You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself to Live Well

Five years into Black Girl Burnout, this season premiere serves as a manifesto and recommitment to living fully without self-abandonment. Kelley reframes burnout as more than a work issue, challenges the lie that success requires suffering, and invites listeners to build lives rooted in softness, ambition, and sustainability—without disappearing, shrinking, or betraying themselves.

Key Takeaways

• You can be ambitious without being violent to yourself.
• Healing does not require disappearing from your life.
• Soft living is not weakness or laziness—it’s discernment.
• A meaningful life does not have to cost you your body, joy, or peace.

Episode Highlights + Timestamps

• 00:00–01:30 — We’re back: reflecting on five years of Black Girl Burnout and a renewed sense of clarity and purpose
• 05:00–06:30 — “We don’t want to opt out of life—we want to opt out of harm”
• 11:45–13:10 — What living softly actually means (and what it doesn’t)
• 18:30–20:00 — Why you don’t have to abandon yourself to heal, succeed, or live well

A Gentle Invitation

As you move through your week, notice where you may be pushing, forcing, or overriding yourself out of habit. Ask gently: Is this supporting me—or costing me myself? Let this episode be permission to choose a rhythm that allows you to stay present in your life while still moving toward what matters to you.

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