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Join Monique for an enlightening conversation with Tamyra Gordon as she shares her journey of intentional living, homeschooling and legacy building.

Tamyra, also known as Tammy, is a public historian whose work serves as a powerful reclamation of Black history, identity, and legacy. With over 18 years of experience in education, historic preservation, workforce development, and public programming, she is more than just an executive; she is a steward of ancestral stories.

Tune in as we explore Tamyra's path and learn how she continues to build and nurture her legacy with courage and heart. Her wisdom and experiences offer valuable guidance for anyone looking to live a life of purpose and impact.

GUEST INFO
Tamyra Gordon, former and founding Executive Director of Blavity.org and the current Founder of Your Legacy Tours | Website | Instagram (Tamyra) | Instagram (Legacy Tours) | Instagram (Greenwood Seneca) | LinkedIn

MENTIONED
Association of African American Museums

GEMS DROPPED
“There's ​something ​really ​special ​and ​important ​about ​recognizing ​that building ​a ​relationship ​with ​our ​little ​selves and our ​former ​selves.The ​different ​essence ​is ​the ​part ​that ​we ​get ​to ​reconnect ​with,celebrate ​and ​honor, ​but ​also ​giving ​room ​for ​the fact that our little ​nine ​year ​old ​selves will ​never ​exist ​exactly ​in ​the ​same ​format ​that ​she ​did ​back ​then. So ​even ​as ​we ​reimagine ​our ​younger ​selves ​now ​and ​engage ​with ​that ​essence ​and energy ​and ​help ​leverage ​it ​as ​best ​we ​can ​that she ​gets ​to ​grow ​and ​evolve ​and ​morph ​as ​we're ​growing, ​evolving, ​and ​morphing. ​It's ​not ​like ​this ​static ​thing. ​​I ​think ​that ​that's ​really ​important ​because ​that ​speaks ​to ​the ​beauty ​and ​the ​messiness ​of ​it ​all.” - Monique R. Shields

“Legacy is ​less ​about ​generational ​wealth ​and ​what's ​the ​hand ​down, ​and ​what ​are ​the ​things ​that ​we ​sort ​of ​get ​as ​part ​of ​being ​tied ​to ​someone ​else's ​legacy. ​Really, ​it's ​just ​like, ​are ​we ​leaving ​this ​place ​any ​better ​than ​we ​found ​it and ​​can ​the ​people ​who ​are ​left ​to ​tell ​our ​story ​actually ​articulate ​that? ​Did ​we ​live ​a ​life ​that ​our ​values, ​that ​our ​beliefs, ​that ​our ​actions are ​aligned ​to ​all ​those ​things ​that ​we ​said ​that ​we ​cared ​about? ​Did ​people ​feel ​better ​after ​being ​in ​my ​presence ​and ​being ​around ​me ​than they ​did ​not being ​around? ​​Did ​I ​honor ​people ​who ​would ​otherwise ​be ​forgotten and not let to work ​and ​other ​things ​sort ​of ​distract ​from ​those ​moments ​where ​you ​can ​pull ​in ​people ​into ​the ​fabric ​of ​how ​we ​live ​today. ​​In ​my ​mind, ​that's ​the ​legacy. That's ​how ​​​I'm ​thinking ​about ​it ​today. ​I'm ​also ​open ​to ​the ​idea ​of ​what ​that ​looks ​like ​continuing ​to ​mature ​and ​evolve ​with ​me ​and ​how ​I ​sort ​of ​see ​​the ​babies ​keeping ​and ​thinking ​about ​legacy, ​because ​that ​will ​also ​matter. But ​for ​right ​now, ​it's ​keeping ​things ​alive ​that ​I ​think ​matter ​at ​the ​end.” - Tamyra Gordon

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NEW! Click here to text Monique directly with any thoughts, feels or feedback ... seriously, it goes directly to her

This episode is a delightful reflection on Monique's recent family trip to Australia and the valuable lessons she learned about balancing ambition with rest.

Monique takes us through her journey of stepping away from her solopreneur business to embrace a much-needed break, all while maintaining the essence of her work and personal life. She shares insights on how to create space in your life for rest and recovery, even when you're running a business that thrives on personal connections.

Monique also dives into the practices that have enabled her to take extended breaks without compromising her business. She discusses the importance of viewing rest as an asset, studying your own rhythms, setting a vision and plan, and getting the right support. For anyone contemplating a sabbatical, a big trip, or simply more spaciousness in their daily life, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration.

Press play now to discover how to integrate rest into your entrepreneurial journey and emerge with renewed energy and clarity.

MENTIONED
42 | Committing To Success That Heals You With Marla Teyolia

GEMS DROPPED
“You ​have ​to ​decide ​that ​rest ​is ​an ​asset ​and ​not ​a ​liability.”

“We ​have ​to ​acknowledge ​that ​something ​is ​not ​congruent ​and ​that ​we ​actually ​have ​to ​step ​into ​a ​true ​valuing ​of ​rest, ​of ​space, ​not ​with ​the ​deep ​undercurrent ​of ​guilt ​that ​comes ​along ​with ​not ​constantly ​being ​productive. ​We ​have ​to ​see ​the ​relationship, ​like, ​truly ​feel ​the ​relationship ​between ​rest ​and ​productivity ​as ​one ​that ​is ​harmonious.”

“Conceptually, ​it's ​easy ​to ​understand ​that ​rest ​is ​good ​for ​you, but ​my ​behaviors ​over ​time ​are ​not ​necessarily ​lining ​up ​with ​that ​understanding. ​So ​I ​want ​to ​shift ​us ​from ​understanding ​to ​belief.”

“We ​are ​wrapped ​up ​in ​so ​many ​systems ​that ​tell ​us ​that ​if ​we ​ever ​stop ​moving, ​that ​we ​will ​be ​overtaken ​and ​destitute ​and ​just ​out ​of ​the ​game, ​​that ​we ​will ​be ​fighting ​for ​our ​lives ​to ​feed ​ourselves ​and ​to ​be ​relevant. ​No ​matter ​how ​much ​money ​you ​have ​that ​track ​can ​be ​running ​in ​the ​background ​still pushing ​you ​to ​do ​more ​than ​what ​you ​need ​to ​be ​doing. ​And ​so ​I ​don't ​mean ​to in ​any ​way ​make ​light ​of ​this, ​but ​we ​have ​to ​kind ​of ​get ​real ​with ​how ridiculous ​it ​actually ​is ​and ​that ​it ​is ​not ​a ​narrative ​of ​our ​making. ​It ​is ​a ​narrative ​driven ​purely ​out ​of capitalism.”

“I'd ​given ​myself ​over ​to ​this ​season ​of ​rest, ​and ​it ​gave ​me ​the ​proof ​after ​going ​through ​that, ​that ​abundance ​can ​be ​possible ​for ​you ​when ​you ​treat ​yourself ​abundantly.When ​you ​treat ​yourself ​with ​scarcity, you ​cannot ​be ​surprised ​when ​your ​results ​are ​scarce.“

“We ​cannot ​always ​be ​sowing ​seeds. ​Sometimes ​we ​need ​time ​for ​the ​stuff ​to ​grow. ​Sometimes ​we ​need ​time ​for ​the ​stuff ​to ​wilt ​and ​die so ​that ​it ​has ​the ​energy ​to regrow in ​a ​new ​season. ​You ​cannot ​always ​be ​on, ​you ​cannot ​always ​be ​doing, ​you ​cannot ​always ​be ​giving ​because ​​you're ​going ​to ​reap ​really ​weak crops ​or ​it'll ​be ​the ​wrong ​crop.”

STAY IN TOUCH
Come and follow me on Instagram @moniquershields and I would love your feedback so send an email to ambition@moniquershields.com.

NEW! Click here to text Monique directly with any thoughts, feels or feedback ... seriously, it goes directly to her

Are you navigating a season of change? This episode is here to provide inspiration and guidance.

Join in as Monique revisits a transformative period in her life, reflecting on a throwback episode from her earlier audio newsletter series, "Letters from Monique." She shares insights from her journey of allowing herself to be changed, especially during significant life transitions like the birth of her second child and the early seeds of this very podcast. She also emphasizes the importance of allowing oneself to be changed, the power of community, and the necessity of support and presence.

Monique dives deep into the messy and beautiful process of change, offering a raw and honest account of her experiences. Whether you're in a season of transition or just seeking inspiration to embrace change, this episode is dropping gems.

So, grab your tea, journal, and a cozy spot as Monique takes you on a journey through personal evolution, resilience, and the beauty of embracing change. Enjoy, and may this episode meet you exactly where you need to be met.

GEMS DROPPED

“You ​can't ​want ​change ​without ​permitting ​yourself ​to ​be ​changed.”

“Our ​thoughts ​are ​anchored ​upon ​ ​the ​changes ​that ​we ​get ​to ​experience ​externally, but ​what ​has ​to ​happen ​internally ​we undersell, ​we ​undershoot, ​and ​oftentimes, we ​don't ​fully ​anticipate ​because ​it's ​something ​that's ​new. So ​you're ​not really ​able ​to ​preemptively anticipate ​what ​those ​internal ​changers ​are. So ​to ​be ​changed ​is ​something ​that is ​easy ​to ​struggle ​with.”

“We ​want ​the ​external ​product ​of ​change, we ​want ​the ​external ​experiences ​of ​change, but ​it's ​not ​all ​upside ​to ​get ​there. ​​It ​can't ​be. There ​has ​to ​be ​some pain. ​And ​I'm ​not ​gonna ​say, ​full ​on ​suffering, ​necessarily, but ​pain, ​loss, ​absolutely. ​And ​this ​comes ​with ​any ​kind ​of ​change.”

“When ​we ​ask ​for ​change ​be ​ready ​for ​everything ​that ​comes ​with ​that, ​but ​also ​recognize ​the ​beauty ​in ​it.”

“Permitting ​ourselves ​to ​be ​changed ​is ​to ​​permit ​ourselves ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​change, ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​create ​in ​the ​midst ​of ​change, ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​re​envision, ​to ​pivot, ​to ​shift, ​to ​reimagine, ​to ​want ​differently. And ​it ​requires ​support. ​I ​think ​for ​most ​of ​us, ​particularly ​so ​for ​women, ​we ​are ​so ​practiced ​at ​not permitting ​ourselves to ​want, ​to ​create,​to ​build ​freely, ​ ​unapologetically, ​and ​inviting ​in ​the ​support ​to ​do ​that. ​And ​not ​even ​the ​support ​to ​do ​that, ​but ​also ​just ​making ​sure ​that we are ​part ​of ​​communities ​where ​that ​was ​heralded ​and ​encouraged ​and ​modeled. It ​means ​everything.”

“It ​is ​very ​easy ​to ​scale ​back ​on ​our ​self ​investments ​when ​we ​think ​we ​can't ​produce ​as ​much, ​or ​we ​think ​that, ​like, ​oh, ​I'm ​stepping ​into ​a ​season ​of ​less. ​So ​then ​we ​start ​giving ​ourselves ​less. ​Girl, ​you're ​doing ​the ​opposite ​of ​what ​needs ​to ​happen. This ​is ​a ​season ​where ​we ​give ​ourselves ​more,much, ​much ​more.”

“If ​you ​want ​change, ​you ​have ​to ​permit ​myself ​to ​be ​changed. ​So ​ask yourself, what ​needs ​to ​be ​true ​in ​this ​next ​season ​in ​order ​for ​you ​to ​get ​prepared ​for ​that ​season​? There's ​a ​new ​version ​of ​you ​that ​is ​waiting.”​

STAY IN TOUCH
Come and follow me on Instagram @moniquershields and I would love your feedback so send an email to ambition@moniquershields.com.