The Black Woman’s Stress Solution Podcast: discover the connection between Black women’s stress in work, love, and health—offering real solutions to help you stress less and thrive more!

Our guest today is Mars Lord. Mars is a coach, a birth activist, a doula educator, and the leading voice about black maternal mortality and health in the UK and beyond. She has also spoken to Parliament and can be found on the record in the history books for her work with black maternal health. As you can imagine, being a leader in these spaces carries a high level of stress and overwhelm. Mars describes her work as heavy because it comes with lots of emotional strain as she’s educating people on anti-racism. Listen as she shares how having a coach helps her carry that load, balance her mind, and apply her anger in a situation in a far more productive way than she's used to doing. This is a powerful conversation and I'm sure you will hear something that you can relate to and apply to your life. Tune in now to join the conversation. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — Mars Lord, Life Coach, Dula, Activist, Educator Website - https://marslord.co.uk/home/ Twitter - @_MarsLord - https://twitter.com/_marslord Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_marslord/?hl=en RESOURCES — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Thought work is a tool for revealing your brain to yourself. It helps you bring awareness to the sentences that are floating in your head, the feelings you have because of those thoughts, and the action you take as a result of those feelings. And like any tool, it can be used for us or against us. I see this as a trend that is happening in my coaching practice where clients want to use the Model to generate happiness, only to find out it's not working as planned. In this episode, I share with you what this unproductive way of using thought works is and how to start using it more effectively. RESOURCES — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP 40. You Were Pruned This Way! LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

In general, we tend to make an effort to be kind to others by reminding ourselves to pause and intentionally reflect on our words and actions, asking ourselves whether they’re of benefit to others. So when someone cuts us off in traffic, we remind ourselves that we don’t know what other people are going through. Maybe they had a stressful day at work or they are caring for a sick family member. This is a wonderful practice because it gives us the opportunity to practice compassion. The issue is that the same isn’t true when it comes to us. We don't take the time to notice and challenge a lot of negative thoughts that we direct at ourselves. Queens, the most important relationship you will ever have on this earth is your relationship with yourself. And relationships are simply the thoughts and feelings we have about a person. You want to build a better relationship with yourself. To do this you must listen to the thoughts and feelings you have about yourself and question them. Tune in to learn more. RESOURCES — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 02 Your Brain is F*cking with You EP. 04 The Snatch Back EP. 42 Duck Feet: Pedaling But Going Nowhere Fast LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Hey ya’ll! You are in for a treat today! I have been thinking about this term that I believe is so accurate, “Silence is violence”. It is so beautiful and empowering to watch so many of us uniting by forming organizations and groups so that we can be heard. We're on the diversity and inclusion committees, we're seeing it on Facebook, we're showing it on Instagram, we're having the hard conversations and we're no longer asking to be heard, we’re demanding it. We are saying, “I will not be silent anymore.” This is what I call our outer game. This has led me to think about another area where silence can be violent to us. It's what I call our inner game. This is the part of the game that is the most important. Queen, are you listening to you? Are you silencing parts of yourself? Are you defending you to you? We all know this voice in our head that constantly criticizes, belittles, and judges us. You know that voice that is often referred to as the inner critic. Our inner critic can be cruel. Its impact determines our overall mental wellbeing. So when you have negative thoughts about yourself, are you defending yourself? You see, when we don't speak up for ourselves against that inner critic, your silence is a form of betrayal to yourself. We must stop the violence to ourselves by learning how to be compassionate, nurturing, and loving to ourselves. Listen in to learn more. RESOURCES — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

I love to observe my clients and share with them the patterns that I notice. Their habits, their groove because once we know our patterns, we can prepare for it. In episode 51 we discussed our quit pattern. This is the point where we often find ourselves giving up and quitting. We discuss the importance of identifying this pattern because once we know where or when we tend to give up, we can address it by using thought work to explore our limiting beliefs so they can be released really quickly and help us to remove mental obstacles that are stopping us from reaching our goals. This week I want to discuss our go all-in pattern. This is the point where you decide that you are all in on a goal and you're fully committed. So for you, when do you decide to go all-in? Is it when you know all the what if’s and solve for them? Is it after you receive external validation and gather others people's opinions? Or is it when you have evidence that you will succeed? Whatever it is, it's ok. There is nothing wrong. We just need to identify our pattern so that we can then create thought disruptors, like plans and protocols to redirect our pathways and decide to go all-in now without the disruptors stopping us. Listen in to learn more. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE — EP. 52 The Value of Coaching with Ashley Rhodes EP. 51 What’s Your Quit Pattern? EP. 12 Be A Boy Scout for Your Goals RESOURCES — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Self-discovery is a process where a person is guided, through self-questioning and examination of one's own thoughts, words, and actions, in order to reach their own conclusions regarding who they truly are. This is at the core of the work that our guest, Ashley Rhodes, focuses on in her practice as a life coach. Through her own growth, Ashley discovered that part of her work here in this lifetime is to help guide others to a life they desire. A life where they embody the power and skills to create more joy, acceptance, ease, and love of self. She believes that coaching allows for space to safely and honestly work through what’s holding you back from what is possible in your life. She works with people who feel disconnected and dissatisfied in their lives and helps them master intentionality to create the life that they truly love living. Listen in as we discuss her experience with coaching from the perspective of a coach and a client and how it has allowed for some major breakthroughs in her life. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — Ashley Rhodes, Life Coach and Owner of Ashley Rhodes Personal Coaching Website - https://www.ashleyrhodescoaching.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_ashley_rhodes/ RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Do you find yourself quitting things a lot? Whatever it is we want to achieve in life, no matter how much we want it, there will always be times when we hit a challenging period, our motivation hits a wall and we feel like giving up. This is because by default, our mindsets and thought patterns play out over and over again throughout our life. If we don’t identify and change them we're likely to repeat exactly the same pattern again. That's why it is important for us to identify our quit pattern. Once we know where or when we tend to give up, we can address it by using thought work to explore our limiting beliefs so they can be released really quickly and help us to remove mental obstacles that are stopping us from reaching our goals. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/calendar/BREAKTHROUGHCALENDAR LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a difficult situation the motivation that you need to get out of it seems to come easy compared to when you are in a good situation but you desire more? The thing is that going from bad to good is a different journey than going from good to better and it requires different motivation. While going from bad to good you are motivated by pain and discomfort but going from good to better you are already comfortable so you need a different strategy for motivation. There is a right and a wrong way to accomplish this and I want to help you make this journey with ease and joy. Listen in as I share some key strategies that you can implement to move from good to better without drama. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

For the most part, we recognize that if our past was not so good, our brain tends to use it against us by constantly providing evidence of past mistakes to justify the current goal won't be realized. But if our past was “goodt” wouldn't we still have this problem? The answer is yes. No matter how perfect your past is. No matter how well things line up, your brain will still use your past against you. Once we hit an obstacle we begin to say to ourselves “That big thing was hard, this should have been easy. Why am I struggling?” And we make it mean we’re not smart enough, we’re not predestined to do this thing. Listen, none of those things are true. Our brain is f***ing with us. Our history of success can equally be used against us and when we recognize that this is happening we must slow down and reroute our thoughts. Tune in to learn how. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Black women are forced to conquer dual challenges in the workplace as members of two minority groups. We have to deal with the disadvantages of not just being a woman, but also being black. I’d like us to discuss how black professional women can break barriers and achieve success. I am joined today by my client Simone. We are chatting about her experience with coaching after dealing with several losses in her personal life and feeling displaced in her professional life. She explains how shifting her mindset has proved to be such a powerful thing because by changing her mindset there has been a huge impact on her outcomes. It’s time to quiet the self-doubting voices in your head so that you can feel empowered and find success. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Today I want to continue our conversation about desire. I want to talk about another reason why we dampen our success expectancy. We've been taught that our future success is based on how successful we have been in the past. The thing is, if most of us looked to our past to determine our future success, we would not have any hope of creating the desires of our hearts because our brain is going to tell us every little detail about our failures. Can I tell you something? Our past has absolutely nothing to do with our ability to create in the future. We can create desire, whatever it is that we want. Lean into it. It's possible. Don't allow your brain to give you probability thoughts. When our brain is saying NO, we get to say YAS! Listen in as we unpack this concept. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 03 Playing Fetch LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Disappointment is the unhappiness you feel from the failure of something hoped for or expected to happen. This is the internal fear that you experience when it comes to wanting and desiring more. For a lot of us, we don't want to desire because we're unwilling to experience disappointment. So in this episode, I want to help us understand the disappointment in such a way that we are okay with experiencing it. When we put it all together we have to understand our cultural history, which is the danger of desire, the immortality of desire, greed, and our lack of tools for preparing ourselves for experiencing discomfort, disappointment. Once we understand this we can move on to the work of cultivating desire. Listen in as I share three ways that you can deal with the fear of disappointment that is dampening your desire. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 28 Your Leaving Your Goodt, Goodt LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

In episode 44 we talked about how vital it is for us to have desire yet having desire is often viewed as greed. I want to offer that we can be grateful and still desire more. It is the desire that moves us and gives our life direction. Without this continuous stream of desiring, there would be no reason to do anything. So if we want the thing, we have to create the desire to want it. And if we want to create the desire to want it, we have to make it safe for us to do so. With this realization, why is it that we still shy away from experiencing desire? The reason why we dampen our desire is to avoid a specific feeling. It’s what we feel when our expectations for the desired outcome are dashed. This reason is totally in our control and that is what I want to unravel in this episode. Listen in to learn more. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 44 The One Emotion That Scares The Sh*t Out Of Us And Why LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

If we want to attract a thing into our lives, it's first necessary to have a deep, burning desire for it. Desire is a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen. It is the mental state that is needed to cultivate anything for us at all. Such as those big goals that we have. We may believe that it's only natural for people to want all manner of things, but often the concentrated mental effort needed to put into motion the forces of circumstance to bring the desired goal/dream from the mental realm into the physical is not there. This lack of desire is true for WOC. Desire is the one emotion that scares the shit out of us. And today, I want to talk about why that is. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 18 Yes, I'm Angry and I'm a Black Woman, So what? EP. 23 Emasculate...Is That Possible? EP. 22 When The Angry Black Woman Stereotype Follows You Home EP. 21 You're Angry, NOW WHAT EP. 27 An interview with Dr. Koritha Mitchell, author of From Slave Cabins to the White House Book - From Slave Cabins to the White House: Homemade Citizenship in African American Culture LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Why do we give so much credence to what others think of us? The truth is that we are responsible only for ourselves, and our own feelings. We are not responsible for the feelings of others, and we do not cause those feelings to surface. Just like for yourself, the feelings that they experience are those that they have created for themselves. Yet we regularly have the thought that OPT (other people’s thoughts) about us are more important than our own and so we try to manage OPT by editing ourselves constantly. I want to free you from the desire to try to manage OPT about you by helping you to understand why you value OPT in the first place and how to instead value your own thoughts and opinion of yourself. Listen in to learn more. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Your mind is constantly filtering and bringing to your attention information that affirms your preexisting beliefs as well as presenting you with repeated thoughts and impulses that mirrors what you've done in the past. These thoughts are hidden beliefs that dictate the direction you go in and at which speed. Most of them are not actually serving you. I like to think of these thoughts as little duck feet pedaling feverishly in the water but going nowhere fast. The duck feet are your internalized thoughts underneath your awareness, your consciousness that you actually get to question. So if you ever feel like you’re just going in circles, it’s these hidden thoughts that are directing you and that is one of the reasons why you are not making any progress towards your goals. So listen in as we discuss a few ways to start retraining your mind to be your ally, not your enemy. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 04 The Snatch Back EP. 41 Managing Your Mind - The First Step LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

I once heard the saying that “the quality of your life is dependent on the quality of your questions.” I thought this was so fascinating and then I also had the thought that the one thing that we rarely question is our thoughts. We rarely ask ourselves, “why are you thinking that?” Every day the average person has an average of 12,000–60,000 thoughts a day. These thoughts can range from a different variety of things. So they are not all bad thoughts but primarily I personally believe this would be beneficial to bring awareness to those quite negative thoughts that seem harmless. You know the one that makes you feel like you are in the fight or flight mode or makes you feel like you're stuck or shut down. Of course, questioning your thoughts doesn't have to only apply when it's negative. There are many different instances where questioning your thoughts can be very beneficial. I want you to know that you don't have to believe your thoughts. You get to question the validity of the story you tell yourself and in this episode, I share with you exactly how to do that. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Our brain will offer us all kinds of thoughts, especially the thoughts it’s used to thinking. But just because these thoughts are familiar doesn't mean that they are useful. Our brains are doing what it was designed to do. It’s being efficient but we don’t want our minds running loose with destructive or unmonitored thoughts. Therefore we must monitor the thoughts and then manage and redirect them. Remember that intentional thinking creates intentional results so to create the results you want, you must be intentional with your thinking by choosing a thought that will give you the feeling you need to take action and these actions will create your desired result. You may have tried doing this before and think that it is impossible to change your thoughts, that they just happen and you have no control over them but I am here to tell you that, it's not true. You can control your thoughts. It starts with you being intentional with your thinking. It will take some practice but you can do it and in this episode, I show you exactly how to manage your mind so that you create on purpose. This is the work that I specialize in. If you need help up-leveling your thoughts, I invite you to book a breakthrough call with me at https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall Workcation pictures from Cabo- https://bit.ly/3kfj6S4 LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Are you on the journey to get your life? Then it may be time to think about life coaching. A life coach acts as a guide to assist you in retraining your mind by adopting new ways of thinking, which can involve replacing harmful beliefs with positive and affirming ones in order for you to reach personal and professional fulfillment. Think of a life coach as someone whose literal job is to help you reach your goals and ultimately enhance your life. In today's episode, I am joined by Jennifer Moore, a private client who will be sharing with us how her decision to hire a life coach has amplified her quality of life. As a life coach herself, she knows the value that coaching has to offer. Listen in as she shares her experience and tells us why she is clear that her life is much richer because she invested in a life coach. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — Jennifer Moore of Jennifer Moore Coaching Website -http://www.jennifermoorecoaching.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jennifermoorecoaching/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JenniferMooreCoaching/ RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

“Imagine meeting someone who wants to learn your past not to punish you but to understand how you need to be loved”. – Unknown As I reenter the world of dating I have been self-coaching on how I feel about this process. I find myself pondering the thought of how we show up to a date with the intention to actually get to know the other person and determine if there is a connection. I’ve also been thinking about why we do this. The goal of dating is usually to find a partner, someone who you can grow to become intimate with. True intimacy happens when both people feel safe enough to be vulnerable. There is support for each other's weaknesses and celebration of each other's strengths. The couple has agreed on a definition of fidelity and both feel secure that the other will not violate that understanding. This then led me to think about what it would be like if we learned to find true intimacy with ourselves. Are you intimate with yourself? Are you safe with you? How well do you know you? Queen, we don’t know ourselves enough to understand how we need to love ourselves. No, we understand ourselves, to punish ourselves. It is time to change this dynamic. This is the work that I specialize in. If you need help improving that core relationship with yourself, I invite you to book a breakthrough call with me at https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall to learn how to increase your intimacy with yourself. Listen in to learn more. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

We all know that life comes with unavoidable physical and emotional pain. That seems to be a non-negotiable part of the deal. The negotiable part is how much time you will spend worrying about it. If you have a legitimate reason to be stressed; then let yourself worry; it’s normal but I challenge you to adapt the concept of a Worry Window so that you are not using precious energy to worry when it is not necessary. A Worry Window is a period of time that you set aside to worry about whatever issue is at hand and it can decrease the amount of time you spend worrying. Giving yourself Worry Windows frees your brain of all the energy that you're taking away from your current circumstances, the enjoyment, fulfillment, creativity, problem-solving, and puts it at a set time where you have decided this is when you will worry and these are the parameters. We will be talking about this topic in more depth at this month's masterclass. If you're not a regular on a master class schedule, please go to my website, www.brigjohnson.com, and click the link to join. I usually do two, three master classes a month. Also, I am offering a small group coaching opportunity that is coming up for a very limited few people. I am running this totally as a beta. So if you're interested in joining a very small group coaching program where, in community, we will coach through our issues, in a way that I think enhances and can sometimes make the transformation faster. Then I invite you to send me an email to express your interest at [email protected]. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 31 Stop Having One-Sided Conversations with Your Brain LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

In this episode, I discuss a few random topics that I have on my mind. This is a rant where I coach you through some thoughts that may be blocking your potential. I know you have heard me say it before but our thoughts must be managed if we want to move past our self-imposed barriers. Let's talk about how you can do that. Press play to catch these gems. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Did you know that Black women are 80% more likely than women of other races to change their natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work? Narrow beauty standards make it difficult for black women to freely celebrate their own beauty. While all women experience pressure to conform to certain standards of appearance, society’s bias has resulted in unfair judgment and discrimination against Black women based on hair texture and protective hairstyles, including braids, locs, and twists, that are inherent to our race. For this reason, the C.R.O.W.N Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyle. In July 2019 this bill became a law and is now law in 8 states (CA, CO, MD, NY, NJ, VA, WA, CT). The Crown Act was a milestone but there is still a lot of work to do. I want to talk about what this means for us high-achieving women and how we can embrace our natural beauty and celebrate our self-expression. Tune in to join the conversation. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall Good Hair Documentary by Chris Rock - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MazokEvX63I LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

The need to succeed is a natural human desire, yet for Black women, our success is beyond simple bragging rights or a pat on the back. Our success represents something bigger than our own personal victory. The issue is that this desire presents an added pressure to be perfect and not mess up because we constantly feel the responsibility to not fail, we cannot afford to fail. Unfortunately, this pressure keeps us from meeting ourselves where we are. Meaning, we don't allow space to just be an imperfect human. We don’t want to mess up because then that means something is wrong with us and we have to fix it and fixing it means beating ourselves up which causes us suffering. I want you to know that we are allowed to mess up sometimes. We won't always get it right and that's ok. Listen in to learn how to give yourself grace and meet yourself where you are. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

A life coach is someone whose expertise is to support you in enhancing your life. A life coach acts as a guide to assist you in retraining your mind by adopting new ways of thinking, which can involve replacing harmful beliefs with positive and affirming ones in order for you to reach personal and professional fulfillment. Basically, you can think of a life coach as someone whose literal job is to help you reach your goals and ultimately enhance your life. Today, I am joined by Jane Jones, PhD. Jane is a writing coach and developmental editor who helps womxn academic authors transform their relationship with writing. She’s a proud New Yorker, weekend bourbon drinker, and former tenure-track professor of sociology. Jane was once an overworked academic, under such intense stress that she developed a lactose intolerance. Eventually, after becoming disillusioned with the structural inequalities and what felt like outright-hostile working conditions of my university, Jane left academia to found Up In Consulting. In her six years as a developmental editor, she’s worked with writers who have published books with presses including University of Chicago, Oxford, Princeton University Press, New York University Press, and Bloomsbury. She decided to hire a coach after realizing that she was not taking time to process her thoughts which hindered the progress in her business. We think we have to do this alone, listen in as we discuss the value of having support on your journey to leveling up. Press play to join the conversation. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — Jane Jones, PhD., Writing Coach and Developmental Editor for Academic Womxn Website - http://upinconsulting.com/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/janejoann?lang=en Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/janejoannphd/?hl=en Elevate a 6-month, interactive book-writing program for academic womxn - https://elevate.upinconsulting.com/apply/ RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

We are not our thoughts. Thoughts are merely thoughts, they do not paint the picture of who we are. It’s not our thoughts themselves that bring things to fruition, it’s our actions. And so it is important to manage our thoughts so that we will take actions that will actually serve us. It’s all about being aware that the intrusive, scary thoughts are merely unsubstantial nothingness that we should question and challenge, and that our intentional, positive thoughts can help shape our behaviors in productive ways. Our brain adds its own narrative to everyday events which we accept as truth. It's time to tell our brains NO and change the narrative. Listen in to learn how. If you want help with this work, I invite you to reach out to me. I’d love to support you on this journey. Visit my website, www.brigjohnson.com to book your breakthrough call today. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall EP. 02 Your Brain is F*cking with You EP. 03 Playing Fetch LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Our minds contain many different perspectives, and they can empower or demotivate us. The self-talk in our heads is responsible for so many of our failures and why we think the way we do. Oftentimes we dismiss our thoughts because it seems rational or accurate but it is not always true. When your mind starts saying dreadful things to yourself, don’t let your mind get away with it. This is your survival brain trying to protect you from the dangers of the big bad world that you face every day but until you become aware of just how crazy your self-talk is, you won’t be able to change it. And until we change what we say to ourselves in our head, we’ll continue to trip over these internal conversations. Listen in to learn how to stop having one-sided conversations with your brain by transforming your thoughts. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class - https://www.brigjohnson.com/ Book a Breakthrough Call - https://brigjohnson.kartra.com/survey/Salescall LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website - http://brigjohnson.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coachwithbrig

Women swear sometimes so let's get over it. Patriarchy punishes women for profanity because it wants us to forever remain within the straitjacket of niceness and politeness. Well, I say F**k the patriarchy. I think that is ridiculous and I want us to have a conversation about it. Join me on this episode along with some bada** life coaches, Corinne Crabtree, Susan Hyatt, Angela Mascenik, and Kara Loewentheil as we share our subjective views on this topic and our journey to being unapologetically us, foul-mouth and all. You're in for a treat. Press play to join the conversation. CONNECT WITH THE PANELIST — Angela Mascenik - Certified Life Coach Stop Over-drinking and Start Living Podcast Stop Over-drinking and Start Living Coaching Program Susan Hyatt - Master Certified Life And Business Coach Rich Coach Club Podcast The University for Life Coach Training Instagram Corinne Crabtree - Master Weight Loss Coach No BS Weight Loss Free Course Losing 100 Pounds With Corinne Podcast Kara Loewentheil, J.D., - Master Confidence Coach Unf*ck your Brain Podcast The Clutch Feminist Coaching Program LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Do you feel like you've accomplished a lot, but you still have more big scary goals that you want to achieve? You tell yourself “things are great right now, I don't want to mess it up by starting something new”. Although you try to push those goals to the side, they remain persistent. Perhaps launching a new business is your big scary goal. You dread leaving your goodt goodt job and having to give up the comforts of a stable paycheck to delve into the unknown, an unpredictable abyss. A lot of things keep us from making the leap—things like fear and insecurity but there are a few more things that keep you stuck and unwilling to commit to your goal. Listen in to learn what they are and how to move past them. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call EP. 12 Be A Boy Scout for Your Goals LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

It’s easy to have high aspirations. It’s much less easy to make those dreams and goals a reality. The truth is, many of us struggle with committing to bet on ourselves and go after our dreams and goals. Instead, you settle for the status quo. After all, you’ve made it. You build the career of your dreams and now you have the goodt, goodt job, the house, and the car. You are living the life yet you have a desire for more. There is more growing to do but you just can't see it happening without messing up what you already created. Listen, it's worth taking some time to dig deep and figure out what’s holding you back from reaching the next level of success because once you’ve named the thing that’s holding you back, you stand a chance at stepping over it and moving on. In this episode, I share my journey of how I transitioned from my goodt, goodt job as a Nurse Anesthetist for 38 years to a full-time Life Coach. You will hear all the mind drama I experienced and the strategies I used to work past them. So take pen to paper, don’t be afraid to be a little audacious, and get to work on building a successful mindset to reach your next level. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call 27 An interview with Dr. Koritha Mitchell, author of From Slave Cabins to the White House 26 Your Brain Needs a Detective 25 Wrestling With a Thought EP.10 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status - Part 2 09 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

You are in for a treat with this episode! I am joined by a special guest, Dr. Koritha Mitchell. Listen in as we discuss homemade citizenship, the concept of creating your own belonging; discursive violence, the cruelty of stereotypes determining people’s impressions regardless of what you do; and know-your-place aggression, the backlash against Black and Brown success. We will go into detail about these concepts and the formula that you can implement so that you can thrive and live in your purpose despite the existence of racism and sexism. Koritha Mitchell is a literary historian, cultural critic, and associate professor of English at Ohio State University. She is the author of Living with Lynching, which won book awards from the American Theatre and Drama Society and from the Society for the Study of American Women Writers. She is editor of the Broadview Edition of Frances Harper’s 1892 novel Iola Leroy, and her scholarly articles include “Love in Action,” which appeared in Callaloo and draws parallels between lynching and violence against LGBTQ communities. Her second monograph, From Slave Cabins to the White House: Homemade Citizenship in African American Culture, was published in August 2020. Her commentary has appeared in outlets such as Time, CNN, Good Morning America, The Huffington Post, and NPR's Morning Edition. Follow her @ProfKori. CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — Twitter - @ProfKori Instagram - @ProfKori Facebook - Koritha Mitchell Website - korithamitchell.com Book - Living with Lynching Book- Iola Leroy Book - From Slave Cabins to the White House: Homemade Citizenship in African American Culture MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE — Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs Brooke Castillo - Modelthon - The Life Coach School Beyond Respectability by Brittney Cooper “I’m a Black Woman Who’s Met All the Standards for Promotion. I’m Not Waiting to Reward Myself.” LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

What do you think it takes to achieve your goals? Hard work? Lots of actions? While these are necessary to becoming successful in reaching our goals, neither of these are possible without a positive mindset. Success in reaching our goals is determined by our mindsets. When you believe that we can achieve a goal our energy and actions will reflect that also. In today’s episode, I will share with you my weight loss journey and the strategies I used to shift my mindset to a success mindset which resulted in me losing 50 lbs. These strategies can help you with any goal that you have. So grab your notebook and write these gems down for future reference. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Next Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

When we know how our mind works, we begin to see our thoughts in a new, truly empowering way. When we truly see the nature of thought for ourselves, our thoughts no longer have the weight they used to. Oftentimes these thoughts will come and go like clouds passing by in the sky. But what happens when this is not the case. When a thought is more persistent. Those are the times that you have to wrestle with the thought until you have clarity. Listen in as I share the story of my first experience with through work and the strategy I used to get my breakthrough. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Byron Katie - The Work is a Practice Join the Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Relationships are challenging and when you enter a relationship while toting along all sorts of baggage and actively hiding parts of yours yourself in an effort not to appear as the angry black woman, this can cause stress, anxiety, and resentment. I am here to encourage you to not do that to yourself. Not only for your personal sanity, but also out of respect for the person you love. They deserve to know you in your truest form and you deserve to own your identity. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Sonia Wright, MD - The Midlife Sex Coach For Women Podcast Ep #32: Un-doctrination: Saying Goodbye to the Fairytale Join the Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

The angry black woman stereotype shapes how others read and interpret the actions of Black women including how we treat our men. The angry black woman is portrayed as a woman who is stubborn and unreasonably quick to anger who enjoys emasculating the men close to them. Now, to emasculate means “to make a man feel less male by taking away his power and confidence”. Is it really possible for another person to determine how someone else feels about themselves? This is a stereotype as pernicious as it is tired. Listen in to learn why. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Angry Black Woman Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

In this episode we will focus on how the black woman’s experience is unique to that of black men and white women because even at home when we are relieved of the racial burden we are still carrying the load of the gender bias due to the Patriarchy. The patriarchy punishes women for having an opinion about anything because it wants us to forever remain within the straitjacket of niceness and politeness. For Black women, this pressure is felt even more because not only are we seen as not nice or polite, we are viewed as assertive and dominant even at home. How do you deal with this? Listen in to learn how! RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Angry Black Woman Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Today we are continuing the series on the angry black woman stereotype. We are on a mission to reject the labels society has assigned to anger and will instead choose to see anger as an emotion that is part of the human experience and a tool that can help you become a better person. In this episode, we will be focusing on how to use your anger for you. Anger can be positive energy and a very powerful motivating force if you know how to use it. Listen in as I share some ways to turn anger into productive action. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Angry Black Woman Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LOL Moment - Face Mask Image EP. 18 Yes, I'm Angry and I'm a Black Woman, So what? EP. 19 Let Them Be Wrong About You EP. 03 Playing Fetch LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Today I have another client spotlight for you. This story is amazing and I am sure that you will gain some valuable insight that you can apply in your own life. My guest today is Angela. Angela is a rock star and her transformation has only made her light shine even brighter. You will hear as Angela shares her journey from being a high –achieving woman who focused on all the actions and not seeing results to the bada** wife, mom, and corporate success who now take clear, intentional actions with a focus on her thoughts and how she is showing up for herself. And guess what?! The results are now evident, she feels empowered, valued, and worthy. Listen in to learn more about her process and the strategies that she implemented to make this transformation possible. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Join the Angry Black Woman Master Class Book a Breakthrough Call LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

I love the quote that says “other people's opinion of me is none of my business”. It is so true. When others say something critical we tend to feel negative emotions about what was said because we make their judgments mean something about us in our minds. This can lead us to spend our limited and valuable emotional energy worrying about what other people think about us, instead of focusing on living our lives for ourselves. And so today we will discuss why what they think about you really does not matter, what really matters and why. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 18 Yes, I'm Angry and I'm a Black Woman, So What? LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Why do others get the right to be angry and not black women? Why are we charged with managing how others see us as if that is even possible? We are entitled to feel our anger and any other emotion. This is part of our experience and should not be shunned because of society’s narrative. If you have been conforming to this cultural stereotype, then I want to encourage you to start today by giving yourself permission to be angry. Allow yourself to process and feel this emotion. Good things happen when black women lean into their anger. Positive change is often the result because experiencing our anger gives us the opportunity to learn and grow from it. RESOURCES MENTIONED — Understanding Jim Crow: Using Racist Memorabilia to Teach Tolerance and Promote Social Justice by David Pilgrim and Henry Louis Gates Jr. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Is your mind stuck running on a hamster wheel that you can’t get off of? This is when your mind goes round and round with intrusive repetitive thoughts leaving you stressed out and exhausted. In today’s episode, my client Marcia will share with you her experience on the mental hamster wheel and how she used coaching with me to put her thoughts in check, get clear on her desires and take control of her life. Listen to catch some gems that you can implement today to get off of your hamster wheel. Enjoy! CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — The Other Side of Divorce Community LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

If we want to evolve and grow into something more, the best gift that we can give ourselves is to love ourselves where we are, accepting ourselves where we are, and saying I want to choose something different as opposed to needing to change. The word need suggests that the desire is a requirement, duty, or lack of something deemed necessary. Therefore when we think we need to do something rather than choose to do something the feelings that come with that can be pressure, overwhelm, and anxiety because you are taking action from a place of scarcity. This does not have to be your experience. If you desire to grow into something more but want to do so with ease and empowerment, press play to learn how.----more---- LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Happy Black Girl Magic day #BlackGirlMagic! Today we celebrate the beauty, power, and resilience of Black women. This episode is especially important to me because as you know my passion is to serve high-achieving Black women. #BlackGirlMagic is all about celebrating yourself and celebrating your sisters. And so this rant is shining a light on our strength, our capacity to love, and the powerful magic we possess and share with this world. Enjoy xoxo. LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Did you know that the most important relationship that you can cultivate is the one with yourself? Having a relationship with yourself is, like any relationship, difficult and full of ups and downs. We must tend to it and nurture it in order to live a fulfilling life. Being kind to ourselves regularly is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. I believe that our relationship with ourselves comes in three parts. The relationship with our past self, our present self, and our future self. Today I want to talk about our relationship with our past self and how we tell the story of our past. It's imperative that we tell this story in a way that serves and empowers us. No matter what the story is, in that story, we must become our own Shero. Listen in to learn why this is so important. As a reminder, I am hosting a free Q&A session just for my podcast listeners. This is my gift to you and our growing community. It’s an opportunity for you to ask questions specific to you. Simply leave an honest review of the podcast, share on social media and tag me @johnsonbrig on IG or @coachwithbrig with FB, and I will send you the link to register. You can also email me with any comments or questions at [email protected]. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 02 Your Brain is F*cking with You EP. 03 Playing Fetch LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Have you ever had the thought “I am not capable or qualified enough for it”? This is often referred to as the imposter syndrome or limiting self-belief. I noticed this pattern of thinking throughout my client coaching sessions this past week and wanted to have a conversation about it because this type of thinking is keeping us from setting and reaching our goals. Listen in as I share ways to banish the belief that I ain’t all that and start taking action to be your most authentic and powerful self. I am truly grateful to you for listening each week and for being part of this growing community. So to help you further with this process, I am hosting a free Q&A session just for my podcast listeners. If you’ve listened to all the episodes in this month’s goals series this is an opportunity for you to ask questions specific to you. Simply leave an honest review of the podcast, share on social media and tag me @johnsonbrig on IG or @coachwithbrig with FB, and I will send you the link to register. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 12 Be A Boy Scout for Your Goals EP. 11 Be Your Own DOPA-MAN EP. 10 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status - Part 2 EP. 09 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

When we set goals it’s inevitable that we will struggle with mind drama. Mind drama is the drama that we create in our minds by setting a goal that our brain doesn’t yet know how to achieve. So we become overwhelmed with the fear and anxiety of not achieving and not knowing how to achieve the goal. I want you to know that NOTHING WRONG IS HAPPENING...this is totally normal. And if you allow it, mind drama is actually a tool to help you get what you want. Remember your goal is a new experience for you and it will make you feel uncomfortable so expect your brain to freak out. Understanding what to do when your brain starts the drama is key to overcoming negative thoughts and getting where you need to go. Listen in as I share how to be a boy scout for your goals and prepare for battle when your brain starts trippin’. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 11 Be Your Own DOPA-MAN EP. 10 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status - Part 2 EP. 09 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Now that we’re well on our way to shifting our goal relationship status from convenience to committed, how do we maintain that commitment to be able to see the goal through to completion? The key ingredient to staying motivated on our journeys and to remain in the space of constantly seeking whatever it is that we’re after is dopamine. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter. Our bodies make it, and our nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. It plays a role in how we feel pleasure. As it relates to our goals, dopamine plays a key role in keeping us focused on our goals and motivating us to attain them, rewarding our attention and achievement by elevating our mood. On our journeys, we have to know how to create dopamine over and over in order to stay motivated and focused. In today's episode, I will share with you exactly how to become your own DOPA-MAN so that you can produce dopamine on demand. If you find that you need some help with working through the mind drama that comes up for you as you work on your goals, reach out to me at www.brigjohnson.com to book a complimentary 30-minute session. I can help you get a breakthrough. And hey, if this podcast has been helpful for you, please leave a 5-star review, comment, and share. That way more people can find the podcast and benefit from its content as well. Thank you. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP.10 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status - Part 2 EP. 09 What’s Your Goal Relationship Status LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Today we are continuing our conversation about our goal relationship status. So last week we discussed three goal relationship statuses, the committed (‘til death do us part), the live-in (I’m good until you try me, then I’m out), and the booty call (you're my little secret, no one knows you exist). I hope that after the last conversation, the relationship status of your goals has shifted, if even from booty call to live-in. If you are still working on it, no worries. Today, I will share some more valuable insights that will have you on your way to committing to your goals and finally accomplishing them. If you need help with this work, feel free to connect with me. You can book a free consultation call by visiting my website, www.brigjohnson.com, or hit me up on social media. Looking forward to hearing from you. For now, let’s get started! RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 08 Wanting What You Have LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Commitment is one of the key ingredients for being successful in your goals. If you’re not fully committed to a goal, then the goal is just convenience. You’ll give up too quickly, work with less determination, and make unintentional decisions. Unfortunately, commitment is not something that falls out of the sky. It’s something you develop over time. Identifying why you are not committed to the goal is the first step in changing your relationship status with your goal. If you are ready to upgrade your relationship with your goal from a booty call to a committed relationship, this episode is just for you. RESOURCES MENTIONED — EP. 08 Wanting What You Have LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook

Welcome back! I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas holiday. As we move into the goal-setting season, I want to challenge us to take some time to recognize where we are and what we have available to us before setting those goals. So if your goal is to lose weight, instead of focusing on all that you can’t have. Focus on the healthy tasty foods that you can eat and the increased self-confidence that you now have. This will lead to you loving and accepting your body the way it is right now AND still want to lose 10 lbs. It doesn't have to be either or. You can do both. When we set goals with the energy of wanting where we are and what we already have, this will actually help us show up to our goals even better. And this will help us see our lives and all of our experiences as a journey and will help us mindfully and intentionally define where we are headed and how we want to feel along the way. Listen in to learn how this is possible. LET’S GET SOCIAL — Website Instagram Facebook