This episode, Mama Gotta Have a Life, Too is inspired by the chapter, by the same name, in my book Of All the Lives I've Lived, This is My Favorite: An Inspirational Memoir.

Our guest, Avanii Inarii, youth development professional and clinical social worker (loading) shares how she has become reborn in her identity by changing her name, and has re-defined her relationship with her mother to accommodate her growth and create a relationship with more ease, grace, love and compassion.

Together, Avanii and host, Lotus Hale Hill unearth a few gems to help you to foster a stronger relationship with your mother:

• Remember that your mother is a whole other person, who happened to be your mother along her journey. This is not to absolve accountability, but it does remind us that as children, our mothers are people first before us and they are entitled to put themselves first.

• As generations progress, we have the privilege to go against the grain and create new ways of doing things, living lives, and caring for ourselves. Our parents have built their relationships, identities on social constructs that we are brave enough to step outside of.

• As children move along their healing journey, it's imperative that we withhold judgment and ease our expectations of our parents as they may not be as far on their journeys. They have yet to master the capacity to be the parent we wished they could be.

• The dynamics between mother and child, parent and child can be symbiotic in that you both can parent each other through life's ups and downs

• Though we love our parents, we cannot live their lives for them, we have to let them experience life and support them on the sidelines. It's also what we'd want them to do for us.

• Remember that there is no "perfect" version of what a mother/child relationship should look like. So long as you maintain a relationship that make sense to both of you, that's all you can ask for.

• Mother daughter relationships don't have to be a power grab, allowing a child to be a child and explore on their own, without parental control, is the easiest way to ensure that they don't carry shame for speaking their truth, articulating how they feel, and living authentically.

Resources Referenced in this Episode

Grab an autographed copy of my book Of All the Lives I've Lived: This is My Favorite: An Inspirational Memoir

Grab a copy from Amazon

Connect with me

Instagram @lotushalehill instagram.com/lotushalehill | Facebook facebook.com/lotushalehill @lotushalehill| MyFavoriteLife.co website

Connect with Avanii Inarii instagram.com/avaniiinarii

Ready to write and tell your story? Grab your FREE copy of the Live Your Truth by the F.A.C.T.S. Guide

In this episode of the My Favorite Life Podcast, we're joined by Ebony Dawn Lucas, CEO, Real Estate Attorney, and Investor of The Closing Firm, LLC,. Ebony shares valuable insights as she's navigated the ups and downs of life to still come out on top and living that life that brings her joy and contentment.

Ebony lives her life as a practice to explore the things that align with her most authentic self, and those that don't. She offers much self grace as she navigates through life's tough challenges, and the times when she makes mistakes. Her self will is what allows her to be present in moments of despair, regret, or sadness, and then move on to continue the journey.

Ebony shares a few points for those on their journey.

• Take the time to identify their values and goals, which will enable them to make intentional decisions and live the life they desire.

• Give yourself grace while exploring your best version that brings peace. She emphasizes that self-care and self-compassion are crucial to your overall well-being and success.

• Build a supportive tribe of friends who can provide the necessary encouragement and support. Black women must surround themselves with people who believe in their vision, uplift them, and hold them accountable.

• Lean into making life-defining decisions, even when they are difficult or require a significant sacrifice. She advises them to trust their intuition, take calculated risks, and persevere through adversity to achieve their goals.

• Do what you say you're going to do; the world will be surprised.

Connect with me

Instagram @lotushalehill | Facebook @lotushalehill| MyFavoriteLife.co website

To keep up with Ebony, follow her at @lucasthecloser on Instagram

Resources Referenced in this Episode

• Grab an autographed copy of my book Of All the Lives I've Lived: This is My Favorite: An Inspirational Memoir

• Or grab a copy on Amazon

Ready to write and tell your story? Grab your FREE copy of the Live Your Truth by the F.A.C.T.S. Guide

In this episode, I am joined by Tiff Yvonne, CPA, is the CEO and Head of Strategy at Playmaker Solutions. Her passion work is rooted in her observations that though the women she worked with, and even herself, were committed to family, to community, they were burned out, and not living fulfilled easeful lives that they absolutely love.

Tiff Yvonne elevates a few points for Black women for whom freedom is a non-negotiable:

• Living a life that makes you proud can begin today, and it requires you to make a life defining decision that may shift your current relationships, dynamics, and way of life

• Discern between what you believe and the borrowed beliefs of others. You may have to break the mold to save yourself and begin anew

• It's critical to reclaim the woman you were before your titles and to-dos.

• Self love is the by-product of setting boundaries with yourself, your children, and professional lives

• Life doesn't happen in a vacuum, one circumstance or experience will inform the next, it's your "life curriculum"

• When we make life defining decisions, we can experience shame, fear, and doubt that can hinder our progress. Instead of trying to avoid these natural resistors, we should give them space, but put them in the passenger side as we move forward

Listen to the Podcast on Apple | Spotify

Resources Referenced in this Episode

Grab an autographed copy of my book Of All the Lives I've Lived: This is My Favorite: An Inspirational Memoir

One of Tiffany's favorite books:

The Answer to How is Yes x Peter https://www.peterblock.com/books/the-answer-to-how-is-yes-acting-on-what-matters/

Connect with me

Instagram @lotushalehill | Facebook @lotushalehill| MyFavoriteLife.co website

Connect with Tiff Yvonne on Instagram @sheplays_towin and her website

Ready to write and tell your story? Grab your FREE copy of the Live Your Truth by the F.A.C.T.S. Guide