Good tea is best sipped hot but spilled slow. Join the mom communiTEA of Meka and Monique, two highly-melanated millennial mamas, living in the Tar Heel State. Listen in on candid conversations about motherhood, marriage, and beyond as they sip tea, share laughs, and spill nothing but the truth.
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
00:25 - Our hosts kick-off by finally ending their “conversation fast.” Every time Meek and Nique talk on the phone, they end up with a mini-podcast - so they decided to make a real podcast!
01:13 - What is Tea with Meek and Nique? It’s a little bit of everything! Meet and Nique are North Carolina-based, highly melanated mamas cranking out podcasts every Tuesday.
02:15 - Today, we’re talking all things motherhood, career, spirituality, being a wife, doing it all. Meek has four little ones under the age of 11 - three boys and a girl - and Nique has three kiddos - one off to college, a 7-year-old and a 5-year-old.
04:13 - So, why Tea with Meek and Nique? The ladies come from different walks of life, offer different perspectives, have unique experiences, and have a lot to talk about. The goal is to offer something new and leave you better than you started! They’re here to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly about life, work, motherhood, marriage - a little of everything.
10:30 - Every episode, we’ll be sippin’ on some tea. For the pilot, we’re literally talking about tea that Meek makes as part of her every morning ritual. On the other hand, Nique is resisting her alarm clock and battling traffic on her way to work.
14:10 - Nique gives us some insight as to how she’s managed motherhood, raised a whole 18-year-old adult and accomplished everything while hitting the 10 years sober milestone! Meanwhile, Meek is testing out a three-tiered bunk bed for her boys and is being pushed to the limit by bedtime chaos.
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
00:40 - The topic for Episode 1 is having fun! Mamas need their fun and let their hair down too. We reminisce about life in our 20s, going to college, late nights and dancing…
04:40 - But now as grown, working women, being wives and mothers, how do we have fun? Meek and Nique’s journeys (and signature songs) their young lives have been different, but now they enjoy home life with their kids and family, having good conversations, and spending time with others.
07:00 - Nique talks about her love for travel and exploration with her husband, a highlight being dancing at a night market in Turks and Caicos. She explains, “In a sober life, you gotta have moments to connect with what is fun!”
08:55 - Social interaction with friends is definitely a high, especially as a mom on the go. We’re giving our all to everyone else, so fun is a way to recharge and pour back into yourself!
10:14 - Having fun is a priority and having more mom events is so important! Other mothers are wanting connection, needing an outlet that’s just for them, and that is so critical for us to take care of ourselves. (Triad, Triangle and Queen City mamas - be on the lookout for us, drop us a line, let’s get connected to get some events rolling!)
12:07 - Fun is also letting yourself indulge. Go ahead and binge watch a good TV show, eat your snacks, have sex with your partner on a Tuesday morning! Find your own definition of fun.
16:55 - One thing to keep in mind is that we don’t have to do it all - we don’t have to struggle! Family support is key in keeping you sane, happy, and allowing you the time you need to have fun. Meeks talks praise on her great in-laws, who take care of her kids and gives her time to have time to herself. Nique’s in-laws are helping to care for her family’s dog, Onyx, so she can pursue the podcast, travel, yoga, and all the things that come with being a mama.
20:45 - We share some funny stories about some strangers that came knocking on your door... Sometimes a doorbell camera is pretty handy. The door is only answered for deliveries (sometimes several times a week)!
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
Tuesday Sep 24, 2019
00:15 - Welcome back to Episode 2 of Tea with Meek and Nique! We’re introducing our new Jar of Questions to help us pick topics to discuss on the podcast.
01:00 - To start, let’s go over what tea has been steeping in our cups, so Meek and Nique let us know what they’ve been sippin’ on - literally and figuratively. We’re always open to listener suggestions for some new teas for our communi-TEA of moms to try!
02:45 - We’re going to talk about our week and life updates are happening. Meek starts with happy family visits, movie adventures, hosting a mini-reunion at her house, and getting through a slightly stressful weekend.
04:25 - This leads us to our topic for today: working through family relationships! Meek has a huge family with cousins playing with cousins, holidays at Big Mama’s house, while Nique has a smaller family.
08:31 - Meek gets into the family drama and how Facebook can really fuel some uncomfortable family moments. After talking it out, things seemed to be okay… until the Facebook posts started to come out after the weekend. Getting rid of toxic relationships is needed to protect yourself and your family, even if those relationships are other family members.
17:15 - For our listeners dealing with these same situations, remember to be strong, to give yourself boundaries, and to expect the respect that you and your family need and deserve. One of the things Nique values most in challenging moments like these is finding deep peace and knowing “I have earned it, I deserve it, and I am worth it.”
19:18 - Audit, Edit, and Adjust the relationships in your life! Take inventory for all of the relationships that you’re in and that affect you, and remember you deserve deep peace.
22:00 - You have to set you intention for your day, for your life, for your relationship! Listeners, we hope you realize that boundaries are so important, you have value yourself and to put yourself first in order to recognize how to Audit, Edit, and Adjust. Healthy relationships are what you need!
24:40 - Let’s get on to a fun little portion! We’re always driving around, which means we’re always grooving to good music. Meek is currently listening to Brown Skin Girl by Beyonce on repeat and repeat and repeat. Nique’s jam right now is I’m Getting Ready by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, because big things are getting ready to happen!
What are you listening to? Let us know on insta!
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
Tuesday Oct 01, 2019
01:06 - Welcome back to Tea with Meek and Nique! Let’s start with the tea we’re sipping on - Meka and Nique are both enjoying some Spearmint tea, which is supposed to be beneficial for your skin and good for your system (but please, get your medical advice from your physician!)
03:10 - Today’s tea topic choice from the Topic Jar is: mom wear! We’re always hoping that our listeners are slaying the day with their looks, but looking good takes effort. Our hosts are rocking their cute, comfy, podcasting outfits, complete with MomSlay shirts. Know why mom-slay is important? Because you never know where you’re going to end up, you don’t know who you’re going to meet, and you don’t know when opportunity is going to show up - and you don’t want to miss out because you weren’t dressed for it!
06:15 - A word on hygiene: wash your hands and get your kids to wash their hands! Good hygiene practices are healthy and common sense (think about everything you touch all day…).
06:50 - Nique has a story about pajamas. Even though it’s her rule to never wear them in public, she went to a Women Evolve pajama event, so she turned up in some silky PJs and Louboutins - pajama fancy. But, as she was leaving… her car got rear-ended. The one time that she broke her rule and wore pajamas out in public, she gets held up with a car accident!
09:40 - What’s another piece of great mom-wear advice? Fresh underwear. Every. Day. We say this for the same reason that Nique doesn’t wear pajamas in public - you never know what might happen and you don’t want underwear with holes in them.
What about bras? Yes, those need to fit you and look at getting resized after kids. Victoria’s Secret will measure you and you don’t even need to buy anything!
11:48 - Meek’s go-to mom outfit right now are some leggings or mom-jeans, a mom-slay tee and tennis shoes because she has four kids, three of whom are little boys that don’t stop going, and she needs to always be ready to run after them! Nique enjoys getting dressed in the morning, changing from athleisure to dresses depending on the day - simple, easy, classy. Regardless of what you wear, we believe that if you look good, you feel good!
16:28 - Do you rock the throwback Juicy Couture look? Share your throwback looks and tag @teawithmeekandnique on instagram so we can see all your fabulous outfits.
18:55 - Nique talks about how her youngest daughter is exploring her own fashion and expression. We lead by example as fashionable moms, so it’s exciting to see what our kids come up with in styling themselves!
21:30 - What about mom-fashion swimwear? Both our hosts love a two-piece - they’re fashionable while being functional, and allows for more body positivity that comes with showing off the mom-bod!
23:35 - We always want to hear from our listeners! Tell us about your favorite mom-wear style or outfit, let us know what you rock and what makes you feel good.
24:45 - It’s time for Drive Tracks: what are we listening to on the road? Nique is enjoying Shine by Swoop and Meka is listening to Old Town Road (mainly for little Axel) by Lil Nas X. Every time Axel is having a tantrum, she plays Old Town Road for him and he just starts dancing! For herself though, she’s feeling I Love You Lord by Elevation Worship. It always helps with a bad day and makes Meek feel so positive.
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Want some MomSlay shirts? Grab yours here!
Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
01:30 - The ladies start off by telling us what they’re sippin’ on today. Meek and Nique are enjoying a tea blend that Monique brought back from her vacation to the Netherlands, called a Blue Detox. Nique explains it’s got some pineapple, green tea, other herbs; sounds amazing!
02:18 - Tea Topic for today! The selection from the tea jar today gives us the topic of “How are you raising strong children?” Between our hosts, there are seven, strong, different children to talk about, aged 2 years to 18 years old. To have children who are strong, independent, young people, when Meek and Nique were raised more in an age of “children are seen, not heard,” is so rewarding.
05:18 - How do we cultivate this strength and individuality in our kids? Meek and her husband are like yin and yang - they balance each other out in life and in parenting. She details how her kids are unique, how they interpret the world and react to situations, and how she coaches them through life and growth. Meek practices words of affirmation and encouragement with her children to build them up and let them realize their value.
10:15 - Nique agrees so strongly with what Meek says and does; raising their kids with love and encouragement, talking with them, strengthening their confidence, and taking the time to explain situations. Nique and her husband reinforce this with their children by emphasizing that strong and good people lift others up and look out for people in need.
12:18 - Nique’s husband entered her life when her eldest daughter was only five years old, and he helped Nique to reinforce the value of caring for others (especially those without friends) in their daughter. Lessons in how to be confident without putting others down is so critical in confidence-building and helped avoid a lot of mean-girl situations.
Her middle child, her son, has a wonderful sense of the world and exemplifies wise, gentle leadership, while Nique’s youngest daughter is a bold, studious firecracker with the funniest one-liners.
16:55 - Raising strong kids can mean some generational tension, especially with grandparents. Meek and Nique’s children are confident, truthful, and are unafraid to speak their minds (politely), which can go against the way older generations were raised and believe children should behave.
18:28 - Both Meek and Nique have common parenting themes: Giving their children autonomy over their bodies and their worlds, letting them make choices that they want to make for themselves, and encouraging them to use their voices to speak their truth (for better or for worse).
20:00 - The ladies talk about the “managed chaos” of life as mothers, how they strengthen their children and families through experience and travelling, and how to be confident out in the world, anywhere in the world. Nique shares some about her family’s experience in the Netherlands, and Meka shares her upcoming world travel plans to London and Paris!
28:00 - Meek and Nique share their Drive Tracks, what they’ve been listening to as they Uber their kids around town, to school, to activities, to… everywhere. Lately, Meka has been vibing to “Don’t Be Jealous of Me” off of the new Lion King album that Beyonce released. The afro-fusion vibes get her going! After all her world travels, Nique has been listening to Charles Bradley’s “Good To Be Back Home,” finding herself again in his soulful voice.
Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
00:53 - Welcome to Tea with Meek & Nique! Today, we’re sipping on some delicious mango and ginger tea, while we discuss our tea-topic of mom guilt. Three questions are going to drive our conversation, which are: What gives you that feeling? How do you deal with it? And, what did you discover though experiencing mom guilt?
01:30 - Meek and Nique share how relevant mom guilt is for them all the time. We define it as something that makes you feel bad about not doing your motherly duties, because you’re doing something else. Sometimes, those other things can be what makes you happy, but also just other responsibilities that you have to take care of!
03:00 - Meka talks about her recent bouts of mom guilt, because she’s at work and isn’t able to take or pick up her son from preschool. Monique can relate to this as she starts to take the leap into pursuing her career, especially because she’s been a stay-at-home mama for about five years. Yoga is Monique’s calling and she’s exploring opening her own studio! As part of this, she attended a retreat that happened at the same time as the first day of school.
07:41 - So, how do we deal with the mom guilt? Sometimes, you just have to tell yourself that you’re a good mom, you’re doing enough, and you’re just going to do it! When you take care of yourself, you can pour even more love and energy into your family. Nique talks about how she will sit with those awful and uncomfortable feelings sometimes to figure out why she’s feeling that way. She’s had to adjust her definition of motherhood - does it mean being there for every single moment? Is that realistic and practical, especially when she’s trying to build herself up and create her career?
12:50 - Do what you love, because you’ll feel so much better when you’re with your family. Go do that hobby! Remember to pursue self care! Chase a new career! Take a leap of faith, set the example for your kids, and follow your passion. (Tag us and let us know what you’re doing so we can support you in all your parental greatness)!
14:39 - What have we discovered through experiencing mom guilt? Meek is honest - she’s discovered that mom guilt is crap and all that negativity brings her down. Nique has found a way to lean into her husband for a reality check, where he reminds her of how much she does for the family. Your kids and your partner can see you being the amazing parent that you are, so let them be your encouragement when you need a boost.
18:12 - “I’m in love with getting out of my way. I’m in love with that new mindset.”
19:22 - This is a conversation and we want to hear from you! Tag us and let us know how you overcome your mom guilt. We want to see you shining and celebrate our community of amazing mamas. We’re also always open to some tea recommendations….
20:25 - To close out, it’s time for Drive Tracks! Meka has been listening to “What About Your Friends” by TLC in her car because she’s feeling that ‘90s jam right now. Nique got into the HBO show Pretty Little Liars and the intro song - “Cold Little Heart” by Michael Kiwanuka - is sooooo good. Give these tracks a listen and let us know what you’re listening to around town.
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Oct 22, 2019
Tuesday Oct 22, 2019
00:40 - We’re back! Meek and Nique are still on a high from celebrating their podcast launch, meeting followers and new listeners, having a good time. What an awesome experience!
01:58 - What are we sippin’ on today? We’ve got a berry hibiscus tea and ginger turmeric tea, but it’s still 95 degrees in NC so we’re going to sip slow and spill slow.
02:43 - Meek chooses today’s topic from the tea jar is: What health challenges do you have or have you faced? What keeps you strong? Share a tip for our community.
03:15 - This is so relevant for Meka, who actually just came from an infusion treatment before recording this episode. These infusions help with her rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s joints, causes inflammation, pain, discomfort, and other medical issues. Meek talks about these experiences on her social media, so make sure to check in and follow her journey.
05:00 - Nique asks Meek to share how she feels on the good days versus the bad days. On her worst day, Meka experienced extreme body pain that has prevented her from walking. She also discusses the crazy side effects of the medication that she uses to help her on those, especially bad days. Thankfully, Meek has worked with a great rheumatologist on her treatment for a few years. On a good day, Meek can move freely and without pain, and she lives those days fully. Her positive attitude is her driving force and she doesn’t let RA define her.
10:17 - Nique asks Meek what she would tell someone in the community who is experiencing this to help them keep positive? Although it’s easier said than done, Meka just says it’s something you have to do to keep going; the stress will make things worse. Find friends and support that you can vent and cry to, and then pick yourself up to figure out how to make it manageable and keep on moving.
11:34 - Meka offers a tip for our listeners: do your research! Find out what works best for you and your body, try changing up your lifestyle, and make sure that you are feeding your body with food that is healing, not inflammatory.
12:30 - For Nique, she also deals with ongoing health issues, anemia and diastasis recti. Diastasis recti occurs in some women after childbirth, where the muscles in the abdomen separate during pregnancy and do not reconnect after giving birth. Sometimes, you still look pregnant and for Nique, traditional ways of working out actually made it worse! Nique’s tip for listeners is if you think something is up with your body, always check with a physician to see what treatment plan is best for you.
16:46 - “One of the things I’ve learned is that we go too hard. We go too hard, way too soon. We have a baby and then we need to jump up to go right back to work.” - Nique
17:53 - What keeps Meek and Nique strong through their health challenges? For Nique, it’s embracing the body that she has. She pursues a healthy body, heart, lungs, is conscious of what she puts in her body so that she can be with her family for a long time. Remember to slow down and love yourself.
19:25 - The ladies talk about how anemia affects them both and how they deal with it daily. Meka shares how a different health scare that landed her in the hospital led to her anemia diagnosis.
23:55 - It’s time for Drive Tracks! Meka is on a ‘90s kick, listening to the Bad Boy 20th Anniversary album. Come to Me with Nicole Streisinger has been her main jam for now. Nique is listening to James Arthur’s Safe Inside, the other end of the spectrum from Bad Boy, and is feeling a little in her feelings about her oldest baby who is off at college.
25:40 - Shout out to Meek and Nique’s families who were with them for the launch party, thought of the little details that were needed, were taking pictures and documenting the moments. We have supportive kids and husbands, and we are so grateful!
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
00:40 - Welcome back! We’re excited for this next episode, but first, what tea are we sipping on today? Meek is still going strong with the ginger tea while Nique has jasmine green tea today. Wherever you are, pour yourself some tea, slow down, and sip with us.
02:32 - Let’s choose a topic from the Tea Topic Jar! Today, we’re going to talk about our birth stories. Share about your birthing experiences, and what you learned that can help the community. We’ve got so many babies and so many stories!
03:05 - Nique starts with her story of her first child, Layla, who Nique had when she was 17 years old. Being 17 with a baby, Nique describes feeling clueless and unprepared - “I feel like I was an experiment!” Nique learned lessons with Layla’s birth that helped shape and improve her birthing experiences later in her life.
05:50 - Meek’s first baby was also a girl, Elle Marie. Welcoming her daughter had a funny start, as Meek had to text a friend while she was on the toilet to figure out she was in labor. Thankfully, she had a super fast labor and delivery with baby Elle!
09:04 - Nique refers to her epidural experience during Layla’s delivery, which influenced her decision to have drug-free births moving forward. For her second baby, her son Kadeem, Nique worked with a midwife who she loved and made her birthing experience fantastic, using music and exercises to help with labor and delivery.
12:43 - For Meka’s second birth and first son, Maverick, her pregnancy, labor and delivery was so different than her first baby. Everything took so much longer with Maverick, to the point where the doctors said that Meek would need a C section. She describes her C section as a really weird experience, and the healing process is long, painful, and inconvenient.
20:04 - Nique’s third birth to welcome daughter Zia was a water birth! She chose an OB / midwife team to help her through her delivery and had an amazing experience. The nurses helping during the birth helped all of her delivery dreams come true while keeping her and baby Zia safe.
23:15 - Meka’s third baby, Jagger, is her most challenging child. He was born premature at 31 weeks, so her birthing story with him was very different. The hospital’s plan was to keep her on bed rest until Jagger was delivered, however long that took.... which was only a day after she was admitted to the hospital. After he was born, Jagger stayed in the NICU for about a month, and leaving him at the hospital was the strangest thing, but Meek found a rhythm that worked for them.
28:17 - For Meka’s last baby’s birth, Axel, her husband was deployed, so her support team was made up of her sister, her mother-in-law, and of course, Nique. Meek recalls how helpful Nique was and how she advocated for all of Meek’s needs during her labor.
30:05 - After going through so many birth experiences, Meek and Nique’s advice to mamas-to-be and in-the-future mothers: Advocate for yourself and know your rights. Take medical advice into consideration, but know what is right for you, your body, and your baby. Also, have a birthing team who can support and advocate for you, because having babies is tiring!
31:40 - We want to hear your birth stories too! Send us a message of your experiences, trials, tribulations, what you went through while you were delivering - we want this to be a community of knowledge and sharing.
32:02 - To wrap up, it’s Drive Tracks! Nique throws it back to one of her birth tracks, Coldplay’s Us Against the World. The lyrics are beautiful and reminds her that she’s got it, even when life is chaos. Meek is feeling the old Kanye recently, and throws in some appreciation for Kanye’s Sunday services!
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
00:40 - And we’re back! Meek and Nique catch each other up with how they’re feeling (all the ailments and faux hangovers), and are changing it up a little this episode. Instead of pulling a topic from the Tea Jar, they are going straight to the communitea with a Q&A session.
02:10 - Our first question is from Kiera, who asks: What does it look like to raise black children in America today? What does it look like more specifically for your individual families?
02:30 - First, shout out to our communitea for interacting with us, sending us your questions, and letting us know what you think! Before getting to Kiera’s question, Meek and Nique tell us what they’re sipping on. Monique is sipping on a rooibos tea named I Woke Up Like This, which she also shared with Meka for today.
04:14 - To answer Kiera’s question… for Meek, knowing she has three black sons, it makes her feel sick because she’s afraid for her kids and how they can be targeted by society. Right now, they’re seen as small, cute children, but they will grow into tall, strong, black men who won’t receive the same grace from society. For Nique, she leans on her faith and her husband. She is fiercely protective of her son, recalling Emmett Till and how so little has changed for black boys in America since then.
08:13 - Meka brings up the Exonerated Five and the impact of how young black boys are represented in the media. This is a hard and sensitive topic, and is a fear for every mother of black children.
09:55 - Nique brings up her mixed family and the fiery confidence that her daughter has, which can pose a challenge as she grows older. As she grows up as a biracial person, how will she be received and perceived in the world? Nique explains that it’s an ongoing challenge to ensure that her biracial kids know that they don’t have to choose black or white, that they belong in society, and they are in charge of their own identities.
12:28 - For Meka, her goal is to raise happy kids. Kids see color but not with the heaviness that adults do. Still, she makes sure that her children know about the history of their ancestors and recalls bringing Elle to the African American History Museum in DC to show her black history in America.
14:25 - The ladies remind us: Prayer without works is dead. Remember to put your prayers into action.
15:50 - Meek and Nique both have used the Little Leaders books by Vashti Harrison to recognize the celebratory moments and people of Black American history. They recognize in themselves how difficult it is to educate their kids about America’s violence and racism against black bodies, because it’s such a challenging and painful discussion to have with young children.
17:51 - Nique makes the point that it’s all about empowerment and positivity about yourself and your culture. It gives strength to talk about the difficult things when the story is one of survival and resilience. Modern day stories of black excellence prove every day what black success looks and feels like.
19:25 - Meka talks about confidence in their black sons and how positive affirmations build them up with positivity. It’s a great practice to start with any and all of your kids!
21:10 - Meek and Nique invite the communitea to share your affirmations, share how your family navigates race issues and challenges, how you teach your children about the world while building them up. Let’s teach our children to be confident and proud of their blackness.
23:45 - Monique speaks about her eldest child, Layla, who attends an HBCU and has experienced so many people from different backgrounds that she can hang with anybody. She’s always been proud of her blackness and thrives in her environment because of her confidence.
26:30 - “I refuse to raise kids that are soft as butter. We don’t have kids that melt. We have kids that have resilience.”
29:00 - What can our non-black listeners do to be better allies? Have a desire to learn and be sincere about being open to listening to others that don’t look like you. Share conversations with each other and learn from others’ experiences.
31:40 - To close out, it’s Drive Track time! Nique has been listening to Imagine Dragons “The Fall” (but the whole album is great), and Meek has been listening to Afro B’s Drogba (Joanna).
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Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!
Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
00:41 - Welcome back to Episode 9 of Tea with Meek and Nique! We are taking a short break over the holiday, but we will be back strong in 2020 as we continue to build our brand. Today's topic is the Enneagram, we’re talking about what it is, why we love it, how knowing our type has helped us, what surprised us from our test results and how the results even guide our mothering.
04:56 - First, let’s define the Enneagram? From the Magnolia Journal, page 48 from the Fall of 2018. ‘Often misunderstood as simply a personality assessment used to describe quirks and traits of individuality, this tool goes much further than simple characters. It helps explain the ‘why’, of how we think, act and feel. It helps us come to terms with our gifts as well as with the difficult patterns that tether us to ur greatest interpersonal, spiritual and emotional challenges’.
06:32 - Meek and Nique explain how they found their way to the Enneagram. Meek found out about the Enneagram on social media and Nique was asked randomly by someone if she had taken the Enneagram test. Meek took a free test, though she normally does not believe in things like the Enneagram when she read her results she felt seen.
07:20 - Disclaimer: Our description of Enneagram is such an elementary introduction to everything Enneagram from our experience and perspectives. There is so much to know and there are experts like, Chris Hewards who can then guide you more deeply into all the things that are woven into the Enneagram. Nique explains that there are 9 numbers and it’s built-in a triad. She explains what the test looks like and how it asks you to choose your answers. Nique continues to say she is a dominant 2, a type 2 person is a caretaker, a pleaser, a helper type individual, seeks love through self-sacrifice.
10:00 -The follow-up work after taking the test is learning who you are and how to be a healthier you. Nique explains it’s one thing to know your number but it is what you do with your number that really matters. Nique explains that this can help lead a healthier mental lifestyle. Nique asks Meek why she loves Enneagram, Meek is a type 7 which is basically the enthusiast, adventurer and the energizer, hence, all of the energy she has, she seeks imaginative freedom and independence and has always been this way. She doesn’t like to be tied down to one thing, she gets bored easily, one thing that her Enneagram always says (which she doesn’t know if she can commit to) are the spontaneous adventures.
14:14 - Learn how to resonate with who you are and how to healthily reflect it on the outside. Nique loves the Enneagram because a passage of the magazine said, ‘Once we learn our Enneagram type, it can change the way we see ourselves. It helps us tell to see the truth about who we really are and live out of that reality and the Enneagram can help lead a healthier lifestyle. It keeps Nique truly balanced and centered. Meek explains how she is reluctant to share her ‘hidden struggles’ due to her belief that she must appear upbeat and fun and conceal emotions, anxiety, and loneliness as well as frustration that brings her down. She never wants people to know when she is sad because she views it as a sign of weakness.
18:29 -Nique gives her summary of her type 2 and how she resonates with it at her best AND her worst. She asks Meek what else she likes about her Enneagram results.
22:26 - Now getting into the question of, “What surprised you most from the test?”. Meek feels how correct it is especially when she read that she needs to sit still, slow down. Nique says a healthy practice for her as a type 2 is solitude.
26:00 - How has the result guided your mothering? When Meek feels burnt out she takes me-time at night when the kids are sleeping and knowing her triggers helps her actively work to stay calm. Nique has found the ability to take me time and the ability to tell her children when she is taking me time.
29:40 - Nique closes with a final passage, “All of us just want to know we’re safe and loved. The Enneagram helps us get to the root of this simple desire. From there we can live out the purpose that each of us has been created for.”
Book: The Sacred Enneagram - Chris Heuertz
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Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell.
Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey!
Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,
and tune in for the next episode!