How many times have you been told to be strong — even in the middle of your own grief?
For your kids.
For your mama.
For everybody but you.
This Support Pause is for the moments when you feel yourself unraveling… but still feel like you have to keep it together. In this episode, Shirl tells the truth about what it means to be “the strong one,” and what happened the day someone finally told her she didn’t have to be.
If you’ve been quietly grieving something — even if you’ve never named it as grief — this one’s for you.
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.
- 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
Shirl is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.
POWERED BY BLUBRRY
