In this episode, Ajah opens up about her lifelong relationship with perfectionism and how it’s shown up, how it’s shaped her, and how she’s learning to walk in the spirit of perfectionism differently. As she pivots in business and shares more of her journey publicly, she’s choosing to embrace transparency over performance, allowing her process to be seen in real time. Ajah reflects on how she once viewed her sensitivity and emotional depth as weaknesses: traits she learned to suppress after being told she was “too emotional.” Over time, she realized those very traits were gifts that shaped her empathy, intuition, and spiritual discernment. What once brought shame has become her superpower.

Key Themes:

Weaknesses → Superpowers

Ajah shares how her emotional nature, once misunderstood, became a source of strength. She talks about unlearning suppression, embracing authenticity, and protecting her emotional energy through better boundaries.

The Power of Vulnerability

Ajah reflects on The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown and how it sparked healing in this area of her life. She shares that perfectionism often masquerades as a form of protection: a shield against shame, blame, or criticism. Yet, as Ajah explains, perfectionism is actually the enemy of progress and purpose. When we chase external validation or wait for things to feel “perfect,” we risk missing the transformative beauty of simply becoming.

Walking in the Spirit of Perfectionism

Rather than trying to defeat perfectionism, AJ talks about transforming her relationship with it. She’s learning to walk in the spirit of excellence: where faith, not fear, leads and to share her business pivot from a place of process, not polish.

Faith•Full Reflection: Where there is perfectionism, there is often shame. But where there is faith, there is freedom. God doesn’t need us to be flawless, He desires us to be faith•full.

Faith Takeaway:

Have faith in the imperfections: that’s where the true beauty of the growth journey lies. We weren’t created to be perfect; we were created to be refined. Transformation doesn’t happen through flawlessness, but through what we often call our weaknesses. When we change our mindset and relationship with them, we discover the power of letting our weaknesses grow into our superpowers.

Sometimes the space between where you are and where you’re going is the most sacred place of all. It’s where gratitude and faith meet, where you get to be both grounded in the now and expectant for what’s next.

This episode is about being grateful for the season you’re in, even when you can feel the pull of the next one. It was inspired by a moment I had while working on an incredible opportunity with Essence, in the middle of a meeting, I had this wave of gratitude hit. I realized, “Wow, this is a full-circle moment." I prayed for this.

But, at the same time, I was thinking about the vision ahead, this pivot I'm walking in. That’s when it clicked: we can hold both. We can be deeply grateful for where we are, and still faithful for what’s coming.

The in-between is where most of our growth happens. It’s the space between seed and harvest, between the vision and the reality. This is where discipline, consistency, and belief matter most. It’s not glamorous. It’s not always clear. But it’s where our roots deepen.

Sometimes we want to rush out of that space, to get to the “next big thing.” But that in-between is actually the most powerful and beautiful part of the journey.

Reflection Points We Can Reflect On

• How often do you pause to really celebrate the season you’re in?

• Can you find beauty in the middle, not just the milestones?

• What if the waiting isn’t wasted time, but sacred time?

I’m learning to stay committed to the in-between, to keep showing up, creating, believing, even when I can’t see how it’ll all connect yet. Because it always does. Everything unfolds in perfect timing. So if you’re in that space between what is and what’s next, stay open, stay receptive, and keep your heart open. Gratitude and faith will carry you through.

Have you ever felt like you had to hold it all together for everyone else, only to realize you were falling apart inside? In this episode of the Faith•Full Podcast, AJ opens her journal from November 6, 2024, and shares raw reflections on what she calls the “Savior Complex.”

After experiencing two extremes: saving everyone at the expense of herself, and isolating completely to protect her peace. Both left her feeling empty — drained by over-giving, or guilty for pulling back. Through solitude, guilt, and even recent dream, God revealed a new way: to love without losing herself.

This episode is about learning the difference between self-sacrifice that drains and selfless love that heals. It’s about catching old habits in real time, changing your mindset so your actions follow, and walking daily in the balance God calls us to.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why over-giving and complete isolation are two sides of the same Savior Complex.
• The heavy guilt AJ carried when she pulled away to heal.
• How shrinking and being “palatable” shows up as another form of self-sacrifice.
• The dream that revealed what it meant to finally “get out of the car.” "take the wheel:
• How God is reviving her passion to help others from a place of overflow, not depletion.
• Why healing from decades of the Savior Complex is a daily walk, and how awareness and daily decisions change everything

Reflection Question for You:

Where in your life are you carrying guilt about how you show up for others — and what would balance look like for you?

Listen if you’ve ever:

• Struggled with guilt when isolating or in solitude.

• Felt like you had to save or fix people.

• Swung between over-giving and shutting down.

• Needed encouragement to love yourself and others in balance.