The First-Gen Lounge

Do you see your life, the work that you do, and the way that you live as your ministry? Have you ever given much thought to your steps being ordered and all you have to do is lean in? The interesting thing about life is that what we believe is usually what we see unfolding in our journey; it's what we tend to get out of life, too. Join The Kick It Crew: www.thefirstgenlounge.com/crew . Hosted on A...

When you're faced with a difficult situation, exactly what do you do? So often we find ourselves having to make tough decisions, navigating new territory, or simply trying to make sense of what's next for us. Here's a bit of perspective to carry with you as you continue to navigate this journey called life. Join the movement: www.evingerleanworldwide.com/movement/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

To be assertive, we've got to overcome our fear of not being liked and realize it's about protecting our peace. Being assertive can feel icky for some of us. We'd like to think that it's because we're so used to being nice but the truth of the matter is that being assertive doesn't mean we have to be mean. Join the movement: www.evingerleanworldwide.com/movement/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

When we look at our lives and realize something needs to change, we can't wait for someone else to tell us that we need to change it. Our happiness, our realities--none of that will be what we want it to be unless we do something about it. If you are seeking self-growth, if you are looking to improve your quality of life, then you need to ask yourself these 5 questions. Check out the full ses...

Ever thought about taking your passion for speaking and turning it into a profitable business?  Imagine yourself being on stage, sharing your expertise and captivating audiences, sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, it could be. But only if you do it right.  If you're thinking about starting a speaking business, the first thing you've got to understand is that it's possible....

As a first-gen, you've probably heard that the key to success in life is saying "YES" to opportunities. Be enthusiastic and take on as many opportunities as you possibly can. You never know; one of those 'yeses' might change your life. I know I operated from such a mindset because I believed growth could only happen when you say yes a lot more. But here's the thing, not all opportunities are creat...

From the moment you start thinking about owning your own business to serving your first customer, entrepreneurship seems like a challenging yet gratifying experience. Interestingly, even the stressful moments seem to have a bit of magic, such that mistakes rarely birth entrepreneurial regret. Thus, it seems crazy to think that someday you might have regrets about some of the strategies or financia...

Everyone, me included, wants the next week, month, or year to be better than the previous ones. That's why we set goals and write down new year's resolutions because we all crave the feeling of eventually accomplishing something. But here's the thing, if you really want to succeed, you have to make changes to the things that are holding you back. I believe that the secret of change is not focusing...

Socrates, a famous Greek philosopher once said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” I might not know what he had in mind at that time, but I do know that discovering your true self is the best thing you can ever do to yourself. Why? Because when you know who you are, you don’t look for validation from others. You just do what feels right for you. But the best thing of all is it allows yo...

Most neighborhoods have that one store that changes into a new business every six months. It was once a barbershop, then it was a pizza joint, then soon after it became a grocery store. These small businesses were launched and shut down almost before anyone took notice of them. And it breaks my heart. According to the Small Business Administration, 8 out of 10 new businesses fail within the f...

Comparison is a thief of joy. But we're human, and so it's normal sometimes to compare ourselves to others. However, comparing yourself to others will only leave you feeling frustrated and anxious. Furthermore, it doesn't help in creating the life you want. It instead takes away irreplaceable time and energy that could have been better spent elsewhere. Here's the thing; there will always be someon...

A typical human being dreams an average of about 4 to 6 dreams per night. If you can experience at least four dreams a night, why is it that you’re still stuck on that one idea that failed to materialize? How you want your life to look doesn’t have to be constant. Things change, and new passions are discovered daily. Don’t limit yourself to a certain number of objectives just because that’s what s...

Few things make a more influential impact in life than supportive and loving friends. Being able to depend on someone and having that person count on you in return is one massive flex. People might walk in and out of your life, but true friends will stay, and if they do leave, they'll have left a lasting footprint in your heart. That said, the question is, do we really need any more friends, espec...

Nobody likes being in debt, yet many of us struggle with it most of our lives. Unfortunately, debt has a way of piling up faster than many realize. For example, most students don't take their student loans seriously until they hit unmanageable figures. If you're wrestling with student loans, mortgages, car loans, or credit cards, it can feel like there's no way to dig yourself out. But it's possib...

Change is good. In fact, change is everywhere and happens every day. It can be as major as changing careers or as subtle as taking a different route to work or moving the furniture in your house. I know you already know this, but change is also inevitable and scary. And as humans, we are creatures of habit, so we don’t always like things that mess up our peace and security. But whether you like ch...

“You are the sum of all your choices.” The first time I heard this statement all those many years ago, it didn’t sit well with me. I felt like, as a first-gen, life just happens to you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. But now that I think of it, I realize just how accurate the statement actually is. First, I am where I am today not because of the family I was born in, nor is it because of...

We are taking this back to when I used to find myself feeling like once I graduated from college, especially in professional settings, people didn’t have my back. I spent a lot of time thinking that something was wrong with me, too. It was this unsettling feeling that because I was “grown” I was supposed to have the answers, but in several cases, I didn’t find that to be true. It made it hard to r...

We're pulling from the archives with this one today. Remembering that time that I found myself in a space where I was so overwhelmed and needed to do something different. So, I decided that I would write down everything that I had going on in my life and figure out which of those things I would eliminate. Yet, in doing so, I found myself pondering a question: "How do you know if you're giving up o...

We just finished an incredible Black History Month, but... the Black celebration ain't over. Why so? Now, it's Women's History Month, and I'm excited to celebrate Black women with today's show. Having to deal with racism and sexism all at the same time is far from easy. A black woman will be discriminated against for being black and for being a woman, even though she exists in both identities at a...

We all have troubles in our lives; Challenges that test our emotional, mental, and sometimes our physical stamina. For some of us, the troubles are life-threatening, while it’s not that serious for others. What we can all agree on is that there’s always something. In fact, we can go as far as to state that problems are forever. You can start a new week and have problems on Monday morning. Step out...

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you just couldn't get past? We all have our own special way of doing things, but there comes a time when life forces us to start doing things differently. Changing the way we’re used to doing things is like stepping into the twilight, a place where nobody knows what to expect. The problem with this normal way of thinking is that it keeps us safe and...

Here’s the thing, the biggest disappointments in life are often the result of misplaced expectations. This is especially true for relationships and business expectations– expecting too much from others is a recipe for disappointment. Where am I going with all of this? Well, you shouldn’t expect your friends to be your customers. Yes, you shouldn’t expect them to buy anything from you. They might c...

When I was in graduate school, I had a communication (or rather miscommunication) situation that really threw me off. I've never talked about it until now. Yet, for whatever reason, it seems like the perfect time to share the story (and of course the lessons learned). And because, at the end of the day, communication is so important in every space and relationship. Check out the full session notes...

It's THAT special session that happens once a year. At this point... it's been 5 years, 312 weeks, 2192 days, and 52,623 hours. Over 200 episodes, more than 100 guests, close to 100 countries, and 100k downloads later… We're celebrating my 5th podcast anniversary and another circle around the sun (as in my birthday). I'm incredibly thrilled, even more excited to share some pretty awesome news, and...

After going on and on about how being first-generation in a BGLO has changed my life, exactly one week since J13, the National President for my sorority transitioned. While I was already planning for today to be a show pulled from the archives, it was crystal clear to me which one it needed to be. It's even more interesting that, at the time of this airing, it's just six days shy of a year from it...