topeople who are sponsoring, you
know, stuff for the goodie bags.
(25:16):
I realized the other day thatI'm working with black-owned
small businesses.
I didn't know any one of thembefore this retreat.
Wow.
Not one.
It's beautiful.
And um, and just being able toask for help, like, hey, you
know, how are you?
And I think I met um the one ofthem before, and I was like,
(25:41):
here's what I'm trying to do.
Here's my heart behind it.
And then I kept meeting oneperson after the other and
having those conversations,knowing I've never had them
before.
Yeah.
I was like, let's just see whathappens.
And it's been so just amazinghow people are wanting to be a
part of the Brownheartcommunity.
(26:01):
The mission.
It's not even necessarily aboutthe Brownhart community, it's
just about wanting to see peoplebe healed.
It's just been such a fancy.
SPEAKER_00 (26:10):
Especially me watching it.
Because girl, you know, I havethe things in my event.
I've been telling my businesscoach, you know what?
Not this year, right?
And that, and there's that fearthing in the bag.
It's like, well, I've never donethis before.
I need to be more preparedbefore I do it.
But watching you, you just, I'mjust doing it.
I'm gonna take the step.
So we're gonna figure it out.
SPEAKER_01 (26:30):
We go.
I literally, I have beenfiguring it out.
It's just me, you know, I'venever, I am a therapist.
I'm a therapist coach, I do DIBspecialist work as a leader.
I'm taking all of my skills andI am transferring those skills
into my gift.
People think if I don't know howto do this thing, then oh well,
(26:54):
it can't be done.
You have skills you can transferto fuel your gift.
I don't know anything aboutmarketing or any of that stuff.
But what I do know how to do, Iknow how to plan, do strategic
planning.
I know how to do visioning, Iknow how to do all kinds of
things that I've done.
(27:14):
And that's like I've just beendoing it.
Yeah.
It all works out.
It really does.
I would just encourage people tolike the bet I don't want to say
like this, but get overyourself.
Mm-hmm and get over yourself andjust do it.
What's the worst that canhappen?
It don't work.
Sometimes we get in our own way.
(27:35):
In our own way.
I have launched my groupcoaching program twice.
You know how many people signedup each time?
Zero.
Yeah.
And these are the things thatpeople don't see, and I'm okay
with that.
I've been okay with it bothtimes because I was not
connected to the outcome.
I was connected to thelearnings.
I took everything I learned fromboth launches to launch my
(27:58):
retreat, and it was sold out.
SPEAKER_00 (28:00):
Things happen when they're supposed to happen.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Goodness.
Okay.
So we talk about community andhow that has been just always a
part of your healing.
What does that look like for youin motherhood and then in your
work?
SPEAKER_01 (28:17):
Ooh, this is such a good question.
I love in motherhood.
So I have all my friends I don'thave any ch any friends that
don't um have children.
So I've always had a group ofmothers around me who could pour
(28:38):
into me.
And they've done so, sobeautifully.
Like all of my, I've been a momsince I was 19.
And my best friend, she and Ihad our children around the same
time.
And so we grew up with inmotherhood together.
And so being able to just checkin with each other has been
absolutely beautiful.
And she's in Louisiana, and myother bestie here, she has three
(29:02):
daughters, like I have threedaughters.
And so just having people whowill come pray with you over
your kids and affirm you, oreither say, listen, you that
don't you do it.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (29:17):
Keep it real.
SPEAKER_01 (29:19):
Yes.
So all of my friends, my myother friends, she has, you
know, they just all have kidsand they have kids at different
stages.
And we're openly havingconversations with about our
kids, about ourselves, thingswe've had to learn as a parent.
And that feel like thatcommunity has helped me to
literally survive.
Because woo.
SPEAKER_00 (29:40):
Yeah.
Motherhood is the strength Ididn't know that I would have.
You know, even being, I thinkeven in my my friend groups, I
think I was the first one inlike our friend groups to start
having kids.
And I was like, wow.
You know, I never.
(30:00):
I never knew.
I'd say that a lot.
I never knew that, you know,going through raising your kids
would do certain things in you,start healing parts of you that
you didn't even know.
Listen.
We're broken.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Yes.
It was somebody that was tellingme that having children is like
their whole job is to hold amirror up to yourself.
Oh, yeah.
And maybe having three mirrorsup to you with a girl behind it
who act like their mama is like,oh my goodness, has definitely
been my biggest learningexperiences.
And then having to learn how tobe a human.
(30:35):
I didn't learn it till laterwhen my kids are, was one is
about to be 23, 23, 20, and 16.
And I didn't learn it tilllater, maybe five, six years
ago, to be human with them.
And I think it's still a journeywhere they trusted me enough to
come and say, I feel like wedon't know you as well as you
(30:57):
think we do.
And I'm like, wow.
You know, I have hidden so much.
I'm so open with them that Ithink I don't, but my
vulnerabilities is what I'vehidden.
And so that is a big, big lessonthat I've learned is like if I
want them to be human with me, Igotta be human with them too.
SPEAKER_00 (31:14):
Yeah.
Oh, that's big.
Yeah.
Me thinking with myseven-year-old gather
conversations we're having now.
I was like, should I be having,you know, yes.
Yes, I should be having theseconversations with you.
Because I mean, you need to knowit now.
SPEAKER_01 (31:29):
Yes, yes.
And you want them to be openwith you.
And you know, there are comethere's they they will not be.
Yeah.
But that'll be their journey andyou'll work through it.
But yeah, yeah.
So that's what community lookslike in parenthood.
I forgot the other one you askedme.
In your work, community in yourplease find some community.
Look, I don't know.
Please find some community inyour work.
(31:51):
Yeah.
Yeah, don't be by yourselfisolated.
Do not be isolated in theseworkplaces and spaces because
one, we work in our environment,is a very capitalistic type of
system, and it is not meant forus to be thriving and well.
And so the one way that we doget to thrive and be well is to
(32:12):
be in community with others.
Yeah.
I've always had community everyplace that I've gone and been,
and now I've been able to buildcommunity, but even if I build
it, I still have my own, my ownpeople where I can go to and
just say, Whoo, this is how, andthat's how I started Brownheart
actually, was um one of myfriends in my work community.
We started sending each otherbrown hearts during work
(32:34):
meetings just to encourage us.
We would be in a meeting andsome shade was happening, and
she would send me a brown heart,or I was being harder myself in
a conversation.
She would send me a brown heartafterwards.
That's what community looks likeat the workplace.
I know some people are like, I'mnot going that place to go home.
I'm not doing none of that.
(32:55):
But also, if that's what yougotta do, do it.
SPEAKER_00 (32:58):
Yeah.
Okay.
So what does what does wellnessmean to you right now beyond
just doing the things orworrying about performance?
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:09):
Wellness means like making room for me in this
beautiful life that I built forso many other people.
SPEAKER_00 (33:14):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:15):
Like I wanna be a part of it so bad.
SPEAKER_00 (33:17):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:18):
Like that's what wellness means to me.
Um, for a long time, I don'tthink that I included myself in
the life that I've created formy family or even at work or um
in in many different spaces.
I didn't include myself.
And now wellness means makingsure I am very much so included
(33:39):
and centered if need be, and notfeeling bad about it.
Um because that's okay.
Oof, goodness.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (33:49):
So before we start to close, love, first of all, if
y'all aren't following Samitia,please do.
But I love her affirmations.
So I would love if you couldshare one in the audience, just
one that you're like holding onto.
SPEAKER_01 (34:05):
Yes.
The one that I'm holding on tofor dear life right now is um, I
have been positioned to be rightwhere I am.
I deserve to be in this space.
The space and time was createdjust for me to exist in my
wholeness.
That's the one I've been like onrepeat.
SPEAKER_00 (34:23):
Yes.
What the heck?
Oh my gosh.
Okay.
So where can people connect withyou and just stay in your world?
Make sure they know when thenext retreat is coming and they
don't miss their ticket.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (34:37):
Um, you can find me on IG at Brownheart Wellness,
and I'm actually launching a newschool community called Um the
One Brave Thing Community.
Um please feel free to join theOne Brave Thing Community.
And you can also go to mywebsite at Samantha Edu.com and
you'll find all the things andthe wait list for the next
(34:58):
retreat is open.
Well, it's open, y'all.
SPEAKER_00 (35:00):
Go sign up immediately.
Immediately.
Well, Samantha, just thank you.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for bringing us justwarmth and letting us into your
world, into what your season isright now.
Yes.
Um, and just sharing with ourlisteners just what bravery
means to you, and then just howthey can define their own
(35:22):
bravery.
Um, just I'm just honored.
SPEAKER_01 (35:25):
Yes, thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
I appreciate you so much.
Bye bye, y'all.
Bye.
SPEAKER_00 (35:34):
Thank you so much for listening, love.
If anything in today's episoderesonated with you, share it
with your bestie or share it onsocial media and tag me so we
can chat about it.
As always, sending you light andlove, and remember, you are
worthy, you are enough, and youdeserve to thrive.
Hey love, I'm Ebony and welcome to Thrive Like a
(00:03):
Mother.
On this podcast, we're scaredfor our truth, but that fear is
what leaves us to truly live.
You're in the right place andyou feel like you're stuck in
survival mode and you're readyto step into who you would truly
need to be.
I'll share resources and toolsthat I use daily to help you in
(00:25):
your journey toward your mindsetand to break the wheel of
survival.
The journey may not be easy, butyou won't have to face it alone.
I'm a mama of three healing dayby day from past trauma, and I'm
on a mission to build a lifeI've always dreamed of, but
never thought was possible.
So, love, if you're ready tobelieve in what's possible,
(00:48):
let's link arms and thrivetogether.
All right, y'all.
Welcome to another episode ofthe Thrive Like a Mother
Podcast.
And as you see, I have a veryspecial guest with us here
(01:09):
today.
I'm so excited.
Okay, so our guest today isSamantha Edu.
And y'all, she is a licensedtherapist.
She's an executive wellnesscoach and she is a mindfulness
instructor.
And she's also the host of theBrown Heart Wellness podcast
where she talks about bravery,rest, and self-leadership.
(01:33):
And through her practice, BrownHeart Wellness, she helps women
and leaders find clarity,courage, and compassion.
Because thriving starts withtaking care of your whole self,
right?
That is a little bit, that is apiece, everything.
And y'all, today's episode,we're talking about slowing down
(01:53):
with intention, how to heal incommunity and how to take that
next brave step.
Yes.
Even when it feels hard.
Yes.
My goodness.
Welcome, welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (02:05):
Yes.
Thank you for having me.
I'm so excited.
Me too.
SPEAKER_00 (02:09):
Y'all, do you see the let's give it up for the
setup?
I know.
Yes.
I love it.
I love it.
But I love always starting withasking our guests what season
they're in.
So Samita, what season are we inright now?
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
Yes.
Okay.
So the season that I'm in rightnow is literally like, I call it
the bravest season.
Um, and it's probably not theseason where I've been the
bravest or going through thehardest of things in my life,
but it is one where I've beenthe most intentionally brave.
(02:46):
Um, and I think that this seasonis one where I'm being
stretched, beautifullystretched, um, in order to be
able to be a vessel.
Like, and and when I think of avessel, I'm thinking of like
being able to be poured into sothat what I'm pouring out is
love, compassion, joy, fullness,honesty, and overflow rather
(03:10):
than pouring out of somethingthat's empty.
I'm allowing myself to be pouredinto as well.
SPEAKER_00 (03:15):
Oh, I love that.
Yes.
Because I feel like I'm in avery similar season, you know,
for a while.
I was doing the Thrive Like aMother podcast, and I was just
doing it, you know, by myself.
Have a business coach oranything.
I was kind of like in betweenbusiness coaches and realizing,
you know what, I need community.
(03:35):
I need someone to pour into justlike I pour into y'all every
single week.
Um, because we can't do we can'tdo it alone.
We can't.
We cannot do it alone alone.
Not for long.
No, no, no, no.
We can't.
Okay.
So we're talking about a seasonof being stretched, right?
I know that can sometimes feel alittle uncomfortable.
(03:58):
How do you keep up with doingthe brave things, still taking
the steps, even when thestretching feels uncomfortable?
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
It is uncomfortable.
And sometimes I don't keep up.
Like, I won't say that it's allthe time where I feel like I'm
just, you know, keeping up withall the things.
I'm not.
And I think another part ofbeing brave is knowing when it's
like, okay, your next brave stepis to pause.
Your next brave step is to justtake a beat, pause, see how far
(04:30):
you've come, look at whereyou're trying to go, you know,
sit down somewhere and get realquiet.
Open your heart so you can hearwhat you're supposed to be
doing, just to check in to makesure I haven't gone too far off
the path of where I'm supposedto be.
Um, and that's bravery.
And it's really hard because I'mone of those people.
(04:50):
Um, I was watching this, theseepisodes about the great
lock-in.
unknown (04:56):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (04:57):
And I was like, I mean, I'm trying to be locked
out this year.
I'm trying out the next week'sretreat.
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
I'm really trying to be locked out.
I feel that I do this everyyear, y'all.
I will, I feel like my birdmonths are my moments of just
reflection and saying, okay,where are we going in the new
year?
What have we done in this year?
Let's celebrate that for amoment because it's been, this
year has gone gone by reallyfast as well.
(05:24):
It's just flown.
SPEAKER_01 (05:26):
Yes.
And we've been doing the bravethings.
And I think like it's importantto be able to say, my gosh, I
have been stretched, stretched,stretched, stretched.
And rest for me is a part of thestretching.
That's some, there's things Ihad to unlearn in order for me
to say, wow, you get to resttoo.
And so this last part of theyear, I want to, I want to be
(05:47):
stretched in the resting.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
I'm right there with you.
I'm right there with you.
Okay, so let's talk a little bitabout retreat, y'all.
It's sold out.
Don't try to, don't try to gettickets.
It's sold out.
So if you did not get yourticket, join the wait list
still.
And we'll talk about that later.
But this message, right?
Position to pause.
This is a message that rightnow, even as we're talking, is
(06:11):
resonating, right?
This is just, of course, theyear has been the year.
Yeah.
But this is where we aretransitioning into.
Can you talk about like whatreally inspired you to create
this retreat?
Why now?
And like what this space isgonna mean for you.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
Oh my gosh, yes.
So I went to a conference acouple months ago uh during the
summer, and in the so in at theconference, they were giving
away these fans when everybodywas like, Where them fans at?
Yes, and they were giving awayfans at everywhere you went.
I probably have five fans.
And so I went to get one ofthose fans.
SPEAKER_00 (06:47):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (06:47):
And when I got there, there was like hundreds
of people trying to get thefans.
And before I knew it, I wound upin the throng of people that
couldn't move, couldn't go left,couldn't go right, couldn't.
And you see, I made shorts.
And so I could not, and before Iknew it, I was being moved
around without me doing it, youknow, because people were moving
(07:09):
and pushing people and stuff.
And then I the security peoplecame down and I looked up.
I just closed my eyes.
I was doing my breathing becauseI could feel myself like
starting to get anxious aboutit.
And when I opened my eyes, I wasin the front of the line.
And the uh security guard wasyelling, yelling, yelling.
He's literally right here, getout of the line, yeah.
And I was like, I have nowhereto go, I have nowhere to go.
(07:31):
And I didn't, I had to likepause.
And when I opened my eyes again,I realized he's right here, but
it's nothing behind him.
I can literally step to theright and I'm in the open, you
know, behind the um thing whereeverybody was, and I could
breathe.
And and so I did that.
It was hard.
I I ended up having a panicattack in there, but um, my
(07:53):
friends called me and while itwhile I was in there because I
couldn't get out because allpeople, but I had air and stuff.
And so they were like, I seeyou.
I know you can't see me, but Ican see you.
And I was on the phone.
I was like, Okay, okay, and Isee you, I can see you, I know
you're in there.
Okay, they're gonna let you out.
And so this other lady sittingbeside me, she came by herself
(08:14):
to the conference and she waslike, It's okay, can I give you
a hug?
I say, Yeah, you know, I love ahug.
And so we started talking, andeverything started coming down.
So later I was praying aboutthat, and I was like, Okay,
Lord, why did you put me in thatposition?
Because I'm about to go home.
That situation, like I'm aboutto go home.
And I remember I wrote in myjournal, you are being
(08:35):
positioned.
I wanted you to see what it'slike for you to just be
positioned, recognize you havebeen positioned to be at the
front of the line.
You need to pause and see whatto do next.
Trust that your community isaround you, they are holding
you, they're there for you, andyou're okay.
And from that point on, I waslike, I knew that this retreat
(08:58):
was about to be positioned topause.
SPEAKER_00 (09:01):
That is so powerful.
You can't do it, I do it.
I got my ticket.
So I am very excited just to bein this room.
Like, there's this, there's thisthing about being in certain
rooms that God wants you to bein.
There is just something sopowerful about it.
SPEAKER_01 (09:18):
Yes, and I'm so thankful.
It's been a such a moment ofbeing stretched, a moment of
knowing that I'm being, youknow, I've been positioned for
this moment and still having todo the work to talk, you know,
through myself, through thenarratives that have been
created.
Like, am I worthy of thisopportunity that these women
have entrusted me with?
(09:39):
You know, and then I have totalk through that and just
knowing that you've beenpositioned to be here.
You've been positioned,reminding myself over again and
just I'm excited to get in theroom.
I'm like, I'm just I'm ready toget in the room.
Um, but the retreat is gonna bereally a reflection of how I do
therapy and coaching.
Yeah.
I include mindfulness,meditation, journaling,
(10:02):
visualizations, and movement.
And so we'll walk through theroot framework, which is
reflecting.
Um, and then we're gonna be openand using our mindful movement
to open us up to newopportunities.
Then we're gonna overcome thethings that we've, you know,
that have held us back.
And then we're gonna thrive.
We're gonna celebrate.
Yes.
(10:22):
And in the middle of that, we'regonna have some charcuterie and
some chatting.
SPEAKER_00 (10:26):
Yes, that's another way.
Y'all know I have just recentlybeen obsessed.
It's now a weekly thing.
I'm making me a littlecharcuterie bop.
I love it.
I have to have that at leastonce, at least once a week.
Good name.
Okay, so let's talk about thehardship of pausing, right?
Because I know there are a lotof moms who listen to this.
(10:47):
And sometimes it's hard for usto do that without guilt.
Why, why do you think there'sthat wall or resistance?
And how can like our listenersstart to kind of break through
that wall?
SPEAKER_01 (10:59):
The pause.
Yeah, yeah.
The wall.
I think just giving yourselfpermission, permission to do
small things.
And it sounds like, I don't wantto say it sounds ridiculous for
us to say, you know, giveyourself permission to be away
for five minutes.
Because it sounds ridiculous,but it's so real.
Right?
And I say five minutes, likefive minutes guilt-free, like
five minutes of like justenjoying your meal.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
With that big boy, somebody coming up, can I get a
bite?
Or I need this, I need that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:31):
Yes.
Finding time to like reallyexplore you, I think is not
something that we were taught.
It's definitely not somethingthat um we maybe saw growing up.
I did not.
Yeah.
Um definitely I come from a loneline of superwomen and things
that they were, they were andare super women, but they
definitely were not restors andare not, still are not um
(11:55):
resters.
So I would tell women now tochange the narrative for what
you've seen and also createspace for those coming behind
you.
I want my daughters to knowrest.
I want them to know hard work,and they do because they see us
hard working hard, but I wantthem to know rest.
I want them to know rest likethey know their best friend.
I want it to feel like such acomforting space for them that
(12:19):
rest becomes a non-negotiable.
It's like I don't even know alife where I wasn't resting.
What are you talking about?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:26):
Yes, I'm a hard worker, but I take my time.
SPEAKER_01 (12:28):
I know what rest is.
Yeah, because I feel like umthey will see things we've never
seen by doing that.
You know, there are things thatheld us back because we were
striving so often.
And that striving is what heldus back because we weren't able
to play.
Yeah.
We weren't able to be creativeand all those things that you
get to do when you're resting.
SPEAKER_00 (12:48):
Yes, that is so true.
Okay, one lesson, one lessonthat came out of creating this
retreat that surprised you.
But I was not, I was notexpecting this.
SPEAKER_01 (13:03):
Man, so I did a content daily other day, and so
she asked me this question.
I was like, ooh, man.
One lesson that came out of thisthat I had to just like was the
same thing.
I think I mentioned it a littlebit earlier was worthiness.
Worthiness.
I had to keep coming back tomyself and putting myself in the
(13:25):
process, in the dream.
Like this is something I'vealways wanted to do.
And I was having a conversationwith my bestie, and she was
like, girl, if you keep on, I'mgonna I'm gonna smack you.
And I was like, I know.
And I was um I was so excitedabout the process, so excited
about how beautiful it's gonnabe, like the atmosphere it's
(13:45):
gonna be.
And I and she was like, Butyou're leaving yourself out.
SPEAKER_00 (13:48):
You're leaving yourself yourself in.
SPEAKER_01 (13:51):
Yeah.
And I wasn't seeing myself inthe dream because seeing me in
it means I must see that I'mworthy of being it.
And so one of the biggestlessons has that has come from
this is an ongoing practice ofunlearning what work feels like.
Look like I don't have to beoverly productive.
(14:11):
No, I just have to show up andbe myself.
I'm enough.
I'm enough.
All that I have ever created anddone was just me showing up and
be myself, and it's always beenenough.
And but to me, there's somethingon the inside that's just
something that came from, youknow, growing up and always
striving that feels like, okay,there's more you should be
(14:32):
doing.
It's more you should be doing toprepare.
It's not over till it's over,you know.
SPEAKER_00 (14:37):
Oh, yes, I feel that.
Especially the especially in ourculture, we have to give the not
100%, 110, 20 until it's like,okay, yes.
SPEAKER_01 (14:48):
Yeah, done enough.
So I honestly wish when I dothis again, and I do plan to do
it again.
My hope is that the nextiteration, and for anybody
planning to do big things likethis for yourself, is that there
is rest in the process.
We don't yeah, we're not restduring the process.
Like, okay, when this is allover, I booked a hotel, we're
(15:10):
going to the spa.
But in the middle, I'm locked ina thousand percent.
Yeah, dragging myself throughthe finish line.
Like, no, there should be restin the process.
So we give it from our overflow,creating from our overflow.
That that should just be anongoing part of the process.
It gotta be.
Like, uh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:32):
So, so Mantha, you talk a lot about bravery and
growth, but you also remind usthat before we start to take the
brave steps, we have to startwith compassion, right?
Yes.
So I love just that balance thatyou bring to it.
That is not all about just takethe step.
You have to come to it with, youknow, giving yourself some
(15:55):
grace.
So, with any brave step, any bigchange, can you unpack like what
it looks like to bringcompassion into that brave step
for yourself?
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (16:09):
A lot of times when we get ready to start a brave
step, or we're gonna go do some,make some big change, you know,
start a weight loss journey or ameal prep journey or any, you
know, some time managementthing, it's usually coming out
of a place of love or not enoughor not doing something
correctly.
(16:29):
And that's why I'm going to dogo do this thing.
And if you were coming from aplace of compassion and grace,
you might think, well, actually,I need to start this thing
because I'm coming out of aplace of overflow.
I have so my my children are,you know, involved in so many
great things.
I have so many great thingsgoing on.
(16:50):
There's so much overflow that Ineed to prepare myself rather
than, oh, I'm not doing a greatjob of making sure we eat.
I'm not doing a great job oflike feeling like, you know, me
eating healthy meals, I'm eatingsnacks all day.
I gotta help, I gotta help meget my wheel together, please.
And that feels so scarce.
(17:10):
And what would happen if we justrecognize the overflow seasons
we're in?
And that overflow is why we needthese processes.
It's not lack, it's notscarcity.
We're not doing something wrong.
We have just been placed inbeautiful seasons of overflow
that really do require us tomake some changes that will help
(17:32):
us to be sustained and scale tothe next season.
SPEAKER_00 (17:36):
Yes.
Oh, I love that perspective.
Yeah.
Because y'all, a lot of myclients, they come to me and
like, oh my gosh, I've beeneating like this, and you know,
they're beating themselves up.
I'm like, let's not start there.
Yes.
This is an opportunity forgrowth.
You know how you have started inthis step for a reason.
SPEAKER_01 (17:54):
Yes, yes.
And when you think about yourbrave thing, like I tell people
all the time, they say, Oh, Idon't know when the last time,
you know, I did something brave.
And you probably didn't beendoing brave things all the time.
I know on the podcast I wassharing um when I was younger
and I uh I gotten terminatedfrom job and I was in at defects
and looking for a job, sevenmonths pregnant.
(18:17):
It was crazy, really.
That, anyways, we won't go allinto that, but it was really
crazy what they require you todo for a little coin.
But I had somebody who said,Wow, what are you doing?
I was in a defects program, andthis woman walked up to me and
she said, What are you doing?
You're not supposed to be here.
Because you had to turn in thesewriting assignments.
And I wrote the assignment, Iturned it into her, she read it.
(18:39):
What are you doing?
Oh my goodness.
You're not supposed to be here.
Yeah.
And that that wait.
It's like the light, wait.
But you're right.
You're right.
It's like I'm supposed to bedoing something else.
And I it just didn't dawn on methat during that whole time, I
was being brave.
I just didn't feel like being, Ididn't feel like I was being
(19:00):
brave.
I felt like a statistic.
I was what, 19, 20?
I had a child, I was gettingready to have my second child.
I didn't feel like I was beingbrave.
I feel like I was surviving thebest that I could.
Yeah.
And when you start thinking ofthose things as, wait a minute,
you've been brave for a longtime.
What I'm asking you to do isjust be intentional about it.
SPEAKER_00 (19:23):
Yes.
Goodness.
Okay.
So how can moms start applyingthis idea?
Whether it's they're in a spaceand they're trying to get things
together, like, okay, what whatexactly is my brave stuff?
Right.
Like you said, what is some waysthat they can start organizing
(19:44):
themselves, get, you know,getting ready.
SPEAKER_01 (19:46):
I always ask people, what does bravery mean to you?
Like, that's my first questionall the time.
Let's start with defining itbecause we all also jump into
things and we don't know, wehaven't defined for ourselves.
We've let someone else definefor us what bravery means.
And for a lot of black women,for sure, bravery means being
strong, holding things down,taking care of all the people,
(20:08):
um, you know, growing, being aleader, all of these things.
And that's not always what webravery, how bravery shows up.
That's definitely not howbravery shows up for me.
Yeah.
Um, actually, doing all of thosethings are probably my most
natural characteristics.
Um but I would tell people toanswer the question, what does
bravery mean to me?
(20:30):
And then you write that down,think on it, and think about
like, wow, what examples ofbravery have I ever had?
And which ones did I like?
Like, which ones do I want tokeep in this season of my life?
Yeah, because what the examplesthat I had before were striving.
I need to find some differentones.
So I'd start there with thatwould be the very first step.
(20:51):
What does bravery mean to me?
Write it down.
Think about the examples thatyou've had in the past.
If you don't have any, go findsome.
SPEAKER_00 (20:59):
Yes, look for it.
Look for it.
Okay.
So let's talk about your OneBrave Theme Challenge, which I
love.
What does it mean to you?
Why, why did you start it?
And how can you at least getconnected to doing that?
SPEAKER_01 (21:19):
Yeah.
So I started the One Brave ThemeChallenge in 2023 with myself.
Um, I started uh like I waslike, okay, I work in, I've
worked in corporate for a longtime as a corporate leader.
And I found myself like reallyzoned into internal work.
I was doing a lot of internalwork all over the place.
(21:41):
I was like, wait, who am Ioutside of here?
I woke away, I don't have anexternal presence.
Um, and I I was so angsty aboutlike using my voice outside of
my job.
And so I said, you need to doone brave thing a week.
And my one brave thing startedout with reaching out to one
person a week on LinkedIn andasking for a coffee chat.
(22:04):
Well, I love that.
It was so awkward, so weird, some.
And I didn't try to like make itany way other than what it was.
I didn't have an offer.
I didn't have anything I wasasking of them, nothing.
It was just have a chat.
Have a chat with people that Ihad been following.
I really love their content.
(22:25):
Um, I had engaged with theircontent and was like, I want to
meet this person.
And so I did that each weekuntil I got comfortable just
talking to people.
And that went on for a while,and then I just said, okay, now
what's because now I'm okay withdoing that.
What's my next brave thing?
And I just kept building onthat.
And then I was like, wow.
And I created the role that I'min now, actually, for my job,
(22:47):
and was like, we need some umdiversity, equity, inclusion for
our clinicians, our providers,and created this role, and that
was something I've never donebefore.
Presented it to leadership.
You know, I had to go throughall the hoops and challenges of
doing all the things.
And um, and I got into the roleand still in it.
(23:07):
And so being able to do that, Iwas like, I could do all kinds
of brave things.
Like I'm on to something.
And but I one thing that Irealized that made me want to
introduce this, this was so longago before I relaunched the
private practice, BrownheartWellness.
But what made me want tointroduce it to Brownheart
Wellness was I noticed I washealing some things within
(23:30):
myself, the more brave things Idid.
So it wasn't about the outcomeof the thing, because some of
the things I did.
Y'all, I have applied to likeall kinds of stuff.
I applied to a TED talk.
They was like, girlby.
I've applied to conferences.
I have, I just do stuff.
So it's it's now, it's not aboutthe outcome of the thing.
Yeah, it's about the process ofit.
(23:51):
And so I unlearned, you know,using my voice, I unlearned this
idea of self-censorship.
So I just realized that I washealing myself by doing one
brave thing at a time.
So when I relaunched the privatepractice, I knew that would be
foundational.
It's like, how do I get peopleto heal themselves one brave
(24:12):
thing at a time without being soclinical?
I'm still a therapist.
I'm a therapist at heart.
Like that's what I'm doing.
But it's wrapped in one bravething at a time.
Goodness.
SPEAKER_00 (24:22):
So can you can you share a moment?
I feel like I already know theanswer to this.
Can you share a moment where youtook one brave start recently,
even when you felt like, okay, Idon't have it all figured out.
But I feel, I feel like that'sjust you in a nutshell.
Everything.
SPEAKER_01 (24:37):
Yes, every, everything is like, I don't even
know.
Um, my friend says, girl, youjust be doing stuff for the
vibes at this point.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
Say the same thing about me.
They're like, what?
You do this too?
What don't you do?
And I'm like, what try it?
You never know.
SPEAKER_01 (24:55):
And that's my thing.
It's like, you really never knowwhat's gonna happen.
I really think like the retreat,I keep going back to the retreat
because it has literally beenone brief thing after another.
Doing the retreat itself ispushing through those thoughts,
but like even reaching out topeople who are sponsoring, you
know, stuff for the goodie bags.
(25:16):
I realized the other day thatI'm working with black-owned
small businesses.
I didn't know any one of thembefore this retreat.
Wow.
Not one.
It's beautiful.
And um, and just being able toask for help, like, hey, you
know, how are you?
And I think I met um the one ofthem before, and I was like,
(25:41):
here's what I'm trying to do.
Here's my heart behind it.
And then I kept meeting oneperson after the other and
having those conversations,knowing I've never had them
before.
Yeah.
I was like, let's just see whathappens.
And it's been so just amazinghow people are wanting to be a
part of the Brownheartcommunity.
(26:01):
The mission.
It's not even necessarily aboutthe Brownhart community, it's
just about wanting to see peoplebe healed.
It's just been such a fancy.
SPEAKER_00 (26:10):
Especially me watching it.
Because girl, you know, I havethe things in my event.
I've been telling my businesscoach, you know what?
Not this year, right?
And that, and there's that fearthing in the bag.
It's like, well, I've never donethis before.
I need to be more preparedbefore I do it.
But watching you, you just, I'mjust doing it.
I'm gonna take the step.
So we're gonna figure it out.
SPEAKER_01 (26:30):
We go.
I literally, I have beenfiguring it out.
It's just me, you know, I'venever, I am a therapist.
I'm a therapist coach, I do DIBspecialist work as a leader.
I'm taking all of my skills andI am transferring those skills
into my gift.
People think if I don't know howto do this thing, then oh well,
(26:54):
it can't be done.
You have skills you can transferto fuel your gift.
I don't know anything aboutmarketing or any of that stuff.
But what I do know how to do, Iknow how to plan, do strategic
planning.
I know how to do visioning, Iknow how to do all kinds of
things that I've done.
(27:14):
And that's like I've just beendoing it.
Yeah.
It all works out.
It really does.
I would just encourage people tolike the bet I don't want to say
like this, but get overyourself.
Mm-hmm and get over yourself andjust do it.
What's the worst that canhappen?
It don't work.
Sometimes we get in our own way.
(27:35):
In our own way.
I have launched my groupcoaching program twice.
You know how many people signedup each time?
Zero.
Yeah.
And these are the things thatpeople don't see, and I'm okay
with that.
I've been okay with it bothtimes because I was not
connected to the outcome.
I was connected to thelearnings.
I took everything I learned fromboth launches to launch my
(27:58):
retreat, and it was sold out.
SPEAKER_00 (28:00):
Things happen when they're supposed to happen.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Goodness.
Okay.
So we talk about community andhow that has been just always a
part of your healing.
What does that look like for youin motherhood and then in your
work?
SPEAKER_01 (28:17):
Ooh, this is such a good question.
I love in motherhood.
So I have all my friends I don'thave any ch any friends that
don't um have children.
So I've always had a group ofmothers around me who could pour
(28:38):
into me.
And they've done so, sobeautifully.
Like all of my, I've been a momsince I was 19.
And my best friend, she and Ihad our children around the same
time.
And so we grew up with inmotherhood together.
And so being able to just checkin with each other has been
absolutely beautiful.
And she's in Louisiana, and myother bestie here, she has three
(29:02):
daughters, like I have threedaughters.
And so just having people whowill come pray with you over
your kids and affirm you, oreither say, listen, you that
don't you do it.
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (29:17):
Keep it real.
SPEAKER_01 (29:19):
Yes.
So all of my friends, my myother friends, she has, you
know, they just all have kidsand they have kids at different
stages.
And we're openly havingconversations with about our
kids, about ourselves, thingswe've had to learn as a parent.
And that feel like thatcommunity has helped me to
literally survive.
Because woo.
SPEAKER_00 (29:40):
Yeah.
Motherhood is the strength Ididn't know that I would have.
You know, even being, I thinkeven in my my friend groups, I
think I was the first one inlike our friend groups to start
having kids.
And I was like, wow.
You know, I never.
(30:00):
I never knew.
I'd say that a lot.
I never knew that, you know,going through raising your kids
would do certain things in you,start healing parts of you that
you didn't even know.
Listen.
We're broken.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Yes.
It was somebody that was tellingme that having children is like
their whole job is to hold amirror up to yourself.
Oh, yeah.
And maybe having three mirrorsup to you with a girl behind it
who act like their mama is like,oh my goodness, has definitely
been my biggest learningexperiences.
And then having to learn how tobe a human.
(30:35):
I didn't learn it till laterwhen my kids are, was one is
about to be 23, 23, 20, and 16.
And I didn't learn it tilllater, maybe five, six years
ago, to be human with them.
And I think it's still a journeywhere they trusted me enough to
come and say, I feel like wedon't know you as well as you
(30:57):
think we do.
And I'm like, wow.
You know, I have hidden so much.
I'm so open with them that Ithink I don't, but my
vulnerabilities is what I'vehidden.
And so that is a big, big lessonthat I've learned is like if I
want them to be human with me, Igotta be human with them too.
SPEAKER_00 (31:14):
Yeah.
Oh, that's big.
Yeah.
Me thinking with myseven-year-old gather
conversations we're having now.
I was like, should I be having,you know, yes.
Yes, I should be having theseconversations with you.
Because I mean, you need to knowit now.
SPEAKER_01 (31:29):
Yes, yes.
And you want them to be openwith you.
And you know, there are comethere's they they will not be.
Yeah.
But that'll be their journey andyou'll work through it.
But yeah, yeah.
So that's what community lookslike in parenthood.
I forgot the other one you askedme.
In your work, community in yourplease find some community.
Look, I don't know.
Please find some community inyour work.
(31:51):
Yeah.
Yeah, don't be by yourselfisolated.
Do not be isolated in theseworkplaces and spaces because
one, we work in our environment,is a very capitalistic type of
system, and it is not meant forus to be thriving and well.
And so the one way that we doget to thrive and be well is to
(32:12):
be in community with others.
Yeah.
I've always had community everyplace that I've gone and been,
and now I've been able to buildcommunity, but even if I build
it, I still have my own, my ownpeople where I can go to and
just say, Whoo, this is how, andthat's how I started Brownheart
actually, was um one of myfriends in my work community.
We started sending each otherbrown hearts during work
(32:34):
meetings just to encourage us.
We would be in a meeting andsome shade was happening, and
she would send me a brown heart,or I was being harder myself in
a conversation.
She would send me a brown heartafterwards.
That's what community looks likeat the workplace.
I know some people are like, I'mnot going that place to go home.
I'm not doing none of that.
(32:55):
But also, if that's what yougotta do, do it.
SPEAKER_00 (32:58):
Yeah.
Okay.
So what does what does wellnessmean to you right now beyond
just doing the things orworrying about performance?
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:09):
Wellness means like making room for me in this
beautiful life that I built forso many other people.
SPEAKER_00 (33:14):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:15):
Like I wanna be a part of it so bad.
SPEAKER_00 (33:17):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (33:18):
Like that's what wellness means to me.
Um, for a long time, I don'tthink that I included myself in
the life that I've created formy family or even at work or um
in in many different spaces.
I didn't include myself.
And now wellness means makingsure I am very much so included
(33:39):
and centered if need be, and notfeeling bad about it.
Um because that's okay.
Oof, goodness.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (33:49):
So before we start to close, love, first of all, if
y'all aren't following Samitia,please do.
But I love her affirmations.
So I would love if you couldshare one in the audience, just
one that you're like holding onto.
SPEAKER_01 (34:05):
Yes.
The one that I'm holding on tofor dear life right now is um, I
have been positioned to be rightwhere I am.
I deserve to be in this space.
The space and time was createdjust for me to exist in my
wholeness.
That's the one I've been like onrepeat.
SPEAKER_00 (34:23):
Yes.
What the heck?
Oh my gosh.
Okay.
So where can people connect withyou and just stay in your world?
Make sure they know when thenext retreat is coming and they
don't miss their ticket.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (34:37):
Um, you can find me on IG at Brownheart Wellness,
and I'm actually launching a newschool community called Um the
One Brave Thing Community.
Um please feel free to join theOne Brave Thing Community.
And you can also go to mywebsite at Samantha Edu.com and
you'll find all the things andthe wait list for the next
(34:58):
retreat is open.
Well, it's open, y'all.
SPEAKER_00 (35:00):
Go sign up immediately.
Immediately.
Well, Samantha, just thank you.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for bringing us justwarmth and letting us into your
world, into what your season isright now.
Yes.
Um, and just sharing with ourlisteners just what bravery
means to you, and then just howthey can define their own
(35:22):
bravery.
Um, just I'm just honored.
SPEAKER_01 (35:25):
Yes, thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
I appreciate you so much.
Bye bye, y'all.
Bye.
SPEAKER_00 (35:34):
Thank you so much for listening, love.
If anything in today's episoderesonated with you, share it
with your bestie or share it onsocial media and tag me so we
can chat about it.
As always, sending you light andlove, and remember, you are
worthy, you are enough, and youdeserve to thrive.
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