The Black Woman’s Stress Solution Podcast: discover the connection between Black women’s stress in work, love, and health

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  EP. 261 Stop Calling It Delusional. You Might Just Need To Remember Who You Are 03.08.2026 23min

  In this episode, Brig challenges the idea of being "delusional" when chasing big dreams. She asks us to enter a season of remembering. She looks at her past and the need to see proof of earlier wins. She states that many people do not lack belief; they simply forget who they are. Brig talks about changing the podcast name from The Black Woman Stress Solution to The UNKAGED™ Woman. She wants women to break free from rules and find their true power. She notes that humility often hides boldness. This makes women hide their wins and forget their strength. What You Will Learn How to build a file of past wins and hard work. The gap between feeling sure and knowing your worth from experience. Why you must stop saying sorry for your success and own your truth. How to make a short phrase to help you when you feel doubt. Why small wins matter on the road to greatness. Why This Matters Brig reminds us that trust in ourselves is not a fake dream. It is proof of what we can do. By looking at past wins, we fight self-doubt and face new tests. This show reminds us we have a real record of beating hard times. Take Action Start your own proof file. Write down every win and hard time you beat, no matter how small. Use this list to show yourself your strength when doubt creeps in. Find a short phrase that fits who you are and say it before hard tasks to stay firm in your truth. To stay connected and receive more insights, sign up for the Reduce the Noise Memo, Brig’s weekly newsletter that dives deeper into the topics discussed on the podcast. STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 260 ​Why You Keep Feeling Behind — And The Truth About The Timeline That Was Never Built For You 27.07.2026 26min

  In this episode, Brig Johnson talks about the pressure to follow the “right” timeline and what happens when your life does not match the road you were told you should take. She speaks to the quiet grief that can come with missed milestones, delayed dreams, career pivots, motherhood, rebuilding, or starting later than expected. Brig also challenges the shame that says a different path means you are behind. Through her own story and practical reflection questions, Brig invites us to look at the road we are actually on and consider what may still be available to us. This episode is for anyone who has been measuring their life against someone else’s timeline and wondering if they somehow missed their chance. What You Will Learn How to name and let go of the milestones you feel you’ve missed. Why different roads can still get you to the same destination. How to see the options that may still be available to you. How to look differently at timing, closed doors, and opportunity. Why the road you had access to is not behind, but simply different. Why This Matters This episode is a clear reminder that the timelines we were taught to follow can make us feel behind, inadequate, or like we missed our chance. Brig encourages us to stop shaming the road we had to take and start noticing what that road has taught us. By seeing value in a different road, we can begin to notice other doors, release the grief around missed milestones, and let success look different than expected. Take Action Think about the milestones you feel you’ve missed and ask yourself: Is the destination still available, even if that particular road is closed? Then consider what other roads you may have overlooked and what action you would take today if you fully believed there was another way to reach your goals. To stay connected and receive more insights, sign up for the Reduce the Noise Memo, Brig’s weekly newsletter that dives deeper into the topics discussed on the podcast. STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 259 How To Stop Letting Other People's Words Live In Your Head and And Take Your Confidence Back 20.07.2026 32min

  In this episode, Brig breaks down why protecting your confidence is not optional. It is the foundation for chasing your impossible. Using Michelle Kwan’s response after winning Olympic silver as the central story, Brig shows how quickly someone else can try to define your win as a loss. Kwan’s response, “I didn’t lose the gold. I won the silver,” becomes the anchor for this episode and a reminder that you get to decide what story you let live in your mind. Brig explains that confidence is not just mindset, discipline, or consistency. It is something you have to protect on purpose. She names the everyday threats that can quietly chip away at confidence, including self-criticism, comparison, reframing your wins as not enough, and allowing small negative thoughts to build over time. What You Will Learn How to recognize when someone is trying to reframe your win as something less Why you need to name the win before you name the gap How comparison drains your confidence when you turn it into evidence against yourself Why self-compassion is a strategy, not an excuse How to create a Daily Win file and build evidence of your own capability Why This Matters Brig reminds listeners that confidence is an instrument. It needs maintenance, protection, and care. For Black women, confidence can carry even more weight because shrinking was often taught as a form of safety. This episode challenges that pattern and offers a new way to relate to your wins, your growth, and your impossible goals. Take Action Start a Daily Win file and write down at least one win every day. Practice the Kwan rewrite when something does not go the way you hoped. Instead of using the result against yourself, tell the truth about what happened and what you learned. When self-criticism shows up, pause and remind yourself: This is hard. Other women feel this too. I can be kind to myself while I figure this out. Take the free Kages Self-Assessment  to identify the underlying patterns and fears influencing your life choices. Use these insights to break through obstacles and center yourself in future decision-making. STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 258 The Lie We Tell Women About Age 13.07.2026 19min

  In this episode, Brig explores the societal pressures dictating a woman's worth based on age, challenging the ingrained belief that women have an expiration date.  At 61, Brig reflects on her own journey from feeling like used goods at 35 to embracing a fulfilling life today. She uncovers the traditional rules that keep women trapped in fear and scarcity, urging women to break free from these limits.  What You Will Learn How societal expectations shape our perceptions of self-worth and age. The importance of choosing yourself first without apology. Why the fear of being alone or used goods is an outdated lie. Ways to recognize and dismantle limiting beliefs about aging. How to embrace your power and thrive at any stage of life. Why This Matters Brig reminds us that age is not a barrier to pursuing dreams and living fully. By challenging the ideas that tell us we are past our prime, we can reclaim our power and redefine what it means to grow. This episode is a rallying cry for women to embrace their worth and realize that the best is yet to come, regardless of age. Take Action Reflect on the beliefs you hold about aging. Ask yourself: What fears have I internalized about my worth as I get older? Challenge those thoughts and consider how you can center yourself in your life decisions moving forward. Take the free Kages Self-Assessment  to identify the underlying patterns and fears influencing your life choices. Use these insights to break through obstacles and center yourself in future decision-making. STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 257 Inner Critic Or Inner Cutie? 06.07.2026 20min

  What if the voice you have been calling your inner critic is actually trying to protect you? In this episode, Brig introduces the idea of your “inner cutie,” the part of you that gets loud when you are about to do something new, uncomfortable, or important. That voice may sound like fear, hesitation, or self-doubt, but Brig encourages you to stop treating it like the enemy. Instead of trying to silence that voice, she shows you how to get curious about it. What is it afraid of? What is it trying to protect you from? What information is it giving you? Brig also shares from her own experience and explains how listening to this part of yourself can help you build trust with yourself, make clearer decisions, and move forward without waiting for fear to disappear. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to recognize the difference between your inner critic and your inner cutie Why self-doubt may be information, not proof that you should stop How to question negative self-talk instead of automatically believing it Why listening to your inner voice can strengthen self-trust How to work with fear instead of fighting against it WHY THIS MATTERS Many of us have learned to push down fear, ignore doubt, and force ourselves forward. But Brig offers another way. The feelings you are trying to get rid of may be trying to tell you something. When you slow down, listen, and respond with curiosity instead of judgment, you can make decisions from a place of awareness instead of fear. TAKE ACTION The next time self-doubt shows up, pause before trying to silence it. Ask yourself: What is this part of me trying to tell me? What is she afraid will happen? What does she need to feel safe enough for me to move forward? You do not have to let fear make the decision, but you also do not have to fight yourself to grow. For a clearer look at the patterns shaping your choices, take the free Kages Self-Assessment and discover what may be keeping you stuck.   STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 256 Why You Can't Receive What You've ALREADY Earned 29.06.2026 28min

  In this episode, Brig speaks to the high-achieving Black woman who has worked hard, planted faithfully, and built so much, but still feels guilty slowing down long enough to receive the harvest. If rest feels like falling behind, or receiving feels harder than doing, this conversation will hit home. Brig breaks down the old thoughts that keep you proving, producing, and pushing, even when you have already done the work. She challenges you to notice when you are still operating in planting mode, even though life may be inviting you into a season of harvest. What You'll Learn Recognize when you are always planting but never allowing yourself to harvest Understand why receiving may feel uncomfortable, even when you have earned what is coming to you Identify the thoughts that keep you overworking, overgiving, and under-receiving Learn how to stop treating every season like it requires more striving Practice celebrating your wins without guilt, apology, or the need to immediately move on to the next thing Why This Hits So Hard So many women have been taught to measure their value by how much they can carry. That conditioning can make rest feel unsafe, success feel temporary, and receiving feel undeserved. This episode challenges that pattern. Brig reminds you that you are not failing because you need rest. You are not lazy because you want to enjoy what you have built. And you do not have to keep planting just because planting is what you know. Take Action Ask yourself: Am I in a planting season, or am I in a harvest season? Then pause long enough to name what your work has already produced. Receive the compliment. Take the break. Let the win count. Let yourself experience the peace and joy you keep working toward. To take a closer look at what may be driving your pattern of overworking and under-receiving, take the free Kages Self-Assessment and discover which old beliefs may be keeping you from fully receiving your success. STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP. 255 If I Could Teach You One Thing This Would Be It 22.06.2026 21min

  It's time to unpack the pictures in your head that shape your reality, because they often aren't the truth. In this episode, Brig breaks down the mental images we create about how life is "supposed" to be, and how these pictures can lead to unnecessary frustration and pain. Join in as she shares a personal story about a flat tire that showed her a massive lesson about expectations and reality. You'll learn how these constructs can hold you back, and how recognizing them can set you free. What You'll Learn Identify the difference between reality and the pictures in your head that rule your life Understand how these mental images are formed and the impact they have on your emotions Explore the roots of your expectations and question their validity Discover practical steps to dissolve the emotional charge around unmet expectations Learn how to shift your perspective from frustration to acceptance, freeing up energy for what truly matters Why It Matters We often find ourselves moving through life with rigid expectations that lead to disappointment. By recognizing that these pictures are constructs rather than truths, we can stop arguing with reality and start embracing it. This shift allows for greater peace and the ability to actually enjoy our days, instead of just getting by.  Take Action When you feel disappointment or frustration, pause and ask yourself: What did I think was supposed to happen here? Then, challenge that picture: Is this based on something real, or is it a story I've absorbed over time? This simple practice can help you get your focus back on what actually matters.   RESOURCE — Then take the free Kages Self-Assessment and find out which kage has been keeping you stuck.   STAY CONNECTED — Website | Instagram | Facebook
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  EP 254: Wife Work on Girlfriend Salary 15.06.2026 39min

  Queen, you've been giving wife-level loyalty on a girlfriend-level container — and it's time to name that pattern without shame. In this episode, I'm getting into something tricky but necessary: the gap between what you're giving in a relationship and what's actually been established. This isn't about weakness, desperation, or low self-esteem. It's a program — and once you can see it clearly, you get to choose something different. What You'll Learn Understand the difference between "wife work" and "girlfriend salary" — and why that gap deserves to be named Recognize the real cost of over-giving: your time, your self-trust, your standards, and the version of you with her own dreams Trace where this programming comes from — childhood, love songs, church messaging, and the women in our families we admired most Unpack the most dangerous belief hiding underneath it all: if he leaves, it's because you didn't give enough Learn why a man who only stays when you're over-giving wasn't staying — he was being comfortable Discover the most important question in the whole episode: are you giving from love, or from fear? Why It Matters We were taught that the ring was the reward — that if we gave enough, waited long enough, loved hard enough, it would all be worth it. But the reward was never the ring. It's respect, reciprocity, and a relationship where both people show up because they want to, not because one person has been auditioning for a position the other person never offered. You were never the problem. You were running a program that was never designed to serve you. Society designed it to serve everyone else — and now you get to choose something different. Take Action Before you give at wife level, define the container. Ask yourself: what's actually been established here? And what's driving this — love, or obligation? Then take the free Kages Self-Assessment and find out which program has been running your relationships: 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  EP 253: After The Betrayal - The One Question That Actually Gives You Peace 08.06.2026 23min

  Queen, the question you've been asking after the betrayal isn't the one that will actually give you peace. If you've ever been blindsided by someone you trusted, this episode is for you. Grab your tea, find a quiet space, and let's talk — as friends, as women who've been there. Because there's something we do after we've been hurt that feels like healing but isn't. And today I want to give you the one question that actually gets you to the other side. What You'll Learn Understand why your brain goes into detective mode after betrayal — and why it's not torturing you, it's trying to protect you See why the answer you're looking for was never in the evidence, no matter how long you search for it Discover the real question underneath the question — the one that actually has an answer you can build on Recognize the difference between performing okay and actually being strong — and what it costs you to hold it all together when you're not Learn why self-trust isn't a decision you make once, but a practice you build through real reps over time Why It Matters We spend months — sometimes years — going back through every conversation, every red flag, every moment we should have seen coming. But here's what I've learned at 61: some things just don't make sense, and the person who hurt you may not even understand why they did it. No amount of investigation is going to give you that answer. The security you've been looking for was never in them. It was always in you. The woman who trusts herself to handle whatever comes doesn't need to run an investigation anymore. She's free to love fully — not from fear, but from knowing she's got herself no matter what. Doing it soft is how you do it strong. Take Action Sit with this question: Can I trust myself to take care of me, no matter what someone else does? And find out which Kage has been making it hard to trust yourself — take the free Kages Self-Assessment, five minutes, completely free: 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  EP 252: Your NO doesn't need a footnote 01.06.2026 20min

  Queen, your decision is the sentence. Everything else is just a footnote — and it's time to stop leading with the footnote. In this episode, I'm getting into something I caught myself doing in real time: building a full legal brief for a woman I'd met once, just to say no. Big decisions, small transactions — the pattern runs everywhere. And today we're going to name it, trace it to its roots, and start dismantling it. What You'll Learn Recognize the footnote pattern — why we bury our decisions at the end of a long explanation instead of leading with them Understand the real cost of over-explaining: how it gives others ammunition to negotiate with your reasons and erodes your own self-trust over time Trace the roots of this programming — from survival on the plantation, through Jim Crow, the angry Black woman trope, the family table, and the doctor's office — and why the footnote was once a safety net See why knowing the pattern isn't enough — and why this is nervous system and identity level work, not a communication tip Practice three concrete reps you can start today: decide cold, lead with the decision, and let the silence breathe Why It Matters You didn't learn to over-explain because you're insecure. You learned it because in the rooms your mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers walked into, leading with the decision wasn't safe. That programming got passed down — not in a conversation, but in your nervous system. The footnote kept somebody safe. The footnote got somebody home. But the rooms have changed, and you get to put it down now. The silence after your decision is not a problem to fix. The silence is where your authority lives. Take Action Notice every time you don't lead with the decision. Notice the pull to justify, to soften, to make it pretty. That's the cage talking — and what you can't see runs you. Then take the free KAGES Self-Assessment — five minutes, completely free — and find out exactly which survival program has been writing footnotes for decisions that never needed them: 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  EP 251: Meet Bob - Why the starting line was never EQUAL 25.05.2026 23min

  Queen, you were never the problem. You were just given a tool that wasn't built for you — and then blamed when it didn't fit. In this episode, I want to introduce you to Bob. Bob is fine. Bob starts every attempt at growth from baseline — neutral, stable, rested, regulated. You? You start already carrying. And that changes everything. This is the conversation bro self-help has never been willing to have. What You'll Learn Meet Bob — and finally understand why the starting line was never equal and what that actually means for your goals Identify the real loads you've been carrying that no productivity system ever accounted for: hyper vigilance, allostatic stress, emotional labor, generational history, and more Understand the Capacity Gap — why pushing harder on an overloaded nervous system doesn't build capacity, it depletes it further See the three gaps keeping high-achieving women spinning: the Capacity Gap, the Authority Gap, and the Belief Gap Learn why the goal was never to become more disciplined — and what to aim for instead Discover the difference between resting and actually recovering — and why it matters for your next attempt Why It Matters Every program you've ever tried was an app running on an outdated operating system. The OS was installed for survival in a world that no longer exists — and the apps keep crashing. It was never your discipline. It was never your mindset. It was never you. You just ran out of capacity that was never replenished, because you started so far behind the start line Bob never even knew existed. This ends now. Take Action Next time you quit something, don't ask what's wrong with me. Ask: what was I carrying that I never accounted for? Then take the free CAGES Self-Assessment — it takes five minutes and will show you exactly which of the 5 survival programs has been quietly running your life: 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Have a topic you want me to cover? Reach out: brig@brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  EP 250: I Stopped Dreaming and Called it Being Realistic 18.05.2026 28min

  Queen, you didn't give up — you just stopped seeing yourself as the one who gets to create. In this episode, I'm getting into something that almost slipped past me completely — because it doesn't look like giving up. It looks like being responsible. Mature. Realistic. But here's the truth: at some point, protection becomes a prison. And if you've been living in the middle ground — no big dreams, no big risks, no big disappointments — this episode is for you. What You'll Learn Recognize the four ways women respond to disappointment — and identify the sneakiest one: the woman who looks like she recovered but never really got back in the game Understand why you stopped dreaming — and why the dream was never actually the problem See the critical difference between the outcome and the desire, and why lumping them together is keeping you stuck Discover what a Loyalty Contract is and how to use it to protect yourself when things get hard — without shutting down Learn the four steps to rebuild your relationship with wanting, dreaming, and creating again Why It Matters The quiet cost of not dreaming isn't just personal. Every person who needed you fully — your clients, your kids, your community — got the version of you that was playing it safe. The world was never designed for us to see ourselves as creators and builders. So when disappointment hits, we don't just lose the round — we lose our sense of ourselves as someone who gets to be in the game at all. This episode is about getting that back. You didn't get too old for the dream. You just stopped believing you were the one who could make it real. And that is a completely different problem — with a completely different solution. Take Action Start with one small thing. One thing you stopped doing because it made you want something. Email me or DM me and tell me what it is. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnsonbrig Find out which cage has been keeping you in the middle ground — take the free Kage Assessment (just 5 minutes): 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  I'm Back. Here's the Truth. 11.05.2026 26min

  Queen, you've been a foreigner in your own life for long enough — and it's time to come home. After a real, unfiltered season away, I'm back. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what actually happened: the financial reality of my coaching business, the decision to return to anesthesia, the inner battle I fought for six months, and the hard-won clarity that came out of it all. This isn't just a comeback — it's a full OS upgrade. What You'll Learn Understand why silencing your inner critic doesn't work — and what to do instead: listen with respect Recognize how fear compounds and shrinks your energy, making it even harder to move forward See the difference between "putting your feelings in a corner" and actually processing them Discover what the Unkaged Method really is — not a program, but an operating system upgrade for your life Identify the 5 survival programs most high-achieving women are running without knowing it: Cultural Program, Armor of Achievement, Giving Until Gone, Energy Depletion, and Silencing the Self Why It Matters The systems were never going to protect us — and the current political climate is making that clearer than ever. But what's also clearer is this: we have tools available now that didn't exist in 1930, or the 50s, or the 60s. We can build our own. We can serve our own. But to do that, we have to be able to lead ourselves — and that means getting out of your own way, upgrading the OS, and becoming truly Unkaged. I spent nine months not just teaching this work, but living it. I'm back clearer, stronger, and with more to say than ever. Take Action Find out which of the 5 survival programs has been running your life — take my free Kage Assessment (just 5 minutes): 👉🏾 assessment.brigjohnson.com Visit my website: brigjohnson.com
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  EP 248: Performance Partnership When It Ain't Really Partnership at All 22.09.2025 16min

  Queen, let's talk about the elephant in the room: that exhausting dance you're doing in your relationship where you're solving his problems before he even names them, managing his emotions while yours get pushed aside, and wondering why love feels like a second job. If you're tired of performing for love instead of receiving it, this episode is your wake-up call. It's time to stop auditioning for partnership and start demanding the real thing. Because what society calls "devotion" is actually just patriarchy in a hoodie—and your nervous system is paying the price. What You'll Learn • Discover how "overfunctioning" elevates cortisol and creates adrenal fatigue in your body • Recognize performance partnership vs. true partnership—and why one is just patriarchy in disguise • Transform your understanding of safety: why regulating his emotions will never regulate yours • Notice how overfunctioning prevents your partner from developing emotional accountability • Shift from emotional babysitting to creating space for genuine co-regulation Why It Matters High-achieving Black women are conditioned to carry everyone's emotional weight—and it's literally breaking down our bodies. This pattern of self-abandonment doesn't just show up in romantic relationships; it's how we operate with bosses, children, and friends. Breaking free from performance partnership is about reclaiming your worth, your energy, and your right to be fully supported instead of always being the one doing the supporting. Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz 
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  EP 247: GETTING OVER MR. UNDERCOVER PROJECT MAN-Why That ‘Perfect on Paper’ Man Was the Real Fixer-Upper—The Closure You Didn’t Get, The Healing You Deserve” 16.09.2025 19min

  Queen, let's talk about the mindfuck breakup that's been keeping you stuck—the one with Mr. "Perfect on Paper" who left your soul starved despite checking every box society told you mattered. You know the type: well-dressed, well-traveled, well-paid, and wildly unavailable emotionally. This episode is your permission slip to finally name what you've been feeling and stop gaslighting yourself into believing something was wrong with you. It's time to get the closure you didn't get and claim the healing you absolutely deserve. Because when perfection masks a project, high-achieving Black women like you end up performing emotional triage instead of experiencing real partnership—and that ends today. What You'll Learn • Discover why your nervous system was screaming "something's off" even when everyone else thought you hit the jackpot. • Reclaim your reality by learning to identify "high presentation, low intimacy" men who look like prizes but function like emotional projects • Transform the cognitive dissonance that keeps you ruminating by naming the real problem: you weren't dating a high-value man, you were managing an undercover emotional fixer-upper. • Shift from self-blame to self-empowerment. • Notice how societal programming taught you to override your instincts and perform "low maintenance" just to keep the peace. • Repair what got damaged in the process: your trust in yourself, your joy, your hope, and your ability to love without shrinking.   This isn't just about one relationship—it's about breaking the cycle of self-abandonment that keeps high-achieving Black women trapped in situations that look good on paper but leave us emotionally starved. When you've been conditioned to prove your worthiness of love, your nervous system starts mistaking anxiety for attraction.    Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz 
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  EP 246: He Ain’t Broke But He Still Needs Fixing When Your High-Value Man Is Actually a Project 08.09.2025 28min

  Queen, let's talk about the confusion that nobody prepared you for: when your high-value man checks every box society told you mattered, but your nervous system is screaming that something ain't right. You're not crazy, and you're not asking for too much—you're just dealing with an emotional project disguised in designer suits and six-figure success. In this episode, I'm breaking down why status doesn't equal safety and how to stop carrying the invisible emotional load that's draining your peace. It's time to trust your instincts and reclaim your power. What You'll Learn Discover the five clear signs that your successful man is actually an emotional project in disguise Shift your understanding of what "high value" really means beyond bank accounts and status symbols Notice how cognitive dissonance shows up when someone looks like a catch but feels like chaos Reclaim your self-trust by understanding that asking for your needs wasn't "too much"—it was necessary Transform your approach to relationships by recognizing emotional availability as the true flex Why It Matters This conversation addresses what so many high-achieving black women experience but rarely discuss—the psychological confusion that leaves you questioning everything about yourself. We've been conditioned to endure instead of express, especially when society celebrates our "good man." Through mindset coaching and understanding neurobiology, I'm here to empower you to stop diminishing yourself and break free from self-abandonment patterns. Your peace isn't negotiable. Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz 
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  EP 245: LOVE WITHOUT CHAINS - 5 REASONS TO DE-CENTER MEN WITHOUT DISMISSING THEM 01.09.2025 25min

  Hey, it’s Brig! In this episode, I’m diving into de-centering men without dismissing them. This isn’t about being anti-men but becoming "pro-you." I unpack the stress women carry when our worth is tied to relationships with men, and how we can reclaim sovereignty.  What You'll Learn: Historical Conditioning: How laws and culture, like credit restrictions until 1974, mandated centering men. Everyday Conditioning: How childhood, church, media, and dating advice push us to prioritize men. Reasons to De-Center: I share five powerful reasons to de-center men: your worth is inherent, not tied to a man; centering men causes health-damaging stress, especially for Black women; prioritizing men isn’t true connection if it erases you; de-centering lets men be whole, fostering healing; and it means choosing love from truth, not panic. Remember that de-centering isn’t about rejecting love but reclaiming your power to choose it freely. Let’s build a life where love is a choice, not a chain, and step into true sovereignty together. Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz   
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  EP 244: From Stuck to Sovereign How CJ UNKAGED™ Her Next Chapter 25.08.2025 36min

  In this powerful episode, I sit down with a special guest, CJ, who recently completed the UNKAGED™ six-month coaching program. CJ shares her transformative journey from feeling unsafe and overwhelmed in her high-powered career to reclaiming her sovereignty and creating space for her passions. What You'll Learn: How feeling "unsafe" in professional spaces is a common experience for Black women that drains our capacity Why the "strong Black woman" trope and self-sacrifice mindset limits our potential The power of validating your own thoughts and feelings with "this makes sense" instead of questioning yourself How to create more capacity by reducing stress and emotional labor The difference between culturally-rooted coaching and traditional coaching approaches Why recovery is essential for high-achieving Black women I’m so grateful to CJ for sharing her story and insights with us. Her journey is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to settle for survival mode—we can choose recovery, reclaim our capacity, and live life on our own terms. Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz 
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  EP 243: 5 Signs You’re Abandoning Yourself Without Realizing It 18.08.2025 14min

  Today, I'm talking about a pattern that's silently robbing high-achieving Black women of money, joy, and energy: self-abandonment.  What is Self-Abandonment? Self-abandonment happens when you leave yourself emotionally, mentally, or physically to secure someone else's comfort, approval, or validation. It's when you side with others over yourself. We do this because somewhere along the line, we learned being fully ourselves wasn't safe. For Black women, this is compounded by generations of being told our bodies, voices, and desires needed to be managed to avoid backlash. 5 Signs You're Abandoning Yourself: You override your "no" - Agreeing to things that make you dread your calendar You need a "good reason" to rest - Otherwise, you feel guilty You shrink your joy - Speaking less, dimming your shine, or even stopping yourself from laughing You defer your decisions - Letting others decide for you, even on things that deeply impact you You gaslight yourself - Downplaying your needs or telling yourself you're overreacting The Cost Is Too High Studies show: The APA found that suppressing authentic self-expression is linked to higher cortisol and inflammation levels Harvard Business Review reports Black women face the steepest emotional tax in professional settings, leading to earlier burnout Chronic self-abandonment is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress-related illness For high earners, this shows up as: Emotional: Loss of self-trust, chronic resentment, burnout Physical: Sleep disruption, weight fluctuations, immune issues, hypertension Relationship: Surface-level connections, resentment in partnerships The Path Forward Ask yourself: "What would I choose if I didn't need anyone's approval?"   Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz    RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Join the Next Breakthrough Master Class here Register for the Next Melanin Hour here Book a Breakthrough Call here Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz   
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  EP: 242 Internalized Wrongness – When You Mistake Your Identity for a Flaw 11.08.2025 19min

  Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Something about me is just… wrong”? In this episode, I’m getting real about internalized wrongness — that quiet, exhausting belief that your identity is a defect to fix instead of something to celebrate. I’ve lived this, and I know how sneaky it is. From code-switching until you don’t recognize your own voice, to chasing every receipt and title just to feel “enough,” it’s a cycle that drains your energy, creativity, and self-trust. We’ll talk about how this shows up in our daily lives, why overachieving can be a mask for internalized wrongness, and the exact process I use to help Black women reset their nervous systems so authenticity feels safe again. I’ll share a client story, practical steps you can start today, and the one truth that changes everything: you were never the problem — you are the blueprint. What you’ll learn in this episode: How to recognize the signs of internalized wrongness Why over-preparing and over-performing never bring self-trust The “safety scripts” that keep you editing yourself to fit in Small, low-risk experiments to prove to your body it’s safe to be you How to start stacking evidence for your worth and identity If you’ve been shrinking, editing, or collecting receipts just to feel worthy, it’s time to reset. Take Action Take my free quiz to discover how your nervous system and survival patterns may be blocking your clarity: 👉🏾 brigjohnson.com/stress-quiz RESOURCES Join my Newsletter, Unlearn and Unleash Join the Next Breakthrough Master Class here Register for the Next Melanin Hour here Book a Breakthrough Call here Share Your Takeaways With Me at brig@brigjohnson.com Stress Quiz  keywords: internalized wrongness, self-trust for Black women, authenticity and nervous system, identity and self-worth, overcoming self-doubt, black women empowerment, authenticity coaching, nervous system reset, abandoning yourself for approval, self-safety practices, stop code switching, how to be your authentic self, allostatic load and stress, signs of identity suppression, Black women leadership mindset, building self-trust, cultural and historical stress, women’s empowerment podcast, emotional safety and authenticity, breaking free from people-pleasing