Living Strong: The Flip Side of Adversity

Breaking Generational Curses

How do you deal with dysfunctional love and negative words from your past?
How did those experiences affect the way you approach relationships yourself and others now?
Let’s talk about breaking free from toxic mindsets and negativity legacies passed down to us. Breaking, dropping, and leaving habits that no longer serve us - even though they may have been given to us to survive.
We are talking about practical steps and moments to actively work towards breaking these cycles and cultivating growth, thriving opportunities, and creating turning points with Michele Steele.

Encore Disruption Is Necessary For Destiny

Some people are uncomfortable with the disruption that change causes, but the disruption is necessary if anything is going to change. After our first year of hosting Flip Side Stories with amazing guests, the power of leveraging disruptions to navigate discomfort and access destiny moments has never been more relevant for me. Join me for our one year anniversary show and highlights from the top ten shows. Change is the only constant in life and I have learned so much form guests this year about resilience in change and moving forward. If you have felt like quitting? Have you thought the last interruption derailed your opportunities? Are you exhausted from uncertainty and change? I am picking the most powerful lessons from past quests that have kept me moving forward in this new adventure… creating my Flip Side moments on the other side of uncertainty, discomfort, and vulnerability. Tune in for bright spots, clear strategies, and the chance to change perspective and push forward in your passion.

Real Leaders - Relate, Grow, Listen

We all crave connection and belonging. Our conversation will focus on how intentionally prioritizing connection creates an atmosphere of belonging for the staff we partner with and the families we serve. When our programs were afforded the opportunity for coaching from a trauma-informed lens, we understood this must also include the program leadership. We highly value the idea of professional and personal growth, and we realize that we must be willing to be vulnerable to the growth process in order to partner with our staff to grow in their own ways. In turn, our home visitors partner with families in this same growth process, so one of the core concepts we have embraced is that our work is a parallel process.
We value the relationships we have with each other and with each individual staff member. We imbed strategies into our work to ensure there is space for relationship building. We utilize reflective supervision on a consistent basis to make every effort for each person to feel seen, heard and valued. Reflective supervision is a concrete example of where we listen with the intention of hearing that person’s perspective, and we actively listen for opportunities for affirmation. Apart from individual relationships, we work to create a culture of community care, a place where all staff members feel safe and open to exploring change in the way we do our work. We are grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this work with the groups of people we are privileged to work with, and we have learned to focus not as much on what we do, but how we do it. We know it is who we are as people that makes the difference to all of our relationships, both in work environments and outside of work.

Encore Flipping powerless to Power-FULL

Have you felt “less” than yourself lately… hopeless, helpless, powerless. When everything feels turned upside down, even in that moment, we can shift our thought life from obstacle to opportunity. This season has had me encounter so many people devastated by turmoil, and I found myself struggling to remain an influence and not get infected by helplessness and hopelessness. So I have found myself returning to life lessons that have brought me through and FILLED my soul in the process. So it’s just you and me kid this week! I am sharing my story, my strategies, and my life lessons on Flipping powerless to Power-FULL. You get the mic and can ask me your questions… no, I may not know your story but I know your story is not meant to end here. So this week let’s lean in together, ask the hard questions, and get strategic about intentional areas that catapulted our growth , even when it was uncomfortable.

From Adversity to Authenticity: Unmasking the True Self

Life's journey brings adversity, challenging our spirit and resilience. Among inspiring stories, Dr. Norma Hollis shines, charting a path from setbacks to self-awareness.
Norma's path wasn't paved with privileges or golden chances. Starting in non-profits, she transitioned to entrepreneurship, taking risks and defining her path.
In cities like Detroit, Norma underscored childhood development's significance. Believing early years shape futures, she launched a process to detect early learning problems, helping many children in academics.
Norma also saw a gap in the speaking arena: underrepresented Black voices. She founded a speaker bureau, becoming the first Black woman to own one representing Black speakers.
Business presents hurdles and uncertainties. But for Norma, every obstacle was growth. Her Authenticity Grid and the concept of Return on Authenticity (ROA) merged personal growth with organizational achievement.
Over 25 years, Norma's determination faced tests. Her unwavering vision and resilience transformed challenges into lessons, becoming a source of inspiration for budding entrepreneurs.
Today, Dr. Norma Hollis stands for perseverance and genuine pursuit. Her story transcends business; it's about personal evolution amidst chaos and the power of authenticity.
This article invites readers to step into Norma's world, embracing her journey and lessons. It's a tale of authenticity, confronting adversity, and a message that it's never too late for self-discovery.
For those seeking hope, Norma's journey is a beacon.

The Pastors’ Diaries

We all have heard the saying that ‘Hurt People, Hurt People’ but what happens when those
hurt people are our leaders, our encouragers and our pastors? How do those who have been wounded the most by the church, make sure they don’t in turn hurt the church? Pastors’ deal with a high level of pressure to perform and behave perfectly as they have been placed on a pedestal.
The pastor must be healthy in order to lead a healthy church. Understanding the unrealistic demands that pastors are to be perfect, is what keeps them from being transparent, authentic and able to get the help they made need themselves. Pastors must embrace humility, seek grace and learn to forgive themselves as well as those they have been called to shepherd.
The Pastors’ Diaries gives us a transparent look behind the pulpit into the lives of those who have been called to pastor and their personal challenges that could lead to tragedy if left unattended.

Every Family is their Own Best Resource for Change

The relationship between supporter/ provider and the family is a powerful one and a connection that impacts both provider and parent. As humans, we bring deeply engrained approaches to how we relate, connect, posture, and listen to each other. The art and science of supporting families seeking care, insight, and sometimes a “lifeline” is to point them back to their strengths, resources, alliances, and the solutions they already hold within their own power. If we are honest, we all (family and provider alike) can lose sight of our power, our plans for the future, and hope for tomorrow. Let’s talk about the parallel process of self awareness, regulation, and growth for both partners in this thing called “life”.

Connect. Heal. Learn. Build.

What important role does a village play?
It is said that the village is the source of strength, wellness, and liberation for Black people. As the Founder and CEO of Maggie’s Village LLC and champion of Black educators, Bridgett Hitchings uses a Connect. Heal. Learn. Build. Framework to strengthen the village and curate affinity spaces for growth in order to experience joy and foster nurturing. Much of her passion comes from her own flip side story of a strong village that prepared her for a time such as this. Join us for a call to action to Black educators and the people who support them in doing this important work to Connect. Heal. Learn. and Build. an affirming education, together, for Black students.

Beyond Her Yes

For mothers living in poverty, especially generational poverty, saying yes to a pregnancy is only the beginning of the journey. These women lack resources, support, finances, and hope. While pregnancy centers succeed in providing aid during pregnancy, impoverished mothers are left to fight a solitary battle for the life of their child every day after birth. Marisol Maldonado Rodriguez calls for a movement to make a lasting change in the lives of women experiencing generational poverty, poor maternal care, life changing choices, and devastating demands. She argues that this requires broadening perspectives and learning about poverty in order to address the root of the problem of the struggle Beyond Her Yes.

PO’ UP! Amplifying the Black College Experience

When you think about Black college experiences, what comes to mind? HBCUs? Homecoming? Step shows? Lizz Rene - the Founder of PO' UP! Card Game - is a first-generation college graduate bridging the gap between the experiences of Black college students and alumni through nostalgia, game play and Black Excellence. PO' UP! is a party game celebrating the experiences, traditions and legacy of Black college students and grads. In this episode, she discusses what makes the Black college experience so special and how she made the pivot into being a fulltime game maker after being laid off from her job in tech in January 2023.