Advertise on podcast: What She Wants

Before there was a "him," there was a granddaddy — the man who armored a three-year-old with ADHD against a toxic world before she ever knew she'd need it. In this letter, Mandy goes back to twenty-three, to the door she ran through, to the two children she left behind, and to the slow, undramatic sink into a relationship that felt like solid ground right up until it wasn't. This is the one about attachment wearing love's clothes — and the difference between understanding something intellectually and being able to act on it emotionally. Show Notes: Her granddaddy's foundation: psychology, self-study, and armor built before it was needed Growing up with an addict parent and a narcissistic one — knowing both sides of "family" The door she ran through at 23, and the two children she left behind Choosing him strategically: bodyguard, protection, the princess in the tower The two-by-two visit, the ultimatum, and the choice to try to break a generational cycle Attachment vs. love — "Love builds alongside you. Attachment takes credit for what you built." Why staying wasn't a failure of intelligence — knowing and leaving are two different things The healing thread: not resolution, but grieving what he was never going to be Closing: "I found my ground. Finally. And it's not quicksand. It's mine." Tags: Letters to My Now Ex What She Wants narcissistic relationships generational trauma attachment vs love ADHD childhood trauma healing journey self-study psychology motherhood grief and healing emotional armor codependency trauma recovery women's stories Tags: Letters to My Now Ex What She Wants narcissistic relationships generational trauma attachment vs love ADHD childhood trauma healing journey self-study psychology motherhood grief and healing emotional armor codependency trauma recovery women's stories

Twenty-three years of building — a nonprofit, a business, a life — while fighting for credit that was never in question. In this first letter, Mandy traces the line from selling bracelets and cotton candy parking lot to parking lot, to a pregnancy that became a reckoning with God, to the muse who confirmed what she already knew: this was real. She unpacks what it actually means to be a "provider," why the system rewards passengers who call themselves the man, and how moving next door — just next door — changed everything. This one ends with a line you'll want to clip. Show Notes: The 23-year fight for credit — and why it was never about self-doubt From bracelets to cotton candy: the hustle that taught her to condense effort and maximize return The pregnancy and the quiet conversation with God that became "the snap" Montana, the muse, and the stranger who validated the dream before he ever tried to Building the nonprofit and the LLC while being called a scam Moving next door: why proximity to negativity is its own kind of drain Redefining "provider" — and calling out the passenger dressed as the man The closing line: "You were the lesson. And baby — I graduated." Tags: Letters to My Now Ex What She Wants narcissistic relationships women in business entrepreneurship nonprofit founder self-worth healing Montana financial independence emotional abuse recovery hustle culture single mom provider myth patriarchy  Letters to My Now Ex What She Wants narcissistic relationships women in business entrepreneurship nonprofit founder self-worth healing Montana financial independence emotional abuse recovery hustle culture single mom provider myth patriarchy  Letters to My Now Ex What She Wants narcissistic relationships women in business entrepreneurship nonprofit founder self-worth healing Montana financial independence emotional abuse recovery hustle culture single mom provider myth patriarchy

who can stand the state world right now?

The inspiration I have found in what I am building came from the people who have been in my life and journey. We are all human here to share a spark of love. Come support my new collection Human Hollidayshustle.com

Tired of being everyone’s hero when you’re just trying to survive? This episode is your permission slip to put the damn cape down. Mandy is bringing the heat with this truth bomb: Strong Black women, strong mamas, strong leaders—we’re not machines. We cry. We crumble. We bleed in places nobody sees. And yet... they still call us “strong” like it’s a compliment—when half the time, it’s a cop-out. In this episode: The dark side of “strong woman” labels How strength became our survival, not our superpower Why asking for help is not a weakness—it’s wisdom And how to start receiving instead of constantly giving Help Support our growth check out our merch at HollidaysHustle.com/shop

Pretty was never the goal—power was. But somewhere along the way, society convinced us we needed one to earn the other. In this episode, Mandy rips the lid off beauty myths, perfection pressure, and the lie that looking good is the same as being good. Because when you stop shrinking into “pretty,” you rise into power—and that is where the healing begins. You’ll hear: How beauty standards were built to keep you begging Why “pretty privilege” comes with a price What it really means to reclaim your body and redefine your worth And how to heal the little girl inside who thought being chosen meant being loved Don't forget to Join our Community @hollidayshustle on FB, IG. and TT Also, check out the sarcastic designs at Hollidayshustle.com/shop

Softness is not weakness. Gentleness is not gullibility. Kindness is not a contract to be used, ignored, or dismissed. In this episode, Mandy gets deep into the lie that softness makes a woman naive. She explores how society teaches women to shrink or harden in order to survive—but what if your softness is your superpower? This one’s for the woman who keeps showing up with an open heart, even when the world tries to convince her she should shut it down. You’ll hear: The difference between being soft and being a sucker Why emotional intelligence is not up for debate How women are punished for compassion while being expected to carry everyone’s weight And how to protect your softness without building a wall Join Our Community @hollidayshustle on Facebook, Instagram. and TikTok Support our channel by checking out our merch at Hollidayshustle.com/shop

They called her bitter. But what she really was… was done. In this one, Mandy pulls up a seat and unpacks what it really means when a woman finally says “no more.” No more free labor. No more begging to be seen. No more trauma dressed as loyalty. This episode ain’t for the fragile egos—it’s for the women who’ve been told they were too much when they were just tired of not enough. You’ll hear: Why women get labeled bitter when they get bold The difference between being cold and being clear How boundaries sound like rebellion to those who benefitted from your silence And how saying “no” is actually saying “yes” to yourself

There’s a difference between being alone and being lonely—and baby, one of them will heal you and the other will haunt you. In this soul-opening episode, Mandy walks us through what it means to sit with yourself without fear, without shame, and without running back to what broke you—just because silence got loud. You’ll hear: How to stop confusing peace with punishment The difference between needing connection and settling for company Why healing sometimes feels like loneliness (but it’s actually expansion) And how to use solitude as a sacred space, not a sentence

This week on What She Wants, Mandy’s pulling back the veil on what real power looks like—not the performance, not the hustle, but the holy. Because for women raised in the shadows of silence and survival, power doesn’t come from climbing ladders—it comes from choosing yourself... out loud. You’ll hear about: Reclaiming your no as an act of sacred resistance Why power isn’t domination—it’s direction Breaking the myth that strong women must suffer What it means to lead with your healed self And why spiritual power ain’t soft, but it is sacred Dont forget to check out my merch on Hollidayshustle.com/shop Join Our Community: @HollidaysHustle on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

Im tired of f*****g around I am selling off his shit!

My rant about SNAP

And here we are again. I told ya my past few weeks have been extremely uncomfortable. Help me grow Hollidayshustle.com

I forgot to write a title for myself. But i was on one the other day so here it is. We will both be surprised as we listen. Want to see me grow? Go check out my merch, yes i made it... Hollidayshustle.com/shop

Its always this back and forth. A battle of the tugs at my heart. This is my cleansing era. This is when i will shed the tears necessary to change all this negativity ive been living into something positive ✨️ Check out my mantra at Hollidayshustle.com/saltymermaid