Living Strong: The Flip Side of Adversity

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.- Zora Neale Hurston… In 2019, Khalilah Shakir Lyons found herself questioning everything she was and finding the answers in becoming unapologetically herself. Navigating the most challenging time of her life, she found the courage to experience life through the B-list and no longer seek to achieve life on the A-list. Her simple framework w...

As we are ending 2023, many of us plan for the new year, new me. We look forward to setting new goals, dreams, aspirations and even new focal point. We hope to wipe our plate clean of all the draining, hard stressors that has caused us pain. To look forward to something new is not a bad thing, but have we considered looking at the stressors not as something to toss or forget but to help us look at...

Success is not a destination. It is a life-long strategy of empowerment that builds on strengths, minimizes weaknesses, and focuses on the people and points of life that are most important. To reach our potential, we must be intentional about personal, spiritual, and mental growth. Join me in a conversation with Yvonne Richardson, entrepreneur, master stylist, mentor, content creator, and…. My “ac...

MinkeeBlue Founder and designer, Sherrill Mosee, set out to solve a problem she calls the “overload bag syndrome.” She wanted to create an organizational fashion bag for busy women whose roles changed throughout the day. Mosee put her degree in engineering to work and came up with the patented MinkeeBlue design. During MinkeeBlues' first launch, Sherrill experienced a ton of orders and ordered 120...

Embark on a profound visual and emotional journey in this episode of Lens of Grace' Join us as we delve into the intricate layers of rediscovering motherhood, coping with grief, and finding grace through the transformative power of photography. Each frame captures the nuanced essence of parenthood, navigating the depths of sorrow, and ultimately discovering a path to grace. This episode unfolds as...

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 abo...

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 te...

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...

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 r...

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 sig...

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 i...

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,...

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. Muc...

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...

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 co...

Dionna (Coach Dee) Harris will share her personal wellness journey and how she managed to fight her way back from the unhealthiest point in her life. We will discuss her transition from corporate America to owning her own business. We’ll have an honest conversation about the struggles that come along with being a black woman in business and how she teach others to fight through the challenges of l...

We are creating this quarterly episode to educate, encourage, and empower listeners with practical tools from the desk of Dr. V in order to live fearlessly. We invite you to be a part of this series of episodes. This quarter, Dr. V focuses on real conversation about resilience and strength. Dr. V welcomes questions from our listeners pursuing resilience goals and healing from our pitfalls. The rea...

Join Jackie Bledsoe, bestselling author and marriage expert, as he transparently shares his marriage story and insights on how couples can thrive through adversity. In this special segment of Living Strong, Jackie explores the flip side of challenges in marriage, revealing the hidden opportunities for growth, connection, and lasting love. Discover practical tips, real-life experiences, and the pow...

The world is full to the brim with passionate people! What would happen if those same passionate people transformed their passions into action? Our schools would be better! Our communities would be safer! Our relationships would be healthier! How do we get there? Dr. Stephanie Brown has three passions that electrify her life… faith, education, and writing. During the Pandemic Lockdown of 2020, God...

We are celebrating our 50th Episode with Grammy Award Winning Producer and Flipside of Adversity Engineer, Keith Pelzer. Sometimes new tasks can become the most important part of our lives. But we have to take the risk first, in order to achieve new things. In March of 2020, Living Strong Consulting had to create a huge pivot in order to survive and; often, choosing the person to bring your vulner...

Have you ever felt like you were digging yourself into a hole you may never get out of, or you’ve been pushed into a hole that may feel like your dead end. In this week’s Flip Side story, my Guest Co-host and Author, Latoya Thompson, will lead us into a conversation about transitioning after the disruption of divorce to find a door of deliberate growth. And with any growth story, we will encounter...

“It's possible for anyone to overcome their challenges and it's never too late to live purposefully. My family and I survived civil war; that's shaped the way that I do life professionally and personally. Whether you started out with a great start, or you come from humble beginnings, everyone has a story to tell. Once I discovered what God was calling me to do in my community, it's shaped the busi...

Success is not a destination. It is a life-long strategy of empowerment that builds on strengths, minimizes weaknesses, and focuses on the people and points of life that are most important. To reach our potential, we must be intentional about personal, spiritual, and mental growth. Join me in a conversation with Yvonne Richardson, entrepreneur, master stylist, mentor, content creator, and…. My “ac...

Stay tuned for our next episode of Living Strong: The Flip Side of Adversity when we talk with Dr. Irving Fryar about his Flip Side story of “From NFL to Prison Cell and Back’. Fryar retired from the NFL in 2001 after completing 17 NFL seasons. During that time, he caught 851 passes for 12,785 yards and 84 touchdowns, and 15,594 all-purpose yards. Fryar's 255 played games are the most ever for a N...

This conversation with Dr. Claudia Curry will focus on issues of isolation, self doubt, rejection, and low expectations that impact women and will empower women to persist. Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” is intended to be a resource and support for women to take matters into their own hands and create a Flip in their story.