Writing Black Joy

Journaling and meditation

Today we wrap this season up with Mikita Smith who is a fellow podcaster and the voice behind the "Thym 4 Tea with Mikita Podcast," where she invites us all to embrace the beautifully messy aspects of life.
As a nurse, motivational speaker, and certified meditation instructor, she's not just talking the talk; she's walking the walk, daring others to live a beautifully unbalanced life.
Her approach to self-care is refreshingly real, advocating for a life that finds beauty in the chaos and to dance in the rain. Mikita's down-to-earth conversations and insights challenge us to break free from the conventional, celebrate our imperfections, and discover our true selves in the beautiful imbalance.
We had a great conversation about:
 
Her journaling journey
 
How she encourages herself through her journaling
 
Her first solo writing retreat - the gift she gave to herself
 
Her meditation journey 
 
The impact that meditation has on her journaling, and how these both impact her life
 
How this also contributes to her fiction writing, and to episodes for her podcast
 
Tips for starting a journaling practice
 
Take a listen to her guided meditation here (and check out her entire podcast - it's amazing!)
And follow Mikita over on IG
And follow Writing Black Joy over on IG!
Hopefully this conversation will give you some new ideas, and or ways to think about your own journals and journaling practice. 
And if you want your own shiny new journalt then grab mine! It is a blank canvas for your creativity with a combination of blank pages for sketching, lined pages for note taking, and dotted bullet grid when you are ready to mix things up! Go check it out at the links below if you crave that new notebook smell, and love that multimedia life.
Click here if you use US based Amazon.
Click here if you use UK based Amazon.
Or search for Safiya Robinson in your own territory.
And definitely sign up to my substack so that you can also enjoy the new Writing Black Joy newsletter!
And subscribe to the podcast in your favourite player!

Connecting to your inner world through your stories

Today I talk with Ayesis Clay who is (among other things) an extraordinary playwright, poet and theatre professional as well as an educator and founder of Sculpted Clay Productions, where she uses innovative theatre-infused residencies and professional development workshops to help schools create trauma-sensitive, social-emotional focused learning environments for teachers and students.
Ayesis and I talk about using memoir to connect with your inner world - and we also talked about performing and how that has impacted her view of memoir.
Definition of memoir and the different ways of writing your story and moments from your life
How Ayesis's memoir turned into a solo show
The book of dopeness and how it helped with imposter syndrome
The importance of taking time for yourself
Going from writing something personal for yourself to sharing with others
The importance of mindfulness when she takes people through the process of writing memoir
Using rituals and other forms of creativity such as doodling to get into your writing practice.
You can find my previous episode with Ayesis here, as well as my episode with Kerra Bolton. 
And head over to Sculpted Clay Productions if you are an educator who wants to join the waitlist for Write to Create.
And if you want your own shiny new journalt then grab mine! It is a blank canvas for your creativity with a combination of blank pages for sketching, lined pages for note taking, and dotted bullet grid when you are ready to mix things up! Go check it out at the links below if you crave that new notebook smell, and love that multimedia life.
Click here if you use US based Amazon.
Click here if you use UK based Amazon.
Or search for Safiya Robinson in your own territory.
And definitely sign up to my substack so that you can also enjoy the new Writing Black Joy newsletter!
And subscribe to the podcast in your favourite player!

A lifetime of journaling

Today might be my favourite guest of the season so far - it’s my favourite little sister Talibah!
Talibah is first and foremostly my sister, she is also a teacher, mom, wife, and an artist. She is also a lifelong journaler, collector of lovely journals and stationery, and a bibliophile who is fascinated by minimalism. 
This series, I have enjoyed the opportunity to have some of my favourite people on the show to talk about the things that light them up! For my younger sister Talibah, journaling is one of those things. It is an integral part of her life, so we had a fun conversation! It was like one of our - over the dinner table conversations (with coasters of course!!) so come sit with us, and hear all about:
Her definition of journaling and why she finds it so useful 
Stationary ❤️❤️❤️
Why she has different journals for different topics
Her different journaling and how she incorporates her art, as well as how this spilled into other forms of creativity
How her journaling practice has grown over the years
The power of writing to impact how you remember the past
What she does with ALL THOSE JOURNALS
How discovering minimalism and simple living changed how she thought about her filled journals
How motherhood has influenced her thinking about her journals
And so much more! 
My favourite thing about these conversations is the idea of creating your own journaling practice, and I hope that by listening, you walk away with something new to try to incorporate for your own journaling routine.
Hopefully this conversation will give you some new ideas, and or ways to think about your own journals and journaling practice. 
And if you want your own shiny new journalt then grab mine! It is a blank canvas for your creativity with a combination of blank pages for sketching, lined pages for note taking, and dotted bullet grid when you are ready to mix things up! Go check it out at the links below if you crave that new notebook smell, and love that multimedia life.
Click here if you use US based Amazon.
Click here if you use UK based Amazon.
Or search for Safiya Robinson in your own territory.
And definitely sign up to my substack so that you can also enjoy the new Writing Black Joy newsletter!
And subscribe to the podcast in your favourite player!
 

The magic of journaling

Today I have with me Ally Rose, and Javacia Harris Bowser.
Ally Rose is a Writer, Rapid Transformational Therapy Practitioner, Certified Hypnotherapist, and Coach who brings more than a decade of experience to her work with a diverse range of clients worldwide. She has helped individuals from all walks of life overcome their obstacles and reach their goals.
Javacia Harris Bowser is an award-winning freelance journalist and the author of the essay collection Find Your Way Back: How to Write Your Way Through Anything. She's also the founder of See Jane Write -- a website, community, and coaching service for women who write -- and the host of The Writeous Babe Podcast, which she calls the grown woman's guide to journaling. 
Together, we discuss:
How they define journaling 
Their current journaling routines 
Using journaling as a creative sandbox to help with their own writing
Different types of journaling that they both use
The practice of future castings/scripting
Journaling and hope
Writing fiction and your inner world
Starting a journaling practice
And Ally and Javacia's journaling opportunities for self love in February!
Also check out their previous episodes - I have linked below, as well as links for both guests. You can find links to my Writing Black Joy journal over on www.writingblackjoy.com
Here are links to Ally's book, journal and newsletter
The Radical Self-Love Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Self-Love-Revolution-Journey-Empower/dp/B0CH2NT87T
The Divine Pause: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Pause-invitation-recenter-reconnect/dp/1701871521
 
People can sign up to get a daily affirmation and reflection here: https://www.thedivinepause.com/
Main website: https://therootedwellnesscollective.com/
Instagram: @theallyrose
 
And here are Javacia's links - including her workshop for the 13th of February:
Find your way back (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Find-Your-Way-Back-Anything/dp/0578365286
The Writeous Babe podcast https://writeousbabepodcast.podbean.com/
The Self Love workshop - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqcu-srDoiE9MpMxKebRph087ZvKVZIF8a
And Javacia's community See Jane Write - website: https://seejanewritebham.com/
 

Writing your inner world

Welcome to my new mini series Writing your inner world.
This is for you if you:
Use writing to tap into your inner world!
Journal! Sketch! Write down your gratitudes! Make lists! Mind maps!
Simply collect beautiful journals and pens but are reluctant to write in them (or is THAT one just me?)
I wanted to explore ideas around how writing can connect you to your inner world and so for the month of February we will be doing just that.
I have often found writing to be a very powerful tool for connection - both with others and with ourselves, and I wanted to explore how we use writing to connect to ourselves. I have some incredible guests which include one of my sisters, as well as past Writing Black Joy guests and a couple of fellow podcasters and we are talking all things journaling. I also talk a bit about how I tap into my own inner world (since I am not much of a journaler), and how you can get started with your own journaling practice.
I am also taking the opportunity to release my first journal - which you can find on Amazon! It is a blank canvas for your creativity with a combination of blank pages for sketching, lined pages for note taking, and dotted bullet grid when you are ready to mix things up! Go check it out at the links below if you crave that new notebook smell, and love that multimedia life.
Click here if you use US based Amazon.
Click here if you use UK based Amazon.
Or search for Safiya Robinson in your own territory.
And definitely sign up to my substack so that you can also enjoy the new Writing Black Joy newsletter!
And subscribe to the podcast in your favourite player!

Black Joy over time with Nacala Ayele

Nacala Ayele was born and raised in Seattle Washington. She comes to coaching from a background of art, healing, service and community organizing.​​Nacala believes that joyful people who operate from their own genius have the power to transform not only themselves, but their families, communities and the world. She is committed to centering the experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities and helping her clients design their lives around the things that bring them the most joy.
Nacala and I discuss:
Her work as a joy coach for Black and Indigenous clients
Her project - like fine wine Black joy over time
How she and her videographer sought to ensure "people first" within the project 
The myth of objectivity 
Her upcoming venture to learn more about recording oral histories from Black elders
Being a good steward of the stories of others
Her own joyful stories
And so much more. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Black girl rage; Black girl joy with Kiedra Taylor

Today's guest is Kiedra Taylor, and she and I had such a fun and deep conversation about her work and the magazine she curates. Let me tell you a bit about her.
Kiedra Burston Taylor is a PhD candidate in the department of English. Her research focuses on depictions of Black girl protagonists in contemporary young adult literature. She is the founder and editor of Write On, Black Girl! Taylor is a Phi Kappa Phi John Tanaka Fellowship recipient. She is also a recent winner of the Outstanding Graduate Teaching  Award for the University of Connecticut.
Kiedra and I talk about
Her magazine write on black girl 
Her PhD on Black girl rage in contemporary young adult lit
The idea of respectable Black girls and women, who can't be angry or speak out
The connection she sees between your ability to speak out and express your whole humanity, and joy
What led her to starting the magazine
How she edits pieces from writers with different voices and identities, and from different countries and cultures
What the young writers have taught her
And so much more. 
Kiedra and I went deep, but had a wonderful conversation which I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Find Kiedra at https://www.kiedrabtaylor.com
The call for submissions: http://bit.ly/3uHoKll
And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WrtOnBlkGrlUConn
 

Let’s talk love stories with Olivia Gaines

Olivia is a USA Today Best Selling, Emma Award, and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of "I love you." An author of contemporary romances, she writes heartwarming stories of blossoming relationships filled with heart and humor. The Technicians, The Blakemore Files, and the Modern Mail Order Brides, are one clicks for thousands of readers.
When Olivia is not writing, she enjoys quilting, playing Scrabble online against other word lovers and spending time with her family. She is an avid world traveler who writes many of the locations into her stories. Most of the time she can be found sitting quietly with pen and paper plotting more adventures in love.
Olivia lives in Hephzibah, Georgia with her husband, son, grandson and snotty evil cat, Katness Evermean.
Olivia and I talk about:
Why she started writing romance novels and who she was inspired by
Some of her characters and the books she writes about 
The importance of writing a different narrative
How she gets her inspiration for her stories and her Writing and world building process
How she does her research 
Advice she gives young authors through her mentorship
And so much more.
Learn more about her books, upcoming releases and join her bibliophile nation at www.ogaines.com
Subscribe to her email list at http://sendfox.com/ogaines
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ogaines
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviagaines
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviawrites/
 

Running and writing with Mirna Valerio

Today we are joined by another dream guest of mine - Mirna Valerio. Let me tell you a bit about her!
Mirna Valerio is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator and XC coach, ultramarathoner, cyclist and skier, DEI facilitator, and author of the memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. 
She began running in high school, recommitted to the sport after a health scare in 2008 and started her blog Fatgirlrunning—about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner endurance athletes— while training for her first marathon. 
Mirna's athletic story has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Runner’s World, on NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in the viral documentary short, REI Presents The Mirnavator.
Her writing has been featured in Women’s Running, Self, Outside, and Runner's World. In 2018 she was chosen as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year; in 2019 was featured on GMA, and has since then appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Access Daily, and The Today Show.
Her partners include LLBean, Ford Bronco, Lululemon, Salsa Cycles, Darn Tough Vermont, Hydro Flask, and Garmin.  She currently lives and trains in Vermont and is wholeheartedly enamored and obsessed with downhill skiing. 
Mirna and I talk about:
Her journey from blogger to published author - as she writes about her running life
Writing nonfiction and fiction
Her current project about Black Joy and the natural world
How she handles feedback and rejection 
How she decided to write her first fiction novel during nanowrimo
Wild writing
Legacy
And so much more. We laugh a LOT in this one, and my sound definitely goes in and out so I'm sorry, but it was a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
You can find Mirna on IG @themirnavator
Or head over to her website:  www.themirnavator.com
And you can learn more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/

Poetry and Empathy with Ber-Henda Williams

This week I am joined by Ber-Henda Williams - a poet, Visionary + Empath coach, and the founder of a leadership organization for girls. She is the author of ‘Memoirs of the Human Experience and Everything In Between, Vol. 1’ - a memoir told through poems, preludes and essays.
Ber-Henda supports empathic creative visionary empaths to find their voice, embrace feminine power, and create mission-based businesses in service of social transformation, justice and equity. When she is not doing that, she runs a girl’s leadership program, The Power of Girlhood for girls 8-18. Además, ella es una poeta bilingüe. (She is a bilingual poet). She believes feminine empaths are here to disrupt the patriarchy and oppression with their mission-based businesses.
You can listen to our conversation below, and click here to see Ber-Henda reading a piece that she wrote in Spanish and English, and click here to learn more about Ber-Henda.
And take a listen to her podcast Soul of a Lead(her) here!
And you can learn more about me at https://www.safiyarobinson.com/