The Pivot: Unapologetic Transitions

Tuesday Pause™

For the longest time, one of the brags of my life has been starting my nonprofit. Considering what my past was, I felt it necessary to be a demonstration of the possibilities, so other women with similar backgrounds would realize that despite the difficulties of their past, their lives could still be filled with positivity and opportunities, joy rather than sorrow, though that joy would only be made available to other women at the helm of and within the context of healing. Truth is, very few people tackle the process of healing because it is often a resuscitation of buried and ignored, yet still alive, pain. Healing, though necessary, is an action many people evade.

Many years ago, someone expressed to me that I am the exception, not the rule, and because that has never represented a flex for me, I quickly dismissed what she was saying. Looking back, I understand now what she saw that I refused to see. The drive to keep going, to keep healing, to keep building something meaningful out of broken pieces, that is not common. Most people settle into survival and call it living. I kept reaching, and because reaching felt natural to me, I assumed it felt natural to everyone. That assumption is what kept me pouring long after my cup had emptied. You see, I have overcome much adversity, and I am currently overcoming more, some old and some new. I refuse to allow those challenges to make me bitter or to give up on myself. I would even argue that, due to many of those difficulties, I have learned so much about myself. Sadly, as much as I've clung to the hope that, with all of us being made equal, a glimmer of hope and possibility shown through darkness would be enough to cause other women to pursue God's dream for their lives as well, that idea has faltered. Many of them have given up on themselves.

For this reason, I have struggled with the idea of holding on while letting go. Holding on to the truth that we are all capable of making something beautiful out of our trauma, out of our shame, out of our pain. While simultaneously letting go of the idea that it's my responsibility to guide all women to making that something beautiful. The sobering reality I have been forced to accept is this: vulnerability does not guarantee reciprocity. I showed up openly, cheered for them loudly, and still walked away empty-handed by some of the very women I poured into. Consequently, the pain of accepting that truth has sometimes threatened my desire to empower women, temporarily, at least.

Through my nonprofit, AwakenHer Wellness, I have hosted several events and undertaken a massive outreach initiative, the Period Purse Project, where I donated more than 2,000 menstrual purses that included pads, panty liners, wipes, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, body wash, lip balm, an affirmation bracelet, and an affirmation card, as well as many packs of pads and panties across three counties. Although I recognize this to be a huge need, I decided to end it near the close of the 2025-2026 school year. After having a conversation with one of my partners, I agreed to bring it back. Then I sat with that idea for a bit and quickly realized that chapter of my life is closed.

I have spent a great deal of time serving and giving my time, my gifts, and my money away. Though often fulfilling, those things have also been taxing, which is why, for a while now, I have been considering dissolving my nonprofit. And now, I think I'm finally ready. A great deal of my identity has been rooted in AwakenHer Wellness, and while that season shaped me profoundly, it is time to engage the rest of me. Painful pivots are sometimes necessary in order to get to our next, and this is mine.

I have a lot to offer, but I have simply been giving it away. Consequently, I have not been valued the way I thought I should be, or, should I say, I haven't been a good teacher of my worth, a good steward of my gifts. So, I have decided not to table AWAKENHER Wellness, but to walk away from it permanently and focus my attention on building my business as a coach.

I have a lot of people who come to me for advice. It's high time I put value to my knowledge because it has cost me something.

Call to Action

This is the pivot: I AM enough, and what I carry is valuable. If you're ready to stop giving away the parts of yourself that God has called you to steward and start honoring the wisdom, gifts, and experiences you've gained along the way, I invite you to take this next step with me. Let's move from surviving to becoming, inside out.

Listen to this week's podcast Unapologetic Transitions: Clos… - Out Loud with Jante - Apple Podcasts