When You're All You've Got | Feeling Unsuppoted As A Black Woman

What does receiving support as a Black woman look like when
there’s no one to call, no one to reach for, and no one checking
in on you?


In this episode, we’re getting real about what it means to be
your own support system when you’re literally all you’ve got. Not
because you’re too proud to ask. Not because people keep letting
you down. But because the support just isn’t there.


I share my personal story of navigating lonely seasons, the grief
that comes from having no one to lean on, and how I  learned
to show up for myself in the meantime. But I also speak to the
ache — the soul-deep longing to be supported for real.


This episode is not about pretending it’s okay. It’s about naming
what’s hard, holding space for it, and finding tenderness even in
the absence.


What You’ll Hear in This Episode:




The grief of not having anyone to reach for




The difference between being strong and being supported




What receiving support as a Black woman looks like without a
support system




The small but powerful ways grace held her through it




How to start with what’s real, even when it’s not
enough 


Resources to Support You:


Schedule a 1:1 Support Session


Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language—Now
What?”


Take the Support Language Quiz. and learn
how you actually receive support best.


Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words,
real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week



Let’s Stay Connected:


Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your
favorite platform

 Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being
the strong one

 Leave a review if the episode spoke to your spirit — it
helps more Black women find this space


Join Shades of Strong on Substack  for
deeper convos that don’t always make it to the mic

Follow Shades of Strong on Instagram for
daily reflections on what it means to be suppoted


Be a Guest on the Show


www.shadesofstrong.com





Related Episodes


Learning to Hold Yourself When No One Else Does

When Everything Feels Heavy



Shirl is the creator of Support Languages and host of Shades
of Strong — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong
Black Woman to Supported Black Woman through language, rest,
and real support.