Don’t Call Me Strong: The Power of Choosing Yourself
Sis, let’s get real. If you’ve ever been praised for being “the strong one” while quietly feeling exhausted, invisible, and resentful—you’re not alone. You’ve been performing strength. But here’s the truth: strength is not a strategy. It’s a survival response. And it’s not enough. Hey, I’m Montina Myers Galloway—licensed clinical mental health counselor, founder of Myers Galloway Counseling, and creator of The P.O.W.E.R. Lab and the Legacy Shifters Membership community. I created these spaces to help Black women reclaim their time, their voice, and their emotional freedom—without guilt.
Let’s talk about what happens when you finally stop being everything for everyone... and start choosing YOU.
The Myth of “Strong” Is Holding Us Back
At the “Don’t Call Me Strong” retreat, we gathered with incredible Black women who carry so much—for their families, communities, and careers. The stories shared were powerful... and painfully familiar. This sounded like:
“I realized I’m not the only one.”
“I gained language for my experience.”
“I’ve learned to care for myself while caring for my child.”
Yes, the retreat was breathtaking. But more importantly? It was a reminder that we don’t have to keep proving our worth by how much we endure.
Strength ≠ Strategy
Whitney and Tiffany—maternal mental health therapists and founders of Raising Resilience—put it plainly: “Just because you do it well doesn’t mean you enjoy it.”
Listen. You can hate making dinner every night. You can hate being the go-to for every little thing. You can say no. You’re allowed to not enjoy every part of caregiving and still be an amazing mother, daughter, sister, and friend.
That guilt you feel for putting yourself first? That’s a sign of how deeply you’ve been conditioned to believe your needs don’t matter. But girl—you do matter.
It’s Time to Unlearn the Grind
The grind culture taught us to:
Always be productive
Never ask for help
Be strong even when it’s breaking us inside
Today, right now, we're flipping the script.
✨ You don’t have to be strong to be valuable.
✨ You don’t have to suffer to be worthy.
✨ You don’t need permission to rest.
What If You Nurtured Yourself First?
Enter: Nurture & Bloom, in Charlotte, NC the upcoming 2-day event created by Whitney and Tiffany. It’s not just a retreat—it’s a radical space where you’ll learn to reconnect with your body, reset your nervous system, and bloom on your own terms.
💐 Day 1: A restorative experience to help you feel into your body, not just function from it.
💐 Day 2: Tools and inspiration to redefine what it means to care, to lead, and to grow.
Because nurturing yourself is not selfish. It’s the foundation of everything else.
What We Want You to Remember
To the woman carrying too much…
You don’t have to enjoy every role you’ve been assigned..
You don’t have to explain your boundaries.
You don’t have to wait until you’re burnt out to ask for support.
You deserve softness. You deserve rest. You deserve to bloom.
Ready to Reclaim Your Energy?
At The P.O.W.E.R. Lab, we believe in more than surviving—we’re here to thrive. This is where Black women test real-life strategies to protect their peace, prevent burnout, and finally live life on their own terms.
If you’re feeling that quiet nudge to go deeper… consider this your invitation:
🎯 Join Legacy Shifters – our transformative membership community for Black women reclaiming their time, voice, and emotional freedom. Inside, you'll find tools, community, and space to be soft without apology.
🌿 Attend the Don’t Call Me Strong Retreat – a soul-nourishing experience designed to help you release the pressure to perform and reconnect with your power through rest, reflection, and community. You deserve softness, sis.
✨ You’ve carried enough. Now, it’s time to choose you—without guilt.
Let’s bloom together. 🌻
🔁 Share this post with a sister who’s always the “strong one.” Let her know: there’s another way.
And we’re building it—together.
🌿✨ Welcome to The PowerLab.