I have admired the work and mission of Imani for a minute and from a far. But being the kind of woman that I am, I had to reach out and let her know that I respected what she did. Her site is all the things she stand for: boldness, vulnerability, and power. I love it and wanted her share her with you guys.

S/N: This interview is definitely one of those interviews and you print out and post on your mirror or refrigerator. At least, that’s what I’m doing.

-K

What do you do and why is it important?

I teach Black women how to discover their self-worth and surrender to their greatness. My work is important because Black women are important. To me all women are amazing, yet Black women are super extra amazing. Our power, poise and resiliency are second to none.

What advice would you give your 20-year old self?

When I was 20 years old, I hadn’t found my own voice and didn’t know my own power. I wasted so much time looking for validation from other people. So I would tell my 20-year-old: YOU GOT THIS! Trust and love yourself babygirl!

 What are three things that you know for sure?

1. I know that self worth is essential to creating anything worthwhile in life. How we see and feel about ourselves impacts all our relationships. When we are clear that we are worthy, we negotiate better and we get what we negotiate.

2. Vulnerability is strength. For most of my life, I thought vulnerability was a weakness. When the late master life coach Ron Davis told me that vulnerability was strength, he changed my life forever.

3. Knowing our strengths is way more important than knowing our flaws. I teach women to know their flaws but flaunt their strengths. We can become consumed with self-improvement that we do not really acknowledge our strengths.

What is the best advice that you have received? Why did that piece of wisdom resonate with you so much?

One of the best pieces of advice I received came from my mama when I was in my early twenties. I was over concerned with other people’s opinions. She told me there was an African proverb that said; it’s better to be separated from the world than to be separated from yourself. The proverb resonated with me because it reminded me that self-validation is more important worldly validation.

 What are you proud of as a woman?

I am proud that I am the kind of woman who thinks for herself. My mama raised me to be a critical thinker and I really respect that quality about myself. So whatever I believe I believe it because I want to, not because I am trying to impress or please others.

 What is going on in your business that everyone should know about now? Is there a product or services that we should ALL know about?

Every woman should know about my free upcoming Woman Up Telesummit series. The series is designed to teach women practical steps to surrendering to their greatness and creating the lives they want. The four-week series will feature some of the most powerful women visionaries on the East Coast. We will be covering everything from self-love and money to sisterhood. Women can sign up at: http://bit.ly/womanup

What makes you a DreamGirl?

I am a DreamGirl because I bring boldness, love and vulnerability to everything I do. I followed my dream of being the first in my family to graduate from college. I followed my dream of leaving my hometown in Oklahoma to earn my masters from Howard University. I once dreamed of traveling to Africa and that dream came true in 1999. As a visionary, going for my dreams comes natural to me.

 How do you handle setbacks? What skills, support, or personality traits do you rely on the most to help you overcome adversity?

I handle setbacks by looking at everything through a spiritual lens. I wholeheartedly believe that everything happens for a reason, so I handle set backs by focusing on what the situation is teaching or showing me.

Meditation is also a big part of my life. It definitely helps me re-center and rejuvenate.

I really do not know what I would do if I did not meditate.

Imani A. Love is a life coach to Black women. She is a whiz at creating safe havens that birth connections, authenticity, and breakthroughs. A trusted authority on Black womanhood, She has coached tons of women on how to discover their worthiness, manifest their visions and reclaim their greatness. With a 10-year solid track record in self-transformation, Imani has proven her commitment to inspiring Black women to play BIG!

Stay connected with Imani on Facebook  Instagram, Twitter, and her site Lifecoach2Blackwomen.com