Black Women, Make Time For Yourselves

Rest shouldn’t be the last thing on our list. We open with a grounding breath and a bold truth: your wellness and your peace are not optional, and your time is yours to reclaim. From there, we unpack the pressure to measure worth by productivity and replace it with practices that honor body, mind, and spirit. The conversation moves from permission to practicality, offering a gentle path back to joy without guilt.

We explore simple rituals that fit real life: a slow cup of tea or coffee to start the day with presence, ten minutes of silence to reset the nervous system, music that feeds the spirit, and speaking kindly to ourselves out loud. We also talk about boundaries—saying no to what drains you and yes to what restores you—as a loving strategy rather than a personality overhaul. These steps are designed as micro-habits you can repeat, even amid caregiving, work, and community commitments, so care becomes sustainable instead of sporadic.

You’ll hear affirmations that honor softness and strength, reminders that you are allowed to be tired and still worthy, and reflections on joy as a vital metric of a good life. Whether it’s a walk, a nap, a journal session, or brunch with friends, choosing what makes you smile is not frivolous—it’s foundational. If you’ve been waiting for permission, consider this your green light to start small, start now, and keep starting. Subscribe, share this with a sister who needs it, and send us a DM with how you’re making time for yourself—we’d love to hear your ritual and cheer you on.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Core Message
• 1:31 Breathwork And Self-Permission
• 4:50 Resisting Productivity Myths
• 6:18 Rediscover Simple Joy
• 8:19 Five Practical Self-Care Steps
• 12:05 Affirmations And Encouragement
• 13:14 Closing And Community Invite

Transcript

Kerry: 0:11

Hey, hey, hey tribe, and welcome back to the Melanin Unicorn Podcast, the podcast where we as black women are reclaiming our peace, power, and presence. One breath at a time. I'm your host, Kerry, and today we're talking about something that far too often gets pushed to the bottom of the list. And that is black women making time for themselves. Now, let me just start with this. You are not lazy, you are not selfish, and you are not doing too much by choosing yourself. You are a whole human being. And that means your needs, your rest, your joy, your stillness, they all matter. Let's start the show. Let's get really, really real for a moment. We as black women carry so much. We show up for our families, our jobs, our communities, our friends. We hold space for everything and everybody. We hold it down. We hold each other. And yet, somehow, making time for ourselves feels like a luxury instead of a necessity. But here's the truth: your wellness, your health, it is not optional. Your peace is not negotiable. And your time is yours to reclaim. Now take a deep breath with me right now. Inhale. Hold for four and release. That breath that was yours. That breath, it is mine, and no one can take that from you or I. Not today. To take a nap. Oh, I love me some naps. To journal. Oh journaling is so good for my spirit. To do nothing or to do something that is just for you. This isn't about checking out of life. Because that's not what this is about. Okay? It's about checking in with yourself. Checking in and making sure that you are okay. Think of this as a gentle call to come back home to your own body, your own rhythm, your own joy. And listen, I know that making time for yourself isn't always easy. Because sometimes it's just not. Whether you have a family or you're married, children, you are a caregiver, I know it's not always easy. And especially when the world tries to tell us to measure our worth by our productivity. But every time you pause to care for your own soul, you are resisting that bald-faced lie. You are rewriting the narrative of your life. When was the last time you did something just because it made you smile? Not because it was productive, not because someone needed it, but because you wanted it. Okay? So if it's been a while, that's okay. That just means today is a beautiful day to start again. So think about it. Is taking a walk is what brings a smile to your face? Is it exercising? Is it reading? Is it going to the spa for the day? Is it getting your nails and your feet done? Is it going to the doctor for your checkout? Is it just maybe being with some some of your girlfriends, you know, and and you ladies are doing brunch or lunch, mimosas, meeting up to have dinner, going to a lounge, whatever it is. Think about when was the last time it was something that you did that brought that smile to your face. Even in the smallest moments. So number one, you can start your day with a slow cup of tea. I'm a tea drinker. Nah, I don't drink coffee. So if coffee is how you would like to start your day, start it off with a slow cup of coffee. Start blocking out ten minutes on your calendar. Set a timer on your phone if that's if that would work better for you. Just to sit in silence. Ten minutes of uninterrupted noise, chatter, speaking, music, just ten minutes. Listen to music that feeds your spirit. What brings you peace and calm? What kind of music is that that brings you such peace and calm? Speak gently to yourself. Out loud, like you would to someone you love. So when you are speaking gently to yourself, you are pouring love into yourself. Say no to what drains you. Say yes to what restores you. You don't have to earn your rest, queen. You are deserving of it. Now let's do a recap. Number one, start your day with a slow cup of tea or coffee or water or a green juice, whatever suits your fancy. Block out ten minutes on your calendar just for silence. Set a timer on your phone. Number three, listen to music that feeds your spirit. Number four, speak gently to yourself out loud. So how you would pour into someone else with positive words of love and affirmation, I want you to turn that on to yourself. And number five, say no to what drains you. Say yes to what restores you. And again, you don't have to earn your rest, Queen. You deserve it. You are not alone. You are seen. You are allowed to be soft and strong. You are allowed to be tired and still worthy. You can rest. You can heal. You can choose yourself without apology. This world is so much better, my sisters, because you are in it. So take care of the vessel that carries all of your black woman magic. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Please share it with a sister who needs that reminder too. And don't forget to follow the Melanie Move on Podcast on Instagram. And send me a DM and how you are making time for yourself. Because I would love to hear it. And remember to have the most incredible, remarkable, and brilliant day. Because that is what you deserve. I love you. And until our next episode, take care. Bye.