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"You can be broken, messy, and still rise stronger than you ever imagined."

In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Stella Safo, Founder of Just Equity for Health, about standing up in the face of challenges and finding purpose through hardship.We talk about the difficult spaces she has navigated, including a toxic work environment, gender discrimination, workplace abuse, fertility struggles, pregnancy loss, and raising her two children, while still working to create positive change in healthcare. Through honest reflection, we explore how she leaned on her community, turned pain into action, and built programs to help others.

If you have faced setbacks, felt overwhelmed by life’s pressures, or are trying to make sense of your own difficult seasons, this episode will remind you that resilience, hope, and small steps forward can still light the way.

Song of the week: Rise Up by Andra Day

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:01:21 – Advertisement: Ready to take charge of your health? Get a free session with Dr. Diana Lake at bit.ly/fitbossfreesession

00:05:20 – How early experiences shape who we become

00:09:53 – The emotional toll of speaking out against injustice

00:18:33 – Arming people with knowledge from real-life battles

00:22:20 – How egg freezing gave me time and choice

00:28:29 – Protecting your fertility before the window closes

00:32:01 – Gratitude for refusal to be defeated

00:36:20 – Digging deep: practical strategies for resilience

00:39:27 – Love

00:41:14 – Connect with Dr. Stella Safo

Key Takeaways:

"There is something radical about my existence, and I refuse to allow this world to break that and to take that from me in a way where I make myself small."

About Our Guest

Dr. Stella A. Safo is a Ghanaian-American board-certified HIV primary care physician and public health practitioner with extensive experience in care model design for health systems and industry. She is the founder of Just Equity for Health, where she leads work centered on advocacy, education, and equitable care delivery.

Connect with Dr. Stella:

Web: https://justequityforhealth.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/justequityforhealth

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellasafo/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

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"The journey is going to continue to shape your character and who you are in this world."

In this episode, I’m speaking about the often-overlooked middle where faith is tested, identity is stretched, and growth quietly takes root.

I share how the middle can feel disorienting, heavy, and deeply uncomfortable, yet it is also the place where God does His most transformative work. Through honest reflection, we’ll talk about facing hard truths, releasing what you thought your life would look like, and choosing to trust God even when the path forward isn’t clear.

If you’re standing in transition, carrying unanswered questions, or trying to make sense of your own in-between season, this episode will remind you that the middle is a sacred part of your journey.

Song of the week: The Journey by H.E.R.

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:01:53 – Healing is ongoing

00:04:54 – Why the middle matters more than the ending

00:06:28 – Join the R&R Collective waitlist

00:09:00 – The middle: the place between what was and what will be

00:15:00 – When truth shatters what you thought you knew

00:19:56 – Who's gonna care for me?

00:21:37 – Living in the middle season

00:25:39 – Dreaming while afraid

00:28:14 – God’s will may differ from desire

00:30:58 – Seeing the light after the middle

00:33:17 – The journey serves a purpose

00:34:30 – Your journey reveals character

00:37:14 – Your journey reveals your commitment to growth

00:39:29 – Stay on the journey

Key Takeaways:

"Our journey has a purpose. Your journey reveals your character, your journey reveals your convictions, and your journey reveals your commitment to growth."

"There are always decisions that we need to make in our lives and things that we need to do to grow and to evolve into the absolute best versions of ourselves."

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/u4ehbbody9

Your nEXt Chapter podcast explores the challenges and triumphs women face as they reclaim joy, reimagine the future, and redefine their identity after divorce and other unexpected life transitions. Join Dr. Nicole as she shares insights from her journey as a high-achieving professional woman navigating divorce while walking in her Christian faith.

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"Reinvention in midlife isn’t about starting over, it’s about stepping fully into the version of yourself you were always meant to be."

In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr. Joy’El Ballard, board-certified OB/GYN, menopause and midlife strategist, and business coach, about what it looks like to reinvent yourself in midlife.

Dr. Joy’El shares how she courageously left a thriving medical career, trusted God through change, and let go of perfectionism and the need to always be “the strong one.” She opens up about redefining her identity and discovering a bigger purpose beyond what she had imagined.

If you’re ready for a new career, mindset, relationship, or simply a new way of showing up, this episode will inspire you to trust yourself, embrace change, and step boldly into your next chapter.

Song of the week: New Attitude by Patti Labelle

Topics Covered:

00:00:00 – Episode snippet

00:01:48 – Introducing our guest, Dr. Joy’El Ballard

00:03:30 – Dr. Joy’El’s bold leap into midlife coaching

00:08:47 – Letting go of perfectionism

00:13:05 – Our purpose evolve with us

00:17:17 – Midlife shifts and the rising trend of “gray divorce”

00:22:10 – Rethinking marriage and life after autopilot

00:25:36 – Therapy and self-care for caregivers

00:29:26 – The concept of a “jug of joy”

00:32:42 – Why is midlife a fabulous time to reinvent ourselves?

00:36:50 – Alignment

00:40:10 – Where to find Dr. Joy’El Ballard

Key Takeaways:

"When you walk into something new that requires leaving something."

About Our Guest:

Dr. Joy’El Ballard, known as The Menopause Mogul, is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Business Coach for Black women 40 and over. Through her Menopause Mogul online coaching program, she empowers women to reclaim their energy, clarity, and confidence during menopause, helping them launch businesses and create lives on their own terms.

Connect with Dr. Joy’El Ballard:

Web: https://www.drjoyel.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/drjoyel

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drjoyel

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZUuhQ4ypjI6vXmCI86pPKA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjoyelballard/

About Your Host

Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE!

Connect with Dr. Nicole:

Web: https://yournextchapter.co/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co

FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co

Join our Email Community

Join our community to receive our newsletters and to be the first to hear about exciting announcements and opportunities to connect.

The doors for the R&R Collective will reopen in 2026. Join the waitlist today! https://yourn