Relentlessly Authentic Radio

In today's episode, we are closing the loop on this powerful conversation with my dear sister-friend, Couer. In this part 2 of 2, we continue our dive into the depths to discuss reclaiming the exiled parts of our selves in relationships and how our respective life, cultural and familial experiences have shaped how we show up in the world as women and human beings.

I hope you not only enjoy, but find something resonant, comforting and/or empowering as you walk your own unique journey!

With big love + gratitude,

Nicolette

About the guest//

In today's episode, I am joined by my beautiful sister-friend, Couer. In this part 1 of 2 conversation, we dive into the depths to discuss ancestral healing, past life memories, bits of our story of reclaiming the exiled parts of our selves [and more].

I hope you not only enjoy, but find something resonant, comforting and/or empowering as you walk your own unique journey!

With big love + gratitude,

Nicolette

About the guest//

To connect with Couer:

In Todays episode I am joined by the amazing, Dr. Barbara Shabazz, and we have a good ol’ fashioned chat about life and humanity and healing (so on brand )— including the importance of building trust, both within and in our outer worlds, asking the question of “what will be enough” and offering our thoughts on how to heal the generational trauma our country is only just beginning to rumble with;

we also explore the personal journey of closing chapters for new beginnings and the importance of safe spaces as we navigate the journey home to self, and how untangling our worth from productivity and finding our way back to our authentic inner rhythms is the medicine that can lead us to our most True and expansive selves.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed having it!

About the guest//

— It’s #intentional— Dr. Barbara F. Shabazz uses Intentional Activities to help you live your truth. As a Clinical Psychologist, she has spent over 25 years working with clients in therapy and students in the classroom, before opening the 'virtual doors' to her personal and executive coaching practice. Each day she strives to be a balanced and purposeful wife, mother, daughter, friend, and professional.

“though her soul requires seeing, the culture around her requires sightlessness. though her soul wishes to speak its truth, she is pressured to be silent.” — Clarissa Pinkola Estés, "Women Who Run With the Wolves

In today's episode, I am inviting you into my own current season of darkness that i've been grappling with over the past few months. As in episode 13 this is a reading of a post from my blog; today's post is titled "a new layer; exposed", and is a companion piece to "descent into darkness" that I shared in episode 13. I share this more personal journey of relating to, surrendering to the darkness that is me, and how challenging that has been, despite all I know and believe to be true about the immense power and liberation that comes from embracing these depths. My hope in sharing, is that you feel a bit less alone, if you are dealing with a similar feeling of inner conflict; and a reminder, that this journey back home to self and soul is heroic and beautiful but also MESSY and HARD at times. I hope this piece meets you with the love it comes from 🖤.

death, judgement, awakening, the path to reclamation of Soul;

“a shift so slow it’s barely noticeable, until one day we find that we are immersed in the dark once again; left wondering how we came to be back in this place, again; a descent into darkness…”

In today's episode, I am taking you into the depths- reading a new post from the blog titled "descent into darkness"; which is an exploration of where I feel we are as a collective at the moment, in a season of descent, steeped in divisiveness; looking for who is to blame for whatever problems we are facing, individually or collectively and my reflection on what I see as an opportunity of reclamation and for awakening- [spoiler- it's going to require a descent into the depths-sorry, not sorry [and I share my take on what the darkness is and why we are so damn resistant to it]

We are all divine, here with a sacred purpose. And also perfectly imperfect, messy human beings tasked with remembering the wholeness of who we are. Part of this life mission is finding our way back to self, back to truth, back to soul. And so, in today’s episode we will explore the concept and question “what is sacred?”.

“How rare and beautiful it is, that we exist” -Sleeping At Last, “Saturn”

What I have found in my own journey and practice that has been enormously supportive in coming home to self (to soul) is leaning into and creating sacred space and practices to quiet the external noise and to get to the core of what is true and in the highest good for myself. And subsequently, when I touch into the divinity of my own being, hold safe, reverent space for Self, I am better able to witness the world and hold space for all beings, as the same divinity. If you want to hear more about why I feel this is valuable AF — listen in ;)

A WHOLE DAMN VIBE // In today's episode I am joined by the beautiful Adriana Mendoza, Creative Director and Operations Manager at Femme Fatale DC- a dynamic community that supports and amplifies womxn in business and in life. We center Femme Fatale DC in this conversation as a beautiful example and blueprint of the power of ecosystem and all the value it has to offer individuals as well as the whole of humanity. 

Also explored in this conversation: what authentic leadership looks like in this season; the evolution of self through the cycles and seasons and experiences that challenge and grow us; empowering others to step into their power and passion; Adriana's recognition during this slow down of life, during 2020 and what she has come to recognize... it's jam packed with little nuggets and insights and I can't wait for you to hear!

More about Adriana//

Adriana is a cultivator. Whether it is elevating the presentation of a product, forming new collaborations, testing ideas with fellow womxn, she creates the spaces, relationships, and opportunities that support entrepreneurial flourishing.  She is known for her intuitive and nurturing leadership that catalyzes rich business insight and self-expression.

Her background includes a Masters in Landscape Architecture focused in the design of public space in underserved communities. She worked at Floura Teeter Landscape Architects, bringing communities together through designing attractive and functional places for public gathering. She co-directs Femme Fatale DC with her partner, Cee Smith.

Stay Connected with Adriana + Femme Fatale community//

New Year, New Season! In this weeks episode, I am sharing a little update on what's been happening in my inner + outer world over the last few months as well as exploring the act of making and offering in order to open to receiving. This time of year- in the liminal space of winter- for me, never really feels like a time to jump into action as we so often are encouraged to do with the changing of the calendar year. I often feel like any projects I attempt to move forward around the new year, feel forced and often, instead of being inspired, bring up a lot of anxiety and resistance within me. So this year I decided to honor what it was I needed in the moment, and I decided to stay inward, and take inventory; being a witness to what it was my body and energy was asking for, cleansing and clearing what was time to go, calling back pieces that had been fragmented and floating out “there”… going slow and allowing the massive transformation that I could only partially see/feel, but know has taken place over the last year +. Allowing myself some time to integrate and settle into this new state of Self I find myself navigating currently... and amidst that, I decided to share a reflection with you that I wrote in my journal one day, a few weeks ago with the hope that if you are feeling a bit like I have {I know i'm not the only one}, that it will open up some space within for you; a space for a bit more curiosity, love and non-judgment to exist as you take inventory and integrate the massive shifts that have taken place within yourself, as well as in the world around you over the last year. I hope you enjoy and sending you so much love! 

Stay connected // 

Big Sacral Energy + Human Design // In the second half of our conversation from October 22nd, I am joined again by the fabulous Stacey Sexton. In this part 2 of 2, we discuss The Sacral House [of which she is co-owner and creator], exploring sensuality and pleasure + big sacral energy and how that ties into one of her other loves— Astrology and Human Design. I love how Stacey brings the esoteric down into the tangible and practical for use in everyday life. She also shares a fun little story about bananas in pants that I find hilarious and so true to her, and I am so here for all of it! **As in part 1, be forewarned, there is alllll sorts of language that is not suitable for most work environments and/or little ears, so headphones may be wise 🎧

PRAGMATISM + PLAY // In today's episode I am joined by my beautiful, hilarious, fiery Sagittarius sister-from-anotha'-mister, Stacey Sexton. In this part 1 of 2, we discuss friendship, astro geography, coming home and how that is looking in her life in this current season along with practical nuggets for you to explore what coming home means and looks like for you. We also touched on binary vs. non-binary— how we exist on a spectrum and how we begin to sit with the tensions of all the seeming opposing forces that make us human + more.

Stacey is just such a beautiful example of humanity in all of it's glory that constantly gives me courage to deepen into my own and i'm excited to share this co-creation with you.

And if i'm ever going to tell you what to do- it's to get you some friends that bring you more to life in your authentically weird/wild/silly mixture of humanity that you are. They are magic in this world.

A mystical soul living in an urban mama’s body. Sagittarius spirit with the Scorpio edges. Generator with sacral authority. Loves a good dick joke. Shows women how reconnecting to their breath, touch, innate expression and talking about sex and the divine in the same sentence doesn’t have to be so scary. She is a Reiki Master, Breathwork facilitator, Mama, Astrology lover, and Co-Founder of the plant-based intimate skincare line, The Sacral House, that bridges together the synergy of natural aphrodisiacs and energy work to reconnect people back to their sensuality and their stories. She believes in #bigsacralenergy, the medicine of laughter, human touch, and that mothers rekindling their creative fire is part of our collective healing.  Her offerings include workshops, integrated astrology-hd readings, speaking events, energy healing and all-natural botanical products.

TO CONNECT WITH STACEY //

Reclamation // the ultimate gift

I had to walk so far away from self, to be led to the type of tension that moved me, that catalyzed the first step toward saving myself. The first step in the direction of me, coming home to me. Taking a step that felt like a life or death decision, without any language or any context to understand the enormity of what that choice meant for the life that I was on my way to leading.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear a bit about that step in my journey, what catalyzed, and how that step catalyzed an entire un-becoming. A death of who I previously was showing up as in order to reveal a truer, clearer me— before I had any idea of who that woman truly was.

This is soul reclamation. It’s in the walking without knowing. It’s in choosing an uncomfortable unknown over a comfortable suffering. It’s confronting. It’s layered and nuanced and once you begin to see the things, you can no longer pretend they are not there. And it’s a beautiful liberation. A return to the deeply rooted knowing of the truth of why you are on this earth, and why it’s worth it to keep walking despite the challenges— the pain and the agony and wild contradiction—of being, human.

The invitation in this second part of “Soul Reclamation” is to just notice what resonates with you, and how you find yourself responding to it. Watch it and what it brings up for you. My truth isn’t necessarily your truth but it’s reflection has potential to catalyze something within you, if this is something you are seeking in this season.