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Episode 147: Scatterbrained! Or Am I Just Doing Too Much? Have you ever been so busy managing your life that you almost forgot to actually LIVE it? Coach Del has a confession: Lately, she's been feeling a little scatterbrained! What started as a hilarious mix-up involving a chaotic group chat, a winery birthday celebration, a Saturday festival, and an overly ambitious garage sale turned into a bigger reflection about forgetfulness, divided attention, and the pressure we put on ourselves to keep up with EVERYTHING. But underneath the laughter is a genuine concern. Coach Del has noticed herself forgetting things more frequently and has begun considering what might be contributing, including disrupted sleep, stress, constant change, and having too many things competing for her attention. And that leads to an important question: Are we really forgetting things, or are we sometimes so preoccupied that we never fully absorb the information in the first place? In this relatable Friday conversation, we're talking about: The beautiful chaos of group chats and forgotten plans How competing demands can affect our attention Recognizing when we're trying to do too much Why there's nothing wrong with using tools and systems that work for us Giving ourselves permission to change plans without feeling like we've failed Making room for connection, laughter, and the experiences that matter Sometimes, being intentional isn't about getting more done. It's about recognizing what matters most and giving ourselves permission to make room for it. A Question for You Are you trying to remember too much, manage too much, or accomplish too much — all at the same time? And is there something you could take off your plate this week to make room for something that matters more? Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com — Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. 📱 Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 LinkedIn: @delphinesmith Remember, my friend: It's not just you… it's US. ❤️

Healing Father Wounds: A Conversation About Faith, Healing, and Resilience Some wounds stay with us long after the experiences that created them. And sometimes, the deepest wounds come from the people we needed most. In this special episode of Bounce Back, Black Woman!, Coach Del steps into the guest's seat to share a personal conversation with fellow podcaster Marselle about father wounds and her own journey toward healing. Together, they explore the lasting impact of father wounds, the role of faith in the healing process, and how God can help us find healing, restoration, and the resilience to move forward. Whether you've experienced father wounds yourself or are navigating other painful experiences from your past, this conversation is a reminder that your past doesn't have to determine your future. Special thanks to Marselle for inviting Coach Del to share her story and graciously allowing this conversation to be shared with the Bounce Back, Black Woman! community. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com (Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms) 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith Connect with Marselle - Host of the "Through My Father's Eyes" podcast 📱 Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/healingthroughhiseyes/  ▶️ Check out her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@healingthroughHisEyes

The Joy of Connection: Why Friends and Fun Matter! Sometimes we need a break from all the emotional heavy lifting and just have some FUN! 😂 In Episode 145, Coach Del celebrates the JOY of connection—the laughter, friendships, group chats, and shared experiences that make life a little sweeter. From Karaoke Wednesdays and girlfriend outings (even the ones Mother Nature cancels!) to making new connections, this episode is a reminder that friendship isn't just about having someone to lean on when life gets hard. It's also about having people to share the GOOD times with! Coach Del also shares her recent guest appearance with Melissa Clay on Me in the Making Podcast. Their conversation is coming soon! Because it's not just you… it's US. And that includes the JOY! ❤️ What's REALLY Holding You Back? Sometimes the thing you think is keeping you stuck isn't the real thing. Take Coach Del's “What's REALLY Holding You Back?” assessment to uncover what may be getting in the way of your next step. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. 📱 Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

How to Respond Instead of React: You Always Have a Choice Your thoughts can influence your feelings. Your feelings can influence what you want to do. But neither one has to make the decision for you. In the final episode of the three-part Thoughts, Feelings, and Choice series, Coach Del explores what happens after we recognize the thoughts we're having and the emotions those thoughts may be nurturing. Because recognizing what we think and feel is only part of the equation. The next question is: What do we CHOOSE to do with it? Returning to a personal story about feeling excluded from a family gathering, Coach Del shares the series of choices she made: approaching her sister with curiosity rather than accusation, listening without skepticism, acknowledging her hurt feelings, and asking to be included in the future. It's a powerful reminder that making an intentional choice doesn't mean pretending we're not hurt, angry, afraid, or disappointed. It means recognizing that our feelings don't have to make every decision for us. Drawing on Romans 12:2 and James 1:19, Coach Del explores the connection between renewing how we think and choosing how we respond. In this episode, we'll consider: Why an emotional impulse isn't necessarily an instruction to act. How we can choose curiosity, honesty, boundaries, or even inaction rather than automatically reacting. Why choosing intentionally doesn't always mean choosing the easiest, nicest, or most comfortable response. How courage helps us make thoughtful choices even when difficult feelings remain. Why one choice doesn't have to become the end of our story. Four questions to consider: What actually happened? What am I thinking about what happened? What am I feeling—and what is that feeling making me want to do? What do I CHOOSE to do next? You may not get to choose everything that happens to you. But you can become more intentional about what you do with what happens. And that, my friend, is where so much of our ability to bounce back begins.   🎉 WIN A SIGNED COPY OF RUTHLESS INTENTIONALITY! I'm celebrating the release of Ruthless Intentionality: Choosing Courage and Clarity in Moments that Matter by giving away FIVE personally signed paperback copies! Enter by October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for your chance to win. No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents. 👉 Enter the giveaway HERE   What's REALLY Holding You Back? Sometimes the thing you think is keeping you stuck isn't the real thing. Take Coach Del's “What's REALLY Holding You Back?” assessment to uncover the bottleneck that may be getting in the way of your next step. 🌐 Visit CoachDel.com to take the assessment. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com 📱 Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Your Feelings Are Real. But What Are They Based On? You can be genuinely hurt by something you only think someone meant. You can be genuinely afraid of something that never happens. You can even become genuinely excited and emotionally invested in a future that hasn't actually been established. The feeling is real. But what is it based on? In Part 2 of the Thoughts, Feelings, and Choice series, Coach Del builds on the previous conversation about examining our thoughts and explores how those thoughts can shape our emotional experiences. Sometimes we're responding emotionally to what actually happened. Other times, we're also responding to the meaning, motive, or intention we've assigned to what happened. And when an unproven assumption creates a very real emotion, that emotion can begin influencing how we act, react, and make decisions. In this episode, Coach Del explores the difference between feeling something about what happened and feeling something about what you believe was done to you, why the intensity of an emotion doesn't prove the thought underneath it is accurate, how both negative and positive assumptions can lead us beyond the facts, and why it's worth examining a feeling before allowing it to influence what you do next. Ask yourself: What am I feeling? What thought is this feeling responding to? Do I know that thought to be true? What is this feeling making me want to do? Next up: CHOICE—what happens when we recognize that our thoughts and feelings don't have to automatically determine what we do next. What’s REALLY Holding You Back? Sometimes the thing you think is keeping you stuck isn’t the real thing. Take Coach Del’s “What’s REALLY Holding You Back?” assessment to uncover the bottleneck that may be getting in the way of your next step. 🌐 Visit CoachDel.com to take the assessment. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Your First Thought Isn't Your Only Thought “I feel like she doesn't respect me.” “I feel like I'm never going to get ahead.” “I feel like they intentionally left me out.” We say things like this all the time—but none of those statements actually describes a feeling. They're thoughts. And they're not automatically facts, either. In this episode of Bounce Back, Black Woman!, Coach Del begins a three-part conversation about Thoughts, Feelings, and Choice by exploring how quickly the things we're thinking can become “facts” in our own minds. Using a personal experience of discovering that her siblings had gotten together without her, Coach Del separates what she knew from what she thought: What she knew: Her siblings got together, and she wasn't invited. What she thought: They intentionally excluded me because they didn't want me there. Could that thought have been true? Absolutely. But at that moment, it wasn't something she actually knew. And recognizing that difference creates another possibility: You can change your thoughts. Not by forcing yourself to think positively. Not by ignoring your intuition. Not by excusing someone's behavior. But by asking: What's a different thought that I could have? Sometimes the different thought is simply: I don't know yet. In this episode, Coach Del explores how to recognize the difference between a thought and a fact, how thoughts can influence our emotional experience, and why a different thought doesn't necessarily have to be a “better” or more positive thought. Three questions to practice: What am I thinking? Do I know that to be true? What's a different thought that I could have? This is Part 1 of a three-part series: Thoughts → Feelings → Choice Next episode: FEELINGS—and why the thought may or may not be true, but the feeling is still real. If today’s conversation has you wondering what might be underneath some of your own patterns, take Coach Del’s short “What’s REALLY Holding You Back?” assessment. It can help you begin identifying where your bottleneck may be and what could be getting in the way of moving forward. Find the assessment at CoachDel.com. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

What Do You Make It MEAN? Have you ever had something happen and almost immediately decided what it meant? Someone doesn't call. Your friend doesn't invite you. Your boss doesn't respond the way you expected. Your adult child isn't calling as often. Or someone sends you the dreaded one-letter text: “K.” In this episode of Bounce Back, Black Woman!, Coach Del shares a personal story about seeing Facebook photos of her sister and brothers spending time together—only an hour away—when she hadn't been invited. Her feelings were hurt. But something else happened, too. Being left out quickly became: "They intentionally excluded me because they didn't want me there." And those aren't necessarily the same thing. This episode explores the difference between what actually happened and what we make what happened mean. Because when there's a gap between what we know and what we don't know, it's easy to fill that gap with an interpretation: She doesn't value our friendship. He must be losing interest. My boss didn't think my work was good enough. My child doesn't need me anymore. Sometimes our interpretation may be accurate. But sometimes we've turned an assumption into a fact without even realizing it—and then started changing our behavior, making decisions, or questioning our own worth based on that interpretation. In this episode, you'll explore: The difference between what happened and the meaning you assigned to it How quickly an interpretation can begin shaping your emotions and behavior Why questioning your interpretation doesn't mean ignoring your instincts or excusing someone else's behavior How someone else's actions can activate beliefs or fears you already carry about yourself Why the meaning you've assigned to a situation may sometimes be the real bottleneck Three questions that can help you slow down before treating an interpretation as fact The next time you notice yourself having a strong reaction to something someone said, did—or didn't say or do—pause and ask: What actually happened? What am I making it mean? Do I know that to be true? The goal isn't to find the one perfectly correct interpretation of everything everyone does. It's to notice when your interpretation has quietly become fact in your own mind. What’s REALLY Holding You Back? If this episode has you wondering whether something underneath your reactions may be creating a bottleneck in your own life, take Coach Del's short assessment: What's REALLY Holding You Back? It can help you begin identifying where your bottleneck may be—whether there's something you're having trouble seeing clearly, trying to handle alone, blaming yourself for, or afraid to face. Find the assessment at CoachDel.com. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Have you been spending more than usual? Eating differently? Working too much? Scrolling for hours? Or maybe you’re on the other side—sleeping less, struggling to focus, pulling away from people, or simply not doing some of the things you normally do. Coach Del calls these our “overs and unders.” Sometimes when life gets stressful, overwhelming, uncertain, lonely, or just plain HARD, what we’re carrying starts showing up in our behavior before we’ve fully acknowledged what’s going on. And our first instinct is often to fix the behavior: I need to stop spending. I need to get off this phone. I need to focus. I need more discipline. And maybe we do. But what if we also asked: What might this behavior be doing for me? In this episode of Bounce Back, Black Woman!, Coach Del talks about recognizing changes in our behavior as information—not as another opportunity to criticize ourselves. You’ll explore: How stress and other difficult experiences can show up through our “overs and unders” Why focusing only on stopping a behavior may leave the underlying issue untouched How seemingly positive behaviors—like working or exercising—can also become “overs” Why there’s room for both accountability and curiosity Questions that can help you notice patterns in your own behavior How your overs and unders may provide clues to the bottleneck underneath Sometimes the thing you’re trying to fix isn’t the first thing that needs your attention. Instead of asking, “What is wrong with me?” try asking: “What is going on with me?” That little shift can open the door to greater awareness, more compassion, and more intentional choices. What’s REALLY Holding You Back? If today’s conversation has you wondering what might be underneath some of your own patterns, take Coach Del’s short “What’s REALLY Holding You Back?” assessment. It can help you begin identifying where your bottleneck may be and what could be getting in the way of moving forward. Find the assessment at CoachDel.com. Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

You’ve communicated, waited, adjusted, and offered another chance. But the change you’ve been hoping for still hasn’t happened. How long should you continue waiting? In this episode, Del shares a personal experience from a past relationship that looked good on paper—even as her intuition repeatedly told her something wasn’t right. She wanted the relationship to change, but eventually realized that the change she was waiting for wasn’t hers to create. Her turning point came when she stopped asking whether things might eventually improve and asked: “If nothing ever changes, can I accept this relationship exactly as it is?” Later, she received confirmation that ending the relationship had been the right decision when the man’s now-wife contacted her and revealed his double life—a story Del previously shared in “When the Truth Finds You.” But that confirmation came after the decision. In this episode, you’ll consider: Why a person’s potential can make it difficult to accept present reality The difference between offering room to grow and building your life around someone’s potential Why more explaining, patience, or sacrifice may not create change What happens when your life becomes organized around something outside your control Why accepting reality does not mean approving of someone’s behavior How to distinguish not knowing what to do from not liking what your choices require The question that can help you stop waiting and begin deciding If you’re unsure what may be keeping you circling, take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment. It can help you begin identifying the pattern underneath the explanation you’ve been giving yourself: https://tally.so/r/J94V1X Once you’ve completed the assessment—or if you already recognize the bottleneck but need help determining what to do next—book a free one-on-one call with Del to discuss what you’ve discovered and explore whether Stuck-to-Steady is the right support for you: https://calendly.com/delphine-smith/your-next-step-let-s-talk  Connect with Del: https://CoachDel.com https://BounceBackBlackWoman.com Instagram and TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

You have the talent. You have experience. You may even have evidence that other people value what you can do. So why don’t you feel ready? After being fired and spending approximately a year searching for another traditional job, Del began paying closer attention to women who were earning meaningful income from skills like hers. She saw full-time self-employed home bakers, coaches, authors, and speakers building businesses around their abilities. Their success didn’t guarantee hers. But it raised an important question: "Why not me, too?" In this episode, Del explores how practical preparation can sometimes conceal a deeper doubt about our own capability. While training, strategy, and experience matter, constantly creating another requirement can keep us preparing for something we may already be capable of beginning. In this episode, you’ll consider: Why familiar structures can feel safer than creating your own The difference between being inexperienced and being incapable How “I’m not ready” can become a permanent waiting room Why accomplishments don’t always silence self-doubt What other women’s success can reveal about possibility Why belief doesn’t require certainty that you will succeed How action can create evidence that strengthens self-trust If you’ve been questioning whether you’re truly ready, take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment. It can help you begin identifying the pattern beneath the reason you’ve been giving yourself: https://tally.so/r/J94V1X Once you’ve completed the assessment—or if you already recognize the bottleneck making forward movement difficult—book a free one-on-one call with Del to talk through what you’ve discovered and explore whether Stuck-to-Steady is the right support for you: [BOOKING LINK TO BE ADDED] Connect with Del: https://BounceBackBlackWoman.com Instagram and TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

You know something isn’t working—but leaving feels too risky. Maybe you’re worried about money, your children, other people’s judgment, beginning again, or discovering that the next situation isn’t any better. So you remain where you are, telling yourself you haven’t made a decision yet. But staying is also a decision. In this episode, Del shares two personal experiences in which staying initially felt safer than leaving: her first marriage after multiple infidelities had been exposed and a micromanaging workplace that diminished her expertise until the company ultimately terminated her. Although the circumstances were different, both experiences reveal how fear can narrow our view of the choices available to us—and how carrying everything alone can make the situation feel even more impossible. In this episode, you’ll consider: Why familiar pain can feel safer than an uncertain future The difference between consciously choosing to stay and feeling unable to leave What your children and loved ones may already recognize How fear and isolation can make your options appear smaller Why the first step doesn’t always have to be the final departure How the reason you believe you’re staying may not tell the entire story This episode is not an instruction to leave your job, marriage, or relationship. It is an invitation to examine what is influencing your decision and to seek the support needed to make that decision intentionally. If you’re still unsure what may be keeping you from moving forward, take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment HERE https://tally.so/r/J94V1X If you have identified what may be restricting your movement but need help deciding what to do next, book a free one-on-one call with me! [Book your free 1:1 Call]   Stay Connected with Del: Meet Coach Del Podcast Website Instagram and TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

EPISODE 136: Why More Information Isn’t Helping You Decide You’ve gathered the information. You’ve compared the options. You’ve considered the risks, asked for advice, and replayed the possibilities. So why can’t you decide? In this episode, Del shares the real-life decision she is currently navigating: whether to renovate part of her home to generate rental income, keep the property as it is, or sell and transition to apartment living. Each option offers legitimate benefits. Each also introduces financial, practical, and emotional risks. What initially appeared to be a decision requiring more information has revealed a deeper question: Can additional information create clarity—or are we sometimes asking it to eliminate uncertainty, regret, and judgment? In this episode, you’ll consider: When responsible research becomes endless analysis Why having several good options can make choosing more difficult What you may be asking additional information to guarantee How identity and other people’s perceptions can complicate practical decisions Why an imperfect outcome doesn’t necessarily mean you made the wrong choice How the apparent problem may not be the real reason you can’t move forward If you’re unsure what may be keeping you circling, take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment: https://tally.so/r/J94V1X If you have identified what may be restricting your movement but need help determining what to do next, book a free one-on-one call with Del: LET'S TALK! Connect with Del: Podcast Website BounceBackBlackWoman.com Instagram and TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Episode 135: Are Your Boundaries the REAL Problem? 5 Areas Where They Might Be Your life may not be out of control—but certain parts of it may feel exhausting, frustrating, or increasingly difficult to manage. The problem may not be your ability to handle responsibility. It may be that too many people and obligations have unrestricted access to your time, energy, attention, money, and emotional capacity. In this episode, Coach Del explores five areas where missing, unclear, or inconsistently enforced boundaries may be contributing to problems in your life: Time and availability Emotional responsibility Relationships and communication Work and obligations Money and material support In This Episode Why being dependable is not the same as being perpetually available The difference between caring about someone's feelings and becoming responsible for them Why a boundary must focus on what you will do—not controlling someone else How competence can quietly create unreasonable expectations at work Why generosity stops being freely chosen when guilt makes the decision How resentment, dread, and depletion can reveal a missing boundary The four steps to establishing a healthier boundary: Notice it, name it, communicate it, and hold it Why another person's disappointment does not automatically mean your boundary is wrong A Reminder From This Episode The right boundaries do not stop you from being generous, compassionate, loving, or dependable. They allow those qualities to remain freely chosen instead of continually required. Take the Free Assessment If you know you're stuck but aren't sure why, take the free What's REALLY Holding You Back? assessment. Discover what's getting between you and where you want to be: https://tally.so/r/J94V1X Kitchen Table Conversation LIVE Join Coach Del for the next Bounce Back, Black Woman! Kitchen Table Conversation LIVE on Monday, September 21, 2026, from 8:00–9:00 PM ET. This free virtual gathering will create space for honest conversation, reflection, laughter, and connection. Registration is required, and attendance is limited to 25 women. Register here: https://o8dbkm.subscribepage.io Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Ep. 134: Are You Thinking It Through—or Just Going in Circles? Some decisions deserve time, prayer, research, and careful consideration. But there comes a point when thinking something through stops producing new information—and simply returns you to the same fears, questions, and possibilities. In this episode, Coach Del explores the difference between thoughtful consideration and circular thinking. She explains why going in circles can feel productive, what it may be protecting you from, and why some clarity only becomes available after you take action. You’ll learn: How to recognize when productive thinking has become circling • Why repeatedly asking for advice may leave you with less clarity • How waiting for certainty can quietly keep you stuck • Why intentional movement is different from impulsive action • How a manageable step can give you information that thinking cannot • Four questions to help you determine your next step You don’t have to make one enormous, irreversible decision. Sometimes you simply need to take one intentional step, pay attention to what it reveals, and use that information to decide what comes next. Take the Free Assessment If you know you’re stuck but aren’t sure why, take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment. Discover what may be getting between you and where you want to be: https://tally.so/r/J94V1X Join the Kitchen Table Conversation Join Coach Del for the next Bounce Back, Black Woman! Kitchen Table Conversation LIVE on Monday, September 21, 2026, from 8:00–9:00 PM ET. This free virtual gathering will create space for honest conversation, reflection, laughter, and connection. Registration is required, and attendance is limited to 25 women. Register here (or on my website): https://o8dbkm.subscribepage.io Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith

Episode 133: Coffee, Chemistry, and All the Things We Overthink Dating has a way of turning one cup of coffee into a twelve-part strategic forecast. What should you wear? Will the conversation flow? Will there be chemistry? What if you like him and he doesn’t like you—or he likes you and you don’t like him? In this episode of Bounce Back, Black Woman!, Del shares the funny story behind an upcoming coffee date that began only after she paid for Bumble—and promptly matched with someone on the free version of Hinge. But the bigger story isn’t the date itself. It’s the growth Del recognized when she realized she wasn’t anxious, future-casting, or trying to decide how she should present herself. She was simply looking forward to meeting another person and seeing whether their easy phone chemistry translated in person. This episode offers a grounded way to approach dating: stay open without getting ahead of yourself, remain discerning without allowing fear to take over, and remember that you are not auditioning for someone else’s approval. In This Episode Why a first date is not an audition The questions to ask yourself instead of only wondering whether the other person likes you Why chemistry can invite another conversation but cannot prove compatibility How we make potential carry the weight of a promise The difference between discernment and fear Why one interaction should be allowed to remain one interaction How to protect yourself without closing yourself off Why rejection or a lack of mutual chemistry is information—not a verdict on your worth How friends can support women who are navigating modern dating Questions to Carry Into Your Next Date Do I feel comfortable? Do I feel heard? Can I relax and be myself? Does this person seem genuinely curious about me? Do their words and behavior align? Do I enjoy the person I am when I’m interacting with them? A Reminder From This Episode The goal of a first date is not to determine whether someone is your person. It is simply to discover whether you would enjoy having a second conversation. You can be hopeful without getting ahead of yourself. You can enjoy someone’s attention without depending on it. You can allow experience to make you wiser without allowing it to make you harder. For Friends Supporting Someone Who Is Dating Practical safety conversations are loving and necessary. But support does not have to turn one date into either a threat assessment or a bridal consultation. Let your friend enjoy the possibility without inflating it or puncturing it. Sometimes the most supportive response is simply: “That sounds promising. Have fun. Be yourself. Pay attention to how you feel, and tell me about it afterward.” Kitchen Table Conversation LIVE Join us on September 21st for the first Bounce Back, Black Woman! Kitchen Table Conversation LIVE. This live virtual gathering will create space for honest conversation about dating, relationships, standards, hope, disappointment, loneliness, companionship, and connection—with plenty of reflection and laughter too. Register to join us  at the Kitchen Table Conversation here! I’d love to have you at the table. What’s REALLY holding you back? If you’re ready to uncover what may be standing between you and where you want to be—and identify your next intentional step—take the free What’s REALLY Holding You Back? assessment. Take the FREE assessment here! Stay Connected with Coach Del 🌐 Website: CoachDel.com 🎙️ Podcast: BounceBackBlackWoman.com Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms 📱 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @BounceBackBlackWoman 💼 Follow on LinkedIn: @delphinesmith