Meet Shonda White | Author, Host, Content Producer & Contributor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shonda White and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shonda, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I used to think that I had to go hard 24/7 due to fear of missing out on something or because that’s what I thought I had to do to be successful. However, more recently I have learned that rest is a part of success. At one point in my life, not too long ago, I was doing the most; so much so, that it started to have a negative affect on me mentally, spiritually, and physically. There were times when I was grinding so hard that I wasn’t as focused on the things that I cared about most. It got so bad that I couldn’t even remember what I enjoyed doing besides grinding and hustling. Now, I’m more cognizant of not only how I manage and balance my time but I’m more intentional about doing things that I enjoy that aren’t necessarily tied to the hustle. If anything, this quarantine season has shown me that even when it seems like things are still, God can still move in my life. At the end of the day, there’s no perfect way to balance it all, but acknowledging when I’m doing too much, when I need to rest, or even when I need to take something off the list is important to my overall mental and physical wellness. One thing’s for certain, if you’re not cognizant of it, then your body will tell you and you’ll have no choice but to sit down and rest.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a professional and a creative. I went to the University of Louisville and majored in marketing because it was interesting to me. However, I’ve also always felt passionate about encouraging and empowering women through life and love real talk. So, I’m thankful that I’ve been able to marry the two – my professional experience along with my purpose, and my God-given ability to create; whether that’s through writing, my books, working in Corporate America, speaking, or even hosting. I’ve never been caught up in titles or anything because more than anything, doing what I love and enjoy, and serving others is what’s most important to me when it comes to work and success. I’ve learned that purpose isn’t always tied to a paycheck. I’ve had seasons where I hated my 9-to-5, but even during those times, I used my side-hustle to channel my creative energy. A few years ago, I self-published my second book and it became a bestseller on Amazon – Don’t Be A Wife To A Boyfriend: 10 Lessons I Learned When I Was Single. I put my blood sweat and tears into that book and it paid off. More than the sales alone, I wanted women to read it and know that they weren’t alone and that all of us have experienced relationship woes. And that’s exactly what happened. I did my part, and God did the rest. It opened up so many opportunities beyond what I imagined. Is it scary to put yourself out there? Absolutely. But I just give myself pep talks, my husbsnd pushes me, and I know who to go to when I need a little encouragement. Plus, I’d rather live knowing that at least I tried even if the idea was scary or even if it didn’t work. Now, more than ever, I’m blessed to do what I enjoy as a content producer for my 9 to 5, and I still make time to be creative outside of work. My life is a dream realized and an example of the power of manifestation – things I claimed and spoke over my life even as a young child from my husband, my marriage, to my career, and other areas of my life. More recently, I decided to start my own show called Wives Wine Down. It serves as an outlet for married, as well as single women, who aspire to be married. Each week I produce a show that connects women from all over and from different backgrounds. It allows us to let our hair down and just keep it real about what it takes to not only get married but also stay married. Because of the transparency, it makes it that much easier for women to relate to the special guests that I have on each week. I’ve also learned that everything you do right now prepares you for what’s next – even if you hate it. There’s always some type of skill or ability that you end up learning that helps you along the journey. Sometimes, God has to trust us to do what we’ve been called to do at our current level before He can move us to the next level. It may not always make sense while you’re going through it, but as time goes on, it starts to make more sense and you start to see God’s plan…which always turns out better than my own plans. I’ve learned that when I try to do it my way, it never flows, but when I do it God’s way it overflows.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, pre-covid, I would definitely hit up one of my favorite spots – BQE lounge over in Edgewood. Besides the delicious food, I’ve never been to BQE and didn’t enjoy the live music. The band and the singers are always on point. For brunch, I would hit up South City Kitchen because their brunch is one of my favorites. I’d also check out one of the beautiful waterfalls over in Cascade or in Roswell. Now, for some good soul food, we’ll have to hit up Busy Bee’s in the west end. I recently went to the Culture Experience ATL and had a blast. It gave me all the nostalgia feels from the 90’s and old Atlanta memories.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this to my mother as well as my husband. My mother is truly the one who taught and showed me the importance of having a strong work ethic. As a single mom, she always did what she had to do to provide for us. Not to mention, I get my creativity from her. My mother was the first person to sow into my dreams and has always encouraged me and all of my creative ideas, and my husband constantly supports and encourages me even when I doubt myself.

Website: ShondaBrownWhite.com
Instagram: @ShondaBWhite
Linkedin: linkedin.com/pub/shonda-brown-white/6/40a/645/
Twitter: @ShondaBWhite
Facebook: Life and Love – Shonda Brown White
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7AeBJhVwOVs6xIZxySswwA?view_as=subscriber

Image Credits
Some Photos (lavender blazer): Parada Photography.