Episode 49: Finding Yourself Inside Your Life - The Identity I Had to Let Go Of

Send us your thoughts questions or feedback!Episode Title: Finding Yourself Inside Your Life - The Identity I Had to Let Go OfOn this episode of A Soulful Mom's Wisdom, Africa O. opens season seven with an honest, grounding conversation about identity — specifically, the identities we inherit, adopt, and sometimes have to release in order to find the ones that are truly ours. This is episode 49, and it marks the beginning of a new season with a new format: one overarching theme carried across the entire season, explored in increasing depth each month.The season seven theme is finding yourself inside your life. Month one focuses on the balancing act, navigating personal identity while holding all the roles that come with motherhood and life.Theme: Finding Yourself Inside Your Life (Month 1 — The Balancing Act)This theme centers on the journey of discovering who you are within the life you are already living, not in a future version of your life, or once everything settles down, but right now. Month one zeroes in on the balancing act: how we manage our sense of self alongside the demands of caregiving, partnership, and everything else that claims our time and energy.Quote“The identity I had to let go of to find the one that was actually mine.” — Africa O.Episode SummaryAfrica begins with a personal reflection on hustle culture, not to dismiss the concept, but to examine how easily we can adopt identities that don’t actually belong to us. Whether those identities are assigned by others or absorbed from cultural narratives about productivity and success, the pressure to perform at a certain volume is real. For many, the “hustler” identity — no sleep, constant output, always grinding — becomes the default mode for anyone building something.Africa shares a formative memory of watching her father leave for work at 5 a.m. and return at 10 p.m. every day, a man who had no choice but to play both mother and father. She honors his discipline and acknowledges how deeply his work ethic was instilled in her. But she also recognizes that her season is different. She has a choice. And how she exercises that choice matters.That choice led her to release the false identity of the hustler and reclaim something more aligned with who she actually is. She stopped measuring her wellness platform by output volume and started defining it by intention. She stopped chasing a content schedule and started chasing her daughter. She got clear that her home, her daughter, and her health come first, not as excuses, but as the very foundation her platform is built on.The episode closes with a powerful reframe: passion and purpose can grow in alignment with your life, not in competition with it. If you’re pursuing something meaningful, make sure it reflects who you truly are and aligns with your actual values. Forced growth is not sustainable growth.Episode Highlights•Introducing season seven’s overarching theme: finding yourself inside your life•Month one focus: the balancing act of identity and motherhood•Unpacking hustle culture and the identities we adopt without realizing it•A personal reflection on her father’s work ethic and what she chose to carry forward•Releasing the “hustler” identity in favor of one rooted in intention and sustainability•Redefining a wellness platform by intention, not output volume•Prioritizing home, health, and family as the foundation of everything she builds•The reminder that passion and purpose should grow with your life, not against it•Encouragement for anyone pursuing something meaningful to ensure it aligns with their valuesMake sure you explore more health & wellness insights and coaching opportunities at liveafricao.com. Stay connected for more episodes of A Soulful Mom’s Wisdom.Please be sure to rate and review the podcast. You are greatly appreciated. Thank you!Support the showMake sure you explore more health & wellness tips, as well sign up for personal coaching, by visiting my website liveafricao.com!You can also visit me on Instagram and youtube @liveafricao Please, be sure to rate and review this podcast today—it means a lot. And if you ever want to show extra love, you can always buy me a coffee.You are greatly appreciated.Thank you!