CiCi Gibson: She Leads, She Travels, She Transforms

Most women don’t realize their true power until they embrace their authentic selves—and Cici Gibson is proof. From her humble Caribbean roots to leading a major labor union, she shares how she reclaimed her strength by trusting her intuition, setting boundaries, and traveling solo to expand her horizons. Her journey is a masterclass in resilience, self-love, and intentional living. In this candid conversation, you'll discover:

• How community values from Jamaica shaped her leadership mindset—prioritizing collective well-being over individual ego.

• The defining moments that built her voice: standing up to bullies, confronting workplace challenges, and embracing her uniqueness.

• Practical tools for staying grounded, trusting your instincts, and setting boundaries—even in the face of societal stereotypes and personal doubts.

• Why wellness isn't just physical—it's a mental and spiritual practice that fuels her ability to serve others.

• Her fearless approach to solo travel as a pathway to self-discovery and expansion, and how it can empower you to live life on your own terms.

Cici Gibson is a seasoned labor leader, wellness advocate, and world traveler who believes true freedom comes from within. Her stories of overcoming adversity and embracing authenticity will inspire you to reclaim your power and live unapologetically. Perfect for women ready to step into their next chapter—whether that’s traveling the world, leading with confidence, or simply showing up more fully for themselves. If you're yearning for clarity, courage, and a life that aligns with your deepest purpose, this episode is your ignition. Because the ultimate leadership starts with leading yourself.

You can email CiCi at gibsoncici@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wunderlustsag?igsh=eW81cXpja2ZoZmV3&utm_source=qrhttps://www.instagram.com/wunderlustsag?igsh=eW81cXpja2ZoZmV3&utm_source=qr

 #SheShines
 #SheShinesPodcast
 #CoachKG 

 #SoloTravelWomen
 #WomenWhoTravel
 #TravelSolo 

 #ListenToThis
 #PodcastForWomen 

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:23

Welcome back to She Shines, where we rise, we reclaim and radiate. I'm your host, Karen, Coach KG Gilliam, and today's episode is special because I'm sitting down with someone who I've had the honor of knowing as a student. Yes, one of my former students. And now she I'm witnessing her as a powerful woman walking boldly in her purpose. So today we're talking about leadership. We're going to talk about resilience and what it really looks like to create a life that is both impactful and free.

SPEAKER_04 1:17

So join me in welcoming to the Sheeshine Studio. There it's Cece Gibson. Hi.

SPEAKER_05 1:34

Oh my goodness. Now I didn't tell them how long ago it was that you were a student of mine. Um, can we just say it was at least 20 years ago?

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Yeah. We have to age gracefully, okay? I don't feel like we don't, we're not old, we're just um refined.

SPEAKER_05 1:55

That's right. That is so true. And that was right here in Vancouver when I was here before. And so it is so wonderful to catch up with CC. She is the I I watch her. I watch her on social media, on on Instagram, and all that she does. So I reached out to her and said, would you consider being on our podcast, She Shines with Coach KG? And she gladly accepted.

SPEAKER_04 2:33

So I like for you to tell people who Cece Gibson is.

SPEAKER_03 2:47

Who am I?

SPEAKER_02 2:49

I'm many, I'm many things.

SPEAKER_05 2:52

She is multifaceted.

SPEAKER_03 2:53

Yes. And I'm I'm one of a kind. Um, I always like to say uh you will never meet another me in in your life. And I'm the type of person that I, whether I try to or not, I make an impact in the people's lives that I meet. Um and nine times out of ten, you I would say ten out of ten is a positive impact. They may not know it then, but um, I feel like I have a really unique ability to um to wake something up in people that they are trying not to, or they've tried to hide for a long time, or they didn't know that was inside of them.

SPEAKER_05 3:37

Sounds like someone else I know. Okay, so beyond your titles and roles, and let them know what your titles are, what drives your passion for advocating for working families?

SPEAKER_03 3:54

So I my current title is uh an assistant organized, well, no, that was a different title, an assistant director. Okay. Um, one of our one of a large labor union, one of the largest in the country. We represent about two million members from all over the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. And I work at our headquarters. And I work with, since we have locals in a lot of different all over the the US, um I work with eight locals in four states. I have to but total membership wise, like that's about 200,000 three. Oh about 350,000 members are in those locals. Wow. Actually, more than that, to be quite honest. Are we talking like half a million? Not that many, not that many. We have a local that almost is a half a million members, um, but that's in California. Uh yeah. I would say about like 350 to 375,000 members are in the local combined that I work with.

SPEAKER_05 5:05

Okay. All right. And what does dignity mean to you in both work and life?

SPEAKER_03 5:15

Um, that's a great question. Um, dignity means to me that um whatever it is, like you you can take pride in it. Um, and that it's, you know, like for me, um, like to go back actually go back to your first question about like what's led me to like advocacy advocacy work. And I the funny thing is I had no idea what my job was when I I didn't know of anything about unions and um when I first 16 years ago when I first got into this work. But as I've been doing this job, I realized that I've been an organizer, an advocate, or like been like in the so in the movement since I was young. So I grew up in Jamaica, um, born and raised. I left there when I was about 11, 10, 11 years old, uh, moved to Southeast Portland, uh, and then later on moved to Vancouver. And I've been here on and off um since then. Yeah. But I just remember growing up in Jamaica and where I grew up is called Maroon Ton. Um, and it's it's the country. So if any the loose history about the Maroons in Jamaica, and this is very, this is very, very loose, um, is that they were pretty much like the rebellious slaves and they rebelled against their slave masters. And then um they were all up, they were in the mountain. So that's actually like Maroon is actually like where I was born and raised. Um, and it's it's real country in in in American terms rule. Uh but uh we call it country. Like it's real country. Like I didn't grow up with running water. I Mike Town still has no running water. Um I also uh I think electricity came around the last three years, like the place where I lived at um in my own town, um, or like half the house would have electricity, the back half wouldn't, kind of thing. But I distinctly remember just like my grandmother uh who raised us, um my mom was around, but she, you know, all the grandkids would be at my grandma's house. Um I remember Jamaicans like to cook. We have to have a cookout. Um, and I just remember like, you know, the neighbor might not have something, but you, you know, you invite somebody, like you invite them over. Like you never let, even if you are you all hate each other and you can get done just like having a knockout, drag out brawl. Uh-huh. And if somebody knows you're hungry, they will you're hungry, you want to eat? Like, and they will be like, Are you like, Are you hungry? You know what I'm gonna eat? Take it. But like that was like advocating, like, you know, making sure that the other person didn't go without and that there's not one person that's like bigging themselves up more than the other person. Really, it was all about real like community. Like, I remember like also, like, you know, you may not have money to pay your light bill, but you know your neighbor really needed it. Like, you pay half of yours, they get the other half, or like, you know, stealing a little light. Or like on Saturdays, there was like this one guy in the neighborhood that like he would um, he had like, he would uh watch, like he had a big TV, so everybody would go there and we would all like, you know, because we raised all our own food. Like we grown food, we raised it, like we that's what we ate. So people would put like a couple chickens and like we go in the back, like, you know, do the whole thing, pluck the chicken, eat it, cook, you know, everybody would eat. Um, and that's that was community. That's that's what I remember the most. And thinking back to like when I moved to America, where it's like, even now, the building I live in, I don't know my neighbors. I never see them. You see people in the hallway, they look at you like say hi, they're like, Do you have six heads? There's a lack of community. And then I think liken that back to work, right? You know, it's like we, it's a big community, but people are not operating in that. And my job as a labor leader is really to how do I help folks to realize their power and realize that we have more in common than what separates us, and especially like in a workplace and like in a hospital setting where, you know, one the hospital can't run without environmental service. Because if the hospital is not clean, ain't nobody coming. Nope. It's an authority hospital, like, you know, and the the doctors can't do their jobs without the CNAs or the either LPNs or the RNs, or you know, surgeries can't be performed without the sterile processing department. Um, that's that sterilizes the the instruments. Um, so it's all one big community. But my again, my job is to bring people together to realize their power um and to like act. Like my job is to develop folks, to take back their power. Um, so then that way not one person, like the CEO, is not the one that's only have getting to live a life of dignity with like quality healthcare and can pay their bills, um, that everybody um everybody, yes, has a piece of the pie. And without my piece, there's no pie. It's like bacon. With if you miss the one, like if you miss an ingredient, like if you the bacon soda, that's right. That's why it's not gonna work.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Like it's not, it's not gonna work.

SPEAKER_05 10:34

Oh my goodness. Well, definitely your role in labor leadership is critical, but this is what I want to know because I'm all about clarity. And so, what are some defining moments that have shaped your voice?

SPEAKER_04 10:58

Um I don't know why I thought about this the other day.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

Oh there was this, there was this boy. It's not it's not like you think, it wasn't like that, but there was he was a bully in school, and his name was because in Jamaica, like people don't have like people, you will know people there your whole lives and do not know their real name until they die. And then you're like, who is this? Look at the funeral, you're like, who is this?

SPEAKER_05 11:21

Because you only knew the nickname.

SPEAKER_03 11:23

Yes. So um, I'm just gonna say, I cannot say without my accent. So uh his name was Rybina, and he had a big old head, like, and he was very insecure about his big old head. Fun fact when I went to Jamaica in December, I saw him and I was like, mm, look at you now, boom. Anyway, um, I remember like he would always pick on everybody. And I was like, I mean, I was still very short, but I was shorter uh back then. I think I was like in fourth or fifth grade. And I distinctly remember like something happened with a pencil, like he ripped it out of my hand that ripped my um my my the skin in my hand. Yeah, yeah, and the palm. And I remember I told the teacher, and because it was a pencil, like it looked old because like the lead got in it, and she didn't believe me. Like she thought that it was old and I was lying. And I remember that, and I was like, no, I'm not lying. Like, and my story has never changed and it will never change. And I just remember I can't remember exactly what happened after that, but I knew I stood up to him. And from that day, he never picked on me ever again. That's what you gotta do. Um, so yeah, so there's that moment. There's another moment actually at work where I had this lead who didn't like me, and that's fine. We don't have to like me. I just know I do a good job. But at that point, I was brand, brand new, okay? Brand new. Like, yeah. Training wheels on. And I I know I had the will and I could get the skill, but I are supposed to be my leader. You're supposed to help to develop me. That's your job, and you weren't doing it. And I just didn't remember she, we were there was in a in a big fight um with an employer. Things are really intense. We were in California, we were in the cafeteria, and she, we all in the hospital, we break up the hospital, we all have turf. Okay. Giving away my turf in front of me and not, and and I was like, Well, that's my turf. You're giving my assignments to somebody else. Okay, whatever. That wasn't the problem. It was the way she spoke to me. Uh-oh. And I said, actually, please don't speak to me like that. At the end of the day, I respect you, and you need to respect me as well. And I don't allow people to speak to me this way. And she got so upset because she was not, and I I wasn't rude. I said it just like I said it now. Um, and then I went to the bathroom because I was so upset. Like I was shaking, I started crying. Um, and she was so upset that for her, I was challenging her authority. But for me, I'll say enough for myself because I Good for you. I'm a big believer in how you treat you is how you teach others to treat you. So if I allow you to talk to me like I am disposable, that I am beneath you in front of company, then those that company, I'm teaching, and I don't say anything, I'm teaching them to say, okay, it's okay to treat her like this. Um good point. And I'll even remember that too, like for even like in my in my relationships, because I'm very, very, very, very picky.

SPEAKER_04 14:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 14:32

Yes, she is. Not everybody is allowed to enter into my home. Like in the home of my love life. And I remember like with my ex-husband, like, yeah, one day he he caught himself, he was talking real slick. And I I had to stop it. I said, listen, sir, I think you have lost your ever-loving mind. I think you forgot who exactly I am. And I I have never, ever tolerated you raising your voice and cursing at me in a same sentence. Like, I don't, I'm all you can cuss, I don't care. But if you're yelling and cussing at me, no, and first of all, if you're yelling at me, I don't know. I'm not so I remember I had to, we were in, we were, it was right around the time we were supposed to move from Hillsborough to um Hawaii. And I forgot what happened, but I just know he's he's he caught himself popping off at the mouth at me. And I said, I need you to pull it back real quick, and you have 2.5 seconds to to to fix how you're speaking to me because I don't tolerate you to I don't tolerate anybody to speak to me like that. I don't, I I give what I expect and I give you a baseline level of respect. Now, yes, sometimes do we like lose our ever-loving minds and we don't show up as our best selves? Absolutely. Right. Yes, but those were those are very three very distinct moments where, yeah, no, you're not gonna talk to me that way.

SPEAKER_05 15:58

Oh my goodness. Now, you are a woman in leadership. Any challenges with being a woman in leadership?

SPEAKER_03 16:10

Where where do I start? Let me see. I am only a woman in leadership. I'm younger than most folks. I look younger, I'm short, I'm black, and I'm an immigrant.

SPEAKER_05 16:22

Yeah. So how did you how do you rise? Because we talk about rising, reclaiming, and radiating.

SPEAKER_03 16:31

I so the thing with me, I I was prior to this, I was in a meeting and I was actually talking about something like this. Oh, and I talk about I talk about this often because yeah, I get challenged on a day-to-day basis, not so much anymore. And you know, for one thing, I'm not about titles. Like, though I have a title, my title doesn't define me. Like, that's it. I don't lead with that. Sometimes I have to remind people that I am exactly who the heck I think I am, and I have to lead with that. But um, I think the once, and you know this about me, once people like I have a presence about me that's commanding in all five, one and a quarter of me, um, as much as I can muster. Yes. So I I've been oftentimes told I'm I look intimidating. And at first, before like I open my mouth, people do I do get judged. I get the looks and I get the like, oh, like, is this person? Usually they're a male that I'm managing and I go into a meeting and they're looking at him like he knows what he's talking about. Um, but I don't ever say like, listen to me, I'm the leader. I kind of let my work speaks for itself. Yeah. And that's how that's been the way that I have been able to combat some of those like those those challenges. But also I'm I have very direct conversations with people. I give, I love feedback, I give it and I receive it. Um, and if I have the 20, the 24 to 48 hour rule, especially when it comes to work, if it's on, if it's if it's on my mind, oh, I'm setting in for a feedback meeting and I'm giving you very direct feedback, very clear feedback in what what you said, how that, whatever you did, how it impacted me. I'm very, I'm very clear on that. Um, I'm low key good at my job. So I think I have a lot of respect from like my peers. And but I also do have like people do advocate for me. And I do have people that, you know, if when I'm being challenged, um, you know, sometimes people I won't even see it sometimes. Um, or like, you know, if my leadership's being challenged, like they're like colleagues in the room will see it and they'll defend me and they'll step up and say, actually, no, you need to listen to, you know, see season one with the agenda. Um, but it's you know, I've I have not let that be a barrier in how I operate, um, because I I know what I'm talking about. And to be quite honest, sometimes I'll let people think they're right and to and just talk themselves into looking like a fool. And then I can come in and say good evening. I'm not even gonna lie to you.

SPEAKER_02 19:18

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_05 19:23

Wow. Well let me just tell you this, you see. Leadership is not just a position. I mean, a good lead a great leader doesn't care about how many are following them. Yes. No, that that because that means their leadership or influence is only based on their title. So a great leader, let's see, I want to say invest. Invest in the people they work with. You help them see the best of themselves. And see, that's when uh it's not just a position, that's conviction. How many people have uh risen to a position because of your influence?

SPEAKER_02 20:24

And that's my job. See? That's literally my job. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:30

Now I have to tell, this is uh a transparent moment right now because like I said, tw 20 years ago, I had Cece as a student. And when she says people can find her intimidating, how about yours truly found her intimidating?

SPEAKER_02 20:47

And I'm like, I'm just going through life, lofty darling.

SPEAKER_05 20:52

I'm a grown, I was a grown woman then. Um you know, and she just had this presence about her that, you know, I thought, okay. But then, and at first, I don't think Cece really cared for me. Um, but then we became real close. So she just she was just testing me. That's all. That's all.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

No. I mean, I have a I'm just a naturally cautious person. I'm like, mm, you're new. Okay. That's the way she said it.

SPEAKER_05 21:31

Oh my goodness. But I am so glad that we got past all of that. And look at you now. And another area that I want to talk about is your wellness and inner strength. You're passionate about wellness and fitness. And so, how does that support your leadership?

SPEAKER_03 21:56

Well, I think so, I don't think. For me, it's It's not like it's it's a part of who I am. Like people treat the I'm I'm all about again, going back from like the islands growing up, we are, especially where I grew up, we don't have a hospital. We don't have doctors, we have nurses, we had a clinic, but wow, we had like everything's from the earth. Yeah. Like we there's there's a joke. Like when if you are sad, you got cancer, you anything's happening, you call your mom or grandma. Oh may have some bush for that. Everything is for they have some bush, some tea leaves, like to like you can drink drink some tea and like you'll be cured. But they're not wrong. Wow. They're not wrong. Um, we can get on the whole like Western medicine and how you know, anyway, I have a naturopath and a traditional doctor. I have two and the acupunctures. Okay, okay first, and then everything else. But I've always been conscious of that because we have one body and we have to take care of it. Yes. Um, so I and also just like when I grew up how I grew up, like I was born at home. Like I was not born in a hospital, like I didn't get any of the westernized medicine. Um, and then when I came here, you know, also a part of that too, like everything I ate was like organic because it came from my backyard for the most part. Like, and we had like butcher shops like in the in the area. If you have money, you go get drunk food. Like I remember my sister and I, like, we still went to school in the country. My mom had moved down to the to the town, and she would give us taxi money. But I organized, um, I started a barter system. Well, actually, no, I started a tab with all the taxi drivers at like eight. Um, and I would tell them to put it on the tab, and my dad would pay them um, because my dad was in America and traveled. So whenever he came to Jamaica, he had to pay that. But I would use my taxi money to go to McDonald's with my sister. That's a side note. Anyway, back to the wellness thing. Like, I've always like, we you only have one body and you have to take care of it. No one's gonna do it for you. That's right. So that's always been like my philosophy. And I've always like done some kind of like wellness-y, like, you know, work, move my body kind of thing, because at the end of the day, yeah, I also want to look good. So yes.

SPEAKER_05 24:16

I'll just say that. She is so fit. You will have to watch her Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 24:22

V plays a role, but it's also too like it's all connected. Yes. If something is presenting like physically, like you have to go on the inside, like what is happening internally? Uh, because when it something is going on internally, and that's the external is what six sees at the last. And that's when it's usually like alert, alert, like, you know, you gotta fix this. But given the work that I do and how it's mentally taxing, I travel two weeks a month for the most part, like I'm always on the go. I have to have a constant. And the wellness thing for me, that's it. Like, I know like when I if I move in my body, if I'm eating a certain way, like I feel better. Like I feel good and I want to continue to feel good. I want to continue to um to make sure like my body's operating um the way it should. Yeah. So it also helps me to be really in tune with myself. Like, I know like I like to know what I'm putting in my body. Um, I like to know that, you know, I can I like to sleep good, which it directly correlates to like the food that I'm eating. Right. It also correlates to like my level of activity. Like, yeah, so it's all connected. Like I, you know, I have to show up for, you know, it's people that depend that count on me. Um, you know, not only like in my, you know, um in my leadership role with like amongst my team, but like that I work with, the members, the whole wellness, like fitness, that's a part of it because I need to I need to water my route first before I can water anybody else. And I tell people that I'm extremely selfish, but not in the way that people like think about being selfish. I'm selfish when it comes to me, my time, my energy. Um, and I I refuse to water anybody else's plant before I water mine. And just like on an airplane, put your mask on first before help you too. That's right. I make sure because this isn't it's a part of my life, I get up at a certain time every day. I know that I my relationship with God is important. So I water that fitness is important, I water I do I water that, and then I'm ready for the day. So sometimes do I have to get up at 5 a.m.? Yeah, because I gotta get to work at nine, but I know I have to do certain things in order to show up and be my best self. Go ahead. Tell it, tell it, tell it. Yeah, and that's how I I I that's the where I operate from. So when it comes to being selfish, yeah, I'm not going out after certain hours, absolutely not. I need to get eight hours of sleep. So yeah, I'm not now not I'm very big on energy. If your energy is messing with me, and also too, like what I because I'm so in tune with myself when I spend a lot of time alone, uh-huh. I can if I'm around somebody and that's not right, my body will tell me. And ladies, our bodies tell us come on, when to come on that man, um, when to leave that friendship, when to leave that environment. Like if your hair's falling out, your skin's breaking out, like you can't sleep, like you ripped it out at times. Take a look at the people that you're around. Come on. Come on. Tell us to let you know way before your mind catches up to you. That's right. Like, plug the body keeps the score. That's a great book. You should read it. Um, say that one again. It's the it's called The Body Keeps the Score. And it's just about about like how you know our minds forget things. Because you know, our mind protects us from trauma, from from hurt. So our mind will block it out, but our body never forgets it. So that's what like when you're around certain certain situations, like you don't know why, but you get really anxious, your body's telling you, okay, pay attention to that. Or could be something else that happened. Or, you know, like the other day, yeah, two days ago, I was walking and there was a man that I just he due to like this other like past experiences that I've had, I'm I'm very, very hyper aware, especially around men. So um I'm walking and he was like walking, it's like after a half a block, the back of like the hair in the back of my neck stood up, and I was like something and he kept like he kept following me for like two blocks. And there was like a really there was a moment where I stopped and I was like, okay, let me stop to see if he's really like trying to like if he's gonna walk by. Like this man, like the the streets empty. I sit down on this thing, and like he comes like we could all miss make eye contact. And I looked at him like I was like, I'm not scared. So try it if you want to. I'm a pepper spare ready. Um, and he like walked away, but there was something that told me, okay, you need to like watch out. And there was another man that he saw and like he stopped to like him and I made eye contact. He watched the whole interaction. And the guy, like, I walked across the street, he walked, he walked, like he was walking away. Then I down in our car because I didn't want to walk to my apartment. And he he turned back around, he was scanning for me. Like I'm convinced he was scanning for me, and then he walked away. But I if I didn't have the good sense to be like something is off, I would have I could have kept walking to like apartments, yes, him following me inside. Who knows?

SPEAKER_05 29:40

Be aware of your surroundings, ladies.

SPEAKER_03 29:43

And it's all connected, goes back to the whole fitness, wellness, like from what you put in your body, because then you're more when if if you're feeding your body nutrient-dense meals, and again, nobody hear this and think I'm trying to like promote skinny. It's not about the weight, it's really about like you know, feeding your brain and feeding your body and like putting your body that helps to clear out the gunk. Yeah um, so that way you are able to be more uh in tune with your environment, with yourself, with the people around you, with your love. Because it's all one. It's that there's not it's not separated. Like we all are on this sort of like this little cocks or wheel or whatever thing. Something.

SPEAKER_02 30:27

That's it. That goes round around.

SPEAKER_05 30:29

Right, right, right. Oh my goodness. Oh she is speaking truth, and I hope you are taking notes of uh what she is saying, and you know, strength isn't just built in the workplace, ladies, it's built in your daily decisions, it's the decisions that you make every single day. So that's where you build strength, and you already have, you know, you've heard me talk about it, you already have strengths within you. You just have to discover what they are. So, well, now it's coming to a really good part. I'm gonna talk to Cece about something that I know she does because uh I watch her, like I said on social media. She travels solo. She said she is her own best company. And so what inspired you to start traveling solo?

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Um, so I think for the astrology girlies, like they they would say it's because I'm a Sagittarius, a December Sag, and we're just like, Latina, we can't sit in one place for too long. Um but I can distinctly remember, I think also just I think a part of it too is like not being from this country. So I already know like outside of the US. So like that's I mean, I travel to get here. That's one thing. Right. The and I've always like liked traveling and enjoy traveling. But I will my first solo trip that it was not like go like being an accompanied minor to like visit family, but as an adult that I can distinctly remember that was not work-related. Um it was actually it was uh 4th of July week 2018. I had just signed my divorce papers. Um, and I so I signed it. Actually, no, I signed it and sent it back, and then the the courts like sent us like a copy or whatever. Um so I got that in the mail, and then I got like, because you know, my we lived in Hawaii, we had a house together in Hawaii, but I worked uh in Oregon still, but I was like at home. Uh-huh. We like we were donezo.

SPEAKER_04 32:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:55

And I got the letter with like the divorce papers in like a box. Because I wanted to, I was like, listen, send me my my shoes and my bags. I don't want anything else from this house, okay? So I mean it was two things. So I got a box of all my shoes. Um, and I was like, okay, that's so then I literally went online and I was like, where am I going? And I went to Cabo. Uh I stayed in the Cabo, which is about 20 minutes outside of like Cabo Cabo, like the part of Cabo. Um the Crystal Resorts. And that was my first like solo, solo trip. It was more like a cleansing of like, all right, let's just like release. Letting go. Letting go. I found this paper. It was the word started dead and done in the waters. No life left in it. But you know, this was like the another step, like this legally, we're being right. I'm going back to being free. Free at last. Yes, yes. So that was the first, first, like, so and it was like, I mean, it was rough because like it was funsies when I was like, I was like, you know, I was mourning that relationship, but not even really a relationship, like mourning who I was, yeah, and then also like mourning, I don't know who I'm gonna, who I'm stepping into. Like this is like a new version of myself, not really a new, but like, you know, this one just has a little bit more um, a little bit more uh wear and tear. Um so like, you know, like going through all that, and then because I'm I spent a lot of time by myself thinking, like, I'm also like thinking about okay, what the where did I go wrong? What do I um, you know, what do I want to do? So all the thoughts. So that was more of like a cleanse-in trip. Yeah. And then my next big trip after that was in February of 2019, because my divorce paper, when my divorce was finalized December 31st at like 2:32 p.m. 2098. Um, and I was like, okay, entering a new year. So I went to Thailand, and that trip, like, I still remember that trip was like a rebirth for me. Um, I read the four agreements, and that's one of my favorite books to this day. And one of the four agreements was being impeccable with your words. And my interpretation of that is saying what you mean and meaning what you say. That's right. Say things because words, words have power. Words have life and death is in the power of our tongue. That's right. Um, so I tried to be very intentional in what I say and how I say it, and even what I say. Um and that Thailand trip really that was like the the farthest I've gone by myself. Uh, I was there for like three weeks. I bopped all over Thailand, it was amazing. Didn't feel scared one time. Um ate some good food, had a lot of good massages, got a great little tan. There are some days where I wanted to like do all the adventures. There's some days I woke up and I stood by the pool and I drank bottles of champagne and had a good old time. Wow. Um but that was like the thing that kicked off my me, myself, and I solo traveling journey. Back ever since.

SPEAKER_05 36:06

Wow. And she didn't stop there when we talked. She told me her favorites were like South Africa, Australia.

SPEAKER_03 36:16

South Africa, Australia, Zanzibar? Yeah, Zanzibar, Top Dodge, Thailand, of course. Um, those are and they're all like minimum, like a 12-hour plane ride. Yeah, I have to work up. But I love flying. Like I get on that flight and I know my routine. I have two drinks in the lounge before I get on the flight, I get my welcome champagne, then I get one with dinner, I get my my skincare routine, then I have my foot hammock, I have my eye mask, and I pass out until right before breakfast.

SPEAKER_05 36:52

Oh my goodness. Wow. And and obviously, travel has uh been good for you because you got to see yourself because you did it solo. You you didn't you weren't with anyone else. So that's where you uh expand, CZ. And expansion requires you to step beyond what feels safe. Yes. And you have done that. Wow.

SPEAKER_03 37:30

Yes. It's I like again. Well, all I love me. I will tell I love me some me, okay? It is a Jamaican in me. You you if you meet uh an insecure Jamaican that that's the Lord is comfortable.

SPEAKER_05 37:44

I don't think I ever have met an insecure Jamaican.

SPEAKER_03 37:49

We love ourselves, okay?

SPEAKER_05 37:50

Good.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Good. It's not like in a cocky way, but it's like again, it's confident. The way that I treat me is how you will treat me. And I don't treat myself less than the the amazing person that I know I am. I love it. Sometimes I gotta fake it until I make it. And sometimes I'm not feeling it. But I will never let you know because I'm not I don't talk down to myself. Yeah. I actually I have like these peace lilies, they're over here to the right. I'm looking over there, and one of them is named Cece. And I named because I again goes about I have to water my own roots. Nobody's gonna do it for me. Wow. Because when everything is said and done, like when I close my eyes at night, it's me, myself, and God. Uh there's nobody else around. So I actually might got my plant because um it was nameless for a while. And then I heard a thing of it's like, you have to like there was a study that was done, uh, I can't remember, or maybe it was a YouTube I watched, and they were talking about how when you like uh water your plants, you sit you speak to it. You you speak life into it, and then it the the plants like they they grow. And I was like, well, okay, so let me just talk to my let me just name this myself and talk to you. And I literally do that. Like I Cece, we I water her, I have conversations with her, and I just I just pour my affirmations into the plant. Um, and while over there is flourishing, okay? And I'm I'm a plant. I think of myself as a plant, like I have to water like that. Sometimes some of the roots die. Sometimes, you know, those are your little bad days. Um they get a little brown, some get a little down. Um it doesn't mean you throw the whole plant away. Like you don't like, yeah. So like for me, it's like I like the solo traveling gives me an opportunity to just spend like in real intentional time with myself. Intentional. Also, I meet my I meet different versions of myself because again, I'm like when I'm out, granted, I'm very I have safety precautions. So I never tell anybody, I don't post where I'm going when I'm going there. Right, right. Tag anything. I have an itinerary, paper copies of my itineraries for my trusted family members and friends. They have my locations. I check in. So there's and I don't have a certain amount of drinks. Um, I have a limit with the amount of drinks that I have. I don't go less than like a two-mile walk in radius from my hotel at night because I can walk, walk every day. So I can like book it. If anything, um, I make sure that I get either a SIM card or like a Wi-Fi hotspot. So I'm always posted. Um, so I can call, like WhatsApp is always available. Um, and I don't tell people I'm alone when I there's always a friend. Uh uh if it's a man, there's there's my oh, my boyfriend, my husband, he's working right now, he's gonna meet me here. So like I never tell anybody like I'm by myself. Um, I don't keep my eye off my taking notes. Like I'm extremely vigilant. I purposely stay in hotels that families stay in. Um good, good. Your kids there, nine times out of ten is very safe. And it's usually like a Hilton property because I'm I love I love me some Hilton.

SPEAKER_04 40:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:58

Um so you know, those are just some things um that I I keep in mind. Um uh so I never feel like unsafe in that realm. But the intentional alone time is like I'm meeting different versions of myself because I'm in very new environments. Like I don't have the comforts of like if I walk this way to see my favorite tree, and like I can go to my favorite little spots. Like it's brand new. Right. So, you know, I have to like show up fully um in those moments. And you know, also I get to practice because I get I'm a loner. I love being alone. I'm never lonely, but I love being alone. Big difference. Yeah, big difference. Yeah, sometimes I'll be very social and I'll like chit chat with people at the farm or at the hotel. Um, sometimes I just read. There was last time I went to Nice, and there's one day I literally like I put on my bathrobe, I turned on some French television, I didn't know a thing they were saying. I was watching me all day long. I had a ball.

SPEAKER_05 42:03

I love this. I just so love this. Every everything that you have shared from leadership to wellness to traveling the world solo, it all comes back to clarity. And you you said intention, that's another one of my words, intentional, intent, knowing who you are and having the courage to live it out loud, CeCe. That is what you're doing. And so what I found is a lot of women are high functioning but still unfulfilled. And that's another reason why I do She Shines with Coach KG, because I want you to hear from women who are living their best lives despite the fact that they had challenges. And so being in alignment, having clarity and uh intention is so important. So, Cece, I love th what you're doing. Uh, I want to shift for a moment and make it a little personal. Can can I do that? Sure. The roles have reversed. She used to come to me. Now I'm coming to her. I've been sharing with my audience that I'm stepping into what I'm calling my next chapter. And where I'm intentionally, there's that word again, designing my life, exploring new cities, and really choosing to live with purpose and freedom. And hearing your story about solo travel and about expansion really resonates where I am right now. So I just have I have a couple of questions for you personally, and I believe it could help our listeners. So when you hear me talk about stepping into my next chapter, what comes up for you? Like for me, like me personally, what comes up for me? What what comes up to you for me when you hear me talk about my next chapter?

SPEAKER_04 44:25

I mean, I think just like what I know knowing of you.

SPEAKER_03 44:30

Um I think, you know, stepping into your next chapter means like fully living life for you and you alone, not in a selfish way, but like doing things that fills your cup and you're thinking about your cup first. It's not like, oh, I have to think about like my kids, my grandkids, my husband, business. It's like, okay, what's going to make Coach KG feel whole and feel like I'm my best and truest and an authentic self? Like, and like self like my at the end of the night after a shower, where it's like you're just like stripped of everything, any kind of mask. Like, can you look in the mirror and say, today was a good day?

SPEAKER_05 45:17

I like that. I like that. We just last week taught had an episode about mask. And I like that. Thank you so much. Now I've got one more for you. Tell me how do I stay grounded when I'm about to step into something that's new and unfamiliar. How do I stay grounded? Do it anyway.

SPEAKER_03 45:44

I think you stay grounded by remember like remembering like your your why. Like, why did I watch what drove you? Or like what's my why? Like, what do I do this? Because not every day we're gonna feel like because I mean we live in a world the world is worldwind, okay? Yes, it is to drive us mad. Um but it's remembering, like, okay, this is why I'm doing this. This is this is the reason why. Like, yes, you feel scared, yes. But and also it goes back to like knowing knowing yourself and being in tune with yourself because do I feel scared because like it's new and and that's like I'm nerve, it's more nerves than scared, or is my intuition telling me this ain't it, and we need to pivot? Okay, so it's like being very clear on like what that is, but also remembering like and also being open to like okay, I may have this idea of like what I think my next chapter is going to be. And then, you know, because I know you know, we plan and God laughs, so and then God might be like Nelson Girl. I know you want to have to go left, but hear me out, hear me out, just make a little bit of a right.

SPEAKER_05 46:56

Ah that we said last week, too. If you listen to the episode last week, Kendra. Yeah, yeah, Kendra, and then she talked about you turn left and God go, nah. We're going right. Yes, but you still come back to the perfect place. Yeah, going back.

SPEAKER_03 47:13

Yeah, coming back to like your here's why I actually wanted to do this in the first place.

SPEAKER_04 47:17

Like, I mean, like, I mean, and I do that, I do it all every day.

unknown 47:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 47:22

Do I want to wake up at four o'clock in the morning to go work out? Do we want to get up and read my Bible and pray and journal?

SPEAKER_03 47:30

I want to sleep. Come on, come on.

SPEAKER_05 47:33

That's real. That is real talk right there.

SPEAKER_03 47:36

But I remember what I'm doing, why I'm doing it. Yes, like, and you know, and then it's like, all right, I'm whining, I can sleep, I can take a nap later. Or sometimes, you know what? Actually, I want to take a nap now, but I want to carve out intentional time every day to make sure I do the things that gets that fills my cup up and brings me joy. Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 48:00

Oh my goodness. Yeah. Your why. And this is what I say about your why. My coach told me this. She said, in everything that you do, the first thing is not to ask the what, it's why. And you keep asking yourself why until it makes you cry. Because once you start the emotions, then you know the real reason. So she did that with me in a little exercise. She would ask me why did I want to do something? And then I would say an answer, and she goes, Is there anything else? And I would go, I just said, and she goes, just think about it. And so she kept doing that until I got to the point I felt the emotion. I felt she said that is your why. So I like that. Oh it's the root. It is the root. I love what we have talked about so far, CeCe, and because what I'm hearing is that expansion requires trust, also. You have to trust yourself, you have to trust the process. You also have to trust that what you're stepping into is aligned for you.

SPEAKER_03 49:33

Yeah. And I want to touch on this trust thing for a minute, also, because as women, we're taught not to trust ourselves, like not to trust our instincts, not to from the like from the very beginning. Um we're taught to be everything else for everybody else. Yes. And it's like there's societal standards, you know, you know, expectations from family, from church, from religion, everything. And like our insides are screaming, like, ah, no, no, no. But we're like, oh, we have a it's a practice. We have to practice in ourselves. Absolutely. I can tell you how I do this, is like, because I fly so much. Um if I get any kind of inkling of like, mm, I don't, I don't know if this flight is not for me today. I'll cancel that flight in a quick second. And oh wow. I'll give you an example. It was uh September 2023. Yep. I um had a trip book to Bali. And I, well, first I booked a trip because I wanted to get I needed to get my passport changed um back to like my my maiden name. I was like it's been long enough. Um so and I can't go without my passport because I I could I will wake up today and be like, I'm going to Bali tomorrow and I need that passport quick in a hurry. So I was gonna send it in. So I you can get an emergency appointment if you have a chance. So I booked my trip and um to get the confirmation so I could show them and I meant to cancel it when I went to Seattle to get my passport, but I forgot to cancel it. So the trip was like, I was like, I bet I have to go on this trip now. So I'm going to Bali for three weeks. Cool. The week before the trip, I was supposed to leave on a Tuesday, that Monday night. I was not feeling it, I was not feeling the trip. Like I was like, something just is not percolating with me. And I um I was like, okay, so that Monday night was feeling that that Tuesday I woke up and I called uh United Airlines and I was like, I need to cancel this trip. No, actually, no, before I said that, I said, God, if I'm not supposed to be, if I'm not supposed to go on this trip, let me be able to cancel and get my money back or get a credit. Unbedonced to me, which I never do. I never do this. I booked a uh one of those saver tickets where you can't cancel, you can't get it. Oh yeah. I was like, oh no, no. Oh my goodness. So say my little prayer that night, that Monday night, forgot about it. That's using when I call, that's when I found out. I had like I um I I booked a saver. And what I had also said is like, if I'm supposed to go on this trip, you know, let them not get my money back. But if I'm not supposed to go, let them refund me, like give me like either a credit or like my money back. Right. When I I called and they were like, oh no, this is a saver ticket. Like you can't, and it's with their partner airline, like you can't get anything back. I said, okay. Are you sure? So I was like, hey, listen, I didn't know this. When I booked it, I put for economy, not basic, not saver. So I was unaware of this. I was like, is there any way I can talk to a supervisor? And she was like, yes. So I explained to the supervisor, and lo and behold, they were able that she was like, I will give you um a credit with our earline. Um and I was like, do that. Hallelujah. Won't you do it? But not only that, usually when you get a credit, it's not, it's it's like it's attached to you. But um, thank you, Daddy Jesus. Um when I step above and said, so like my it became just like a regular credit, so I could have anybody use I could prefer to use, and I canceled that trip to Polly. That was and I was like, I'm gonna trust myself. So when it comes to all that, like I love it. I've canceled trips, I have changed flights, I have left a day early, I've arrived a day later, I've gotten on a red eye versus like the first thing in the morning. But if if my gut says something is not right about it, I don't want to hear, I don't want to find out, but I say, say less. Whoop loop, change, and I have yet to pay, knock on wood, a change fee.

SPEAKER_05 54:05

Wow. Nuggets. She's giving some nuggets here. I'm I'm taking note of.

SPEAKER_03 54:14

And I didn't go on the whole like how to like credit card with points and how to marry an airline. Like I have my my Delta and I, we are locked, okay? We are. That is my booth. Oh my goodness. We have been together since 2018, and we are not breaking up. Like you guys, I'm telling you, that's my man.

SPEAKER_05 54:36

She is, she is a wealth of information. I I have absolutely loved talking to Cece. And now we're going to get into, you know, the segment. You've been following She Shines since last July. We do the fire round. So it's now time for CeCe's fire round that I'm calling fearless and free. So we're gonna go. And basically, I either say a question or a phrase, the first thing comes in your mind, Cece, give it to us, okay? One word that describes your power. Endless. A place that changed your life.

SPEAKER_02 55:31

Thailand.

SPEAKER_05 55:35

What you do when fear shows up.

SPEAKER_03 55:40

Do it anyway.

SPEAKER_05 55:43

You know that's the title of a book. Feel the fear and do it anyway. I did not know that. I just do it because it works and uh I think it's Susan, Susan Jeffers, I think is the author. Feel the fear and do it anyway. All right. A daily non-negotiable movement.

SPEAKER_04 56:06

A quote you live by. That one's harder. I got her. There is there a quote that I live by.

SPEAKER_03 56:21

I mean I don't actually I don't it's not a quote, but it's just like it's a quote from you. Yeah, life or death is in the power of the tongue. And I try to be very intentional with my words. So I I don't I I didn't realize I was living my life, but I try I try to. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 56:39

You do what freedom means to you.

SPEAKER_03 56:50

Freedom to me means not being tied to like any any one thing, not being tied to any one belief, any one person, any one place, any one thing. It's just being able to be all places all at once.

SPEAKER_05 57:05

Oh not tied down. Oh yeah. Your next adventure destination.

SPEAKER_03 57:16

Um, personally, I don't have any trips planned. However, I don't ever plan any trips, but for work, so for work, I tack on there's always something I do for myself in there. So my next round of trips, I'm going to West Palm Beach for weeks this Saturday. From there, I go to San Diego for a week. I come back for a couple days, I go to Vegas, I come back, I go to Sacramento for a week, I come back, I'm off for a couple days, and I go to Chicago. That's all until J March, May 30th. Wow. And in between there, in the meantime, I have family, I have friends. So there will be like there's gonna be a day in each of those where it's all about me and I go do something like touristy and like fun, and like I'll either get a massage, I will, I'm gonna, I'm definitely going to the beach. Oh, yeah. Um, and I might go to Valle de Guadalupe on my San Diego trip because that's Mexican wine country and it's a tour. And I love wine and I love it.

SPEAKER_05 58:13

She is a wine connoisseur.

SPEAKER_03 58:16

And I won't talk about the time I got detained at the border or having too much wine. Um, bring it back to me. My friend and I, we brought back like 24 bottles of wine uh in our car. And I was like, when when I fly, we each you can each you can bring back a case of wine, like 12 wines for free. We can check it. So drive in, we didn't know there was a limit. Um, and because we had our passports, they're like, let me like we literally got like pulled over to taint, like, but they like out of their cars and cages at the Tijuana border. Um, and she's Mexican, and we looked at each other, we're like, we're not getting out of the car. Like, we're not going to nobody's cage. This was in August of 2023. Um Wow. So 2022. And um the guy was like, give me your passport. So he's got look at our passports, and it's like all stamped up. And he was like, Yeah, they're not. Um, he was talking to his colleague, he was like, they're not used to driving. It looks like they fly a lot. So we can let them go. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 59:19

Yeah, that was in August of 2022.

SPEAKER_05 59:22

Oh my goodness. Did she even she has favor everywhere she go? Well, I yeah.

SPEAKER_03 59:27

Everybody wants to be good to me, and I'm good to everybody, and it rewarded.

SPEAKER_05 59:32

I love it. I love it. This conversation, Cece, has been so affirming to me personally, and I know for the women who are listening in right now, your next chapter doesn't require permission, ladies. You don't it all you know what it does require? A decision. That's it. A decision. You don't need anybody's permission. And whether that looks like traveling the world or starting over or simply choosing yourself in a new way, you are allowed to expand, you are allowed to evolve, and you are absolutely allowed to shine. CeC, your story is a reminder that we don't have to choose between impact and fulfillment. We can have both. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:36

Why do we have to choose?

SPEAKER_05 1:00:37

Like Yeah, we we don't have to.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:40

Please stop choosing. Yes. And I mean, you you said something just now about like a decisions, and it's reminds me, and I I'm not the one who said this, but it's, you know, you are one decision away from living the life that you've always dreamt of. So it's like every decision that you make, it's it's take is getting you one step closer to that life that you that part about, desired. So make sure that every decision you make makes that kind of impact. And also every decision that you don't make. So may as well make the decision.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:14

Oh. That is so much better. I I could not, I can't say it better than that because I am sitting here going like a little bobblehead. In agreement. So, to every woman listening, you heard what CC said. Your life is not meant to be small. You are allowed to lead, you are allowed to explore, you are allowed to grow and create a life that reflects your true essence. Remember, we live from that essence, not from the avatar that the world created us to be.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:54

So this from CeCe and I is your permission to step beyond your comfort zone and into your calling. Uh in the show notes will be how if you want to reach out to Cece, how you can reach her, you can follow her on Instagram. And uh but you know what? Even for me, she inspired me to step out. Yes, she did. And so I can't wait. You're going to hear it all about it, Cece.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:34

Okay. So yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:36

Yes. So thank you so much. From the bottom of my grateful heart, I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:45

Thank you. I appreciate shining. Yeah, I appreciate you asking me to be on your podcast, and I appreciate me for making the decision to step on this podcast.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:56

Which is her first.

unknown 1:02:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:58

Would you know it? No. She's shining, and you are too. So thank you so much for being here. CeCe, just hold on one second, and we'll see you next week with another story that can inspire you to move.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:17

Will you do your light or let your spirit break free? You got power inside you, more than you can see. Time to realize reclaim what's meant to be.