🎧 In this episode:

What happens when you’re not at the beginning, but definitely not at the end?
This week, I’m joined by Jae Washington—creative strategist, digital curator, and truth-teller—as we talk about what it means to live in the messy middle. The in-between. The stretch. The space where clarity is forming, but confidence hasn’t fully caught up.

This episode is a soft place to land if you’ve been wrestling with identity, creativity, or what it means to keep showing up while things are still unfolding.

🧠 This episode is for you if:

• What the messy middle looks and feels like in real life

• How to hold space for your process without rushing the outcome

• The gentle power of redefining success in seasons of transition

• Learning to trust your voice, even when it shakes a little

• You’re in-between chapters and feeling unsure what’s next

• You’ve been questioning how to show up online or in community

• You need a reminder that growth is still growth—even when it’s quiet

  🤎 My Favorite Things This Week:

• Marsail Armless Office Chair — perfect for long recording days and deep convos

• LROSEY 2-Piece Blazer Set — because even the messy middle deserves a power look

This season is about courage, even in the in-between.

💌 Join the One Brave Thing Challenge and Community:🧡 Sign up for the July challenge

Sometimes stuck isn’t stuck. It’s just uncomfortable.
In this episode, we explore what it really means to practice self-discipline and stretch our emotional tolerance when life feels heavy, chaotic, or just plain messy. If you've been waiting to feel ready, this one's for you.

We’re also kicking off the One Brave Thing Challenge for July, and this episode sets the tone for choosing discomfort on purpose, with intention, care, and community.

And yes... I forgot to say the affirmation at the beginning of the episode. But I want to leave it with you here because it still matters:

“Discipline is not punishment. It’s devotion to what I say I want.”
Say it to yourself today, especially if things feel hard or slow.

• You’ve been calling avoidance “rest”

• You’re trying to figure out what’s next but feel frozen

• You want to join the One Brave Thing Challenge and need a loving push to start

• Why emotional tolerance is the secret to real self-discipline

• A muddy yard, a stuck car, and what it taught me about moving forward

• The difference between being brave and burning out

• Marsail Armless Office Chair — my current recording seat of choice

• LROSEY 2-Piece Blazer Set — because brave doesn’t mean bland 😌

These are affiliate links. I only share what I truly use and love.

You are invited to start today.
🧡 Join the One Brave Thing July Challenge

Are you really resting… or just stuck? In this season opener, I’m reflecting on the difference between intentional stillness and fear-based stuckness. We’re kicking off Season 2 with clarity, courage, and a little softness too.

This episode is for you if you’ve been:

• Second-guessing your next step
  

• Calling it “stillness” but feeling anxious underneath
  

• Ready to move with intention, not pressure
  

We’ll walk through the signs, share some brave reframes, and end with a Brown Heart moment to help you pause without punishment.

My favorite things this week:

Here’s what I’m loving, sipping, or scrolling:

• Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager with Soothing Heat

• The Root Reflection Guide – grab your free copy

• Zenni Optical – my go-to for bold frames and bold decisions
  

Some links may be affiliate links. I only share what I genuinely use and love!

Stay Connected

• Join the mailing list → [Insert link]

• Follow on IG @brownheartwellness

• Join the Substack Community
  

If today’s episode landed with you, send it to a friend. Or better yet, record your own brave thing this week and tag me. We’re not waiting for clarity. We’re creating it.

Hey y’all, welcome to the Season 1 finale of the Brown Heart Podcast! I’m Samantha Edu, and today we’re celebrating 20 episodes of bravery, creativity, consistency, and community.

This season has been a journey of planting seeds, showing up imperfectly but intentionally, and creating a space where we can be brave together.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed. Season 2 is already in the works, and I’m excited for what’s next: more conversations, deeper reflections, and a community that continues to grow in purpose and courage.

• Celebrating the wins, lessons, and growth from Season 1.

• The power of consistency over perfection.

• How the Brown Heart community became a brave space.

• What’s coming in Season 2:

  • The One Brave Thing a Week Challenge returns in May.

  • Season 2 launches in June with new guests, fresh topics, and more ways to help your vessel overflow.

Have a guest in mind for Season 2? Someone whose story, expertise, or energy would inspire brave conversations?
Send your suggestions my way! Let’s build this next season together.

• Sign up on Substack for weekly reflections and resources.

• Support the Podcast: Buy Me a Coffee if this season poured into you.

• Tea of the Week: Stash Tea—because ritual is part of my rest.

• Brave Moment of the Week: Hitting record on Episode 20 and honoring the journey.

Thank you for being part of this season. We’re just getting started. I’ll see you in June for bold conversations, brave actions, and a community that’s overflowing with purpose.

In this soulful episode, I sit down with a special guest, Dr. Jeanette Mayse, to share the story behind Brown Heart Wellness and talk about the limiting narratives that often keep us stuck—perfectionism, scarcity, the Strong Black Woman trope, and imposter syndrome. Together, we reflect on how these stories show up in our lives and how we can begin to release them.

As we prepare for Q2, this episode is a reminder to pause, reflect, and get clear on what beliefs you need to leave behind to move forward.

Takeaways:

• The true story behind the Brown Heart Wellness movement

• How internalized narratives can quietly control our lives

• How to name, challenge, and rewrite the stories holding you back

• Why community is essential to doing brave work

Brown Heart Affirmation:
"I release the stories that no longer belong to me. I am the author of my own narrative."

🤎 Best way to reach Dr. Jeanette Mayse
🤎Subscribe to Substack for deeper reflections & resources
🤎 Book Brave Goal Coaching or Therapy Sessions
🤎 Support the podcast on Buy Me A Coffee → buymeacoffee.com/brownheartwellness

One Brave Thing Challenge returns in May! In the meantime download the ROOT framework workbook to get started.
Stay tuned for more ways to keep your vessel full and your soul brave.

Welcome back to the Brown Heart Podcast! This week marks a special episode—my first unscripted reflection of the season. We're closing out the first quarter of the year with intention, reflection, and celebration.

In this episode, I’m walking you through what it looks like to pause, process, and pour from a place of truth. Using the ROOT Framework, I reflect on personal and collective brave moments, lessons in leadership and DEIB, and what it means to embody bravery as a soul journey—not just a checklist of actions.

Whether you’ve been part of the One Brave Thing a Week Challenge or you’re just beginning your reflection journey, this episode is a gentle invitation to honor your progress and make space for what’s next.

• Real-time reflection using the ROOT Framework (Reflect, Open, Overcome, Thrive)

• Bravery as a soul journey, not just bold actions

• Honest lessons from Q1: DEIB, leadership shifts, energy check-ins

• How to use reflection to fuel Q2 with clarity and courage

“I reflect with compassion, release with grace, and root myself in purpose. I am not behind—I am becoming.”

• The ROOT Framework

• One Brave Thing a Week Challenge (restarting in June!)

• Brown Heart Coaching + Therapy offerings (for those needing space to process)

• Check out Christian Gibson's private practice

▸ Join My Email List: Brown Heart Community
▸ Buy Me a Coffee: Support the podcast
▸ Subscribe on Substack: Brown Heart Musings

Life moves in seasons, and just like nature, we experience shifts in our personal and professional journeys. In this episode, we’re talking about recognizing seasons of growth, release, and opportunity. Whether you’re in a season of sowing, waiting, or reaping the benefits of past work, this conversation is about embracing where you are while preparing for what’s ahead.

I’m also reflecting on how Brown Heart Wellness is expanding—from visibility to brand growth—while acknowledging that personally, I’m stepping into a season of professional harvest, benefiting from seeds I planted long ago. If you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure of your next move, this episode is for you.

Plus, I’ll be sharing:
✨ The power of letting go to create space for what’s next.
✨ How bravery shows up in seasons of transition.
✨ Why what feels like stagnation might actually be growth.
✨ How to prepare your “vessel” for the new things life is bringing your way.

And guess what? Next episode will be our first-ever guest episode! I can’t wait to share this quarterly check-in with you.

• Not all growth is visible. Some seasons are about planting, waiting, and preparing.
• Letting go is necessary. You can’t receive new blessings while holding onto what no longer serves you.
• Bravery isn’t just about big moves. It’s also about trusting the process and showing up for yourself daily.
• Your vessel must be ready for overflow. What are you making room for in this season?

Subscribe to my Substack for exclusive reflections & deep dives.
Follow me on LinkedIn for weekly leadership insights.
Support the podcast on Buy Me a Coffee – buymeacoffee.com/brownheartwellness

Let’s step into this next season with clarity, courage, and an open heart. See you next time for our first guest episode! ✨

The One Brave Thing a Week Challenge may be ending, but bravery is just beginning! This week, we’re celebrating courage—your wins, my reflections, and the deeper journey of uncovering our bravest selves.

But let’s be real—what keeps us from being brave? Fear? Imposter syndrome? Systems that tell us we’re not enough? I’ll dive into how our conditioning makes us hesitant, what I learned about bravery through the ROOT framework, and why Overcoming is the hardest part of the journey.

✔️ What stops us from making brave moves & how to push through.✔️ How systemic barriers & self-doubt keep us playing small.✔️ The hardest part of bravery (and what to do about it).✔️ How to keep the One Brave Thing mindset beyond the challenge.

What’s ONE brave thing you’re committing to this week? DM me or share in the Substack Listen now & share with someone who needs this encouragement!

Until next time—stay brave, stay rested, and trust that you are enough.

Takeaways: Stay Connected & Keep the Momentum Going:📍 Subscribe on Substack – More reflections, journal prompts & support.

📍 Work with me – Coaching for brave goals or therapy to process what’s coming up.

☕ Support the Podcast – Buy me a coffee.