​

It's All Coming Together

Reader, I understand fully if it doesn’t seem that way. Things are a bit of a mess in the world. Grief has become a regular companion, perhaps uninvited, but clearly present. In fact, the recent passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, a childhood star and legend in my eyes, served as another reminder of how precious life is. How legacy is built and contributions or “deposits” are planted in the lives of others in ways we could not imagine and will never fully know.

A few days before his passing, I was talking to my daughter about neurodivergence and our path to exploring the learning challenges that she has faced. As I shared a bit more about what I learned during the process, I watched her breathe a bit deeper. I hadn’t wanted to create labels or limitations for her, so I told her what I thought she needed to know at the moment. On this occasion, I shared how I struggled to understand how to really support her and acknowledged how difficult that must have been for her. I held space while she shared her reflections on that journey and how confident she feels today.

I told her my story about my self-diagnosis of numbers dyslexia. It was in the episode where “Theo,” Malcolm-Jamal’s character, was diagnosed with dyslexia that I took a deep exhale. Witnessing the story brought my own personal misunderstanding front and center. I reflected on all of the self-deprecation that came along with struggling in math as an otherwise excellent student. I remember the seemingly small errors that cost me good grades and confidence. I double-checked my work, but I still couldn’t find the error.

Exhale.

I am like Theo. My brain works differently. Seeing the character on screen helped me exhale. The Cosby Show reminded a generation that everything would be ok. We witnessed things falling apart and then coming together. The framing of the character having a “gift” was spot on. We had no idea of all that we would learn about neurodivergence in the years that followed. I had no idea that the episode, likely based on Bill Cosby’s son, Ennis, would create understanding and acceptance about myself that I needed. My daughter needed to hear that, not to validate her own story, but to better understand mine.

How can you accept something that you don’t know is there? The diagnosis, albeit made for me by me, created so much understanding. I learned to breathe and trust that I would find ways to adjust. Eventually, I even found ways to excel in mathematically based subjects that had me terrified in the past. I aced my MBA statistics course, which blew my mind. Imagine knowing that you get complex concepts, but a simple transposed number could cost you a grade.

It’s all coming together. I promise.

Reader Here is what I know. Things have to be dismantled fully to create a new foundation. In my story, I had to dismantle the beliefs that I wasn’t smart because I struggled in math. The disappointment was a massive blow across education for me. Rather than seeing all of what I was doing well, I focused on what was “wrong.” There were people in my life from whom that I learned that behavior from as well. I still cringe when I see a handwriting book or something that looks like it. I think you know where I am going. It all supported this belief that I was not good enough.

I taught myself to hold my breath while waiting to see if I made a mistake. It was certain that the next mistake I made would be the proof that I was not smart and had simply been pretending all along. I held my breath, giving myself permission to breathe again only when I got my graded paper back, my teacher’s nod, and my parent’s approval.

Imagine.​
It showed up in my work, relationships, and even in how I raised my own kids. The acknowledgment of holding my breath while waiting for validation is not a new chapter in my story. I know that it has been a part of who I have been. A friend and team member noticed it decades ago and asked if I was aware that I held my breath during moments of tension. I was unaware. It has taken me a long time to decouple the behavior and to heal the underlying narratives.

Everything that I healed helped me become who I am today. It was through the process of falling away that made room for the emergence of who I am. I breathe. It is the way I center myself on what I want and how I feel. I reconnect to my peace, purpose, and joy through breath. I get to see it all come together while I breathe.

So remember to breathe.

Holding my breath did nothing to change the outcome. It didn’t make my answers ‘right’ or help me gain approval. It didn’t shift my confidence in myself into a positive light. It did create chronic stress, overwhelm, and doubled down on my anxiety. It held me hostage to the approval of others while I waited for their acknowledgement which translated into the allowance of the next breath.
​

Reader, It’s time for you to breathe too. There is no other shoe that is going to drop. What is ahead already exists. The world and life can be pretty messy, but that is outside of you. Ask yourself if you are looking for control or influence. Influence on what is happening around you begins with the decisions and the resolve you choose for yourself. Choosing joy can change the atmosphere. Cultivating joy and love creates a transference of those same things. Who you are at your center is who we need in the world. ​
​

And I see you. I see you choosing yourself more. I see you listening to yourself. I see you breathing more. So just breathe.

It is all coming together. It will all be well. We will manage the grief as the brokenness falls away, revealing what was always true. We get to choose to believe and trust. We know that this plan is so much bigger. Transformation is here. Legacy is built here. Reader,Your story is refined here.

So let go. Exhale. Remember to breathe. It’s all coming together in ways that will blow your mind. You know exactly why you needed to read this today.

Peace and Blessings!

---

Your Breakthrough Solution: Sole2CrownCrown2Soul Intuitive Guidance

My intuitive guidance sessions are transformational. The wisdom that flows through consistently puts my clients on the pathway to their next level. Imagine having divine confirmation about what matters most in this moment.

What could it mean to you to have the answers and clarity to move confidently forward?

I know, Reader. It will be a gamechanger. It will help you move from doubt to definition, from delay to departure. It is that Powerful.

If you know you are ready then I have a gift for you!

Save 20% on a single session using the link below.

Claim Your 20% Discount

Ask yourself this question. "How will I feel if I am in the same place two weeks from now?"

Reframe it. "How will I feel in two weeks if I have answers to the most pertinent questions NOW?"

The answer is simple. Let's talk.

Unsure of which service best fits what you need in the moment? Grab your complimentary chemistry call below.

Discovery Call

---

"Unveiling Healing"

This week on The Anika Apple Podcast

The Reluctance and Power of Healing: Choosing Curiosity Over Judgment

In a time when personal growth and wellness are everywhere, from our feeds to our workplaces, you’d think healing would be an obvious “yes.” But if I’m honest, and I always aim to be, it doesn’t usually work that way.

In my own life and in the conversations I have on The Anika Apple Podcast, I’ve seen just how hesitant we are when it comes to healing. It’s not that we don’t want to grow. It’s that healing asks something from us that feels risky: vulnerability, honesty, discomfort. That’s why I believe if we’re going to do this sacred work, we must approach it with curiosity instead of judgment.

Let me share what I’ve learned about how curiosity can change everything

​

​

Why Healing Feels So Hard, and So Necessary

Healing isn’t a destination. It’s a journey, layered, unpredictable, deeply personal.

When you choose to heal, you’re saying yes to revisiting old wounds, facing memories you’ve tucked away, and confronting beliefs you may have carried since childhood. It’s no surprise that we don’t jump into it shouting, “Yes, please heal me!”

I’ve had moments where I wanted to stay hidden, where the weight of what I might uncover felt too heavy. But I’ve also learned something critical: not healing doesn’t make the pain disappear.

Unaddressed wounds don’t sit quietly. They show up in our relationships, our leadership, and in the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. For me, some of those echoes came from childhood moments where I didn’t feel seen or heard, and they quietly shaped how I navigated my adult life.

Healing is not a luxury. It’s not extra. It’s required. If we want to live a remarkable life, in alignment with our divine identity and purpose, we have to do the work.

The Power of Curiosity

So how do we start the healing process without being completely overwhelmed?

For me, the gateway is curiosity.

When something triggers me or I notice a pattern repeating, I’ve trained myself to pause and say, “That’s interesting.” It might sound small, but it changes everything.

That phrase disrupts the judgment. Instead of spiraling into shame or blame, I shift into observation. What just happened? What’s underneath that? Where have I seen this before?

Curiosity invites us to explore instead of retreat. It softens the edges. It lets us sit with our truth without condemning ourselves for it. And over time, that simple curiosity builds a bridge toward healing.

Rewriting My Own Narrative

One of the most powerful parts of my healing journey has been tracing patterns back to their roots. I remember a moment in my childhood where I was brave enough to speak my truth, and it was ignored. That one experience lodged something in me: a belief that my voice didn’t matter.

I carried that with me into adulthood, not even realizing it. And it would show up in moments where I felt dismissed or invisible.

But through reflection, support, and divine guidance, I was able to see the story for what it was: a wound, not the truth.

I came to realize something essential: My worth was never tied to someone else’s ability to respond to me.

And let me say this plainly: if you’re waiting for others to validate your value before you stand in your power, you’ll stay small. But when you reclaim your agency, when you root your worth in something deeper, more divine, you become unstoppable.

Healing Is a Collective Act

This work is deeply personal, but it’s not meant to be done in isolation.

Healing is a collective act of faith. When we do the work, we don’t just free ourselves, we break cycles, we model wholeness, and we create space for others to heal, too.

Every time I choose grace over judgment, curiosity over shame, and truth over performance, I know I’m not just doing it for me. I’m doing it for my community. For the next generation. For anyone watching who needs to see that healing is not only possible, but powerful.

That’s what I explore in the podcast. That’s what I dig into in my upcoming book, Healing Is Required. And that’s the message I’ll continue to live out loud.

You get to make a new choice. And sometimes, the most life-altering choice is simply saying, “That’s interesting.”

You’re not here to live small. You’re here to lead, to heal, and to become who you were divinely created to be.

Learn more at anikaapple.com.

---

---

What's Inspiring Me This Week: The Legacy of Malcolm-Jamal Warner Sending love to his family and friends as well as all of us who mourn his passing. Let us all be grateful for the impact and light he brought to the world. Weeks before his passing, Malcolm-Jamal Warner had a interview on a podcast where he talked about what he hoped his legacy would be. He commented "You never know, " in response to the podcaster comment that ""Life is fragile, and in the blink of an eye ... you never know." One can only imagine the thoughts of Melyssa Ford, host of the Hot and Bothered Podcast, post Warner's passing. Warner noted that at his age of 54, he thought about legacy quite a bit. The key take-a-way is that he wanted to be known as a good person. Many have shared their accounts and it seems that Malcolm-Jamal also knew that he was a good person. It is beautiful to hear the sentiments of others posthumously while also knowing that he felt and knew it about himself before his passing. This week I am inspired by his work, impact and legacy. I am sure he has earned his wings.​​ ​Source: Parade Magazine​

---

Remarkable Community Members- Save 10% with code RC 10- using the link above!