The Jamie Kern Lima Show - “Success Leaves Clues” Robin Roberts on How to Defy the Odds, Embrace Your Worth and Win! (pt 2)

Episode Date: July 16, 2024

Are You Ready to believe in YOU?🙌 jamiekernlima.com 👈 Sign up for my FREE Inspirational Newsletter here and you’ll ALSO get special prompt questions to help you grow in your self-worth-buildin...g that pair with each episode!🩷  Follow the show so you’ll be the first to get each episode!  ____ Get ready to defy the odds in your life, step into who you truly are, and win! In this incredibly powerful, purposeful and unprecedented conversation with the iconic Robin Roberts, she opens up like you’ve never seen or heard before! In part 2 of this inspiring, soul-shaking conversation, Jamie and Robin dive deep into her life lessons, personal challenges, and revelations on believing in yourself, the power of faith, embracing your authenticity, and being seen, loved and understood (and knowing you’re worthy of all three!)  She has been saying “Good Morning America” to you every morning, for nearly two decades, as the co-anchor of America’s #1 morning show! She’s in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, she’s conquered both breast cancer and MDS, and she’s a NYT bestselling author, her most recent book is Brighter By The Day. She’s a newlywed and in this incredible episode of The JKL Show, Robin is opening up like never before and sharing powerful, life-changing lessons for you, that you can apply to your life today! Episode Reflection Questions for YOU: Jamie writes prompt questions each episode to spark revelations in your self-worth journey and help you apply the tools and lessons from each episode into your real life right now. Please make sure you’re signed up for Jamie’s free inspirational newsletter  jamiekernlima.com 👈 For more resources from today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. Click Here to watch full episodes of The Jamie Kern Lima Show Podcast on YouTube Chapters: 0:00 Welcome to The Jamie Kern Lima Show! [18:03] News Director saw Oprah Winfrey Qualities in Robin + Importance of Who You Surround Yourself With [25:56] The Power of Pick Me & Putting Yourself Out There [35:14] On Staying In Faith and Being Angry at God [36:54] Imposter Syndrome [43:34] Ignore Online Haters, The World Needs You!  [47:43] How to Defy the Odds and Win in Life [58:15] Jamie asks Robin “Do You Ever Doubt God Exists?” [1:10:48] Being Seen and Loved: Robin Tearfully Reads Surprise Letter from Wife Amber   [1:14:20] You are Worthy of Your Dreams  --- This episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show was filmed & produced by Impact Theory Studios: https://impacttheory.com/ Follow me here:  Instagram:  / jamiekernlima  TikTok:  / jamiekernlima    Facebook:  / jamiekernlimaofficial    Website: jamiekernlima.com ​  —  Sign up for my inspirational newsletter at: jamiekernlima.com  —  Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!  WORTHY: https://a.co/d/6MkvL2j Believe IT: https://a.co/d/7nYhkfb

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 I surrender. I surrender. We have more tissues right down there. No more! No more! And I went to my mama and I said, I'm angry at God. I knew that as a black woman, that my margin of failure, my margin of error was less than. And you're going for it, putting yourself out there, saying, pick me. And he saw Oprah Winfrey qualities God's delays are not his denials do you ever doubt God exists you are going for the jugular
Starting point is 00:00:33 oh my god I love this Jamie I don't have these kind of conversations oh you're good oh my you are a pro here I'm talking about i can i just for a moment as a pro just just give you kudos that you've barely looked at your notes that you have been so you're so well prepared and that you really want to it's not about me that's not about you it's about the listener i'm sorry i'm just impressed. Do you now ever feel unworthy? Oh, gosh. Such a good question, Jamie. You know, I do look up to the heavens sometimes and go, come on. Enough is enough. I have a letter from your wife. A letter from your wife. What are you doing? You're going for the jugular again. Would you be willing to share it?
Starting point is 00:01:33 I have not seen this. I feel loved. I feel understood. But I'll never forget how you made me feel today. I will never forget how you made me feel today. I will never forget this feeling. It is a gift to be able to talk to a friend the way you have today.
Starting point is 00:01:57 The more we do that, the more our life tastes like freedom. I need day drinking. Shots, shots, shots all around. I need day drinking. Shots. I need shots. Shots all around. I need day drinking. Before we jump into this episode, I'd love to invite you to join this community to hear more interviews and one-on-one conversations with me and you to help you truly believe in yourself, trust yourself, and know you are enough so that you can become unstoppable in living your best life. I love your support. It's incredible to see your comments and how many of you are sharing these episodes
Starting point is 00:02:33 with everyone else. And I'm just so grateful to be here for you and I'm so excited to go on this journey with you. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jamiekernlima.com
Starting point is 00:03:12 to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jamiekernlima.com or in their life. Jamie Kern Lima. Jamie, you're so inspiring. Jamie Kern Lima. She's been saying good morning America to you and millions of viewers every single morning for the last two decades as co-anchor of America's number one morning show. Welcome to part two of my interview with Robin Roberts.
Starting point is 00:04:12 I want to talk about something I'm so passionate about and so excited to share with everyone. I believe there's this famous saying, success leaves clues. Success leaves clues. Success leaves clues. And I love this so much because so often it's easy to see someone who is in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and multiple New York Times bestselling author and just, you know, the most famous anchor in all of America, America's number one morning show for two decades. So you can see these things and go, oh, maybe she got lucky. Or maybe it came easy. Or maybe we think, oh, things like that don't happen to people like me is what so many of us think. And the other thing a lot of people tend to think is like, oh, I'm talented. I'm trying hard. Someone's just going to discover
Starting point is 00:05:06 me. It's just going to happen. Or I'm not doing the things I want to do yet because no one came knocking on my door. We tell ourself that's what must have happened. Robin must have just been discovered and catapulted to. And so I want to talk about this for a minute because there's so many granular things about your journey that I feel like people can apply these to their life right now, wherever they're at. And it may shift their perspective on the things that they're hoping to create and ideate and give and serve and express and offer the world. But they're sitting around waiting, thinking that it's just not happening for them and they don't know why. And so on this idea of success leaves clues, I just want to ask you a
Starting point is 00:05:58 couple things on your journey. Because you mentioned doing the episode with Gabby Bernstein on the vision board and you're saying, I'm going to get married this year. But can you talk about in 1979, 1979, you writing, you basically creating your own vision board on this whiteboard in your bedroom. Can you talk about that? Because again, I, I'll let you talk about that. Yeah. Yeah. But also on that vision board, and it wasn't called a vision board back there. It was just a, you know, piece of cardboard and magic marker. And I was saying keys to success. I misspelled the word success. I had S-U-C-E-S-S. You know, my mom, who's an English teacher, was like, oh boy,
Starting point is 00:06:43 you know, she comes in there like, you might learn how to spell success if you're going to be a success. I was like, oh mama. But I had on this board because at that time I wanted to be a sports journalist. And you didn't see women and you surely didn't see black women on television as a sports anchor reporter. But that was my goal because it's so important to identify what you're passionate about. And for me, it was sports at the time. So I put on the board, okay, I'm going to get my college degree. I'm going to work in a small market, X amount of years, medium side
Starting point is 00:07:16 market, X amount of years, ESPN. Had it on the board, going to work at ESPN. And I go to Southeastern Louisiana University, which I'm very proud about, majoring in communications, working for a local radio station, getting some practical experience. And people really weren't still after graduating. Cum laude. A lot of people, they graduate. Thank the laude, but I graduated. Cum laude.
Starting point is 00:07:41 And still people aren't beating down the doors to sign a black woman to do sports on television. Was receiving full-time offers in news. Kept turning them down. Kept turning them down. I didn't want to do news. I want to do sports. Received one part-time offer, 30 hours a week, $5.50 an hour to be the weekend sports anchor in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I didn't hesitate to take that part-time job because here it is, okay, on the vision board. I'm now working in the small market, really small market, and kept advancing on. But it was so important to me to dream big, but focus small. I had big dreams. I know you did too as a child. Yours was the world hunger. I love that. That was your ultimate goal. And you're going to get there, my friend. But to dream big,
Starting point is 00:08:31 focus small. And so all along the way, this overnight success, this journey. And when I went to bigger markets, every single time I had to take a pay cut. I had to take a pay cut to get to a bigger market because I would be making decent money where I was, wanting to advance. People have to take a chance on me. And so I would go in for whatever salary they would pay me because I would think once I get in the door, I'm going to show them my grit. I'm going to show them my determination. And I was in Nashville, Tennessee, Jamie, doing well. I get a call from ESPN. I'm three, four years out of college? This is not supposed to happen right now. One of the local stations, because I did so well, they sent my tape to ESPN to try and get me out of the market, which I was like, I thank this station. Anyway, go to ESPN, 1987. And they're not quite sure how they're going to use me. And I actually turned them down. I actually turned down
Starting point is 00:09:39 ESPN that was on my vision board because I knew I wasn't ready. I knew I wouldn't have staying power. I knew that as a black woman, that my margin of failure, my margin of error was less than that of my white counterpart, that they could mess up and they'd still be okay, but I was going to get that maybe one chance. And so I turned them down and went to a bigger market in Atlanta, got the practical experience. Then ESPN came calling again. So this was, again, that crooked road. But always, always, always having that big focus, that big, big dream, but the small focus, but focusing small on that ultimate dream. Okay. I love this so much and I want to break it down on a granular level for a few things for people listening because I'm hearing like five big themes just in what you shared that I want everyone to kind of think about in their life right now. And the first is, even at a young age,
Starting point is 00:10:42 you wrote it down. You put it out there on your, you said S-U-C-E-S-S? Yeah, S-U-C-E-S-S. Have you been on Success Magazine on the cover? Have you? But I think you have. We need to make this happen. I see this happening. Because you know those moments in life that are full circle?
Starting point is 00:10:59 Like I'm imagining your whiteboards with success written. And I'm imagining Robin Roberts on the cover of Success. I'm hiring you as my PR agent. I love that. I think this is going to happen. I feel it. Put it out to the universe. But you wrote that down.
Starting point is 00:11:11 You even wrote ESPN. You literally wrote your stuff out. Do you believe in the power of- The written word. Yeah. Because to me, if you don't write it down, it's a dream. When you write it down, it's a goal. And I love dreams, but goals seem more attainable, especially as an athlete.
Starting point is 00:11:34 So when I write it down and you see it and you're staring at it, it's just something very powerful about that. So yes, that's what I did initially. And then I know when you shared, you took pay cuts or you took a part-time job instead of the full-time jobs you were offered. And I'm remembering when I was starting in journalism and a lot of my peers – I was in business school at the time. A lot of my peers were taking these big paying jobs in business. I went and worked for free, for free at a teeny tiny station learning how to shoot and write and edit. And I continued. I mean, and you should have seen, I could barely pay the bills. And in your situation, I think, you know, you had these other job offers, but they were in news at the time. That wasn't
Starting point is 00:12:19 what you're wanting to do. They were paying more. I think I read too that even maybe loved ones were saying, oh, that's a better, more secure job. But you chose. So many people, Robin, this is why I'm getting fired up. So many people we think, oh, let me play it safe. Let me do the thing that pays more or that is going to get more approval from my friends and family. Oh, my parents always said I should go be a lawyer, whatever it might be, right? And you could have done that at that moment in time. And you chose a lesser paying job that was part time to go after your passion over what was safe, paid more, what people are telling you to do. Because I was still dreaming big.
Starting point is 00:12:58 I was still dreaming big. You knew what you want. But yes, I knew what I wanted. And I knew that it was important to focus small. And I can remember graduating from college, asking my classmates, oh, where are you applying? Where are you sending your tapes? And they'd go, oh, like New York, Chicago, all these. And they look at me and they say, where are you sending your tape? I'm like, Timbuktu. I want a job. I want to eventually work in Chicago and LA and those big markets. But do you think that I knew that I was not ready? And so many times we don't really, I mean, it's good to have a high opinion of yourself. It's good to have confidence. I'm all for that.
Starting point is 00:13:36 But to also get real with yourself, to really get honest with yourself. To kind of know what you're ready for. One thing, too, that I want to ask, because I did this as well in my career. A lot of people think like, oh, you just, whatever. So when you were in smaller markets, you would reach out proactively to the news directors in Nashville saying, I'm going to be in town. You can interview me. It won't cost you anything. You don't have to fly me in. I'm going to be here. It's going to be free. You were proactively, you weren't waiting around for someone to discover you. You were
Starting point is 00:14:15 proactively saying, hey, you're going after it. Robin, I've had to do that my whole life in every single thing that's ever happened. Even with building at Cosmetics, I'm had to do that my whole life in every single thing that's ever happened. Like even with building at Cosmetics, I'm sending stuff to L'Oreal for years before they know. Like it's always just, and I want to call this out because a lot of people think it's just going to come to them or fall upon them or they'll just be discovered. And it's just not the case. And part of it is because they look at reality TV, you know,
Starting point is 00:14:43 and oh, I want to be a movie star. I want to be a rock star. I want to be a rock star. All I have to do is go on the show and boom, it happens like that. But other than like Kelly Clarkson, who really has been able to sustain a career, that's another story as well. But I think that's, we live in this kind of society that I want it now and I can get it now and not have to put in the work. But I never, I never, I just didn't buy, I didn't buy into that. And I just knew. That takes discipline. You're talking about the three Ds. Like, so you get a call from ESPN. Two things I want to say about that. The first is,
Starting point is 00:15:18 go ahead, go ahead. But I want to talk about the Nashville bit. Okay. Because I think it's very important, especially for young people, especially if you're trying to do something that you don't see anybody who looks like you, but again, success leaves clues and this is what you do. Get creative. And so I knew that I needed to get to a bigger market to finally make it to ESPN. And I didn't have the money and I didn't want to put the pressure on news directors where I was sending my tape. So I'd asked my mom and dad who were traveling a lot in the Southeast, where are you going next? And they're going, well, we got church business in Nashville. I'm like, can I tag a in your hotel room? Right. They gave me advance notice. I sent my tapes out to Nashville. Only
Starting point is 00:15:58 one person, Alan Griggs, who is a friend to this day, news director at WSMV, NBC affiliate in Nashville. And I remember him saying, I told him, I'm like, I'm paying for myself. I'm going to be in town. I would love for you to critique. I wasn't asking for a job. I value your position and would just really appreciate any advice you could give me. He's like, oh, no skin off the nose, great. I go in with my blue skirt and blue little blazer
Starting point is 00:16:30 and my little, you know, my briefcase that had nothing in it and go sit across from Alan Griggs, who's had a mustache, and he's like rubbing his mustache and he's looking at my tape. And he was really quite taken by it. And he's like, you know, I don't have a position open. I'm like, well, you know, but I appreciate the feedback. He said, but I'm going to keep you in mind. And it was just a few months later, he created a position, lifetime reporter at WSMV, lifetime reporter, and that I could also work in the sports department. It was because I was being proactive.
Starting point is 00:17:04 I was being creative. I was trying to find a way to take pressure off of somebody who's going to make the ultimate decision. And, you know, Alan Griggs, and he said, and I'm telling you, I saw him, I saw him three times last year. He's now an instructor at a school in Nashville. But it was just knowing if I could get in the door, if I could just sell myself. And I, even then, and I'm not trying to steal it, even then I knew I was worthy. I knew I was worthy. I just needed to have, I knew I was worthy because I was putting in the work. I believed it. I dreamed it. I felt it in my bones. And I knew that I just needed help. I just needed somebody else to see me as being worthy. And Alan Griggs told me, and I'm just being honest,
Starting point is 00:17:57 Oprah Winfrey was from that market, was some years ahead of me, just a few years ahead of me. He put my tape in and he saw Oprah Winfrey qualities in me. That's not me saying this. This is what he said. This is what he felt. And so I needed him to see my worthiness. People are going to be placed in your path. And this is why it's so incredibly important who you expose yourself to, who you, and some of it you have control over, some of it you don't. And so I did know that about myself. And I'm so grateful that I was able to find somebody else who felt that way about me as well. But I think he also appreciated my creativity, my boldness. You know,
Starting point is 00:18:46 I took a lot of nerve, a little, you know, here I'm coming from Biloxi, Mississippi, come busting into his office with my little suit and my little briefcase. And I think there was a part of it that was like the audacity of this woman thinking that she, and why did he say yes? I'm sure there were countless people who sent him tapes. Why did he say yes to me? Some of it is luck. Even the great Tiger Woods will tell you. Luck is a component. It's not the sole means, but it is a component. I think that in addition to being blessed and being fortunate, there's been some luck, but I've also created that that luck you got emotional when you said he told you he sees Oprah Winfrey qualities in you what does that mean to you oh I know she's a dear friend of yours I am so grateful when we said successfully's clues I can remember Oprah being on the Johnny Carson show. I can remember as a young
Starting point is 00:19:48 black girl seeing her on his couch and thinking, wow, wow. And you know, the phrase that you'll hear from time to time, you got to see it to believe it. You do sometimes. And I think I needed it at that point, even though I was, excuse me, being very sure of myself that I'm going to be a sportscaster one day because of my passion of sports, my passion. I just knew it was going to happen. But you start doubting yourself, even though I would give off that persona, especially because I was an athlete, like being a little confident in that. All of us have these insecurities that we're scared. And fear just needs an eye of a needle to get through, to consume and paralyze you and
Starting point is 00:20:42 keep you where you are. And sometimes you just need a sign. And seeing Oprah on Johnny Carson was my sign. And then four years later for Alan Griggs to say that I had some of her qualities, I really, at that point, I was like, I'm on my way I'm on my way um and just so really grateful grateful to her for her example and grateful to him Alan Griggs I think it's so beautiful when we feel seen and when we also know it's the truth you know oh say that again like in that um, for him to say you have these Oprah Winfrey qualities and usually, um, and to see the emotion in your eyes, I think it's cause at that time you knew it was true. Yeah. Validation. It's like, Oh, and the truth of who you are being seen
Starting point is 00:21:40 and, and, um, yeah, yeah. I, uh, I feel that same way about you. When did you first feel seen and and um yeah yeah I yeah I feel that same way about you first feel seen and heard well let me just say I feel um I had this whole conversation yesterday with Sarah actually uh where I'm like, how is Robin here? Like how? And I'm thinking about, I'm thinking about you and so many moments in your life right now, by the way. I'm thinking about you riding ESPN on your whiteboard and then you're the top of ESPN, but 15 years you were there thinking about you watching Oprah Winfrey on Johnny Carson. Then I'm thinking about you becoming her dear friend and doing masterclass with her. Like how, and I'm going to not make it about me for a moment. I'm
Starting point is 00:22:38 going to cry all my makeup off because sitting here with you is that for me. And if I'm just being really honest, like in the last 24 hours for me to feel worthy that you are here has been a journey, you know? And I think about, um, I know in every ounce of my being that every one of us is fully worthy, exactly as we are. They're fully enough. You mentioned unlearning in the start of our interview. And it's like, our life is unlearning those lies that lead to self-doubt that say we are not worthy of it. Lies we tell ourselves. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:23:28 And I just think that I'm imagining you in his office with your empty briefcase you share. I love that. Your empty briefcase. It's like when we're on the phone, but we're not really on a call because we all look really busy. You got an empty briefcase. And him telling you that and believing in you. And I think, too, just to bring it also back to everyone listening right now, I just want to highlight this again, Robin, because you reached out to try and move to a bigger – like you're saying, okay, just look at my tape, just give me feedback. And, and I want to tie this in and jump ahead for a second that
Starting point is 00:24:12 you weren't at ESPN very long before you marched into an office. Can you share that? Yeah, I had only been at ESPN, not even a year and was doing SportsCenter, which was great. You start on there like overnight, like 2 a.m. in the morning, and then you work your way up. There was an opening on a little show called NFL Prime Time with Chris Berman and Tom Jackson. It was the hallmark of the network. And their third anchor was moving on to do something else. And so there was an opening. And so I marched into John A. Walsh's office, who, by the way, John was at my wedding. These are people, I mean, here I talk about Alan Griggs, who I know to this day, and John
Starting point is 00:25:00 A. Walsh. Walked into John's office and said, you know, John, I know there's an opening on the Sunday morning, the Sunday evening show. I'm doing SportsCenter Sunday morning, so I could just stay and do primetime. And I know he's probably looking at me like, you should be lucky that you're even here. And here you have- Were you nervous? So you're walking into. I don't even know why I did it, Jamie. I just, I just, I just knew that I wanted, I wanted something to set me apart. I still had, had goals that I wanted. I wasn't just wanting to be at ESPN. I wanted to make a mark there. And so to go into his office and, and, and it wasn't like he was going to come up to my desk
Starting point is 00:25:42 and go, Hey, you want to do NFL primetime? There were a lot of people that were vying for it. Most people just sit there at their desk and they wait, hoping someone will come to them and say that. I know. I just want to call this out again. You're not even there very long. Nope. And you're going for it, putting yourself out there saying, pick me.
Starting point is 00:26:00 Pick me. Consider me and pick me. I know. And it's true. Go in there. And he said, he looked at me and he goes, me i know and it's true go in there and he said you know he looked at me and he goes let me think about it and it was by the end of the week he came in he goes i'm going to take you up on your offer you can be the third anchor on on uh nfl primetime and i was like thank you i was thinking like how did this happen but i don't i, I'm trying to, trying to, in my mind, I'm like, how did I have the
Starting point is 00:26:26 audacity? What did no one talk to me about? I didn't have an agent or anything at that time. I don't know. You didn't have a personal development coach saying, Robin, tomorrow let's march into this office. Exactly. But it was just something about, and I think, again, like with Alan Griggs, I think that John was like, and I think that impressed them. And not that that was my goal. My goal was just like, I really want to do the work. I really think I can help. Right. So sometimes we're scared to put ourselves out there, but it actually can be such a beautiful example of our strength and our tenacity and what they're getting if they do hire us or they do promote us, right? In both cases. Yeah. And can I just say this too? All
Starting point is 00:27:09 right. And for women, because men can be underqualified for something and they will march in. I don't know what it is about guys, but as a woman, we think we have to be perfect on paper and we have to be overqualified for a position. And it's just not the case where men just tend to, I don't know, they're just like, oh, they'll go for it. Isn't that wild? Like you look at the data right now, right now as we're speaking and it shows men are promoted based on potential
Starting point is 00:27:39 and women are promoted based on like 100% already done accomplishments, which is very different. But also women, you look at all the research, women will wait until they feel 100% qualified before they'll apply for something, before they'll go for it. And I think this is huge because you can look at your journey and it's like example after example, even before you had a lot of experience just making the decision to like, let me proactively, you know, see if someone in Nashville will take a meeting with me and, and, and, and doing all that. And two things I want to call out before we, before we move past them, because we're talking about success leaves clues. And I just want to say one of these things that you, this is a granular detail, but I think this is important because you had ESPN on your vision board and because a competitor station wanted to advance in the ratings in Nashville, they send your tape in trying to get you out of the market.
Starting point is 00:28:39 Right. Which, by the way, just side note, every day I say this prayer. I pray God brings the right people in my life as the wrong ones leave. And I pray that any plot formed against me is exposed and revealed and backfires. And what I mean by that is I think God can use even our enemies for our favor. And I think about how the people that just wanted you out of the market, they send your tape to ESPN, you get a call from ESPN. It's like, thank you. Thank you. So, right? 2024, where there's like no barriers to entry online to being an expert. There's no, people think that if, you know, I can just instantaneously have fame, fortune, all the things. And there's a lot of examples on social media that look like that is true. And I think we're in this day and age of a lot of
Starting point is 00:29:46 people being at risk of being overexposed, but underdeveloped, right? In what they're doing. And I'm grateful to meet so many entrepreneurs and they're just so tempted right now to have everything that looks good on the outside, but they're underdeveloped on the inside. Their infrastructure is not caught up. Their regulatory compliance and safety is not caught up, but they're just selling like hotcakes on a certain website. And there's just this moment in time where so many people are overexposed and underdeveloped. And I think that that can work in the short term. But in the long term, if your development doesn't keep up or match your exposure, it can easily all come crashing down. And I just want
Starting point is 00:30:27 to call this out because this takes so much discipline, Robin. One of the Ds, one of the three Ds. Right? That you get a call from ESPN on your whiteboard, your vision board, and you decide to say no and that you want to get a little more experience before they come calling again. That is scary for a lot of people, but you made this decision, oh, I want to develop more so that I can get there and be at a certain level. How did you do that? Because I took the time to know me and to know my strengths as well as my weaknesses. And I knew, I knew in my heart of hearts, I knew that I wasn't ready. I knew I wasn't.
Starting point is 00:31:14 And I knew that my margin of error was less than someone else. I did not want to be the answer. Bottom line, I didn't want to be the answer to a trivia question. What black woman was hired in 1987 by ESPN and fired in 1988 by ESPN because she didn't know her stuff? And I just think it is so important to take that time. And part of it is also, how do I say this? I don't know.
Starting point is 00:31:39 It's risky. It is. I'm not going to say like, oh, yes, I knew that once I said no to them that they were going to come. I had no idea if they would come calling again. But I believe this with every ounce of my being that God's delays are not his denials. There's so much more coming up in this episode. You are not going to want to miss it. But first, I wanted to share this with you. In life, you don't soar to the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life.
Starting point is 00:32:15 And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy. How to believe you are enough and transform your life for you. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you. In Worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results, like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back, build unshakable self-love, unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness. Overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome. Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more.
Starting point is 00:33:00 Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth. Get your copy of Worthy, plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at worthybook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you'd do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning
Starting point is 00:33:59 from me. If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jamiekernlima.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you. If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jamiekernlima.com or in the link in the show notes. And now more of this incredible conversation together. And I know that, and I know that you know this as well with your business, how you were wanting to
Starting point is 00:34:42 get on QVC or whatever. And had you done that when, had it happened when you wanted wanting to get on qvc or whatever and had you done that when had it happened when you wanted it to happen you would have failed but it happened at the right time and so the same thing with me and it's very difficult at the time when it's happening it's easier when you look back and go oh but all faith. At the end of the day, it's about faith. It's about, and when I say faith, and I don't want people who are listening to roll their eyes and go, oh, here we go.
Starting point is 00:35:14 No, it's real. It's real. It's true. And I have, I won't say unwavering faith, because I'm telling you, when I was going through my illnesses and I went to my mama and I said, I'm angry at God. She said, sure you are. Just don't stay angry. And so I'm honest with myself about things like that. And to know that at the end of the day, why did you start IT Cosmetics? It was pure. There was a reason behind it. You didn't go like, oh, I'll do that. I'm going to make a bunch of money and do that. No, your motivation was to help yourself with your skin condition and what others were
Starting point is 00:35:57 going through. And so I know that my intentions are pure. I know that. And I know that because they are pure and that they are intentional, you have a beautiful, beautiful home. And I look around and it's like, everything is intentional. And it's not a bad thing. It's like, wow. When we take the time to be mindful and intentional and just let, there are some things that are going to come in that are just, that we have no control over and that's fine. But I think those things that we can control and I can control how I respond. I can control how I feel. It's not always that way, but to at least be consistent in that, I think is really, it's bode well for me to have that philosophy. When you look at studies, 75% of women right now
Starting point is 00:36:57 deal with imposter syndrome. It's such a thing. And you've shared how going from ESPN to the third co-anchor of Good Morning America, that you had some of those feelings of imposter syndrome. And how did you handle that? And how did you break through that? her book Becoming. And I read where this beautiful, talented woman with two Ivy League degrees, former first lady of the United States, she had the imposter syndrome. She had that feeling. We all do. I don't care who we are. I don't, you know. So please, I don't care what with the feelings that I had. So a lot of it had, a lot of it had to do with just being, being patient and persistent.
Starting point is 00:38:20 Hearing that inner voice and realizing the things that I was saying about myself, I would never say to you, Jamie, I would never say to a stranger. So why was I saying it to myself? And just being aware and cognizant of that. But it took, it's a little bit easier now that I'm in this season of my life than it was when I was younger. I'm so grateful that my two older sisters and my mother were great, great sounding boards. And I know this as women, it's like, I'm not looking for an answer sometimes when I talk to
Starting point is 00:38:55 someone. I just want you to hear me. There may not be a solution. It's okay. Especially when we talk to men. Men are like, I'll fix it. I'm like, I don't want it to be fixed. Just let me just tell you, just listen, just listen to what I'm going through. And so I'm just grateful that I've recognized the different stages. But back then, what got me through it, especially when I was sitting next to Diane, who was a dear, dear friend, and Charlie Gibson. I was so grateful to someone like Diane, who was a mentor, who really helped me and would kind of put me under her wing and tell me it was going to be okay. Do you now ever feel unworthy? Woo!
Starting point is 00:39:44 My mission is to be a messenger. You know how I used to think that I want to be a sports anchor and that's my passion and that's my purpose. And boy, has it led me to my true purpose. It's kind of like what we were talking about earlier when we were walking and what brought you joy as a child and what you want to do in the season that you're in in your life right now you're speaking that you're doing the books that you're writing and it's just that feeling of knowing I'm supposed to be a messenger of hope, that I'm supposed to let people know that this too shall pass. And I think I'm a walking, breathing symbol of that. And there's something to be said of now feeling, when I have those moments of feeling unworthy, those moments of, um, that, that come from time
Starting point is 00:40:46 to time, it's getting quiet. And I remember something my mom would say, I can have a bad day. And sometimes when I do, and I remember what I would call her and say, well, I'm having a horrible day. Nothing is going right. And I'm feeling, I'm feeling, you know, worthy or whatever. And she, oh honey, oh honey, oh honey, where are you right now? I'm at home. Okay. Go to bed in the day. If you're having a bad day, why are you staying up in the day? Because you know what? Tomorrow is going to be a brighter day. You are going to be, and it's so true. How many times have you felt at the end of the day or for whatever, like you're just having that kind of day and you go to bed, you wake up, the sun is shining and you're just thinking, oh, I can do it. And so that's what I, when I feel those moments
Starting point is 00:41:36 of unworthiness that creep in, I just let it, it's kind of like what you were alluding to earlier, how I was about fear and when you address it yeah it runs away it's like a little kid you know when you know you have two children mommy mommy mommy they're like pulling at you mommy mommy and you look at you you go what and they look at you like nothing i don't want anything they were just wanting your attention yeah and that's how i feel that those feelings of unworthiness and fear it's like hey hey hey and i go like what you want oh you you're right oh no i didn't want anything i just want you know i was here i'm like okay run along i love to it's like so often we can give what we need in order to get it and like you you know sharing
Starting point is 00:42:17 you're feeling unworthy and then you go and you help someone else but you remind her that she's you know remind them that they're worthy and it like, that's kind of the quickest also solution to it, which I think is so powerful. And by the way, writer by the day, talking about going to bed because tomorrow's a new day as well. And what you just shared about your mom's advice. It's funny. I've been very recently actually trying to live that advice. And even with my husband, with little things, like you get a negative email that just wants to take you down. You're like, what? All those things. And we started a new thing where we wait till the next day to reply. Because so often- I know. So often the reply is so, or a text message where you're like, what? So often everything changes
Starting point is 00:43:04 that next day. It's funny you should say that because Amber and I were posting a lot about our wedding. And we had a second honeymoon. And also almost like a second wedding, my siblings wanted to throw us a party in New Orleans. And it was like lining and we were and we posted all this excitement in that second wedding cake and and posted it and um there was especially the video of us dancing the second lining and there was a comment in one of the uh one of the posts and it says it said uh let me quote it geez enough, enough already. And I was like, oh, well, maybe I am. And I went to bed and I was like, oh, I don't know. And there were so many positive comments, but that one,
Starting point is 00:43:54 and I kept thinking, geez, enough already. The next day, a dear friend reached out to me because her nephew is quite ill and wanted me to do something. And she said, you are a burst of joy. I'm going to watch the video that you just posted. I'm going to watch it again. And I'm thinking, here I was like, oh, like, oh, this person's, geez. But you know what? This friend and possibly others, they needed that burst of joy, as she put it. So I'm glad I didn't respond or feel that at that moment when it happens.
Starting point is 00:44:36 It's like you go to bed, you wake up, and you just, it is, you just, it is. I do feel that I'm brighter by the day. Do you read negative comments? Where's Amber? Because she got me. Back when I was first starting, not first starting, but part of my time at Good Morning America, and I would read, it was the message boards. That's how long, that's how old I am. It was the message boards. And there was one, his moniker was Bubba. And I'd be like, oh, Bubba said this, Bubba said that.
Starting point is 00:45:14 And she's like, why, why are you, why are you? As I've gotten older and now, I just don't, I don't, I post, but I also want to engage with people. I do like to respond to them. And it used to be that I would not only, but I would respond to the negative ones. You know, why do we do that? Like we're trying to, especially when I was younger, but not so much anymore. But also when somebody does say something, if it's, if it's constructive, you know, I will respond. And I think they're almost as surprised that I am responding to what could be seen as, as a negative response, but you know what, in all honesty, in all honesty, yes, I read them, but they don't impact me as they once did. But I think those of us who say,
Starting point is 00:46:03 you know, know that we don't see it are not maybe being really truthful. I think we all do read them, but it's just at the getting to a state where it just no longer has the impact that it, that it once did. Do you still, with all that you've accomplished and just how held in such high esteem you are with all of it. Do you still face or deal with discrimination? Yes. I am a black gay woman in America. And though we are where we are, yes. Yes, I do. But you know what? It's something that my mom and dad taught me. I remember being out of college, applying for a job, and I didn't get it. And I went back to my mom and dad.
Starting point is 00:46:54 I didn't get it. You know why? Because I'm a black woman. That's why I didn't get it. They were like, oh, no. Honey, maybe you didn't get it because you're not good enough yet. You know? Your parents said that to you? my parents said very gingerly, you know, we love,
Starting point is 00:47:10 but maybe you're not good enough yet. Maybe that, don't look for that to be an excuse. Don't look for that to be the reason why you didn't get something. So yes, I am. There is discrimination. There is discrimination that I, that I face. But I don't let it define me. I don't, it hasn't prevented me, nor will it prevent me from achieving all that is that I want to achieve. But yes, absolutely. I want to ask you something that I feel like every person listening is going to be able to connect with this question because every single one of us in life, we have setbacks. We get bad news. We get bad breaks. And for so many of us,
Starting point is 00:47:51 one really just awful thing happens and like we think we're doomed. And when I look at everything you have just like, I mean, 2007 being diagnosed with breast cancer, 2012 being diagnosed with MDS, being told you may have one to two years to live. Very recently, the love of your life, your wife, Amber, being diagnosed with breast cancer, turning the tables and you being a caretaker. How have you, like on a granular level, how have you gotten through so many setbacks and made it through? Not just got through, but made it through so many setbacks and have come out victoriously. Well, first of all, thank you. Thank you for feeling that way. It hasn't always felt that way for me. But I love when you keep saying granularly, because it's got to get down to
Starting point is 00:49:00 the nitty gritty. And I think you and I know, I know you and I both want everyone who's listening, every single person and might not be every, but just at least one person to have that takeaway, to have something that there, there's a reason why they're listening to us right now. We don't know what their something is, but we want them to be, to be helped. What has always gotten me through is the fact that, oh gosh, such a good question, Jamie. A belief system that, I don't know, but they don't want their child to fail. No parent wants their child to fail. I would hope that. My parents weren't there to prevent us from falling. They were there to pick us up when we did. And there's a difference with that. They would, I remember my mom telling the story when my brother was very young and they were living in the South for the first time.
Starting point is 00:50:18 And there was the colored water fountain in white. And they got out of the car my parents were and my brother went running up to the get some water and they were mortified like how are we going to explain to our son about colored and white and he he pulled for the water and the colored and then he stepped back and he goes this water's not You know, he thought it was going to be colored water. And my parents exhaled. And then they were able to have a conversation with him about what was going on. My parents were very good about teaching us about what life was like for us growing up in this world, in this country, as a black person. So I'm grateful that they kind of did that. I don't know, by the grace of God in some ways, and the reason I hesitate,
Starting point is 00:51:17 because I want someone listening, I want them to be able to grasp onto something so they can get through their something. But this is what I say in something that helped me. Everybody in this room that's here, your fabulous crew, everybody throws their something in a big pot in this room, middle of this room, and you look at your something compared to everybody else's something, chances are you're going to take your something back. You have no idea what somebody else is going through. And so don't compare your despair and it's yours and it's real. And so what I've, what has gotten me through each one is each one has helped me get through the next one because it's like this big mountain and we climb it and there's another summit ahead and we're like, oh, I can't climb
Starting point is 00:52:06 that one. Instead of looking back and going, oh my gosh, you see all these mountains I've already climbed? Why do I think this one is so insurmountable when I've already climbed so many? And so that's the conversation I have to have with myself when, you know, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was devastated, but got through it. And then MDS and I'm like, oh my gosh, oh my, well, all right, I was here. And then when my sweet Amber was diagnosed and, you know, I do look up to the heavens sometimes and go, come on, enough is enough. But this is something that I've said before, that the lessons that I've learned through, I mean, everybody listening, and I know you feel the same way, the adversity, you've learned so much more.
Starting point is 00:52:53 Yes, you want all the glory. Yes, you want all the good stuff. But it's those tough times that we learn so much about ourselves and that we're richer for it. I'm not going to be one of these people. Cancer is the best thing that happened in my life. No, it is not. But you know what? Boy, the lessons I learned from it with both of my health challenges. Now, I wish that he would have wanted me to learn it a different way about what it is I was supposed to learn. But this is the way it was chosen for me. And I'm grateful for those lessons and grateful to be able to share those lessons. How did you stay in faith through them? I know you mentioned you were angry.
Starting point is 00:53:35 Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, my sister does this. And I, no, I'm not ashamed to talk about my family. I love, you know, sometimes, I remember one time I was being interviewed and I was speaking glowingly about my family. And the person pulls me aside and says, you know, it's really not going to work. People aren't going to buy it.
Starting point is 00:53:59 And I'm, you know, if you really want to help people. And I'm like, I'm not going to apologize for having the upbringing that I did. And so I'm not, but I remember with my siblings, the conversations that I would have with them. And the one thing that my sister, Sally Ann, often says, often says to us, and I know, she will say when we're having a bad day and things aren't going well, she will say, think about our ancestors who were on that ship, who were on the bowels of that boat, and they survived, and we're here because of them. Think about what they have gone through. And so
Starting point is 00:54:47 when I really do stop and think about that and then think about what is it that I'm so worried about? What is it that I'm trying to get past that I think is so huge? And I think about, and I think everybody should think of their ancestors. And it's not just a cultural thing with African-Americans. I think all of us, all of us can think of the history of our families. And you've got five of them to think of, so many different families that you have. But just to take a moment to think about those who went through the depression, those who went through such difficult times. And so when I do that, Jamie, when I do that, it just causes me to pause. Do I still hurt with what I'm going through? Do I still feel like,
Starting point is 00:55:41 oh my gosh, I'm not going to say it's a magic pill that gets me, that makes it go away, but it just gives me that moment to pause. And that's all we need sometimes. We just need a moment to pause and to think, okay, how bad really is this? Your mom, you lost your mom in 2012. And the last year that she was here, can you talk about her writing God letters? Oh, I still want to publish it. She wrote a whole year of dear God letters that we found after she passed. And it was remarkable. And sometimes they could be very simple. Sometimes they were a whole page. Sometimes they were just a sentence or two. And I just think about how here she was
Starting point is 00:56:34 talking about love of her life. Well, actually, it was very dear. She referred to her four children at the four loves of her life, which I just, I love that. I don't know if daddy would have liked that, but we did. But here she was somebody who went to college on a hundred dollar scholarship to Howard university, met my father, was a career woman in being a wife. And I think we moved like 12, 15 different times that she had to set up a new home. And then for her to be on the State Board of Education in Mississippi, of which she became the chair. And she would always get on these committees that she would later become the chair of the committee. And she was always the first woman, the first black. And I love the fact that when my daddy was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base before I was born in the, in the sixties, in the fifties, they were there. And, um, my mom couldn't
Starting point is 00:57:32 be a member of the, uh, officers wives club. They wouldn't allow her. We go back later in the seventies. I'm born. She becomes the president of the officer Wives Club. That kind of spirit was always in her. And so to find those dear God letters and to, here she was, so many health issues, and she still found something to praise God about every single day, could find that silver lining in everything. And so I'm just so grateful that we found those and that she was able to find comfort in putting down her words like that. Do you ever doubt God exists? You are going for the jugular. Oh my God. i love this jamie i don't have these kind of conversations no i don't doubt it no no um i found my i think i'm a i know i'm a spiritual person more so than a religious person i don't i can't spout scripture or anything like that.
Starting point is 00:58:48 And I know some people will say the universe, somebody, but to me, God exists. To me, the way I was raised, the way I believe. And I know that people say, so if he does, then how can we have the wars that we have? How can we have children dying of cancer and things like that? I don't, I don't have those answers. But yes, yes, yes. How do you know? How do you know he exists? Because I am sitting right here. Because I'm here. Because I'm breathing. I'm a human being that makes mistakes, that is forgiven, who is blessed beyond her wildest imagination. So how do I know He exists? I mean, like, when you think about it, I'm so glad we're having this conversation. When you think, I mean, nature.
Starting point is 00:59:42 Go walk for a moment in nature, and you tell me that God doesn't exist. I mean, it's just everything about it. And it was when I went through, this is when I really knew he existed. When I was going through MDS and I had to have the bone marrow transplant, which means that my complete immune system had to be depleted. I went through nine consecutive days of the most strenuous chemo to wipe my system out, then to insert my sister's healthy stem cells. So we're in the hospital room. There's the syringe with my sister's stem cells. My doctor, Sergio Geralt, is inserting them into the tube, into my chest. I can see he's wearing a mask, and I can see that his mask is
Starting point is 01:00:38 moving. He's saying something. This is a doctor, Renaud. And after he did it, I said, what did you say? And he was praying to God that this was going to work, even though he'd done all he could, and now he was leaving it up to God. And he was going, go, Sally, go. Go, Sally, go, because those were the cells that were going in me. The fact that my complete system could be depleted, these healthy stem cells could be inserted, and I am sitting here across from my beautiful friend. So yes, that gives me all the proof that I need, that he exists, and that's the reason why I'm here.
Starting point is 01:01:22 Well, it's so beautiful and powerful. I went through like a long season in my life of doubting God exists. And it was the first time ever going to therapy and sharing that with a therapist. What brought you to that point of wondering if he existed? I was just around so many people that only believed in science and believed in things you can prove and see, which faith is not required. And the more and more I was just around that, around a lot of people, especially living on the East Coast in New York City, around a lot of people that just kind of thought like, oh, if you believe that stuff, you're not that smart, or you're this or you're that, or a lot of people would have also
Starting point is 01:02:00 kind of turned away from faith because they felt judged by it. And I was just around a lot of that and started to wonder if God exists. And I, um, one day, uh, in therapy, first person in any of my five families that I'm aware of that's ever gone to therapy. And, and, uh, and I actually shared with my therapist, I said, and on top of all of this, I'm starting to doubt if God exists. And that day she said to me something that literally changed everything for me. I don't even know if she practices any particular faith, but she said to me, well, what makes you think he can't handle your doubt? And I'm like, well, what do you mean? And she goes, if he created the entire universe, what makes you think he can't handle your doubt? She goes, why don't you try telling him you're doubting him and asking him to prove
Starting point is 01:02:45 you wrong? And so I was like, okay. And that day, and this took years, but from that day forward, every time I would pray, I would, this is going to sound like super amateur or embarrassing, but at the end of the prayer, I might be praying for a friend's health or something like that. I would end the prayer with, and by the way, God, I'm doubting you exist. So if you could please show up in my life and prove me wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt, I'd be so grateful. In Jesus' name, amen. I would literally end prayers that way. And Robin, and it took years, but beyond a shadow of a doubt, I know God exists. And the number of times he showed up in ways where it just is indisputable in my journey. And so it's been a journey, but just sharing that too for anyone who maybe is in that season of wondering. And that prayer sure helped me. I love that prayer.
Starting point is 01:03:40 Sharing that. And I love that your mom wrote dear God letters. I love that she, did you think she intended for you and your, and your siblings to see them? I don't think so. I don't think so. It was her relationship. Yeah, it was her relationship. I mean, we were going through a drawer and happened to find, to find them. I don't think that she intended them to be found, but I, I, it was just so powerful to know that in that season of her life, when so much was changing, and that she still had this relationship. She still had this relationship with God. But I love hearing your story. And I'm glad that we're saying, we're talking about it, because it used to be taboo to talk about religion or God or anything. And for me,
Starting point is 01:04:23 as an anchor to every morning or most mornings, post a morning message and prayer. Yes. And for people to accept it and look for it. And when I'm like on assignment or something like, oh, we missed your prayer and that. And I just, and it starts with a simple one and I wear it around my wrist. It's called the two L's and the two P's. When I could not remember this prayer, my mother would say the two L's and two P's, light, love, power, and presence. The light of God surrounds me. The love of God enfolds me. The power of God protects me. The presence of God watches over me. Wherever I am, God is. And I just, from that simple prayer, that I wear the key words around my wrist every day. And so when I have those moments of doubt in that, I'll kind
Starting point is 01:05:04 of look at it and just kind of be reminded. Do you call that your unity prayer? The unity prayer. Yes, it is the unity prayer. Yeah. That's so powerful. And you're wearing it right on your wrist, which I just love to share for anyone who might be listening versus watching. Oh, you're good. Oh, my God. You are a pro here. I'm talking about, can I just for a moment as a pro, just give you kudos that you've barely looked at your notes, that you're so well prepared, and that you really want to, it's not about me and it's not about you, it's about the listener. And I know that about you. I know this about you, that you're not, when you said just moments ago that you're like, hey, you might want to make sure this isn't about you and want to make it about neither one of us wants to make it about ourselves and I'm so grateful to have this conversation I'm sorry I'm just so impressed I'm just this is this as a friend I'm just saying thank you for that thank you I am that means so much coming from you so thank you I appreciate that I am I just think, you know, I'm, I'm thinking of your mom right now
Starting point is 01:06:05 and your dad also, but them up in heaven right now, how do you think they feel watching you? Well, they are. And, uh, they're swinging their legs over the heavenly balcony, they're swinging their little legs and they're nudging each other. You know, my mother was here long enough to see me reach a certain level that my father was not able to, though he didn't care as mother and father. They, you know, they just wanted their four children to be responsible human beings. They didn't care about the TV aspect of it. But it was really cool because every morning my mom and dad would be watching Good Morning America and I would call them every single morning after the show. And, uh, I, I miss that. I miss, I miss that. So I know they were very proud of that, but what would they be saying
Starting point is 01:06:57 right now? Um, they would be so, they would be so happy because they know that I'm with the love of my life, that my childhood pastor, who they, my parents knew very well, Reverend Jemerson, married us in our backyard. And I think what they would be most proud of, and they would love you, Jamie, and I mean that. They would, because they would know that when these wonderful network of friends that you have met in the books that you've written. My parents appreciated people like yourself and myself who want to be a service. And that's all my parents ever wanted. They just always wanted to be our family motto, to be of service to others and to, um, we had a foundation for time, each one save one. And just knowing that, um, they were given a hand, a hand up to get to where they are and that they're grateful that
Starting point is 01:08:26 I'm trying to do the same did you feel their presence when you walked down the aisle oh my gosh we did something during the ceremony in our backyard it was very like we had a we had a lively reception where there was lots of dancing and it was great. But the actual ceremony was in our backyard with this immediate family. My brother walked me down the aisle. Amber's brother walked her down the aisle. Both of our fathers are deceased. Her mother, thankfully, is still living and she was there, Mama LaDonna.
Starting point is 01:08:58 And there was a section of the ceremony where this beautiful violinist played songs that were of significance to our our parents and it was a lovely lovely medley and when she played my father's song A Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong. Oh, I just, I lost it. I lost it. And then my sister sang my mother's song, Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine, My Story, My Song, which was also the title of my mom's autobiography before she passed, I felt their presence then. Oh, there was, you know, we had Reverend Jemerson, who knew my parents very well, and there was some kind of, something happened, and there was like an electric, not electrical short, but there was, with the mic or something, there was a
Starting point is 01:10:05 burst of energy or whatnot. And he said, hi, Larry. Hi, Lucy Marion. My parents' names. He was like, that was them being there. So yes, absolutely felt their presence. Well, speaking of their presence, speaking of the love of your life, I have a letter from your wife. A letter from your wife. What are you doing? You're going for the jugular again. Would you be willing to share it? I'm reading this cold.
Starting point is 01:10:43 I have not seen this. Yeah. RR, my boo-boo, having you by my side as we share this life together is a gift. You make this world a better place for everyone who enters your orbit. The love you have for your family and friends is heartwarming and speaks volumes of who you are as a human. You are so incredibly loyal. The way you feel for others is so beautiful. The quiet awe you make makes my heart skip a beat.
Starting point is 01:11:24 Your parents would be proud of how you treat everyone that enters your world. If people spend a day with you, they'll receive a master class on how to treat one another. Your parents are looking down from their heavenly balcony, so incredibly proud of their daughter. You are humble, kind, eloquent, and have a sense of humor that makes everyone smile in your presence. Thank you, my love, for making my days brighter each and every day. With a full heart, sweet Amber. Are you going to make all your guests make their significant other write them a letter that's for you oh wow when you read that you feel what i feel loved i feel understood i mean like even some of the remember how i said about my parents heavenly balcony and she said, heavenly balcony. Realizing, not saying she's proud because I'm good morning America or I've written books or that, but because of how I treat other people. You know,
Starting point is 01:12:36 at the end of the day, we all want to be seen and heard. But when the most important person in your life sees you and hears you, that is the greatest gift. That is the greatest gift. Jamie, I'm telling you, to use Maya Angelou, I'm not going to use Maya Angelou. I'm not going to remember everything we said or did, but I'm never forget how you made me feel today. I will never forget this feeling. I won't remember everything that was said and done, although we're going to have a good time.
Starting point is 01:13:19 We're going to have a good time today. We are, but I, I, um, it is a gift to be able to talk to a friend the way you have today. I know this was a dream of yours to have a program, to have a show. I hope and pray that it's everything that you intend it to be. And I have no doubt that it will. I have no doubt that it's everything that you intend it to be. And I have no doubt that it will.
Starting point is 01:13:48 I have no doubt that it will. And as my mama said, and I have it on a pillow, we all have gifts. Discover yours and share it with the world. And that's what you're doing. You're sharing your gifts with the world. So grateful that you have and are. I love you. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:14:13 I know people can't see this. I have this used Kleenex that I'm using as a white flag saying I surrender. I surrender. We have more tissues right down there if you need more. Robin, thank you so much being part of this, for sharing your heart with me, for sharing your heart with millions of people every single morning all across America, for being an example of what's possible, an example of defying the odds, like for sharing your heart, for literally shifting culture in this country, like for being an icon, for being a Titan, for being an incredible friend. Like, yeah, thank you.
Starting point is 01:14:54 Thank you for all that. Thank you for, for being here. Thank you for doing this show with me. Can I put my reporter's cap on for just a moment? Why are you doing this show? To help every person feel less alone and more enough. And how are you able to feel less alone and more enough? Learning to believe I'm worthy of it. Learning to believe I'm enough of it, learning to believe I'm enough, uh, which is a lifelong journey and, um, sharing like who I really am, which is scary. Um, and doing the work to believe I'm worthy of being here with incredible people like you. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:15:39 You gave me an advanced copy of your book that people are going to now be able to read in 2024. You shared some stories you never shared before. Why? Because I think that so many of us doubt ourselves out of our own destiny, cancel ourselves before we even try all those things. And I share a lot of things in my book, Worthy, that I took out and then I put them back in because kind of like what we were talking about earlier, I know it's not about me. I think so many people disqualify themselves based on their past or their past mistakes or where they come from or what they don't have enough of. And I think those are all lies we have to unlearn. I definitely have. So yeah, I share some stuff about my past. Robin? I remember when I read it. I read it. I reached
Starting point is 01:16:39 out. But I also remember after I read your book, usually we'll text or leave voice memos. I called you. I wanted to have a conversation with you. I needed to have a conversation with you because I knew what you must be feeling. That is raw, what you put out there and knowing the impact it would have. And we all even know the stature where you've reached. We all are like, oh, you're always a little bit scared. Yeah, yeah. But it's like when something, it's like what you shared earlier after you like step by step by step cried, cried, live on air as a third co-anchor of Good Morning America and then shared your diagnoses one at a time
Starting point is 01:17:24 and then shared who the love of your life is. It's like, it's like the more we do that, the more our life tastes like freedom. It tastes like freedom. Okay. Before we wrap one just special thing to share with you because you can't come on the Jamie Crain Lima Show without me giving you a little, just a small token of your magic and a thank you to you. Sarah, you're accomplished. She's your accomplice. This is just a little, little, little, little thing. And I wanted to do something together, actually, if you're down for it. I wanted to do something together.
Starting point is 01:18:07 Really? Oh! I love it. Just something fun. I have been eyeing. I have been eyeing your shoes. So I always think of Dorothy, Wizard of Oz. I always think of like the, you know,
Starting point is 01:18:27 that sometimes we look outside for everything and the magic, but it's all in us. It's all in you. I thought this would be fun. Oh, more than enough. RR. And you are worthy. Thank you so much.
Starting point is 01:18:41 Thank you. Thank you. Look at the little tiny feet. Look at you. Thank you so much for joining me today. And before you go, I want to share some words with you that couldn't be more true. You, right now, exactly as you are, are enough and fully worthy. You're worthy of your greatest hopes, your wildest dreams, and all the unconditional love in the world.
Starting point is 01:19:05 And it is an honor to welcome you to each episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show. And here, I hope you will come as you are and heal where you need, blossom what you choose, journey toward your calling, and stay as long as you'd like because you belong here. You are worthy. You are loved. You are loved. You are love. I love you. And I cannot wait to join you on the next episode of the Jamie Kern-Lima Show. Do you struggle with negative self-talk? Living with a constant mental narrative that you're not good enough is exhausting.
Starting point is 01:19:49 I know because I spent most of my life in that habit. The words you say to yourself about yourself are so powerful. And when you learn to take control over your self-talk, it's life-changing. And I wanted to give you a free resource that I created for you if this is something that could benefit your life. It's called Five Ways to Overcome Negative Self-Talk and Build Self-Love. And it's a free how-to guide to overcome that negative self-talk to build confidence and develop unshakable self-love so that you can dream big and keep going in the pursuit of your goals.
Starting point is 01:20:25 Don't let self-sabotaging thoughts hinder your progress any longer. It's time to rewrite the script of your life when filled with self-love, resilience, and unwavering belief. If you're ready to take charge of your narrative, build unwavering confidence, and empower yourself to persevere on the path to your dreams, build unwavering confidence, and empower yourself to persevere on the path to your dreams, you can grab your free guide to stop overthinking and learn to trust yourself at jamiekernlima.com slash resources, or click the link in the show notes below. I am so excited for this book. You know why? Because it's going to save so many people.
Starting point is 01:21:07 It's going to save people. Worthy, your new beautiful book Worthy. Get this book. This book? I'm telling you. It's a book that can change anybody's life who picks it up. Anybody who's ever felt that they were not good enough, didn't measure up, something's missing in your life,
Starting point is 01:21:26 I have to tell you, it's powerful. It's happening. It's worth it. Imagine what would you do if you fully believed in you? I went from struggling waitress facing nonstop rejection to founder of IT Cosmetics, a billion dollar company, by learning how to overcome self doubt and believe I'm worthy of my hopes and dreams. And I'm sharing how you can too in my
Starting point is 01:21:53 new book, Worthy, how to believe you are enough and transform your life. If you're ready to truly trust yourself and break through that barrier of self-doubt and know that where you come from or even where you are right now doesn't determine where you're going, then worthy is for you. It's time to go from doubting you're enough to knowing you're enough. It's time to step into all of who you are and into the person you were born to be. And it's time to believe that you are worthy of it. Because in life, we don't become what we want. We become what we believe we're worthy of. Join the worthy movement today by grabbing your copy of Worthy anywhere books are sold.
Starting point is 01:22:42 Then head to worthybook.com now for free gifts, including my five-part course on becoming unstoppable and my 95-page Worthy Workbook Action Plan that teaches you how to implement the tools from the book into your real life right now. Worthy is groundbreaking. Yo. Oh my God.
Starting point is 01:23:03 Worthy, you are worthy. This book is gonna change lives. Oh my god! Worthy, you are worthy. This book is going to change lives. This book literally will teach you how to actually feel worthy so that you can have the strength, you can have the confidence. The lessons in this book and the strategies will change your life. You will never be the same again after you read this book.
Starting point is 01:23:19 Jamie's Book Worthy is a must read. It is going to inspire you, empower you, give you the hope that you need and the kick in the rear end that you deserve. Jamie's Bookworthy is incredible. The gifts are going away, but they're all free right now on worthybook.com. This show is presented solely
Starting point is 01:23:41 for entertainment purposes only. It's not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, professional coach, or other qualified professional. I hope you enjoyed this episode and conversation together, and I am so grateful to be on this journey with you. And did you know for every episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show, there are a set of special prompt questions just for you to help you on your journey of aha moments and revel to get them sent to you each week. And each episode is meant to be evergreen and packed with timeless life lessons. So you can go back and listen to past episodes you perhaps haven't heard yet as we are going on this incredible journey of building self-worth and living our best lives together.

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