Finding Strength: Simone Muschett on Self-Care, Writing, and Empowering Future Generations

Hey everyone, welcome back to "The Beauty in You!" In this episode, we're excited to have an inspiring chat with the wonderful Simone Muschett. Hosts Chi Quita Mack and Jacqueline G. dive deep with Simone, who shares her courageous story of overcoming a traumatic childhood experience and how it shaped her into the empowering figure she is today.

Simone runs a super-structured sleepaway camp in the Poconos, dedicated to teaching kids self-control and giving them a voice. She’s also an author of two amazing books, an advocate for mental health, and the founder of Resilient Young Minds. Throughout our conversation, we touch on the importance of taking care of your mental health, embracing self-love, and the power of storytelling.

We also get real about body image issues, support systems, and discovering who you really are beyond your job or role in life. Plus, Simone shares stories from her journey as a social worker and how she’s tackling the emotional toll it takes. It’s a heartfelt and empowering episode you won’t want to miss. So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and join us for some honest and uplifting talk on "The Beauty in You." Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify!

To connect with Simone Muschett: https://linktr.ee/simoneemuschett

To work with Chi Quita Mack: Take Back Your Life 1-on-1 Coaching — Life Coach - The ChiQuita Mack
To Purchase The Beauty in You Workbook:
https://www.thechiquitamack.com/shop-tcm/p/the-beauty-in-you-a-guide-created-to-help-you-discover-the-best-version-of-you
Chi Quita Mack's Website: https://www.thechiquitamack.com
Chi Quita Mack Shop/ Merchandise: https://www.thechiquitamack.com/shop-tcm
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechiquitamack

Chapters

• 5:58 Modeling as hobby, finding confidence and identity
• 10:57 Self-advocacy is crucial for entrepreneurial success
• 17:28 Strictly teaching kids self-control and discipline
• 25:16 Being a single adult involves self-reliance
• 33:16 Resource for self-help, training for adults
• 44:53 Seeking vendors for suicide walk festival. Register now

Transcript

Jacqueline G. [00:00:01]:
Welcome to the Beauty in you podcast, a safe place created for all women to come relax, get inspired, and be constantly reminded that they have not lost the ability to be who they once were. Join us as we dive into the true meaning of rediscovery through inspiring guests and topics such as healing, self love, and creating a positive mindset. So sit back, relax, and get comfortable as we dive into this week's episode. Here's your host, Chiquita Mack.

Chi Quita Mack [00:00:30]:
Hey, y'all. Welcome back to another episode episode of the Beauty in you podcast. I am so excited for our next guest. You are definitely going to be blown away as she's doing everything. Everything. Our guest has overcome the challenges of growing up as a young woman of color. While pursuing her academic and career aspirations throughout high school and beyond, she encountered significant obstacles that required exceptional maturity. A turning point in her life occurred when she overheard faculty members at her high school through dismissing at risk students as bad for our statistics.

Chi Quita Mack [00:01:07]:
This experience ignited her passion for dedicating her life to supporting and empowering at risk youth. She is now the founder of Resilient Young Minds, an accomplished author, social worker, and podcast host. Welcome to the Beauty in you podcast, Simone. Musha. How are you, mama?

Simone Muschett [00:01:29]:
I am well. Thank you for having me. That was a really dope introduction, you dope.

Chi Quita Mack [00:01:35]:
I mean, you're doing it. You're doing so much, and you're such an inspiration. There's so much I want to cover today, and I know your story is going to empower and inspire so many, but I want you to take the lead on that. I want you to just start me out a little bit with your rediscovery journey.

Simone Muschett [00:01:54]:
My rediscovery journey, I think I would say, for me, began in 2022. Really? I say that because I was. I'm working as a school social worker. That was my dream job. That's what I was going to school for. And I landed it at a really young age, and I thought that this is where I was going to stop. But God had something else planned for me, and I felt like, well, what I realize now is that he had to bridge the gap between where I thought was my end goal and the end goal that he actually has planned for me. And so with that being said, he started shaking it up, shaking up the environment that I was in, and it began to feel, in my opinion, toxic.

Simone Muschett [00:02:50]:
And I just felt very overwhelmed and stressed. I was working all the time, just pouring into this school that I believed in because I do it for the kids. That's what filled me but at the same time, my health was at risk. My mental health and my physical health started to decline. I started to learn that I was getting fibroids because first I lost a lot of weight really quickly, okay. And because of that rapid weight loss, I started going to the doctors and starting to get checked out. Cause then I started becoming worried about myself. So as I started finding out, you know, I had fibroids, I had, like, gum disease.

Simone Muschett [00:03:30]:
Like, all of these just random issues just started popping up. So I had a real reality check about taking care of myself. But what really hit me in the face was, in may 2022, my doctor was like, you, or I'm gonna put you on a mental health leave. Like, you're way too burnt out. You're exhausted. And this is just what I'm gonna tell you you're gonna do. And at the time, I was like, I'm not sure if I should. And then someone at my job, like, advised me, like, do what the doctor tells you.

Simone Muschett [00:04:03]:
Just do what the doctor tells you. And I'm glad that I did what the doctor told me, because during those, that two weeks, I had an opportunity to really reflect and work on resilient young minds, which was my nonprofit that I had for now, seven years at the time, going on five. And I kind of wanted to quit because I felt like, this is something extra. I gotta spend money in it. It's a burden. Volunteers. All this work is too much. And battling my full time job.

Simone Muschett [00:04:38]:
And so what ended up happening? I did a camp, like, at the tail end of my two weeks that had already been planned, and it ended up being a transformational experience for me. All the participants in it, we had a transformational experience, but I felt blessed that I wanted to quit. And yet they poured into me, and that it made me realize, like, oh, this is my ministry. And that's why I'm no longer, like, I'm not comfortable where I am, because that's not where I was supposed to end up. And now I need to move forward, so. But in the midst of it, in the background, that's, like, all the professional resilience discovery. But internally, I was struggling because now my body had changed, and people were making many comments about it. So I started going through a phase where I didn't really like how I looked, and I wanted to get my mind out of that.

Simone Muschett [00:05:37]:
So I decided to do a photo shoot. My birthday was coming up. I was like, let me take some nice pictures so I could kind of get love the new body that I have. And I did. And my dad was like, this is really nice. Like you. You're very photogenic. You should, you know, send it to a modeling agency.

Simone Muschett [00:05:58]:
And so I did, and I started picking up modeling. I should say I picked up modeling as, like, my little hobby, self care hobby. But even in that, I recognize that the gift that I have to help people navigate their life and figure out the things that traumatized them or impacted them the most and how to move forward, I could do that anywhere in any setting, which now starts to fuel that fire, build my confidence, and, you know, you are dope no matter where you go, because you are you. This job, this specific environment doesn't define you. And I think that's what it was. My identity had been lost in my job. I think I've been told someone the other day, like, I felt like I was idolizing my job because I was a recovery. I'm a recovering people pleaser, I like to tell folks, but I was always getting the best positive feedback from my job or from school.

Simone Muschett [00:07:04]:
I didn't really get that type of support outside. So I always looked to my job in my school for success and to feel good and to feel successful. When that started to change or to stop, it almost felt like, oh, my goodness, I didn't have anything to hold on to anymore. Who am I? If my job isn't working out for me, then, like, what else is going to? And that's where, like, I began trying to figure out, okay, what is that next step? My ministry needs to be the forefront. That's what I need to focus on. This job is just to survive and fund my business. Let me focus on that and changing lives. And I can say that it's been helping.

Simone Muschett [00:07:50]:
I definitely feel the elevation and the change in the growth within myself. And it's about seeking that change, because as I tell the story, I'm like, wow, that was really resilient of you. Like, why did you do that so quickly? But it's like there's something in me that even when I'm down on myself, I could be in a dumped, a down place. But I'm always thinking about, how can I get out of that place? Even if I don't have the strength today to do it or tomorrow, I know that I'm gonna do it. So that's kind of my thing. Like that hope. There's always hope. And I've been through so many other things that now I'm kind of like, getting used to it.

Simone Muschett [00:08:33]:
Maybe it's starting to get into that peace state but now I'm just kind of used to rumblings. Cause rumblings are gonna happen. And after every rumbling, there's a blessing that I couldn't even imagine on the other side.

Chi Quita Mack [00:08:51]:
Yes. There's so many different parts of that. First, I want to congratulate you for taking care of your mental health. I don't think people realize, like, you know, as social workers, we have such big hearts, and we just want to give, give, give. And it's so heavy. It's so heavy. And just dealing with the babies anyways, it's just so much that comes with that. I remember what.

Chi Quita Mack [00:09:17]:
My internship, my second. My first internship I did was with the babies. It was with the foster babies, and I couldn't do. I mean, I finished that internship, and I was like, I do not want to be that type of social worker. I can't do it because I literally would come home and be to my husband. I'm like, so could we, like, adopt? Like, all. It's like my whole caseload, and he's like, no, what are you talking about? And it just broke my heart. And, like, sitting in court with them and, like, they're so excited, and they're like, I know my mom is doing the right thing.

Chi Quita Mack [00:09:55]:
I know she's gonna take me home, and then she says something that's she not gonna take them home. And I'm like, she knows how to play the system. She wasn't putting it on all of that. Yeah, all of that was so heavy on my mental that I'm like, this is not the type of social worker I wanna be because I can't save everybody. But it's so important that we, as. As social workers, as humans, period, as women, take care of our mental health. And I'm happy that you decided to listen to your doctor and, you know, take that time because you need it. You need it no matter what aspect you're in in your life.

Chi Quita Mack [00:10:28]:
We need some mental relief. I don't know why we feel like as women, especially black women, we have to carry every freaking thing on our shoulders and then not even talk about it. We just gonna do and get through. And it's like, nah, that's not how this works. So we have to do that. Another thing is when you talk about validation in your job and then validation outside, right? So, yes, I can see the validation in your job. I'm doing a good job, but when I'm outside, I don't get as many compliments. Let me tell you something.

Chi Quita Mack [00:10:57]:
You have got to be your biggest cheerleader with everything you do outside of your nine to five, right? If you're an entrepreneur and you out here hustling, trying to make it, make it, make it, you have got to be your number one supporter, because no one really understands what you're trying to do. That's a fact nobody understands. They're like, hi, Lib is going. It's going quite well. Look me up. Google me, right? And I leave it at that. That's where I'm at now. I can't because I know what I'm doing and I know how much I'm impacting.

Chi Quita Mack [00:11:24]:
Because you don't understand or because your dream didn't get off the ground. I don't have time for you to take me there because I'm at this place now. In beginning, I'm like, oh, my God, like, people are so mean, or they don't even understand. Like, I'm working so hard to build this. Why don't they support me? Like, I thought, I thought I would have this group right here supporting me, and they don't even support me. Then I realized, like, they're not meant to. Y'all gotta go. I'm on this leg.

Chi Quita Mack [00:11:47]:
I would love for y'all to come with me. It would be great. But you guys aren't meant to go on the next stage of my life, the next part of my journey. So whenever we doing something different that people don't understand, especially in our previous environments, it's hard. It's very hard. So I want to commend you on taking care of your mental health, not giving up on your nonprofit. You're impacting so many people and just continuing to take it day by day seriously. It's so I want you to understand.

Chi Quita Mack [00:12:20]:
Like, wow. Like, you're saying 22. That was, what, two years ago? Like, that's you. You're doing a lot within those two years. Last thing I'll talk about, and then I'm going to ask you another question. Is body, right? Let's talk about body image. And I actually had one of my episodes earlier today. We talked about the importance of positive body image, that when your body changes, like, I don't think people really understand.

Chi Quita Mack [00:12:45]:
Everybody wants to talk about either you gain weight or you lost weight, and they got a problem with either one. So you gain a whole bunch of weight. We got a problem with, girl, why are you getting so big? And then you lose weight. Like, girl, why? You look so skinny. You look. And so I had to deal with that because as an athlete, I ran in college. I was always slender. That's different.

Chi Quita Mack [00:13:06]:
That's athletic slender. But when I started going through my depression stage, in my anxiety stage, I was sick. Skinny. Like, girl, what's wrong? I'm stressed. I think this is depression. I already know I'm in denial right now, right? I'm going through all these emotions, stages of grief, everything. But I'm like, sick. I look sick.

Chi Quita Mack [00:13:25]:
I may be small, but, y'all, I'm sick mentally. I'm trying to tell you guys, like, but I'm the strong one, and no one really understands. Just like, girl, you getting real, real skinny. So the girl is healthy. I like how I look. Okay. This is awesome. I feel so good.

Chi Quita Mack [00:13:39]:
And I say, my new body, because this is the most I've ever weighed my whole life. But it's healthy.

Simone Muschett [00:13:44]:
Yeah.

Chi Quita Mack [00:13:45]:
And then they're like, girl, you getting thick. Thick. And I'm like, no, I'm healthy. I'm healthy.

Simone Muschett [00:13:51]:
Mm hmm.

Chi Quita Mack [00:13:52]:
And I don't expect you to understand, but I just wish people would really, like, take the time to think before they speak, especially when commenting on someone's health, because you just don't know. Yeah, you don't know. Drives me crazy. Get off my little horse.

Simone Muschett [00:14:10]:
No, but you hit the nail on the head. That's exactly my experience. When I was in my thick phase, that's what it was. Oh, you're getting thick. You're juicy. Then when Covid happened, it's like, oh, you're getting a little bit out of control with your weight. Now, me personally, I've never been one to focus on my body image, per se, but when I lost the weight so drastically and I wasn't eating just because I didn't have an appetite, that's when it started to get scary. Then I started blacking out on the train.

Simone Muschett [00:14:45]:
Like, there's so much more. When you talk about going through a depression and no one sees you because they see you as a strong one, and you always. You always have the answer. Are you okay? To, oh, you're not okay. Oh, you'll be fine. You figure it out. You always do.

Chi Quita Mack [00:14:59]:
Yes.

Simone Muschett [00:15:00]:
And that eats away at you even more because it spins the narrative in your mind that you don't matter, that your health doesn't matter. Like, your feelings doesn't matter, because if I just told you I'm not okay and you brushed it off, then what other message am I supposed to receive from that? And when you're in an environment where you are, I don't want to say above, but you are doing things at a different level than everyone else. They can't see it. They don't see it. They just see that you are privileged and you got everything together. You don't even have any reason to complain. So that's what added to it. And just having coworkers that I think I'm used to.

Simone Muschett [00:15:46]:
My mom is jamaican, so I'm used to, you know, family making comments and things like that. That's one thing. But when co workers that you don't even talk to feel comfortable to walk up to you and say, you need to eat, or, like, why are you so skinny? Like, it's just. It's crazy. And I could probably count maybe one or two people that actually was just like, hey, are you okay? Yeah, I'm worried about you.

Chi Quita Mack [00:16:13]:
Yeah. It's just unbelievable, y'all listening. Like, be careful with your words. Like, seriously, just be careful with your words. And check on your strong ones or your happy ones, like, the ones that you feel you always go to for everything. Like, check on them every once in a while, because they need support, too. And that would be like, we the strong ones. We the strong ones, right? Like, check on us.

Chi Quita Mack [00:16:41]:
We need help too, sometimes. Like, it's just fair. It's just fair. How would you say that your past experiences have helped you shape the lives of others?

Simone Muschett [00:16:57]:
How has my past experiences? I wouldn't know if it's more of the experience or if it's just testifying. I find that just talking to young people about what I've been through in the context of what they're going through is helpful when I set boundaries or set certain expectations in my camp. Because I run a sleepaway camp and I take the kids to the Poconos, which is a very big responsibility.

Chi Quita Mack [00:17:27]:
Yes, it is.

Simone Muschett [00:17:28]:
To have kids overnight for several days without their parents in the woods. So I'm very strict and more so a little bit on the militant side when it comes to structure, because it's important for me to teach them how to self control, like, how to manage themselves and self regulate. That's really what I want to say, because I noticed that young people struggle with that nowadays. And so in me doing that, I tell them, why. Like, what consequences? Or I say, you know what? This happened to me, and this is why I do this process this way, and I don't want that to happen to you. So we're doing it this way. And usually the story gets them, and they'll ask more question, or they'll. They'll tell me a story about them or a family member that went through something like that or what they have in common.

Simone Muschett [00:18:26]:
And it just creates relationship building. So sharing. And I think adults don't want to do that with kids or they are afraid to do that with kids. And for the life of me, maybe because I'm not physically a mother, but for the life of me, I don't get it. I've had moments where I could be at work and I'm upset and a student will notice and ask me, and I would be honest, like, oh, I'm hungry. Or I had to do all this stuff today and I didn't get to eat. And I remember in the afternoon, the same kid I said that to, he came up with his tray and he said, miss Michad, I got you lunch. So he got the extra tray from the cafeteria and brought it up to me.

Simone Muschett [00:19:08]:
It was just like, I got you lunch. And it's moment. It's things like that that I feel like God is using them to remind me, like, you are doing a good job. You do have an impact. You are loved, and this is what you're here for. You're here to impact those people. Not your boss, not anyone above you or outside. Like, I put you here to be a light to fill a gap of young.

Simone Muschett [00:19:32]:
From young people who have felt like they didn't get attention from their parents. Because that's where my trauma stems from surviving a sexual assault at the age of six. It comes with the trauma is not even in the assault so much, but in the fact for me that my parents never noticed. And then when it did come out, it was invalidated or minimized. So that's my biggest thing when I work with young people, is giving them a voice because I felt like my voice was taken. And now if I give them back their voice, they can have power and feel like they have more authority over their life and the things that they want to do.

Chi Quita Mack [00:20:15]:
Yes, I'm sorry to hear that.

Simone Muschett [00:20:18]:
But okay. I talk about it all the time.

Chi Quita Mack [00:20:21]:
Wow. But I understand the power and giving the babies their voice. As a mother, I think it's so important that they're very. My kids are very open. Sometimes too open. I'd be like, when my son be telling me stuff, I'm like, do I.

Simone Muschett [00:20:35]:
Want to hear this?

Chi Quita Mack [00:20:36]:
I don't, but I do type of thing. But I think it's important for them to know that they can communicate with mom and dad. And however they're feeling, we're all, I'm like, how you feel? What do you think about that? What's your opinion? You know, what do you think about this? I have this decision to make. Should I go? How's it going? I think it's very important to give them their voice, because in my childhood, I didn't have a voice either, and it was more so of just do what I say, don't ask any questions. You're a child. Stay in your place type of thing. And don't question, because I know best when really, like, when I did the work and I started reflecting on my childhood, it was like I was just trying to survive. That shit was not ideal anybody.

Chi Quita Mack [00:21:21]:
And so I talk a lot about breaking generational curses. Like, that's not our household. Like, we are not set up that way. We will not be set up that way. I do communicate with my kids. Why are you mad? Because this. This and this happened, or we're not doing this, or this is why. Like, I'm very open because I want them to know what is going on.

Chi Quita Mack [00:21:38]:
We not had nothing in this house like, this. Not. That's not how we operate. So I just think it's very important to give them that space where they feel comfortable and not give them the idea that you're perfect. Like, yeah, my baby needs, no, mommy is not perfect. Like, y'all know my life all the time, and if I mess up, I'm like, oh, my God, I am so sorry. I am so last minute. Like, lord, where? Oh, my God.

Chi Quita Mack [00:22:07]:
Tell them to send it to me. You know, y'all know my life. Let me go. You know, like, they know. And it's not like, that doesn't mean I'm not a good mom, right? I'm just letting y'all know. Y'all know I'll be all over the place sometimes. And I think it's important to know that, because I definitely didn't have that growing up. It was just such a time where I couldn't wait to be a grown up, like, because I wanted to get away, like, until I'm 18.

Chi Quita Mack [00:22:31]:
Because when I'm 18, I ain't never coming back. I ain't never coming back. I don't want to talk to y'all. I don't want to see. And, like, matter of fact, like, my senior year, I actually did live with my grandma. Senior year, I live with grandma, and then I went to college, so, I mean, I was ready. Like, grandma was the best time ever. That was, like, the best year because I was ready to get out, just because I just.

Chi Quita Mack [00:22:53]:
I didn't like that environment and, you know, not having a voice and because I didn't have a voice at a young age. I found it a little bit difficult to find my voice as an adult. Yes. Took a minute. Took a minute.

Simone Muschett [00:23:06]:
Yeah, that part. Because when I lead singles, what I've been, I guess, preaching or sharing with them is the fact that singleness and adulthood is your time to test and approve what your parents taught you. Because our parents aren't perfect. So there are things that they taught us or instilled in us that may not have always been healthiest, may not have been the best, but they gave us what they had. And so now when you're embarking on adulthood, you have to now determine if you're going to go with what your parents taught you or what you feel in your heart that you want to do in addition to what you see and what you're being now exposed to and work those things out to figure out who you are. But I find that society doesn't give you that. And if you come from a household where you didn't have that opportunity to explore who you are and what you want to be and what you identify with the most, then when you get into adulthood, that's the time to do it. But then we hear adulthood and marriage is something that's now illuminating.

Simone Muschett [00:24:11]:
Like, now I need a rush to get to this next point, and I'm not spending the time to learn myself, love myself, because then I started loving myself once I started learning about who I I am. And it took me having a moment where, like, passing out on MTA. If you from New York City, anyone would know taking the train every day. You do not want to hear sick. This train has been delayed because of a sick passenger.

Chi Quita Mack [00:24:39]:
Oh, my God.

Simone Muschett [00:24:40]:
I was like, I do not want to be the sick passenger today on this train. And I think one time I fell. Oh, that was the most recent. And I was like, I fell down the train stairs because my thoughts were so cloudy and I was just in a fog. I was in a fog and I didn't even realize, and I just fell down the steps. I didn't even understand how I got there. And after that, like, this guy came, was like, oh, my God, pick me up. Like, are you okay? All the people were so nice, but then I just, like, brushed it off, like, yeah, I'm fine, and just kept walking.

Simone Muschett [00:25:16]:
And it dawned on me, like, after, like, symone, like, you could have died. Like, you could have busted your head open on that pole and, you know, nothing would have happened. And that's when it hit me, like, as a single adult. A single, full adult, meaning live alone, pay on bills, go to work. And I say that because there are a lot of adults that still live with their parents and stuff like that, and that alleviates some adulting responsibility. But when you have to be a full adulting adult and you are not married or anything like that, the only person that's responsible for taking care of you is you. And now it's like, now I'm learning how to constantly put me as a priority. Like, I'm sure you have your kids and your family and, you know, like, even if I don't feel like getting up today, I'm gonna get up at least for them and make sure they have all the things that they need.

Simone Muschett [00:26:11]:
I have to have that mindset for myself. Like, I don't feel like getting that today. But, girl, you need to eat. Let's get you up. You need to, you know, and in a way, that's a real good thing because that's, to me, is a different level of independence. Because it's not saying that I'm not welcoming other people into my life to help me or whatever, but it's saying that I'm okay with helping myself, and I'm okay, and I'm grateful that God bless me with the ability to do so.

Chi Quita Mack [00:26:44]:
It's tough. It's tough. I think, you know, whether you're single or you have a. Or you have a family, it's tough because the side to that is, like, having to do it for them say, like, you know, you got to do it for your kids. But the part that I am in my rediscovery journey is that I have to do it for me, which the product of that is doing it for them, if that makes any sense. Like, I have to, because there was one point in my journey that, because I did everything for them, I didn't know who I was. Like, I didn't know who Chiquita was. And when I started therapy, my therapist, that was, like, her main question.

Chi Quita Mack [00:27:36]:
She would ask me, like, who is Chiquita? And I would be mad. I'm like, man, you asked me this every week. I come in here. Like, I keep answering you, and she's like, but you're not. And she really pushed me. Like, and it pissed me off, but I was thankful for it because I knew why she was doing it, but I didn't know who. I couldn't tell you what I like to do, what I like to watch, what I like to eat, nothing. It was just like, well, the kids got, and the kids did.

Chi Quita Mack [00:28:02]:
And the kids. I'm not asking you about that. You know, who is Chiquita. What is the impact that Chiquita wants to have on the world? Not your kids, not your husband, none of that. What do you want? And I'm like, oh, my. Ask me again. But it was telling me, it's like, girl, you're being so. Like, you're blocking.

Chi Quita Mack [00:28:19]:
Like, you're not trying to share nothing. You and this lady cheer every week, and you ain't opened up not one. Like, if you don't start having your breakthrough. And it just made me realize the work that I had to do. So, yeah, I do it, but I'm doing it for me because I have to do it for me so that I can do it for them. And we good. And I've learned to communicate when I don't feel like doing it, period. Like, there would be times where let me go and get up for them.

Chi Quita Mack [00:28:50]:
It's like, I don't feel like it today. I don't feel like it today. I don't know what to tell you. I'm tired. Like, I literally, I can't do it today. I can't. And that's okay. But I had to learn that was okay.

Chi Quita Mack [00:29:01]:
Yeah, I had to learn that it's okay to be like, yo, I really can do it today. It's just not gonna happen. Like, I don't know what. We gotta move around. But mommy's not. Mommy's not doing it. I gotta chill. I gotta get my life together.

Chi Quita Mack [00:29:14]:
I have to get my thoughts together before we can, you know, jump back on a horse and keep it going. So it's so much that goes into your rediscovery journey. Married, single, boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever it is, it's so much that goes into the work when you're learning about yourself, because it's so damn scary when you start digging into yourself.

Simone Muschett [00:29:35]:
Yes.

Chi Quita Mack [00:29:35]:
Like, when you start, like, I'm about to really? All that stuff that I done pushed all the way down from childhood, oh, my lord, I'm about to open it back up. Do I really want to do that? Yeah, I do. I kind of have to. Right. But that. It's hard. Yeah, it's so hard. But I find beauty in it now, and I find beauty in our stories.

Chi Quita Mack [00:29:57]:
And I just feel like, you know, now at this point, it's time to continue to share my story, to help other people and to allow them to have a platform where they can, you know, inspire and share their stories, too. For sure.

Simone Muschett [00:30:11]:
And congratulations to you, because that was something I used to always tell moms that you have to feed yourself before you feed the baby. If you pass out and die, who gonna take care of your baby? You gotta take care of you. So shout out to you for navigating that and getting to that place where you feel comfortable and confident sustaining your truth and be comfortable being human.

Chi Quita Mack [00:30:33]:
Thank you. Yes. Cause we are not robots. Oh, my lord. Know why? But I think we robots, we human. Everybody got feelings. Everybody has feelings. And everybody's going through something in some way, shape, or form.

Chi Quita Mack [00:30:44]:
And I just really want to get that message out. Like, we're all going through something, no matter how much we smile, like, we're all going through something for sure. So can you tell me your inspiration behind becoming an author?

Simone Muschett [00:31:04]:
My inspiration? You know, people ask me that all the time. It's so funny. I don't feel like it's inspiration, but I can tell you why I became an author, which is, I just love to write. I've been a writer since I was a child in the sense of I love to write essays. That was my thing in school. English was my subject. I actually started writing a book when I was in high school, and my friends would, like, read each chapter. We had a little club where we would, like, write our own little books.

Simone Muschett [00:31:37]:
And we used to say, like, we're gonna publish our books one day. And I don't remember if anyone in the group got to do it. But then when I became a teacher, I was like, this is my moment. I'm gonna do a journal. Everyone talks about teaching. I don't know what it's gonna be like, but I'm gonna journal my first year. And that was in 2013. That was my first year as a teacher.

Simone Muschett [00:32:04]:
And so I journaled it, and then Covid happened, and I didn't do anything with it, and Covid happened, and I was bored. And I was like, you know what? This book that I wrote, this diary, let me open it, and the journal was still there, and I just started typing. And that was the first book that I published. And once I went through it, went through the process once. Now I'm either got something started cultivating a resilient mind came out after, because then I wanted to put all of my thought process devotional and steps that I took to help one myself be resilient. But what I use in my program to help other people so that you could just. It's like a guide, like a workshop type of book so that you can do the activities. Now you're not getting it from me.

Simone Muschett [00:33:01]:
You're facilitating it to you and holding you accountable to the. But at least it's a resource for someone that maybe you know, that want to try but are not confident yet to go and put themselves out there and go to therapy or go to a retreat, but want to try on their own. That was the goal of it, and people have been using it in that way, so I'm thankful for that. And then that pushed me into opening an online course so I can train, like, right now. I have a heart to train adults that have children, parents, and adults that work with young people to bridge this communication gap, that when it comes to just social and emotional competence, that children have feelings, too, that children see things, they're aware, they're in tune, they think, they process, and the only way to know, like, what's going on with your kid is to talk to them.

Chi Quita Mack [00:34:05]:
Yeah.

Simone Muschett [00:34:06]:
Because it always baffles me how I know more about other people's children than they do, but it doesn't because it was the same with my mom. So I'm not mad at them or judging them at all, but I do want to help them. Those that are open, because there are more parents that are open, but a lot of people don't know how to code, switch, or meet people where they're at. Or a lot of time in our community when we speak passionately is taken as aggression instead, and people miss moments to help, and instead, you know, judge and make families feel uncomfortable. But, yeah, I think I answered. You asked me why I wanted to be an author.

Chi Quita Mack [00:34:50]:
Yeah, you answered it. You did good, girl.

Simone Muschett [00:34:53]:
I'm trying to keep myself focused.

Chi Quita Mack [00:34:58]:
You did really good. And I am just. Well, if no one else did it in the group, at least you can say you did it. Like, just making that childhood dream come true of, like, we're gonna publish our books, and it's. It's so satisfying and scary, but satisfying at the same time.

Simone Muschett [00:35:16]:
Yeah, it was. It was. But that's what I secretly, though, that's what I wanted to be when I grew up a writer. But that was a career that, you know, my mom was like, that's not gonna make you no money. You know, I always wanted to be things that people stated you couldn't make money from it. So now I'm on a writing sheet. I'm working on my third book that'll be coming out later this year. So it's just like, I'm gonna keep writing, doing articles, and I'm enjoying the love of writing and taking it a little more seriously now, believe it or not, so it's just something I enjoy doing.

Simone Muschett [00:35:51]:
It's a hobby.

Chi Quita Mack [00:35:52]:
Yes, but prove them wrong. Hashtag prove them wrong. Prove them wrong and do it anyway. Do it anyway. We know better than anybody else, and sometimes we don't. Like, we just keep pushing ourselves to the limit. So I say, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep pushing. And you're in New York, man.

Chi Quita Mack [00:36:11]:
Like, you just don't know. Like, there's so many opportunities. So keep going, keep pushing, keep inspiring. It just makes me so, like, excited for you. So excited for you. Seriously. So, yes, third book coming out. Keep me posted on that, please, please, please.

Chi Quita Mack [00:36:30]:
I would love to do a review for it, so just keep me posted. Now, let's get into this podcast you got going on. What's the story behind that?

Simone Muschett [00:36:38]:
That's my baby now. My new baby. You know, it's so funny how I said earlier, you know, God put you in places for a reason. In the same work environment that I found to be toxic also was the place that I was able to sharpen my tools. So I got into videoing and editing and kind of like tv producing fake life for the children during COVID to kind of make school engaging and give them something fun. So I would meet with them. You know, they would do little things like, oh, teach me how to play Fortnite. And, you know, so it was kind of a little Keith podcast for the school.

Simone Muschett [00:37:21]:
And that really kind of showed me that that was something that I enjoyed doing. And so I was invited on a podcast to speak. One of my friends invited me, and it was so. Such a simple experience that I was like, oh, I could do this. And so my podcast, the point of it, what I wanted to do was, during COVID we had a series of virtual events with the shutdown because we did have a cohort, and I didn't want to make them feel stranded in the middle, especially when something so traumatic was taking place. So what we did, we had, like, lives every month on a different trauma that we experience, but don't really talk about a trauma, like, talk about it. So we talked about suicide. We talked about women's health, men's health, finance, finances, and so on and so forth.

Simone Muschett [00:38:20]:
So, from that experience, that's where I was getting encouragement. You should do a podcast. You should do a podcast. You should do a podcast. And I was like, well, no, no. So I went on one, and I experienced it. I'm like, okay, this is not that bad, because I don't want to do something that felt like work. If I was going to do it, I want it to be nice, I want it to be quality, and I want to do it out of love and joy.

Simone Muschett [00:38:43]:
And so my last camp, that resilience camp that I had in 2022, really inspired me to discern what that podcast would look like. And so 2020, I launched the podcast, and it was called our stories, because the women, the people that come to my camps, my adult camps, are amazing. Like, I don't know them when they sign up and they come. And the way that we build it up, there's a lot of relationship building and stuff first, and they do phenomenal things and to hear what they've gone through, I was just like, I would love to take these stories on a platform where it can inspire other people, because we. A lot of times we see people's successes, but we don't see their struggle. And I think the time that we're in, especially our youth, who have been born in a time that's so far removed from our experience that they don't genuinely understand struggle and how struggle is normal. And so me starting the podcast was to kind of bridge that gap. Like, struggle is normal.

Simone Muschett [00:39:55]:
Like, actually, it's a requirement. If you try to get anywhere you want to go, that's a requirement. There's no progress without struggle. So that's really what the goal was behind. And I love doing that. Every time I think I'm not going to do podcasts, like, I do it, and I feel fulfilled every time. That's. I've never thought, like, I'm gonna quit.

Simone Muschett [00:40:24]:
I've slowed down, yeah, but I've never thought, like, oh, no, I'm gonna stop doing this. It genuinely feels like a hobby, another way to put positivity into the world, inspire people, and continue to share my faith and how I got to where I got to because of the goodness of God, I say it over and over and over again, not as a cliche, but because that's genuinely what gets me through and what keeps me through and what happened, because the things, I got testimonies for days, and it'd be like, it only could have been God.

Chi Quita Mack [00:41:01]:
Like, that's it, that's it. I love it. I love even, this is the podcast. I love doing podcasts. It's so much fun. And I just love the stories. I love creating. Like, my goal when I started the beauty and you podcast, so I actually started as a live series, and then I switched it over to a podcast.

Chi Quita Mack [00:41:23]:
But the goal was just to create a safe environment for my women, like, come tell me your story. This is safe. Don't worry about nothing. Be yourself. Be comfortable. I was getting, what do I need to dress like? However you want. I don't care. Nobody care about that.

Chi Quita Mack [00:41:40]:
Like, we're just talking. We're literally just having a conversation. And I just wanted to be, like, safe. I wanted the guests to come on and feel safe. I don't want anyone to feel robotic or like they have to try to sell me. So, no, we're just talking about your story. I just want to hear about you. And I love it.

Chi Quita Mack [00:41:59]:
I love when I get the feedback from, like, oh, my God, you know, you had so and so on there, and I really fell in love with their story and remind them, like, yes, that's what I want to hear. Like, because we all have something to learn from each other no matter where we are in the world. Like, just some people I interview that in Australia that are insane, that are important. Like, it's like, oh, we're so far away by water, you know, but, like, our stories are so similar and we can all learn from one another. So again, you are just very well rounded. Like, you're doing so much. You are impacting your community in so many different ways. And I just hope that you see the beauty in you and the impact that you're having on your community.

Chi Quita Mack [00:42:46]:
You're doing it.

Simone Muschett [00:42:47]:
Thank you, sis. I'm getting there. I'm getting there.

Chi Quita Mack [00:42:49]:
You're doing it. You have to literally take the time to do your own reflection to see how much you're doing and how many people you're affecting and just take it one day at a time. But don't ever think you're not. I know as social works, like, we're not doing enough, you know, and you feel that pressure, but you're doing. You are. You're doing it once up at a time, but you're definitely covering all the bases. For sure. Yeah, for sure.

Chi Quita Mack [00:43:15]:
Can you tell the audience where they can purchase your first two books?

Simone Muschett [00:43:20]:
Yes, it is on Amazon. You can purchase it on Amazon. If you look up our name, Simone Ian. As an author, they'll come up. But the titles of the book. The first book is diary of a first year teacher. And that's literally means spilling the tea on my personal experience teaching in the public school system, my first two years. So I'll get that.

Simone Muschett [00:43:49]:
If you're interested in teaching or you just want something to sip on while you read one of those type of books, you can get that. The other book is cultivating a resilient mind. And that goes parallel to my resilience camp and the work that I do to help people access healing through resilience. And it's a workbook, and you can find that on Amazon as well. Cultivating a resilient mind in a post pandemic society.

Chi Quita Mack [00:44:23]:
Yes. All right. So now where can they find you on your socials and sign up for these courses?

Simone Muschett [00:44:32]:
Okay. Socials. I have so many. So you can follow rhyme, my program at RYM, Inc. That's our Instagram and our Facebook pages. That's where you're going to get the latest updates on what we're doing. Our camps that are coming up. We have a youth camp coming up.

Simone Muschett [00:44:53]:
We also have our suicide walk festival coming up in September. I'm now looking for vendors that want to participate. If they have a wellness business or they provide some type of service or sell a product that is going to help improve health and wellness in some form or fashion, they are welcome to register. And you can follow my personal page at poetic J 21. That's just where you find everything that I'm doing. That there. That's just. I'll leave that in a nutshell.

Simone Muschett [00:45:33]:
My link tree is also in the bio and that also provides you access to copies of my book, my YouTube channels and all that stuff. My podcast, we just started the Instagram page, so it looks a little empty, but that's okay because we are rebuilding. So the, it's at our Stories podcast on Instagram. And if you wanted to watch the podcast, it's on my YouTube channel, the real social worker, as well as on Apple podcasts and Spotify podcasts.

Chi Quita Mack [00:46:13]:
Yay. So I'm going to make sure that everything, everything she just mentioned is linked in the show notes. So you can just get in where you fit in. Subscribe to that YouTube channel, follow all the instagrams and all the facebooks. Like we need that. So get on there, get your materials, buy that book. Sign up for the be a vendor. Everything.

Chi Quita Mack [00:46:37]:
We're doing it all. We are doing it all. I want to thank you so much for being a part of the beauty and you podcast and for trusting me with your story in your journey.

Simone Muschett [00:46:49]:
Yes, thank you for having me. This was nice. This is cute. I really liked it. You did a very good job. I felt very safe. Thank you for having me. And I hope to have you on our stories real soon.

Chi Quita Mack [00:47:01]:
Oh, yeah, girl. Just let me know. Just hit me up. I got you guys. Until next time.

Simone Muschett [00:47:08]:
All right.

Jacqueline G. [00:47:09]:
Thank you for joining us on this week's episode of the Beauty in you podcast. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe. Visit us @thechiquitamack.com or join us on Instagram at thechiquitamack for your daily motivation and inspiration. Tell a friend to tell a friend until next time.