Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikia Webster.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nikia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a 24 year old podcast host, digital content creator, writer and design student. My story is still a work in progress but the journey to this point hasn’t been an easy one. My mother suffers from multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. As a result, she was unable to adequately care for me leaving me to be raised by other members of our family. My adolescence was full of wonder, confusion, pain, joy and various opportunities to explore the creative outlets made available to me.
At the age of 17, I left home, or rather, found myself forcibly removed. Having recently been discharged from the psychiatric unit of a local hospital after my 2nd suicide attempt, I was actively working to define my sexuality and find a general sense of balance. This journey of self-discovery was one rooted in fear and poor decision making – not only did I not know how to communicate with those around me – I didn’t exactly have an open avenue of release. This leads to further tension in an already rocky home environment. Despite what some might consider a notable setback, I managed to finish high school by moving in with my then girlfriend’s grandparents and adopting a homeless classification for the sake of the school district. This allowed me to be declared independent and granted me the ability to manage my affairs.
Post graduation, I went on to make attempts at college, marriage, and life but failed miserably for a number of reasons. In October of 2018, I made the difficult decision to move in with my great aunt and rebuild the areas of my life that could be restored. After four months of repairing family ties, many tears shed and plenty of work on self, I decided to venture out towards DFW to make another run at adulthood.
Settling in Denton Texas I developed the idea for The Expect Effect Podcast in September of 2019, loosely inspired by a 2016 sermon series presented by Pastor Mike Todd of Transformation Church (Tulsa OK) and events of my own life – the goal of this show is to help others expect better, do better and believe better. We know life is hard, but self-care doesn’t have to be. Every week we present a topic related to self-care in a unique format with a special guest after the show listeners can visit our blog page for detailed show notes and journal entry topics.
The show was created on an iPhone XR in my bedroom closet. While various improvements have been made to the format, production and distribution since its inception, I find it important to share this because it speaks volumes to what I desire for others to gain when listening. I want others to know that they’re capable of achieving anything they desire and that all they have is all they need. I aim to spread messages of positivity, progression, mental-wellness and the importance of self-care.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, and ultimately I would say I’ve struggled primarily with understanding self. I didn’t trust myself enough to listen to my intuition in many instances and paid a hefty price as a result. I often assumed the world around me knew more than I did based solely on appearances. I looked to others for advice simply because of their position or age instead of ensuring the options presented to me were truly the best for me – I moved sporadically, irrationally and with minimal thought. If there is one regret I have, it surrounds rushing the process. I was always in such a hurry to see the results that I failed to secure the best outcome for myself on several occasions.
Please tell us about The Expect Effect Podcast.
The Expect Effect Podcast centers around self improvement and mental wellness. Self-care isn’t selfish and we’re determined to teach others the importance of self-love encompassed with best practices to ensure personal success. This includes the presentation of recommended tools, journal entry topics and the inclusion of supporting guests. I am most proud of the conversations that are being created around the topic of self-care as a result of this venture. I also take a lot of pride in the progression of the show. I never imagined gaining this much of traction or exposure in such a short amount of time, but based on said developments, I know this is only the beginning.
I think what allows me to stand out from others like productions is the weaving of my own personal stories. I am an open book with the presentation of each topic – I don’t want to just tell others ‘how’ the best version of themselves can be created but I want listeners to also have adequate examples for anything we discuss. I honestly don’t believe there’s any way I can expect others to listen, take note or believe anything I’m saying let alone share it those around them without some applied truth.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Not a thing! I know that may be an odd response but despite having some regrets, I truly wouldn’t change a single decision I’ve made thus far. While it hasn’t been simple or easy to understand every step of the way, it has been worth it. I have an amazing family structure, relationship, and a series of opportunities previously unseen. There was a point in my life I was angry to be alive, disgusted with myself for being unsuccessful in my attempts at suicide. These days I’m thankful for every sunrise and humbled by every sunset. I love my life and the progression that seems to be unfolding, I’m in the best space I’ve ever been and I know it’s only up from here.
Pricing:
- • (4) 30 second ads – $20
- • (2) 60 second ads – $20
- • (1) up to 2 minutes & 15 seconds – $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/itsjustnikia
- Email: theexpecteffect@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/theexpecteffectpodcast?igshid=cr1oblwd927m
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexpecteffectpodcast/
Image Credit:
Tanera Jones
Canva
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
