Bounce Back, Black Woman! | Healing, Relationships, & Resilience

29. One Year Later - Building the Foundation of Resilience

One year ago, I faced one of the hardest setbacks of my life: being let go from my job. I wasn’t prepared. I felt unappreciated, silenced, and left wondering what was next.
But one year later, I can see that God was using that ending to lay the foundation for a new beginning. Out of that season, I started this podcast, grew my baking business, and began living resilience in real time.
In today’s episode, I’m sharing:
The hard truths of being set up to fail in my last role
How I rebuilt from scratch after job loss
The three truths about resilience that can carry you through your own storms
Why resilience isn’t automatic — it’s something you build
💛 Takeaway: Nothing is wrong with you if life knocks you down. Resilience is not about never falling — it’s about learning how to rise again.
📝 Journal Prompt: Think back one year ago. Where were you then, and where are you now? What foundations of resilience have you built, even if you didn’t recognize them until today?
Scripture reference: Isaiah 40:31
Resources & Next Steps
📖 Grab your copy of the Bounce Back Journal HERE
✨ Visit the Website to stay connected HERE
💌 Join my mailing list HERE to be the first to know about my free Bounce Back Live session coming soon!
 

28. Walking Through the Storm - Coping Strategies to Guard Your Peace

Walking Through the Storm: Coping Strategies to Guard Your Peace
This is the third and final episode in the Resilience in an Age of Division series. In Episodes 26 and 27, we faced the reality of hatred and hostility and grieved the heartbreak of broken systems. Today, we turn to resilience — how to walk through the chaos of division with strategies that protect your peace and strengthen your spirit.
📰 Headlines on September 1, 2025
ICE hosted a hiring event in Arlington, VA — and only protestors showed up.
Governors Gavin Newsom and Wes Moore are openly pushing back against Trump.
ICE agents seized a man granted asylum by a federal judge in New York — fascism in broad daylight.
Yet another school shooting in Minnesota, while lawmakers still refuse to pass stricter gun control.
Lingering questions about 45/47’s connections to Epstein — questions that somehow never seem to stay in the spotlight.
These aren’t random stories. They’re purposeful chaos. And yet, peace is still possible.
🌱 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why setting boundaries on your intake is essential for peace of mind
How to anchor in God’s justice while praying for leaders with courage to act
Why purposeful engagement — not panic or withdrawal — sustains long-term resilience
How boundaries are more than barriers: they are fortresses for resilience
📖 Scriptures in This Episode
Philippians 4:7–8 (NLT)
Micah 6:8 (NLT)
John 16:33 (NLT)
Matthew 14:30–31 (NLT)
✍🏾 Journal Prompt
Where is division — political or personal — stealing your peace right now? And what boundary can you set this week to fortify your resilience against it?
🙏 Final Reflection
Resilience isn’t built in a single moment. It’s built in daily choices that guard your peace and anchor your heart in God’s truth — even in an age of division.
🔗 Resources
Grab your copy of the "Bounce Back, Black Woman! Podcast Companion Journal"
Join the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Facebook Group (officially titled Healing & Resilience for Black Women of Faith on Facebook for easier searching)

27. When the System Breaks Your Heart - Grieving and Accepting Hard Realities

What do you do when the very systems that should protect you end up wounding you instead? When laws shift against you, when justice is delayed or denied, or when the “progress” you thought we made as a country starts to feel like it’s slipping away?
This episode continues our 3-part series Resilience in the Age of Division. Last time, in Episode 26, we named the storm — the weight of hatred all around us. Today, in Part 2, we lean into the hard truth: grief.
💡 In this episode, I share:
The exhaustion of wearing a “mask at work” while carrying private grief
The heartbreak of watching systems slide backward, even after generations of progress
A personal moment of fear and hypervigilance that revealed the depth of my own grief
Why grief is not weakness, but a holy process of release
How to move toward acceptance without mistaking it for approval
✨ Journal Prompt:“What expectation of this country, this system, or this season am I still grieving? And what would it mean for me to accept that reality without letting it steal my peace?”
🌿 Mentioned in this episode:• The “Bounce Back, Black Woman” Podcast Companion Journal → https://a.co/d/gSYKbRi• Join the Bounce Back Weekly Newsletter → https://bit.ly/BBBWInsiderEmail• Connect inside the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Facebook Community → https://bit.ly/BBBWFacebookGroup

26. Living with Hatred Around You - Finding Peace when the World Feels Hostile

Hatred. Division. Cruelty. We see it in our headlines, our communities, and for many of us — in our daily lives. As Black women, we don’t just read about hostility… we feel the weight of it pressing on our hearts and spirits.
This episode is the start of a 3-part series called “Resilience in an Age of Division”. Today, I’m naming the storm: what it feels like to live surrounded by hatred, why it hurts so deeply, and how we can begin to guard our peace even while the world feels hostile.
💡 In this episode, we’ll cover:
Why hatred takes such a toll on our minds, bodies, and spirits
The difference between politics and humanity — and why this moment is about more than “Right vs. Left”
The emotional insight: why hatred cuts so deeply
Scriptures that remind us God is near when hatred is loud (Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 46:1, John 16:33, Philippians 4:7)
A journal prompt to help you reflect and protect your peace
✨ Journal Prompt:“Where in my life am I most affected by the hatred and division around me? And how can I guard my peace in that space?”
🌿 Mentioned in this episode:
The “Bounce Back, Black Woman” Podcast companion journal on Amazon → https://a.co/d/gSYKbRi
Join the Bounce Back Weekly Newsletter → https://bit.ly/BBBWInsiderEmail
Connect inside the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Facebook Community → https://bit.ly/BBBWFacebookGroup

25. The Power of Words - Why This Podcast is Now About Resilience After Life's Toughest Trials

Episode 25 — The Power of Words – Why This Podcast Is Now About Resilience After Life’s Toughest Trials
Every journey has turning points — and this episode is one of them. 💫
In today’s conversation, I’m pulling back the curtain on the heart behind our new tagline:
👉🏾 Build Resilience After Life’s Toughest Trials Through God’s Love.
This isn’t just a cosmetic change. It’s a realignment with the soul of this podcast and the community we’re building together. I’ll share why this shift matters, what resilience really looks like, and how God’s love anchors us when life feels unsteady.
I’m also celebrating some exciting news: Bounce Back, Black Woman! is now officially ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally according to ListenNotes! 🎉 Thank you for listening, sharing, and reviewing — this is our win.
And stay tuned, because next week I’ll kick off a 3-part series on resilience in uncertain times. We’ll talk about how to keep your humanity when the world feels divided, and how to stay grounded when the headlines are heavy.
✨ Whether you’re healing from heartbreak, loss, or just trying to hold it together in today’s world, I hope this episode reminds you of the power of anchoring your resilience in God’s love.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why I shifted the podcast’s tagline and what it means
The difference between self-willed toughness and God-rooted resilience
A powerful scripture to help you anchor your hope (Isaiah 40:31)
How words and phrases can become lifelines through tough seasons
Journal Prompt:What words or phrase remind you of God’s love when life feels hardest? Write them down, and keep them close this week.
 
Resources & Links Mentioned:
Leave a review to help us keep growing!
Explore the Bounce Back Journal → bouncebackblackwoman.com/journal
Join the Bounce Back community → bouncebackblackwoman.com/community
 
Let's keep building resilience after life's toughest trials — together, through God's love. 💜

24. Embracing Win-Win Energy... Unlocking Joy, Wisdom, & Lasting Peace

If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been exploring Bruce Schneider’s Energy Leadership framework through the lens of Ruthless Intentionality.
In Episode 23, we covered Levels 3 and 4 — Tolerations and Gratitude — and how they help you reclaim energy and hope.
Today, we’re moving even higher into Levels 5 and 6: Purpose and Synthesis — what I like to call “Win-Win Energy” — where resilience becomes transformational. I’ll also briefly touch on Level 7: Detached Involvement, the rare space of pure alignment and joy.
In this episode, I’ll share:
How purpose becomes your anchor in hard seasons
Why synthesis helps you see connection and possibility in everything
A glimpse into the highest energy level and what it can teach us about lasting peace
📚 Order your copy of "Energy Leadership (2nd Edition) by Bruce D. Schneider HERE📖 Scripture References: Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28📝 Journal Prompt: Where in my life do I need to live more on purpose, and where can I look for hidden connections or “wins” in my current challenges?
✨ FREE Giveaway!I’m giving away five free Bounce Back Journals to new mailing list subscribers — drawn randomly from anyone who signs up HERE by Sunday, August 17th. Let’s Stay Connected:
Join the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Facebook Group 
Grab your Bounce Back Journal → https://amzn.to/41HfYET 

23. Building Resilience through Tolerations & Gratitude

If you listened to Episode 22, you know we covered Energy Levels 1 and 2 from Bruce Schneider’s Energy Leadership framework — the spaces where life feels heavy and reactive.
Today, we’re moving higher, into Levels 3 and 4: Tolerations and Gratitude. These are the spaces where you start reclaiming your energy, making intentional choices, and seeing hope again.
In this episode, I’ll share:
How to decide what you’ll no longer tolerate — and what you’ll tolerate on purpose
Why gratitude is a resilience strategy, not just a nice idea
How both concepts are so important to me, I’ve literally made them part of my story and identity
📖 Scripture References: Galatians 6:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:18📝 Journal Prompt: What’s one thing I’m no longer willing to tolerate, and one thing I’m grateful for that I’ve been overlooking?
✨ FREE Giveaway!I’m giving away five free Bounce Back Journals to new mailing list subscribers — drawn randomly from anyone who signs up by Sunday, August 17th. Sign up here for your chance to win and to get my weekly “Behind the Mic” newsletter: HERE
Let’s Stay Connected:
Join the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Facebook Group → [link to group]
Grab your Bounce Back Journal → [link to product]

22. The Top 3 Ways to Trust Yourself Again After a Setback or Heartbreak

After a painful experience — whether it’s the end of a relationship, a major loss, or a moment where life didn’t go as planned — it’s easy to stop trusting others.But what happens when you stop trusting yourself?
In this episode, I’m sharing three powerful shifts that will help you rebuild self-trust from the inside out — not from perfection, but from presence, compassion, and clarity.
✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to recognize when you’re stuck in survival-mode thinking
The energy levels that shape your confidence and decision-making
Why gentle curiosity is your secret weapon for growth
The mindset shift that moves you from self-doubt to self-trust
📖 Journal Prompt:
Where have I stopped trusting myself — and what’s one small decision I can make this week that reflects who I truly am?
📬 Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter:
Each Thursday, I send a short, soulful note straight to your inbox — with behind-the-scenes reflections, journal prompts, and more.https://bit.ly/BBBWInsiderEmail 

21. Who Am I Without Them - Rebuilding Your Identity After Loss or Separation

Who Am I Without Them?When someone or something you loved is suddenly no longer a part of your life — whether it’s a relationship, a job, a friend, or a dream — it can shake your entire sense of identity.
In this episode, I’m sharing how we begin to rediscover ourselves after loss or separation.We’ll talk about what heartbreak can really look like (even when you’re still functioning), how to recognize when you’re drifting emotionally, and what it means to reclaim your sense of self without guilt or shame.
✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why heartbreak doesn’t always look like a breakdown
Subtle signs of emotional disconnection: numbness, overscheduling, social scrolling
How to untangle your identity from the people or titles you’ve lost
A faith-filled reminder that grief has a season — but so does rebirth
📖 Journal Prompt:
“Who was I with them? And who am I being invited to become now?”
🔗 Resources & Mentions:
Grab the Bounce Back Journal → https://amzn.to/4fmhVfJ 
Join the Bounce Back, Black Woman! Community → https://www.facebook.com/groups/1311791060186451  

20. Selfish vs. Narcissist? What I Wish I'd Known Before I Said "I Do" (Pt. 2 of 2)

Not every bad relationship is narcissistic. But some are.
In this follow-up to Episode 19, I walk through the story of how I entered a marriage that was full of red flags—and the difference between selfish behavior and narcissistic manipulation.
If you’ve ever struggled to trust your own gut, this episode is here to help you name what you felt, understand what you saw, and stop carrying shame for what you didn’t know yet.
Mentioned in this Episode:– Proverbs 19:2 (NLT)– Isaiah 30:18 (NLT)– The Bounce Back Journal: https://amzn.to/45iBuAX – Join the FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bouncebackblackwoman
Journal Prompts:What red flag did I ignore that I now recognize as protection?What truth do I need to stop explaining away?