Meet Arlyana Shanice

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Arlyana Shanice. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Arlyana below.

Hi Arlyana, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience came from losing so much of myself, I had no other choice but to begin again. The saying “When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up” was my journey. If I am more honest, it happened a few times throughout my life, losing myself to become again. The most significant, however, was when I became pregnant with my daughter. I was in the midst of a deep depression; navigating through a tremendous amount of grief, our family had lost many loved ones suddenly. The world was terrifying because culturally black and brown people were being targeted and dying at the hands of others. Not to mention the world had just shut down due to a global pandemic, health and safety were uncertain, resources were scarce, and I became pregnant in the midst of it all. To receive any kind of outside support during this time was extremely difficult. However, with my faith being my foundation, my connection, and support from my family and friends, I had to take baby steps to believe that something greater was on the other side of all of this pain, uncertainty, and heartache, My daughter saved my life, she gave me a reason to pick up the pieces and find strength again. Not just because she deserved an amazing mother, but because I deserved to live a healed, happy, and fulfilled life. So I took the necessary steps to do exactly that, work on my healing from the inside out, as much as I could I found peace in the midst of situations, I asked for help when needed, I leaned into my support system when I could stand strong on my own, and I desperately sought after anything that brought me joy. It took time, a long time actually, but I can finally say that I am in a great place, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I don’t even recognize myself sometimes, and that’s a good thing. This version of me is proud of who I’ve become, being able to overcome many obstacles, and now I’m creating the best life for myself and my baby girl.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As a Mother who struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of my daughter, I found one of my biggest struggles was I no longer knew or understood who I was as a person. I created what I believed to be a solid foundation, I had an amazing village and support system that allowed me an opportunity to nurture the mother I was becoming however I greatly neglected deeper parts of myself. No one told me how to nurture the woman I becoming in motherhood. My focus had solely shifted to everything it took to become a caring, active, present, and loving mother however I neglected to be all of that for myself. This contributed to so many tests and trials in my postpartum journey and recovery. I went through an identity crisis, completely overwhelmed with unbecoming, unlearning, and losing so much of myself, I no longer recognized who I was. Yes, I had complete confidence in being a great mother but who I was as a woman was so unfamiliar.

Over time, I was able to develop a plan of restoration. I fought through the grief of who I once was, insecurities, fear, and doubt, and took the steps to create a new version of myself; and an improved version of myself.
Women have to undergo labor, before birthing new life. Moms in power was created in the same way. I carried something within me but before I could push it out, I had to labor through the highs and lows of my own journey. I had to endure periods of pain and hardship and still, I had to find strength to endure and then I was able to be born into someone new.
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The mission of Moms in Power is to empower women through their unique journey of motherhood that fosters healing and restoration with affirmations, and goal setting while building self-confidence, while utilizing tools to renew faith within themselves. It’s time for women to believe in themselves again, and embrace all that it took to become the mother and phenomenal women that they are. Moms in Power is helping women be reaffirmed of their power.

I have been able to accomplish this by creating a prompted journal. The Interactive Journal is the perfect tool for self-exploration and growth. Combining creative writing, tailored prompts, and vibrant colors, it provides a unique way to express yourself and start the healing process. Its supportive approach is designed to help you with restoration and lead you on a remarkable journey of self-discovery. Moms in Power also believes in the transformative power of aromas and the therapeutic benefits of self-reflection. I offer hand-poured candles which provide healing fragrances with unique combinations that are formulated to create a harmonious environment, fostering inner peace, and balance, and empowering you to navigate the complexities of life with grace and resilience.

Lastly, to support other women and mothers I have the opportunity to facilitate Mommy Momment Workshops. These Workshops are a unique opportunity for mothers to come together in a supportive, small-group setting. I offer interactive activities and tools to support healing and to provide a powerful platform for personal transformation and resiliency. these women are able to practice self-care and establish connections with peers that lead to beautiful changes in their lives.

My goal is to expand and collaborate with hospitals, parenting groups, support groups, clinics, and any person or organization that is trying to bridge the gap for women who may be struggling with mental health or emotional challenges while parenting.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
You just have to keep going and believe in yourself and be patient in your journey. I found oftentimes in my own journey I was looking to be someone else before I presented my dreams to the world. I was looking to have it all together, I was looking for that unbreakable confidence, with perfect time management skills and execution. I was looking for everything to be perfect before I went to the next step. I also allowed my own fears and insecurities to keep me from taking the next step. Truth is, you have to do it completely scared, you have to do it with even a little spark of faith. I had to build confidence over time, and I had to make mistakes in order to make lasting and beneficial changes. I had to re-program my way of thinking, and realize I had never been here before; a business owner, who is managing all aspects of the business, while also juggling all that came with being a single mom, while also managing my mental health, and also trying to maintain my friendships and family time and just getting through life in general. I had to give myself grace every step, create healthy boundaries so I could prevent burnout, and I had to be patient with who I was and the entire process. I also kept telling myself there is still so much to learn, there is still so much to accomplish, and there are still many mistakes to be made and beautiful lessons to learn. Once I changed my mindset I extended myself more grace and I did what I could as a manageable pace.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
One of the concepts I created in my journal is called “Jar of Joy”. It’s the idea that when life becomes overwhelming we concentrate on something that will bring us a bit of happiness. So for me, when I was really overwhelmed or felt my depression, parenting, and the pressures of life were getting the best of me, I would go make my favorite drink (iced coffee) in one of my mason jars. That little jar was something I could control, I flavored it how I wanted, I bought these cute straws to decorate it how I wanted, and the process of making the coffee itself was so peaceful. How amazing it is when we can redirect our focus, and our emotions follow when we do something that is within our control and it gives us a sense of peace and joy? It’s something I carry with me, and no I can’t always make a cup of iced coffee, but I have the power to take a moment, make it peaceful and find some joy in it. Each and every one of us has the ability to shift our perspective, take back our power, and create a joyful moment. The other beautiful thing about having your “joy in a jar,” is you have the ability to bottle it up for yourself, or release it and spread joy and peaceful moments with others.

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