Food for Thought

Week 1 of sabbatical recap and a heart check. 

This Is Where I Landed with Shayla
I’m in my bold, soft, God‑led becoming era — and I hope this episode reminded you that you’re allowed to take up space too. Step into your power, step into your softness, and choose the version of you that feels aligned, peaceful, and undeniable.

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Remember, you are that guy, you are that girl, you are whomever you choose to be. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, hello. This is where I landed with Shaylin. I'm so happy to have you here. If this is your first time landing with me, well, hello, hi, welcome. And if you are a return lander and have been rocking with your girl for a hot little minute, as always, hello, babe. Well, guys, it has been a week. I feel like I always come on here and I say the same thing, and I'm like, it has been a week because it has been a week. Like I told you, okay, last week I was on vacation. That was always the intended plan. So that is what I continue to do is vacation, which really that was supposed to be a week off that I had to just be still, relax, enjoy myself, do whatever it is that my little heart desired. And that is what I did. And I really enjoyed myself uh last week, and then this week has really been week one of my sabbatical, and it has been interesting to have so much free time, honestly. It has been uh an adjustment, obviously, because again, last week I was on vacation time, so to me, like that's literally in my head what I was experiencing, and even though like my quote-unquote sabbatical had started already, I was in vacation mode. So this week it has just been yeah, definitely interesting for sure. I'm grateful, I'm very, very grateful because this is what I prayed for, um, and this is what I was needing and wanting. However, it is an adjustment to have the whole day to yourself and not have to worry about a job. Um, you know, my job was very high demand. I had a team of uh nine direct reports that reported directly to me. I had a lot of roles uh and responsibilities that, you know, I was again obviously responsible for. And now I am not responsible for anything other than waking up every day, praying, and going about my day. So yeah, this is gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun because I want to just continue to incorporate things. Uh, I have five things that I am grounding myself with every day, which is my devotional and journaling, which I was already doing, uh, going for a walk, yoga, and intentional time with God every day. Um, and so yeah, the walking is very easy for me. I'm walking basically anywhere from two to five miles a day at this point, um, which is good. I mean, hello. We want the body to be snatched, and the body will be snatched. Your girl is turning 31 this year, July 31st. I'm a Leo. If you are new here, and I'm very excited, obviously, about aging. I think that aging is a beautiful thing because not everybody has the opportunity to grow older. And a lot of times when we think about aging, people are like, oh my god, I'm getting older. And it's like, girl, boy, like, uh, you know, there are people that don't wake up in the morning. That's the reality, right? Like, not everybody has the chance to wake up and go about their day. Some people, you know, don't make it to 30. Some people don't make it to 21. And so to be able to, you know, God willing, make it to 31 years old, I'm very, very excited and very blessed for it. What am I gonna do? I don't know. 31 is kind of crazy. I definitely want to go on vacation, but I want to go on vacation now. Like I need a vacation now, so we'll see. Um, but yeah, the fact that I'm even turning 31 this year is also kind of crazy because, huh? How the heck did I get to be 31? The fact that I'm 30 right now is also kind of crazy, but you know, 30 and thriving, honey, 30 and thriving. Okay, because yeah, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. And if you're wondering, where are you, Shayla? Well, I'm in the bed. Yeah, I'm in the bed. I'm not in the closet, I'm in the bed, and I was already falling asleep, honestly. What did I do today? Today, today was very chill. Honestly, I laid in the bed until like nine. Um journaled, obviously, did my devotional, listened to my daily prayer. Um, and then I was like, what am I gonna do today? Like, last night I was laying in the bed and I was like, I should go to California tomorrow. Girl, no, you shouldn't. Like, I've never, excuse me, I've never driven that far by myself. And Cali's like four or five hours away from Vegas, so it's not that bad. And I could definitely do it, but like at like nine o'clock last night, I was in the bed, like, I should go to Cali. Girl, no, you shouldn't. So now I have so much time on my hands, like, ooh, the Shayla adventures are kind of gonna be kind of crazy. But uh, I went to the movies instead, and I saw Me, You, and Tuscany with Holly, uh Holly Bailey, and that was really good. It was funny. It was a Will Packer production who he also made Girls Trip. And so, if you were considering to go and watch that, I highly recommend it. It was really sweet, good storyline, good acting. It was also really funny, which was nice too. Like it had um really nice like variety. Um, so yeah, I liked it a lot, and then after that, I came home, just relaxed on the balcony, and then after that, I went to Yard House for a happy hour, and I've just been lounging and relaxing ever since, and I love that for me. The wings at Yard House. If you've never been to Yard House, you should go. You're welcome. Thank me later. Um, but yeah, yeah, this week, very slow, very still, very intentional, and just being, and again, that's what I was hoping for, that's what I was praying for. Monday, Faye hit me up and she was like, Do you have plans? I was like, No. And so we went to Springs Preserve, um, which is I don't really know how to explain it, to be honest, but there's uh a butterfly exhibit there and like a botanical garden, and um I don't know, like I don't know how to explain what Springs Preserve is basically, but anyway, we went for the butterfly exhibit, which I have been to Springs Preserve before. I had uh curated an event for my team at the time. Um, we unfortunately had one of our team members pass away, and I had uh created like a for everybody to come and we went to see the butterfly exhibit and we had lunch, and obviously they had passes to the park that day. And uh my senior director at the time, shout out to him, amazing, amazing guy. Um, he had got a bench with a plaque with her name on it, and so we went to go see the um the bench at that time. Um, and when Faye and I went, after we went and saw the butterfly exhibit, I was like, I have to find her bench. So we went. The butterfly exhibit was really beautiful, um, just to be able to see all the different butterflies, and they fly so close to you, and I love butterflies. Um, and so that was just it was really sweet. Like it was just nice to just be. Um, and then we went to like the little botanical gardens that they have in the uh preserve, which is kind of funny because I'm from New York, so the botanical gardens that I'm used to is not the botanical gardens that we saw. And I told Fab, I was like, uh, this botanical garden is not botanicking, like uh, where are the flowers? But it looked like they were creating it and they were putting in new things, so we'll have to go back and see what their botanical garden is hitting for, but it was not botanicking, it was not, so we shall see. Um, and then after we went stop by and just sat at the bench for a little bit and just stillness, it was just a really nice time to just be, and I always enjoy being out with my friends. Um, and yeah, and then the rest of the week, uh just lots of walks, yoga on the roof, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, shout out to me. I'm being very intentional with just making sure that I'm nourishing my body because your girl has a goal weight that I'm trying to hit, okay? And I am going to hit it. So uh yeah. Um, and yeah, that's really been my week, which is yeah, like God is good, and all the time God is good. I hope that you guys enjoyed the little episode with my grandma. I just we were having that conversation and we were on the phone for a hot little minute before I even started to record anything, and I just felt like she was prophesying over me, and a lot of I mean, almost everything really that my grandma says to me, she'd be on point, she'd be on point. Um, and so I wanted you on the opposite side of the audio to be able to experience that and have someone speak life into you because it is so important, and I'm thankful for my friends and my family during this time that are just there for me, that are uplifting me, that are encouraging me. And yeah, the best is yet to come. And I'm really excited for this season that I am in right now. I don't want to rush this at all, and I'm trying to be very intentional with being as present as possible because I can get ahead of myself really, really quick. And I don't want to do this. I don't want to do that. I don't want to, I really just don't. I don't want to do that. And wherever you are in the season of your life, I hope that you are able to be as present as possible to enjoy this moment. I always say, this is the first time that we are in this time. Like you've never been here before. And while that can sound daunting, it can be a little scary, it's also a beautiful thing to be experiencing something for the first time. And whether you are in a season of sunshine or you are in a valley, understanding that it's also temporary and the seasons change, and I think that's the most beautiful thing about life that I continue to learn as I grow and just have life experiences is that everything is seasonal. And again, y'all know weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. And I just I just want everyone really to just be okay. I just have so many friends and family members that are just really struggling right now, like, really struggling. And it's sad. Whether it's mentally, you know, like people are going through mental anguish or financial hardship or, you know, domestic relationships, you know, for anyone out there that is on the opposite side of this audio, that is in any sort of domestic abuse relationship, whether it is mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially, because all of those things are, you know, it's it's a real thing, right? And we don't talk about that. We don't, we don't talk about the friend that her boyfriend speaks to her really nasty, tells her that she's not good enough, that she's this, that she's that, that hits her. And it's women in these, you know, positions, and it's also men, okay. Like men are also in domestic violence relationships, and we don't, you know, consider that enough. And I think you know, that's important too. Men matter just as much as women. Um, but I just my heart is with you, and I'm praying for you, and it's just it's saddening. And you know, sometimes we think like, why can't they leave? You know, and it's difficult. There's so many things that go into someone being able to leave a relationship like that, and all you can do is be there for them, support them however you can, and pray because prayer really changes things. And for it's literally, guys, it's really crazy. Like, I just know so many people that are just going through so many different things and still showing up every day, right? Being moms, being friends, being themselves, you know, working, all these things. Life does not stop, and that's why it is so important. I have it tattooed on me. Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. You do not know what people are going through. You have no idea what people are going through. And in this time, in this economy, in this world, in this climate, and all of the things, you need to be kind. If you are mean, nothing good is gonna happen to you. Nothing good is gonna happen if you are not a good person, because this world needs kindness, and we need more people that are compassionate and caring and thoughtful and empathetic and sympathetic and just just tolerable, just tolerable. I was praying at one point for God to increase my tolerance because I felt like my tolerance was low and to increase my capacity because we need more capacity for people, we need more capacity to be just there. You know, sometimes people don't need you to respond, they don't need your input, they just need you to be there, they just need to know that they can have someone to listen to them, and you know, that is important to just be a listening ear. If you can be a listening ear to someone that you know that is going through a tough time right now, I highly encourage it because you don't know. You just listening can really save their life. You just listening can really make their day, you just listening can help them to just hold on because they know that they at least have you. Like that's how simple it is. And I don't think that we understand the value that we have as just being able to show up, show up for someone to allow them to know that wow, I'm not alone. And I'm always on here. Yes, I know I'm always on here, preaching. You are not alone, you are not alone because you're not alone, and you know, we are not alone. However, we have to be understanding it in that and also showing up in that way to let other people know that they are not alone. This is a very scary time to be in, guys. Like the economy is not in a good place. People are living paycheck to paycheck, people are going without food, resources are being taken away. Like government assistance for people that are on government assistance, their government assistance is being decreased drastically. I was having a conversation with someone the other day. They told me that they used to receive $137 in food stamps, and their most recent food stamps was cut down to $13. How the fuck is somebody supposed to eat off of $13 in New York? How? Like, there's real shit happening in this world. And again, I'm gonna talk about consumption as well because a lot of people consume a lot of stuff on the internet to be able to disassociate from what is going on in the world and what is going on in real life so that they don't have to pay attention to it. And a lot of times people are on social media and not even paying attention to the actual shit that's going on in the world. There are so many of you, I'm sure, and uh, this is not to get down on anybody, but there are so many of you that probably spend hours online and have no idea what's going on in the world. So, yeah. Food for thought. Food for thought, literally. And uh I just want us to be better people. I want us to be kinder and more compassionate and more understanding and just better at being able to show up for ourselves, obviously, but other people as well. I'll get off my soapbox now. I'm excited for this weekend. The way that I could just go in and out is just really funny to me, but hey, what's on my heart is on my heart, and y'all know God tells me what to say, and I'd just be saying it. So yeah, but I'm excited for this week, and there is so many good things going on with my friends and hanging out with them and celebrating, and I just cannot wait. So, yeah, that's all I have. Really, I just really needed to get that part off because two better people. And I will too. Remember, you are that guy, you are that girl, you are whomever you choose to be. And I love you.