On Growth, Community, and Everything In Between

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Abriana

I have been so nervous to do this, and I don't know why.

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Abriana

Well, I think that's a lie. I think that's a lie. I do know why. Because I've restarted before. And, I did not have the systems or the support built in to sustain

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Abriana

creating this podcast again or creating episodes again. But,

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Abriana

you know, when it comes to a vision that you have and a message that you want to share in a community that you want to create,

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Abriana

it doesn't matter how many times you fall.

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Abriana

It only matters how many times you get back up. And that is part of the Black In The Saddle story and the meaning behind the name. If you haven't watched the episode Getting Black In The Saddle, you can hear more about what the name means to me, but it's time to start this conversation again. It's time to connect with my community again.

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Abriana

And,

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Abriana

nervous. But I am super excited to be here.

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Abriana

of Black In The Saddle. Since: 2019

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Abriana

Another thing I thought was that someone else would start having these conversations again.

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Abriana

And then I wouldn't have to. But we all know that that's not true. I don't know why I thought that. Because what we have been able to create here has been so super special. So in this episode,

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Abriana

I want to bring us back.

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Abriana

Back to where we started. Bring us forward into where we're going and talk about how it'll be a little different. And how I am working to make it so that everyone, including myself, gets the most out of this work.

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Abriana

rning with this community. So: 2019

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Abriana

It was young black equestrians. And if you go all the way back to the beginning of our podcast, I say, because I used to have a co-host, but,

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Abriana

if you go back to the very beginning, you will witness the growth. I had someone in a meeting recently say, yeah, I was just watching the first episode and I was like, bro.

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Abriana

What? Please, Spare me the details. But she was like, no, I appreciate seeing your growth and seeing the origins and how it all started. So in

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Abriana

going through this reboot and understanding what I want this podcast to mean to me again, I went back and listened. I went back and listened and simply had to borrow confidence and borrow energy.

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Abriana

From: 2019

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Abriana

This podcast was called Young Black Equestrians, and

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Abriana

it was named that because I was in a space where,

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Abriana

you know, I was around elders and it felt like they were they kept trying to like son me like, oh, you are young and you don't know nothing. And I'm like, well, actually, which is one of my favorite things to say.

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Abriana

Well, actually, yes, I have a young kid and I know quite a bit. I appreciate wisdom and I will accept it, but also, going into the future, we have to be ready and willing to listen to new voices, different voices, and from people from different backgrounds.

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Abriana

ike the energy that came with: 2019

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Abriana

And so there was a lot of like, we are here, okay. We are here. We have stories to tell. The South got something to say, except it wasn't just the South. It was everybody. Black horse people in general. And I interviewed over 85 people, 85 horse people from different backgrounds. I like to say from a 15 year old barrel racer to a 65 year old mounted archer, some crazy, crazy, disciplines and background sounds and, different levels of engagement in the horse industry.

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Abriana

And it was super dope. I mean, there are over 100 episodes for you to listen to right now. So this is the first one that you were exposed to, baby. We have a catalog. All right. There is a catalog. You should go check that out.

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Abriana

But moving forward, I'm like, okay, some of the things that I never quite shared with the community or some people knew who were closer to me, but many people did not.

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Abriana

Was that I was producing the podcast by myself.

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Abriana

Editing video mics, mastering any audio that was, created.

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Abriana

Any intro music, all that stuff I made, doing the social posts, going live for the community every week. I was doing all of that while being a full time caregiver for my grandfather, and it took a lot out of me.

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Abriana

And I was also trying to run my business, Black Unicorn Creative. And so after a while, you know, I was burnt out. And I do believe that I'm going to do an episode on burnout and what that looks like. When it comes to engaging with horses and building a career in this industry, or simply setting goals, if you have a horse that you work with a lot.

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Abriana

But anyhow, there was a lot going on.

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Abriana

ed to come back at the end of: 2023

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Abriana

But that didn't happen. That did not happen. So I have done a lot of reflection on to, you know, what what this work means to me and what this calling means, how I, I continue to feel called to hold space for conversation for people in this industry because I'm simply not satisfied with what's out there. And I know there's got to be other people who either feel excluded from the conversation or just feel like there's not a lot of depth to it.

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Abriana

And I just want to be the space for that.

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Abriana

When I had, young black equestrians, the pillars of their passion, culture and lifestyle, and I don't necessarily think a lot of those have changed. I just think that there is a depth to those pillars and what the conversations mean that I want to explore a little bit more.

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Abriana

I also had a hard time feeling like I was just complaining about everything. And I'm like, how can you create a conversation and talk about different observations, but not be the complainer, not be the critic, not be someone who's always talking about the problems.

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Abriana

I think that approaching that, going forward is by targeting conversations that are, or targeting starting conversations or topics or people who can bring depth to a perspective and offer it in a way that is entertaining.

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Abriana

Because, you know, some of the people I've interviewed, I have become such good friends with,

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Abriana

tell stories of their growth and their process. Oh my goodness, go away, little dog.

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Abriana

back to what I was saying. People who bring depth to the conversation

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Abriana

you know, whether it be like things that are research based or data backed or, you know, all the nerdy stuff that I like, okay. Because deep down inside, I'm a nerd, all right. And I think that, in today's media landscape, we center the identities of,

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Abriana

black cowboys, as, you know, the primary topic of conversation.

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Abriana

As much as I love it, I'm just interested in more.

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Abriana

Like, I want more, I want depth, I want to understand what our conversations or how our conversations would be different if we are centering the horse in that, who are we with? The horse? Who are we in the industry? Who are we? In a conversation that allows us to be more than, the forgotten?

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Abriana

Who do we get to become when we are more than the forgotten?

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Abriana

That's interesting to me.

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Abriana

I'm nervous about this work because I want to balance what you are interested in, what listeners are interested in, what conversations y'all feel like are still like not having. Or maybe you don't even think about it like that. I've also thought about that.

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Abriana

Like, you know, sometimes people just want to hear you yap. And they're not expecting a dissertation. And that is something that I have to manage. That is a expectation that I have to manage because I'm an overachiever and a recovering perfectionist. All right. But having to manage what conversations or topics that listeners are interested in and what I'm interested in talking about?

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Abriana

I think that's one of the things that would also make this very much sustainable for me is get excited about what I am talking about again. And to.

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Abriana

Cover topics that are not only, you know, hot topics right now. Because I'm not really, you know, trend interested in trends, but I am interested in depth and I am interested in fulfilling the needs for community that a lot of people have.

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Abriana

This podcast was never a part of, my business model as a revenue generating entity. However, and looking back, I realized despite it not being me, never looking at it that way, it cost me a lot. There was a lot that I mean, just even just paying to keep it hosted.

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Abriana

You know, I, I have shelled out a considerable amount of funds to keep this going and not even just funds, but time and energy and the way that this is going to work, this go round, and I'm approaching it a little bit different.

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Abriana

I'm approaching it like, this is not a hobby. I'm approaching this back in the saddle, producing this podcast like it is part of my business, like it is, so intentional and strategic that it is connecting me with brand partners that help me create experiences for my audience. I want to see people in person, and I know we've been talking about this for a long time, like, oh my gosh, it initially was frame like in the pandemic.

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Abriana

Like, oh, I would love to see y'all once we get out of this panorama. But now we're out of it. Air quotes. For those of you who are not watching me, we're out of it. And I have spent a considerable amount of time and money meeting people in person, because I've met them through the podcast, and they became such important people to me.

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Abriana

And I just want to continue to foster that. I will drop some examples because I love these people, and I'm just so thankful for their continued community and them, you know, seeing me and challenging me and encouraging me. I went to Thailand. Okay. Thailand country in Asia. I went to Thailand to meet my friend Robert Bowden, who's been in Tennessee the majority of the time that I've known him.

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Abriana

Okay. Tennessee. Yeah. The state right next to North Carolina, which where is where I reside. I went all the way to Thailand to meet a friend that lived in Tennessee for most of our friendship because he said, all you have to do is get here and I will take care of you. And I was at the point where I needed someone to take care of me.

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Abriana

And I'm not gonna grab I'm not okay. We had a grand Ole time. We had a grand Ole time. If you have not been in Thailand, you need to go. But even being in Thailand, one thing that I realize is that I will always find a horse, okay? Whether it was in imagery, in art or in real life.

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Abriana

Walking on the beach, I saw an article. Okay, okay, it was glimmering in the sun and I was like, what? What are the odds to see one of these horses that I've only seen in pictures in person? Just chilling, walking on the beach with his, with his writer. I didn't get a chance to interact with them, but also going to an island and seeing horses through the jungle and being like, what is that?

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Abriana

Who is there? What do they do there? I could not stop because we were being bounced around in the back of a pickup truck with our luggage, but that's neither here nor there. But his experiences like that that are like, I get to do this with my people. I get to do this with my friends. Friends that I met through this podcast.

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Abriana

I just went to a conference with Renata. I met her through back in the saddle. She is also, professionally in the leadership development space, just like me.

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Abriana

we were able to pour into each help each other as we pursue entrepreneurship in such a deep way, and I just miss that so much. My friend Kim, she has Ohana Farms in Virginia, and she has been part of many conversations that I've had, not only professionally as a equine assisted services provider, but, oh, I was about to drop some goods.

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Abriana

I'll just go ahead and say it in the conference planning committee. She has offered so much insight and perspective, and we have shared from professional and personal point of view just how we are navigating this industry, her being post-retirement and supporting her daughters in this industry. And me just wanting to soak it up and know what's possible and know what people are interested in and hearing different perspectives.

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Abriana

Because I don't want to just be in my own head and imposing my own perspective on what is created. So being able to just get together with those people, and, and plan for just dope experiences, that is what is so interesting to me. That is what fascinates me. And, honestly, I thought it would have been created without me.

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Abriana

And maybe it is maybe exists somewhere, but it's just not something that I've seen yet. And that's what I want to be able to create for y'all.

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Abriana

So I think I want to wrap this up by saying I am so thankful. If you've gotten this far, I'm so thankful for you to still be here with me.

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Abriana

I am working on not being afraid to say what I need,

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Abriana

what I need to keep this going is your input. What do you want to hear?

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Abriana

What do you have questions about? What are you curious about? How do you want to grow within the horse industry? How do you want to show up differently for your horse?

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Abriana

Does it look like more solo episodes where I'm just breaking down my perspective on different things? Or are there some people that you want to hear from?

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Abriana

I think my perspective on interviews has changed a little bit initially or in the past. They have been just vignettes. I, you know, asked the same questions just to get different, the differences in the answers that people provide. But the questions were pretty much the same. It was really part of that uncover series.

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Abriana

now I want interviews to be a little bit more targeted.

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Abriana

We will be talking about a particular subject and then getting exposed to the guest's life and perspective through that context. So through that lens,

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Abriana

I just need to know what you want.

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Abriana

my goal is to meet halfway what I am interested in talking about and what you want to see, who you want to hear from. And,

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Abriana

just having a grand old time doing it.

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Abriana

A couple of things that are coming up for us very soon is number one, which is is probably the most important thing, is the launch of the Patreon. If, you know, back in the saddle, if you have been connected with us in the past, you know that

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Abriana

I love hosting, conversations and facilitating conversations. So we have had,

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Abriana

panels and webinars and different virtual things that have been so helpful.

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Abriana

iversity on Horseback back in: 2020

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Abriana

collegiate equestrian sports, and we had like 6 or 7 coaches from D1 equestrian teams talking about what it takes to produce that kind of athlete, the kind of athlete that is attractive to D1 coaches.

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Abriana

And we talked about the difference between D1 teams and I. S HRA and all of those different things like that was so valuable to a lot of the parents who have kids who are so interested in this, in this industry, but aren't sure how to maximize that interest and, support them and get more involved. Those are the kinds of things that require a significant time and energy investment.

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Abriana

And I want to make sure the people who are reporting back into the black and saddle community are the ones that are benefiting from that. So there will be some free things. There will be some things that are behind the Patreon. But I want to do community and I want to do it differently. You know, there was a Facebook group back in the saddle, had a Facebook group that had 400 members in it, and.

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Abriana

It did not fulfill me or it didn't fulfill me because,

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Abriana

you know, I was asked to hold this space. But there was just no engagement in it. And it was confusing and caused me a lot of anxiety. So we're trying community differently.

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Abriana

it'll be through Patreon. There'll be more information about that coming up.

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Abriana

Another thing that's going to be coming up is in-person experiences and meetups.

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Abriana

Please, please, please, if you are not already subscribed to us, our newsletter, because I've actually been talking on the newsletter a little bit more than I ever post on social media, because the newsletter to me is people who have already opted in. They've already said, hey, I'm willing, I'm willing to engage with you on a more intimate level by allowing you to send me emails, and that is something that I appreciate.

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Abriana

So, the goods, the goods come from people from my email. All right.

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Abriana

There are a couple of in-person things that I am working on for the fall and winter, especially because I have the beautiful opportunity to travel for work. And I want to make sure that I am connecting with people, who enjoy being in community with other black horse people.

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Abriana

What other black horse folk? Okay. Cross discipline across generations, we have got to come together and learn from one another. So join the email list, follow us on socials, follow us on YouTube, subscribe on YouTube.

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Abriana

we don't have a good old time. What else do I have to tell you? Patreon.

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Abriana

Doing events virtual and in-person.

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Abriana

Traveling with,

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Abriana

community. Right? You know, y'all know I'll get on a plane in a hot second, so. Or in a car. All right, I'll burn the road up. But just just talking to the people that I get to see and, and just learning more about their perspectives. Because we all have so much to offer.

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Abriana

The conversation about what it means to be in this industry and what it means to love the the things that we are all here for. Right. The horses.

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Abriana

you know, I want to lean into education a little bit because I see that people are interested in this lifestyle, but they get into it and they get in over their head, and the horses are the ones that suffer the consequences.

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Abriana

So how can we better prepare people? There's no one that I'm going to turn away from this work. I literally write children's books about little Black Cow, a little black cowgirl, because I want more people to be more interested in this work. But how do we prepare them to get into this in a sustainable way?

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Abriana

And I do not subscribe to the beliefs.

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Abriana

You know, I believe words mean things. And so when you're saying things like a horse's burn money up,

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Abriana

if you want to be a millionaire,

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Abriana

in horses, you got to start with $2 million. Like that is such energy to me.

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Abriana

I, I can't subscribe to that language. So I want to prepare people for what to expect.

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Abriana

And I just want to support them in their

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Abriana

visioning and in their their desire to be closer to these animals. Right. So, yeah, education is a huge part of that.

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Abriana

I'm going to wrap up this episode by saying, thank you. Thank you for still rocking with me. Thank you for still supporting me through my anxiety and my call outs on Facebook.

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Abriana

Like, what do y'all want to hear? What are y'all, I don't know. I'm going to send out a survey. I literally just posted that.

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Abriana

I just appreciate you. I appreciate the people who are just constantly supporting this vision, no matter what that looks like, through the breaks and through the moments of lack of belief or a lack of motivation or lack of discipline, that's going to be in that burnout episode.

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Abriana

Okay,

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Abriana

I just I appreciate you and I hope that you continue to rock with me,

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Abriana

because I am reinvigorated and I am planning ahead, and I am making sure that the conversations that I get to have here are meaningful,

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Abriana

and are special and are what y'all are interested in.

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Abriana

Wherever you are listening. Wherever you are watching this.

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Abriana

Check the words attached to this file. Attached to this audio or video to connect with us via our email lists. As a US, us, me, myself and I connect with me via email

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Abriana

Stay tuned for additional episodes because back in the saddle is back. She never left. We never left. But we're here again.

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Abriana

And yeah, I appreciate you. All right. See you next time.