S6E1 FINAL
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[Intro]
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[00:00:00]
Hey, you. Yeah, you. You didn't stumble here by chance, so you might as well stick around for a while. This is a space where we don't just talk about becoming, we embrace it. I'm your host, Taj, and in this safe corner of the internet, we're exploring everything that it means to come home to ourselves, mind, body, spirit, and everything in between.
This is a place where awareness meets embodiment, where we question what we've been taught, we reconnect with what we know, and most importantly, we give ourselves permission to evolve. So whether you're here for the holistic wellness tips, the wisdom, the real-life conversations, or simply just the reminders that you're not alone on this journey, you're [00:01:00] in the right place.
So take a deep breath, get comfy, and let's get into some things, because I got a lot to say. This is the Melinated Mindset, a Ground Guide Collective production.
[Soundbyte]
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For every one of us that lost our spark, got lost in the pursuit of purpose, or had our light dimmed by situations far beyond our control, this is your reminder to do yourself a favor and find your way back.
[Fendi Fact]
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Normally, this is the part of the show where I would introduce the Fendi Fact, and if you're new here, the Fendi Fact is just a segment where I like to educate you on something you may not have known or confirm something you already did, because I feel like in [00:02:00] this digital world, you should be walking away from every piece of content with something educational.
So I like to do my part and provide statistically backed facts, that was a tongue twister, statistically backed facts that are just good to know. But today, no facts, just feelings.
[Acknowledgments]
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First things first, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I just want to take a second to thank you for sharing space with me today, and if you've been here for a while, you should hopefully know just how sacred I hold this space that we've created.
I don't take your time or your energy for granted.
[Flow]
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And [00:03:00] now that we got that out the way, let me take a sip of my water because I'm a little rusty. It's, it's been a while. It has, it has been far too long. The thunder in the background is a paid actor. No, but seriously, if you guys only knew how long and hard I have fought to make it here.
This journey back to this seat, to this mic, to your ears, and ultimately back to myself, has been one that required my full attention There is so much that has evolved within me, within my life, [00:04:00] and believe it or not, it has taken this long from the last time you heard me until now to even be able to find the words to describe just what becoming has required of me.
You know, it's, it's crazy. The last episode that I released in season five was called When You Feel Like Giving Up, Don't. And at the time, I recorded that episode because I truly believed that there was someone outside of myself that needed the reminder to just keep going. What I didn't know was that I was about to become the person who needed to hear those words the most.
And let me just say, life has a real funny way of testing the lessons that [00:05:00] we teach, not because we're hypocrites, but because wisdom, y'all, it is not complete until it's lived. In this time away, I have had to call into question every square inch of my life. What were my goals? What did they require of me?
What needed more of my energy? What needed to be removed? Where was I holding myself back? I was trying to do all of these things and all of this soul-searching at a time where life was seriously about to show me just how much I needed to release control. All of the lessons that we have discussed from season one up until this point, [00:06:00] and if you're new here, you got some catching up to do, 'cause I may have been going for a while, but we got a little back catalog.
You know what I mean? So, take, take it back to the beginning. I need you to understand how we got here. You gotta get the lore. Is that what the kids are saying? Anyway, all of the, the lessons that we've discussed from season one up until this point, I was forced to put every single one of them to the test.
Every single one of them, and then some. Hence, why we're here now. Per usual, I'm here to use our time together to discuss some of those situations and what the takeaway was, in hopes that it can help you make more intentional decisions in your own pursuit for purpose. Because listen, okay, this pursuit of purpose, oh, the last few [00:07:00] years have dragged me through the mud in so many ways.
But before I can even begin to explain that to you guys, I feel like I owe you guys an, a reintroduction, and simply because I'm just in no way, shape, or form the same woman that turned that mic off a few years ago. She's gone, and for a while I felt bad about that. That contributed to my little, um- A hiatus, I guess, 'cause I have technically fallen off of the digital world.
Like, I have just dropped out of the digital space for, at this point, [00:08:00] almost a year now. I think the last time I posted anything on any social media platform was my 30th birthday, which was last year. I'm not that girl anymore. This is me. If you're new here, hi, I'm Tyanne. But if you've been here, then you already know.
You can call me Tahj, 'cause we cool like that, and if you know, you know. You know? But this is, this is me. This is a new me that you guys are getting. This is me post-Saturn return, if you don't speak astrology, in my 30s. Hello. W- uh, that was quick. It snuck up on us, and I have so many thoughts. I have so many feelings about being in [00:09:00] my 30s now, 'cause by the time you guys are hearing this- Tomorrow is my 31st birthday, and, ugh, life is...
We'll get there. Who you guys are sitting with today, not only is this me in my 30s, but finally and fully in charge, not control, but in charge of my life. I've spent a really long time preparing for what this life would feel like. I tried everything. At least I thought I tried everything. But none of that mattered though, because there's nothing that could have prepared me in any way for the things that I was going to experience, nor the woman that I'd become once I [00:10:00] got here.
And I sit here with you today in a place of ultimate gratitude, because that girl, she had to go. She had to be reborn. That girl reached her ceiling. She served her purpose, but there was, there was someone layers deeper that deserved so much more, and I couldn't get that girl to where she needed to be.
And that's the thing. That's the thing about healing. That's the thing about becoming, about growing, about evolving, is that by the time you get where you're going, you just might have somewhere else to be. And that's not to say that you got there late. That's just to say, okay, you got where you thought you were going.[00:11:00]
Turns out this is not the right destination, so you got rerouted. But you know what your responsibility is? To find your way back. And after all this time, that is what I had to do. I had to find my way back, and for me, that was here. I sit here today with you in a place of ultimate gratitude as I prepare to walk you through this journey with me, 'cause baby, it's been a ride, okay?
Life has turned me every which way but loose. Do y'all hear me? Like, we're not kids anymore. For my millennials, my later millennials, my '95 babies, hello, we're in our 30s, grown. This is different, y'all. This is different, y'all [00:12:00] My 20s was fun, it was wild, it was reckless. I was doing all the things. My 30s, oh, it's, it's time to lock in.
You know what I mean? Like, it's time to put our money where our mouth is. It's time to really walk that walk. And for me, as I make a soft landing back into this digital world, my intentions remain completely unchanged, to cultivate a space and a community with you guys that feels like coming home, coming home to your innermost self You guys let me know if that's what it feels like when y'all meet me here.
Is that what it's giving? You tell me. And while you're at it, I just want to let you [00:13:00] know, yes, you, that you are safe to show up here exactly where you are in this season of your life. This season for me has been rooted in one of the core values that I built into the melanated mindset And that's wellness, holistic wellness to be specific.
If you've ever wondered, like, what that actually is, holistic being defined as an approach to wellness that simultaneously addresses the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components to health. You can't be your best self if all of these areas of your self are not aligned. And I think sometimes we think it's just one or the other.
Like, oh, to be a better person, I need to lose more weight, [00:14:00] look better, or make more money, or get a better job, or drive a nicer car, or get a bigger house, and it's all of these external things. But it's like, eh, it's actually much simpler than that, but it's a balancing act to make sure that all of these areas are in alignment.
And I'll be the first to admit, I was not operating from a place of alignment in a lot of these areas, if not every single one of these areas. And I feel like centering holistic wellness in this season is the best way for us to reconnect because that's, that's really where I am in my life, y'all. And although I know that, like, the whole wellness thing has become a trend, respectfully, it's a lifestyle.
The girls that get it, get it. The 5:00 AM girlies, the Pilates body girlies, okay? They get [00:15:00] it. You gotta walk the walk if you wanna talk the talk. You know what I mean? Like, okay, all the girls are getting matcha, going to Pilates, but the girls that are going to Pilates are going to Pilat- like, you know what I'm saying?
You're not doing that just to be cute and get content. Anybody that's done a Pilates class knows that. So, you know what I mean? I'm not saying that that's what this is turning into or that's what this has become, but the past six years at this point since I've been on this journey, it has truly become a part of my lifestyle.
I have been working tirelessly to get all of those pillars of my holistic wellness in alignment, and it hasn't been easy. I have bumped my head along the way. I have, had to lick my wounds. I have loved, I have lost, [00:16:00] and I'm, I'm still showing up for myself. That thunder going crazy is crazy. But- I needed to show up for myself during this off-season because it, it required so much of me.
Like that-- Anybody who is committed to their wellness understands it's a lifestyle, and it's one that requires constant intention if you want to yield positive results. And, um, quiet as it's kept, holistic wellness is truly the key to manifesting. But that's a conversation for another day. I'm just saying that you don't stand to lose anything by getting in alignment with yourself, and that is what I'm here to remind you to do.
That's what I'm here to walk you through. That's what [00:17:00] I'm here to show you that I'm doing. I am literally Taking my own advice, that's, that's truly what this space has always been. It's me writing letters to myself for the world to hear and to, you know, be invited into my world. But it's really just a reminder to myself that you just have to keep going.
And the fact that I named my last episode, When You Feel Like Giving Up, Don't, and then proceeded to almost give up is like, girl, come on, the call is coming from inside the house. You know what I mean? But that's okay, because self-awareness is a part of healing. It's a part of your wellness. And accountability, that is something that's super important.
We can't just always point the finger, right? That is a reason that I decided to get rid of the [00:18:00] complaint of the week, 'cause I just feel like I don't wanna complain about anything. Don't get it twisted. That does not mean that I don't have things to complain about, okay? Life is not, nor will it ever be perfect around these parts.
But I am trying to use my platform and use this space to just cultivate something that feels good for me and for you, 'cause we in this together, right? This season specifically, I want to dive deeper into each of those pillars of holistic wellness that I have talked about, while also sharing personal knowledge and experience that I've learned along this way.
The internet is becoming such an eerie place, y'all. Like, yuck. Okay? Part of this social hiatus was really just, I'm getting an aversion to [00:19:00] social media and kind of sharing my life. That's another thing that, like, we'll, we'll get more into later in the season, but, like, it, it's just giving me the ick. And as a chronically online girly that grew up in and with this so- well, let me not say in, grew up with This social media stuff, like, and by that I mean, like, for the '95 babies that was, you know, we still had dial-up computers.
Like, we was getting on forums, you know what I mean? Myspace, like the OGs of this internet. It feels like it's not the same place anymore, and I hate that because I loved it. Not like I loved the internet, but if you know, you know. It really used to just cultivate a different type of community and camaraderie [00:20:00] and alikeness, and that is what I wanna get back to.
You know, the way we all felt connected. Tumblr. You, you get it. The girls that get it, and the guys, no shade, you get it. That is this. This is our little slice of nostalgia in the internet, okay? We're not gonna let what is happening out there infiltrate this space. This space is sacred. It's, it's safe for both of us, for all of us.
We need to get back to our roots, okay? This circle that we in is locked. You, you remember. TikTok, the game is locked. Now that you feel at home, as you should, take a deep breath. Lower your shoulders from your ears, wherever you are, whatever you're doing. [00:21:00] Just sit with yourself for a second. Think about how you feel in this moment.
Think about if there's anywhere in your body that you're holding tension. Release it for one second. Maybe you're clenching your jaw and you don't even know it. Maybe you balling up your fists and you don't know it, or curling up your toes. Just take a deep breath and just release all tension from your body I want you to feel the weightlessness of this moment That is what I want this space to feel like And I hope I'm doing a good job.
Throughout this season, we will discuss everything from major personal life updates, 'cause I know y'all nosy and wanna be in my business, and I genuinely like sharing, but I've been gone for a [00:22:00] while. My life has been completely private, chastity belt locked down, okay? Nobody don't know nothing I got going on, and I kinda liked that, so I'ma have to hold on to some of that.
So we, we're gonna talk about some things. We're not gonna talk about everything, and some things just don't even deserve the airspace. But we're gonna talk about anything from my life updates to healing practices that have helped me throughout this time, and everything in between. If this isn't the first nor the last time that you're here, again, I just want to thank you for sticking around.
Thank you for the messages that I've gotten throughout these few years. Every once in a while I'll get a DM of a girly, whether [00:23:00] you know me from socials, whether we went to school together, whether we worked together, whether we met somewhere or wherever. The girlies that be showing me love, truly, I, oh, y'all don't know how much I need it.
To the girlies that pushed me to get back to the pod. DJ, my esthetician, like, yes. China, you all, like the girlies that really reach out to me when I cross they mind. Antoinette, like, Fatima, every, all the girls. All the girls that have reached out and genuinely throughout this time were like, "Yo, I ain't seen or heard from you in a minute.
You good?" I didn't even know how much I needed that. I didn't even know how many people would even care that I took a social step back, you know? Like nothing missed my desk, okay? Nothing missed my desk. Understand that. But I just wasn't, I didn't [00:24:00] care to be front-facing. I didn't care to talk about what I had going on, 'cause some things I was still healing from, some things I was still healing through, some things I didn't even know was coming, okay?
It's been, it's been, it's been a time, and I know if it's been a time for me, it's probably been one for you, too. It's probably so much has changed in your life since the last time we were here together, and I wanna hear about what the girls got going on. I've tried to keep up with as many people as I can, like especially the girlies that been supporting me, like, but I want to know how can I support y'all.
'Cause you showing up here on another Monday, I appreciate it, and I wanna know how I can give back to you guys, so let me know. And low-key, you know, I'm thinking the girls need a reason to get together, you know? The girls need a reason to [00:25:00] co-mingle. Let me know, you know, what y'all schedules looking like, you know?
Let's, let's really hit the gas now that we're back, okay? 'Cause I was gone for a minute, but I'm back, okay? In my rightful spot. I cannot wait to show y'all where we are headed, because w- I feel like I've said it before, I mean it this time. It's literally only up from here, and we're so back. That thunder, crazy.
And I know, I know, talk is cheap, and that's why I'ma have to show you. But you gonna have to stick around to see i- i- if I'm a woman of my word. And anybody that knows me knows I'm a woman of my word. I don't play. I said what I said, okay? And that's honestly [00:26:00] all I have for y'all today. I didn't wanna hold y'all up too long.
I didn't wanna drag this out. I wanted to just do it, and I know I've talked about bringing a video version of the podcast, and I am going to. I wanted to, but I didn't wanna hold this back any longer. Y'all, I've been fighting so hard within myself, within the things in my life, to get back to this space, to get back to myself, and I, I needed this.
And it's so ironic that I'm back when I'm back, and you'll find out more as the season goes on. But just for this birthday gift to myself, I wanted to show up for myself in every single aspect of my holistic wellness. In every one of these pillars, I'm showing up for myself, and bringing the podcast [00:27:00] back and taking the podcast to the next level is part of that.
Which means you're a part of that, 'cause you're a part of the tribe now. If you've made it this far, again, tick-tock, the game is locked. We're locked in, okay? Before we go, I do want to introduce a new segment that I wanna leave you guys with I decided in each week, instead of ending with a word of the week like I used to, if you know, you know, since we're on the topic of wellness, we are going to have a herb of the week.
[Herb of the week]
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Okay? This week's herb of the week is going to be soursop leaves. The leaves, of course, there are plenty of benefits from the fruit. If you know, you know. But I'm specifically talking about the leaves. There are many benefits to making soursop tea, [00:28:00] some of which include but aren't limited to reducing inflammation, killing bacteria, managing blood pressure, lowering blood sugar levels, improving digestive health, preventing cancer, and that is something that is really near and dear to my heart.
It is something that I implement into my life religiously. I buy, I go to my botanica or, like, herb store, I guess. In America, it's just called, like, a apothecary, and, you know, I'm constantly buying herbs. I'm making tea. I'm making my own tea, because if y'all don't know, those tea bags that you get from the store, like y'all, those be having microplastics in them.
Please, just get loose tea, make your own tea. It's so much more healthier for you, and soursop is definitely an herb that you need to implement, especially if things like cancer run in your family, as they [00:29:00] do in mine on both sides. So it is something that is a staple, and I think it should be a staple for you, too.
My intention with adding the herbs is really to just end every episode with a, a little something that you can implement into your own personal wellness practice from my heart to yours. All right, y'all, I hope that this episode felt like a warm hug from an old friend, and most importantly, like a heartfelt reminder to find your way back to the thing that keeps you up at night, the thing that you put on your vision board, the thing you know could change everything.
In the midst of the chaos that is the modern-day life, I promise it's right where you left it. You just gotta- Find your way back. And on that note-
[00:30:00] That's where I'll leave you today. If something in today's conversation resonated with you in any way, do your girl a favor and make sure that you rate and review the show on whatever platform you're listening on. It really helps me out because it tells the algorithm that people actually want more content like this, and it helps us grow our tribe.
Oh, and while you're at it, please share this episode with anybody that you think needs to hear the message. And lastly, as if I'm not giving you enough to do, make sure that you're following the Melanin Mindset on socials so you never miss what's coming next. Until next time, stay conscious, stay grounded, and remember, the work isn't becoming someone new.
It's remembering who you've always been. This is the Melanin Mindset, a Ground Guide Collective production