As I sat amid the laughter and warmth of my sister's birthday celebration, a realization washed over me: it's within these moments of connection that our spirits truly flourish. On our latest podcast, I, Jenelle Yarbrough, share the insights and emotions from the conversation that has recharged my creative energy and brought into focus the undeniable power of community. Our discussion turns inward as well, touching on the personal sermon I received from another podcast, one that struck a chord about the necessity of removing distractions.
We wade into the strength we garner from our personal "tribes," those networks of support and accountability that make the impossible seem within reach. There's an invitation extended your way—to not just listen, but to become part of our growing community. Join the conversation!
Don't forget to connect with us across social platforms and our website!
As I sat amid the laughter and warmth of my sister's birthday celebration, a realization washed over me: it's within these moments of connection that our spirits truly flourish. On our latest podcast, I, Jenelle Yarbrough, share the insights and emotions from the conversation that has recharged my creative energy and brought into focus the undeniable power of community. Our discussion turns inward as well, touching on the personal sermon I received from another podcast, one that struck a chord about the necessity of removing distractions.
We wade into the strength we garner from our personal "tribes," those networks of support and accountability that make the impossible seem within reach. There's an invitation extended your way—to not just listen, but to become part of our growing community. Join the conversation!
Don't forget to connect with us across social platforms and our website!
Hey y'all. I'm Jenelle Yarbrough and welcome to Blockers and Friends. This is your podcast for discussions around relevant topics and experiences that resonate with the culture. For those of you who roll with me, you know we talk a lot about embracing the possibility of change. We'll continue to touch on that and lots more Sound, good Work. Get into it, hey. Hey y'all, so glad to be here with you today. Friend check, how are y'all doing? Hopefully the answer is well. If not, so much, then hopefully this episode will bring you a smile or two. You know what comes next.
Jenelle:I want to shout out some of the locations where our listeners are tuning in, from Shout out to Richmond, virginia, norwood, north Carolina, kelso, washington, pittsburgh, california, newton, idaho, kingston, jamaica, clifton, new Jersey and Riverdale, georgia. To all of our listeners, new and returning, thank you for choosing to be here with us today. As usual, I am grateful. Y'all aren't new to this. Well, maybe some are. You know what to do and if you're new, follow suit. We're growing this little community of ours. So first be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you know when new episodes are released. Then go on ahead and download, listen, comment and share with your people Text post forward all of the things. You never know. This just might be the podcast they didn't know they needed.
Jenelle:So a few weeks have come and gone since we've been together. Friends, I know, I know I know the plan has been to schedule more consistent recording session. But, baby, the way life be out here. Life being child, I come to it as my spirit allows. Folks with a full plate, raise your hands if you feel me. I can have the best intentions, but then when I get off work or the weekend rolls around, he me, I just want to breathe and sometimes do mindless things, or sometimes I just want to sit in peace and silence and connect with myself. I have told a few folks lately that there are times when I don't even turn my television on, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, aside from the fact that I don't have little people in the house anymore that have shows they want to watch, I just don't want to hear people talking about a whole bunch of nothing or see foolishness. I like silence. I do. Give me a good woodwit candle and a glass of wine to curl up with and come down from the day. Yeah, buddy, that's it right there, but I have definitely missed you all. Hey, big head and I have had the space to process a few thoughts and ta-da, here we are. I think this is an episode when I'm telling on myself Uh-oh, no, nothing bad, but we are a community, right Show is. And in this community we believe in accountability right, and do so. I have to tell on myself so that I can be accountable to you all and open up the space for a deeper community connection here. Y'all trying to get into this with me, where, with you? Word no-transcript.
Jenelle:Two things happened for me this weekend, and the connection of these two things is what has me telling on myself today. This weekend was my sister's birthday and you know we never miss an opportunity to get together. Give us a reason. I was around people I love, and so you already know that means my heart and my cup are full. I have not been Getting together with folks as often as I have in the past, and the conversations with those beautiful hearts and minds are what sparks Deep thoughts for me, brings about strong stances and feelings, confirms steps, provides perspective, strengthens my spirit, challenges me as a human, a woman, a mother and as a leader, and encourages me. So being able to share that time and space this weekend was really what I needed really do.
Jenelle:I feel what I'm talking about. It's like slipping on a pair of your favorite jeans, taking a sip of your favorite coffee, smelling your favorite perfumer cologne child. It's gonna hit every single time period. Essentially, these conversations and interactions are what keeps me thinking and inspired, and I realized that when I'm not having these interactions and creating space to float or process my thoughts and hear the wisdom and thoughts of others, my cup it the run it to riot, my cup runs dry y'all. It's so easy to isolate. Now, without even realizing it, I am a whole social butterfly, but we've been conditioned over the last three to four years to know how to be separate of others and lean on the devices that give us the illusion of Connection and access to one another without actually being around one another. Right, what I'm realizing has Happened for me is that, in my effort to preserve the last few remaining drops of energy and capacity in my cup, I Became okay with not seeking those moments for myself when they didn't easily or organically appear for me.
Jenelle:The other thing that happened for me this weekend is I Stumbled across the Sunday service y'all Not really, but kind of I Made today my makeup self-care day. Everyone who knows me, or even if you've been following me or listening to me on this podcast long enough, you know that my self-care day is usually Sunday, but this was a four-day weekend for me, so I switched up a little. No, she's not rigid girl. Hey, in Tihu, I was getting ready to wash my hair, so I shuffled a few podcasts, picking ones that I hadn't listened to before, and, when I tell you, I stumbled across one that had me like listen, who have you been talking to podcast lady? You know, when you go to Sunday service and you haven't been in a while, and boy wanna seem like the preacher saw you walk in and started changing the sermon to talk to you directly. Oh child, I can't tell you how many times I've been in the pews like who told them I was coming? Ah, too funny, I'm telling you just opening the floodgates of tears and emotion. Just me, girl. I doubt it. Let me tell you something.
Jenelle:She was talking about removing the distractions, whether it's people, whether it's things, whether it's thoughts, whether it's circumstances. Remove the distractions, as the distractions can quickly become excuses and barriers from you accomplishing the things that you desire to accomplish for yourself, the levels that you hope to reach, the goals you hope to achieve. Honey, when I tell you she was like. Scrolling is a distraction. Overexposure to information is a distraction. Perfectionism is a distraction. Lack of faith is a distraction. Planning ahead of God is a distraction, homegirl says. Since when do we have the ability to figure out life ahead of God? Ta Ha, ha, ha ha.
Jenelle:Right, the way that I stood still and not showered is if my mama caught me in the middle of wrongdoing and called me by my full government name man, listen, I can do anything but receive. I understood right in that moment that God was speaking to me through that podcast. I could have easily popped on a 90s R&B playlist so that I could have sung every word to every song, which is really what I intended to do. But when I picked up my phone to select a playlist, my fingers just took me to these podcasts. Okay, spirit guiding fingers Like who knew right. Oh man, when I tell you this was what my weekend needed. Hmm, as I came out of standing in somewhat of a lightweight shock, I began processing. I thought about the conversations that I had in the days prior with my loved ones and I thought about what I was hearing in the message of the podcaster and I began to come into the language for my own thoughts.
Jenelle:One my desire for brainless activity after leaving work and on the weekends is because I'm overwhelmed. Girl. We'll say that then. Right, I think people think that being overwhelmed looks a certain way Like you're supposed to be stressed out and falling out in a corner on the floor. But I think black women specifically often tend to give the illusion that we've got it and we do. It may be a little tough, but we got it, because if we don't, who will? I mean it's gotta get done, right. I mean it's hard, but what is the alternative option? Laying down and dying? No, so we burden it, I burden it, and that has become a distraction for me. To my ability to connect with others, to exchange energy and partake in experiences with others is what Inspires me creatively. Not having the capacity to do that has become a distraction for me.
Jenelle:Three, I have known since last year last March to be exact that that there is an awesome shift, a big change that is ahead for me. I Haven't been able to explain it other than I have this deep sense of knowing y'all who rolled with me or who have been Rolling with me since last March or before last March. Y'all heard me talk all about it, right, but what I realized coming into that knowing did for me was caused me to try to jump ahead, to figure out the endgame, you know, uncover what this knowing is. I felt so moved and connected to that knowing that I racked my brain, trying to control the situation and plan ahead of him. I Tried to decode God's plan versus doing the things that I currently feel brought to do and that I enjoy doing, and see how God uses me in those spaces and what doors open via those spaces. Planning ahead of God has become a distraction for me.
Jenelle:So today I Am telling on myself to you, to all of you, my bloggers and friends, podcast community, so that you can hold me accountable to finding balance, removing the distractions, and to staying focused on the things that I know allow me to create, build, elevate and make space in my life for the people, experiences and opportunities that nurture my creativity, to be patient with God's timing and Faithful in my knowing, and to show up in the spaces that bring me joy. Yeah, so that's it, y'all. I'm not gonna hold you. One of the things that I love about this community that we have here is that I get to be myself. I get to be silly, imperfect, encouraging, vulnerable and human. This is what bonds and connects us all here in this episode and every other episode the ability to see ourselves in one another.
Jenelle:Maybe today's episode was relatable to you, or Maybe it made you think of someone you know. That's the beauty. In a landscape where there are hundreds and thousands of voices floating in the sea, I am reminded that there is only one of me. There is only one of you, and our journey in this world is unique, powerful and meaningful, and I believe that I have been brought to do this podcast to show our Interwoven experiences and in order to evolve in this work, I must remove the distractions. There it is.
Jenelle:We all have moments where we need to tell on ourselves in order to activate our accountability systems. What are you working on in life right now that may require you to turn on the Hold me accountable light to signal to your community that you need them? Shoot me a DM on IG, at bloggers and friends podcast, and let me know in fact, let me know what you think of this episode. Can you relate? Have you had moments like this in your life. Y'all know I love to hear from y'all.
Jenelle:One thing I do know is that with a strong tribe honey, there is nothing that you can't do. Go on ahead and tell on yourself. Let your tribe get you all the way together. Be well, y'all. If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe so that you are notified when a new episode is posted. You can stay connected between podcasts by following us on Instagram at fear dot not dot the dot Journey. You can also join our page on Facebook at fear not the journey, or you can subscribe to our website and blog by visiting wwwfearnotthedjourneycom. Thank you for joining us for this episode and until next time, be well.