You're praised for your strength — but at what cost? You're taught to push through — but when do you finally get to breathe? You're carrying the weight of generations — but no one stops to ask: where do you go to put it down?

In the second of our three-part series on Superwoman Syndrome, mindfulness coach and TEDx speaker Asia Whittedsteps forward to share the truths many Black women have been forced to navigate in silence.

Through her own breaking points, Asia learned what few are willing to say out loud: "Rest isn’t something you earn — it's something you deserve before the world demands more than you can give."

Inside this powerful episode:

• Asia’s personal story of reaching burnout while juggling family, career, grief, and expectations — and the moment she realized survival wasn’t enough

• Why generations of Black women have internalized the belief that peace is a luxury, not a right

• How unchecked strength culture quietly conditions women to feel guilty for needing rest

• The emotional and physical warning signs Asia teaches high-achieving women to recognize before burnout takes over

• Why thriving — not just surviving — requires a radical mindset shift around responsibility, rest, and community care

• A deep look into Asia’s "PAUSE" framework, designed to help women rebuild their lives around intention, boundaries, and self-awareness

As Asia shares, "If I crumble, what happens to all the people I’m trying to carry?" And even more powerfully: "The only thing I was letting go of was myself — and that was never the plan."

This isn’t self-care for Instagram. This is the conversation Black women have needed for generations — about grief, healing, thriving, and reclaiming our own well-being on our own terms.

Next Steps: Get your National Black Girl Month™ Toolkit: www.nationalblackgirlmonth.com

Connect with Azia Renea: www.aziarenea.com

Connect with Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown: www.instagram.com/dr.rikesha

Get Free Resources: https://resources.feliciafordandco.com/

Learn more about Pause with Azia Renea:

Hi I am Azia Whitted, I am on a mission to help busy women, juggling motherhood and business learn to take 5-10 minutes to transform their entire day. I see so many women live life overwhelmed and burned out and I wish they knew that rest was a requirement and not a reward; that slowing down to find calm should be a priority. YOU are a priority, in your home with your family as well in your business. My job is to teach you practical ways to incorporate a pause in your daily life so you can be calm in the midst of chaos and high demands.