Courage Over Complacency

I once stood at a crossroads, comfort in one hand, fearless ambition in the other. This episode is a testament to that journey, an intimate exploration of choosing courage over the easy seduction of complacency, especially pertinent to my fellow Black women trailblazers. Delving into the core of what it means to harness true inner strength, I confront the barriers that often confine us to comfort zones, stifling our true potential. With the wisdom of icons like Alice Walker and Shirley Chisholm guiding us, we unpack the significance of stepping up and claiming our power. This isn't just a conversation; it's a rallying cry for all my Melanin Unicorns out there to armor up with courage, discard those well-worn excuses, and rise as the royalty you are destined to be.

Next Wednesday, we'll be igniting a heartfelt celebration of Black Womanhood, but for now, let me offer a glimpse into the future where our spirits and identities are not just recognized but revered. Here, I lay the foundation for understanding your worth and the sheer force of positive affirmations. Remember, you are a unique tapestry of qualities, a marvel of beauty and strength. This episode is designed to resonate deeply, stirring the heart and soul as we gear up for a continuation of this empowering narrative. Stay tuned as we weave together the threads of our collective journey, supporting and elevating each other along the way.

Chapters

• 0:00 Courage Over Complacency
• 14:03 Black Woman Moment in the Future

Transcript

Kerry: 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Melanin Unicorn Podcast, a weekly podcast that is dedicated to the upliftment and empowerment of Black women. If you are feeling stuck, I'm going to help you get unstuck, so you will no longer want to sit on the side of the road, but instead, get up and start running towards your dreams and goals in life. Plus, we are going to hold each other accountable. My name is Kerry and you're listening to the episode Courage Over Complacency. Let's start the show. Welcome back, my fellow Melanin Unicorns.

Kerry: 0:41

Today's topic is about courage over complacency. Courage and complacency, although they both start with the letter C, are two totally different things. Courage is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty. The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger or pain without fear. Dictionarycom. Complacency is self-satisfaction, especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies, a feeling of calm, satisfaction with your abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder Dictionarycom. Okay, so where are you? Are you? Do you have your courage or do you have complacency? I have chosen courage over complacency, and you must too.

Kerry: 1:56

To our dismay, many of us are in positions of complacency, whether it's with our job, higher learning, our families and friends, or our finances, relationships or wherever you may find yourselves in this moment, religiousty is a real thing. It's like being covered by a heavy, wet blanket. You are unable to move due to its heaviness, so you just lay there believing this is it when, instead, you are supposed to get up from underneath it so you can breathe, think and do Right. But here's the kicker Consciously, you may not even be aware of your complacent state, because you believe that either this is where you are supposed to be or you may feel as if you've arrived. Your subconscious knows you are in a complacent state because it shows up in your dreams, in your mannerisms, your behaviors, your speech and your emotional and mental state. The thing about the subconscious is that it really doesn't know real from fiction. So whatever you are doing in your day to day, that's what your subconscious believes to be true. So this quote by Alice Walker.

Kerry: 3:41

She said the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. Whew, that is deep. And complacency is just like that, right, complacency. You have literally given up your power. You are in a place or state that you are in because complacency rules with fear, so you're really afraid to go forward. You're really afraid to act on those dreams that you have for your life. You're really afraid to act on those secret prayers and petitions that only you and the Lord know about. So you sit in your state of complacency, wherever it may be, and you don't move. You don't move. Life passes by. Life doesn't stop for any of us. So we find ourselves getting older, we find ourselves watching other people go for their dreams, go for their goals, and we are resentful. We become resentful because we see that, regardless of whether they are afraid or not and most of the time they are afraid they will still go for their dreams. So courage is my name when you speak it roar.

Kerry: 5:44

Courage had to come to the forefront of my life because I was living in complacency, straight up and down, completely complacent. It had made itself at home. They purchased food, furnishings and clothing. How the heck did I not realize that my life was no longer my own? Because courage showed up. And courage showed out, stood me up and made me face the mirror and say raw queen, because we are queens and our lives are not meant to be complacent, period. Courage is where you will become a superstar.

Kerry: 6:38

If you are in a space and place where you feel antsy or starting to, it means courage is knocking on your door, opening it. You know that you are destined for more, for greater, but you are allowing complacency to hold you back. Courage is just waiting for you to speak up and speak life. Being afraid doesn't make you weak. Allow courage to come alongside you and show you how to do it. Courage allows you to live how complacency allows you to live with regret. Courage is not easy, but it will never let you down. Courageous is your name, queen, and now on, you refer to yourself as queen. Courageous. It's time to put on that full armor of courage. It's time, my sister, it's time. No more excuses, no more excuses. Don't you dare worry about what other people will say or think about you. That's not your concern and, honestly, that's not your business, because courage is calling you to be about your business. Courage is faith, but unless you step out on it, it will always be just a noun. Courage is fire. It will not consume you, but surround you. You are courageous, queen, and that's on period.

Kerry: 8:44

So, as we wind down, I have an aspiring quote from none other than Queen Shirley Chisholm and, if you are not aware, Regina King will be portraying Shirley Chisholm. It's so good to see our fellow Queen back. So, Miss Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman in Congress in 1968, and the first woman in African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties in 1972. Our motto and title of her autobiography unbought and unbossed Come on, queen. Miss Chisholm was definitely roaring, her queendom okay. It illustrates her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the US House of Representatives.

Kerry: 9:59

And Miss Chisholm excuse me, Queen, Shirley Chisholm said you don't make progress by standing on the sidelines whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas. And this is what we're going to be doing. We are implementing ideas. Instructing ideas is your courage. You are speaking up. It is time.

Kerry: 10:32

You can no longer sit on the sidelines Excuse the noise in the back, there are some cars driving by. You can no longer sit on the sidelines. You were created for greatness and it is time for you to step into your greatness. You can no longer make excuses. The excuses no longer fly and you know this. You know it when you get up in the morning to go to that job that you don't want to go to. You know it when you are eating lunch on your job. You know it when you are traveling home from that job. You know it as you are preparing to wind down, for when you are preparing to wind down for the night, excuse me. You know it. So my call to action for you is this Are you ready for change? Are you ready to step on that podium called courage? Are you ready to make your dreams come true? Are you ready, queen? Are you ready? That's my call to you and that's my call to myself More in 2024. That is our motto, that is our call, that is our charge.

Kerry: 12:23

And, on that note, it was so wonderful hanging out with you once again. It's just such a pleasure to come to you every week and we just, we're just kicking it. You know we're having we're having breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on where you are, and we're just having a grand old time. I love that and I hope you love this episode too. And also, please note that I'm not talking at you, I'm talking to you. I'm talking with you, because we're all in this together. We are all in this together. No one is better than the other. We are grabbing each other's hand, pulling each other up, walking along together, hand in hand, arm in arm. Again, thank you so much for hanging out with me. I'm just super grateful and so thankful, especially since you did not find it robbery to listen to this episode, download this episode and even subscribe to the Melanin Unicorn podcast. Show notes will be available on Buzzsprout. You can also follow the show on Instagram at the Melanin Unicorn podcast Tune.

Kerry: 14:03

In next week, wednesday for a Black Woman moment. I'm looking forward to that. And remember you are love, you are excellent, you are beautiful, you are well, you are safe and, most importantly, you are you. I will speak with you soon. Have a great day, wherever you are.