Bloom How You Must: Unlearning the Myth of Doing It All Yourself w/ Tara Pringle Jefferson

In this deeply grounding conversation, Kelley and author Tara Pringle Jefferson explore what it takes to stop “doing it all yourself” and allow support, softness, and ease into your life. Together, they unpack how burnout, community, and generational healing intertwine—and what it means to give yourself permission to bloom exactly as you are.

Key Takeaways

• Letting yourself be supported is not weakness—it’s relief and renewal.
• Community and vulnerability are essential parts of self-care and healing.
• Making life easier for yourself is an act of resistance, not indulgence.
• Blooming is both a personal and generational practice—when you flourish, others do too.

Episode Highlights

[00:03:00] Tara shares how burnout led her to “retire” from Team I’ll Do It By Myself—and how asking for help brought unexpected relief and community.

[00:12:20] The story behind Bloom How You Must—how a Lucille Clifton poem became the heartbeat of Tara’s message about Black women’s wellness and resilience.

[00:28:00] The revelation that “it’s perfectly fine to make life easier for yourself”—and how small shifts toward ease can radically change daily life.

[00:45:00] Tara and Kelley discuss generational healing, honoring their mothers and grandmothers, and redefining strength through softness and humanity.

Something to Take With You

Take a quiet moment to notice where you’ve been carrying things alone. Choose one place in your life where you can let something be easier—asking for help, softening a deadline, or loosening an old expectation. Let this be a small experiment in allowing support. If this conversation opened something for you, share the episode with someone who also deserves more ease and community.

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