What I Wish I Knew Then: Lessons from My Journey

This mid-season finale takes you inside my teenage years, where talent and ambition collided with painful realities. From excelling in school to stepping into the music industry, I faced colorism, body image struggles, and unwanted attention that came with strings attached. I share the highs of being chosen and the lows of being told my complexion could hold me back — even with a voice that could...

What happens when a girl who was once overlooked finally gets noticed? In this episode, I open up about my early experiences with attention, validation, and how being pursued at 11 years old shaped the woman I became. From being teased for my looks to becoming a "serial dater" in middle school, I unpack how my self-worth became tied to who liked me—and how that pattern followed me into adulthood.

After my parents’ divorce, everything changed. I moved to a new city, started a new school, and carried the weight of rejection, abandonment, and loneliness. At just 10 years old, I stopped eating—not just to be thin, but to feel in control… to feel seen. In this episode, I open up about my early struggle with body image, depression, and the moment I began to reinvent myself.

At just seven years old, I was called “African booty scratcher” in a classroom full of kids, and the laughter that followed changed how I saw myself forever. In this deeply personal first episode, I take you back to the moment I realized I was a dark-skinned Black girl… and how that one experience shaped my confidence, my self-image, and the inner voice I’d carry for years. From the absence of aff...

Welcome to  What I Wish I Knew Then: Lessons from My Journey . I’m your host, Ebony James, and in this short trailer, I’m sharing the heart behind this podcast. This show is for anyone who’s ever looked back and thought, “If I only knew then what I know now.” Each week, I’ll share raw, personal stories from my life—especially my childhood—and the lessons I’ve learned as a woman still healing, stil...