I'm Not Knocking Being Strong, But...

Being strong as a Black woman has always come with expectations — and a cost.

I’m not knocking being strong, but…

I am saying you don’t have to disappear inside of it.

In this Support Pause, Shirl is calling out the kind of strength that gets celebrated while you suffer in silence.

You know the one.
The strength that keeps you holding it together at work, at home, for your kids, for your family…
But never lets you fall apart in peace.
The strength that taught you how to keep showing up — even when there’s nothing left of you in the showing.

We’re not knocking being strong.
We’re knocking the version of it that makes rest feel risky and support feel like weakness.
The kind that looks good on the outside, but is slowly draining you on the inside.

This episode is a call to lay that version down.
To stop earning your worth through exhaustion.
To let strength and support co-exist — without choosing one over the other.

If you’ve been sitting in your car after work just trying to breathe before walking back inside…
If you’ve been saying “I’m good” when you’re anything but…
This one’s for you because support and strength can co-exist — but not when being strong as a Black woman means constantly disappearing behind what you carry.

Got a story about what it’s cost you to be the strong one? We’re collecting real, lived stories for the Black Women Storytelling Series, and we want to hear yours.

Submit your story here → https://forms.gle/VsfFMjNjMt6eVLJp7

Come back every weekday for a new Support Pause — short, soul-soothing reflections made just for you.

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Resources to Support You:

• Black Women Storytelling Series
• Schedule a 1:1 Support Session
• Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language™—Now What?”
• Take the Support Language™ Quiz. and learn how you actually receive support best.
• Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words, real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week  

Let’s Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform
•  Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being the strong one
•  Leave a review if the episode spoke to your spirit — it helps more Black women find this space
• Follow Shades of Strong on Instagram for daily reflections on what it means to be suppoted
• www.shadesofstrong.com