Eliza S. Carter on Healing and Hustle: Self-Therapeutic Techniques for African Diaspora Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is a journey—one that requires resilience, creativity, and a deep sense of purpose. But for African diaspora entrepreneurs, that journey is often laden with emotional and mental hurdles that can make it feel even more daunting. You may face unique challenges: navigating cultural differences, combating imposter syndrome, balancing multiple identities that come from being an outsider in a foreign land. Yet, amidst all these challenges lies a profound opportunity to reshape your life and business through the power of storytelling and self-therapy.

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.

This article explores how you, as a creative entrepreneur, can leverage self-therapeutic techniques—tools that help you heal, grow, and thrive—not only as a business owner but as a person.

Always remember that as an entrepreneur, your story is one of resilience, transformation, and possibility. But how do you harness the power of that story to fuel your business? And how do you ensure that you are tending to your emotional and spiritual well-being as you build your entrepreneurial empire?

Drawing insights from Eliza S. Carter, a renowned expert in spiritual intelligence (SQ) and breathwork, this article will introduce you to techniques that can help you nurture your higher self, improve your mental health, and lead your business with clarity and purpose.

Through the lens of self-therapy, we will examine how these techniques—such as breathwork, spiritual intelligence, and self-leadership—can transform your entrepreneurial journey.

The Weight of the Entrepreneurial Journey: Understanding the Emotional Toll

As an African diaspora entrepreneur, you likely carry a weight that’s unique to your experience. Whether you are building a creative business, a tech startup, or a cultural brand, there’s often an underlying emotional burden that doesn’t get discussed enough.

The societal pressures to succeed, the fear of failure, and the need to constantly prove your worth can take a significant toll on your mental and emotional health.

See also How Emotional Intelligence Shapes Our Connections: Lessons from April Wyett on the Obehi Podcast

A 2021 report by the McKinsey Global Institute revealed that Black entrepreneurs in the U.S. have a higher rate of mental health challenges than the general population, with nearly 60% reporting stress and anxiety due to their business ventures.

In the UK, the British Business Bank found that Black and ethnic minority business owners were 30% less likely to have access to mentoring or funding, adding to the already heavy emotional strain.

These figures underscore a crucial reality: mental health matters. In fact, studies show that entrepreneurs—regardless of background—are more likely to experience depression, burnout, and stress compared to employees.

For the African diaspora, these pressures are compounded by historical trauma, cultural disconnect, and systemic barriers. But the solution is not just financial or professional. It’s deeply personal. This is where self-therapy comes in and you need to pay attention.

What Is Self-Therapy, and Why Does It Matter for You?

Self-therapy refers to the conscious, intentional practices you engage in to heal and maintain your emotional and mental well-being. Unlike traditional therapy, which often involves working with a professional, self-therapy puts you in the driver’s seat of your own healing process.

This involves using tools and techniques like mindfulness, breathwork, journaling, and self-reflection to manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Why is this crucial for you, as an entrepreneur? Because entrepreneurship is an emotional and psychological marathon, not a sprint. You will face moments of doubt, fear, and uncertainty. Self-therapy provides you with the tools to process these feelings without letting them derail your business goals.

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In an interview on Obehi Podcast, Eliza S. Carter, an expert in women’s spiritual intelligence, emphasizes the importance of self-therapy for entrepreneurs.

“As an entrepreneur, you’re your biggest asset,” she told Obehi Ewanfoh, the podcast host. “If you don’t nurture yourself, if you don’t understand how to release the mental pressure in your thought lives, it can overwhelm you.”

Eliza’s work revolves around helping highly sensitive individuals, particularly women, manage stress and reclaim their inner strength.

Her insights are particularly valuable for African diaspora entrepreneurs who may be facing compounded challenges, from cultural adjustment to systemic discrimination.

Breathwork: The Gateway to Inner Healing

One of the self-therapeutic techniques Eliza advocates is breathwork, a practice that involves controlled breathing to promote mental clarity, reduce anxiety, and improve emotional regulation.

Breathwork has gained significant traction in recent years as a tool for improving overall well-being, but its roots go deep into various African, Asian, and Indigenous spiritual practices.

As an African diaspora entrepreneur, you might find yourself constantly juggling multiple roles: creative, leader, marketer, strategist, and more. This can quickly lead to burnout and a sense of being “spread thin.” Breathwork offers a way to center yourself amidst chaos.

Incorporating breathwork into your daily routine can be as simple as setting aside five to ten minutes each morning to engage in deep, rhythmic breathing.

The Breath Walk technique, which Eliza teaches, combines walking with breath patterns to ground your body and calm your mind. By synchronizing your breath with your movement, you can release emotional tension and create mental space for creativity and decision-making.

Studies have shown that breathwork can reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increase levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter associated with happiness and well-being. For entrepreneurs, this means better focus, clarity, and emotional balance, key ingredients for success.

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Self-Leadership: Leading Your Life and Business from Within

This is another key to success. Self-leadership is the ability to take control of your thoughts, actions, and emotions to guide your personal and professional life. For African diaspora entrepreneurs, self-leadership is particularly important because it helps you stay grounded in your values and purpose, even when external pressures threaten to pull you in different directions.

Eliza S. Carter teaches that self-leadership begins with understanding your own spiritual intelligence (SQ)—the ability to use your intuition, wisdom, and values to make decisions and lead effectively. “True leadership starts from within,” Eliza explains. “When you lead from a place of self-awareness and spiritual wisdom, your business reflects that authenticity.”

According to a study from the International Journal of Business and Social Science, businesses led by individuals with higher levels of emotional and spiritual intelligence are more successful in fostering innovation, creativity, and employee satisfaction.

As an entrepreneur, this means that developing your SQ can not only improve your personal well-being but can also enhance your business performance.

For African diaspora entrepreneurs, self-leadership is a vital tool for navigating the complexities of identity and cultural challenges while building a brand that stays true to who you are.

By cultivating self-leadership, you can make decisions that align with your personal values and your mission—whether that’s promoting African culture, addressing social justice issues, or empowering other members of your community.

The Role of Storytelling in Self-Therapy and Business Success

Storytelling is not just a marketing tool; it’s a vehicle for self-therapy. By telling your story, you not only connect with your audience but also create space for healing and growth.

As an African diaspora entrepreneur, your story is rich with history, culture, and lived experiences. These stories can become a source of power that propels your business forward.

Eliza S. Carter stresses that entrepreneurs often struggle with imposter syndrome—the feeling that they don’t deserve their success or that they are not good enough. “When you use storytelling as a self-therapeutic tool,” she says, “you allow yourself to reclaim your narrative. You stop seeing yourself as an outsider or an imposter and start seeing yourself as a powerful creator with a unique contribution.”

Research supports the power of storytelling in business. According to Harvard Business Review, storytelling in marketing and leadership helps:

• Build trust,
• Foster emotional connections,
• And make your message more memorable.

For African diaspora entrepreneurs, storytelling allows you to tap into your community’s shared history and values, creating a deeper emotional connection with your audience.

Sharing your story can be a deeply healing experience. As you reflect on your journey—your struggles, triumphs, and challenges—you begin to reshape your narrative in a way that empowers you. This process allows you to gain new insights and perspectives, fostering a sense of strength and resilience.

See also Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities: How Storytelling Transforms Challenges into Business Triumphs

You stop viewing your journey as a series of obstacles and start seeing it as a testament to your resilience, creativity, and purpose.

Conclusion: The Future of African Diaspora Entrepreneurship

As an African diaspora entrepreneur, your story is powerful. It’s shaped by history, resilience, and an unyielding commitment to creating something meaningful.

By integrating self-therapeutic techniques like breathwork, self-leadership, and storytelling, you can overcome the emotional and mental barriers that often come with entrepreneurship.

Remember, the key to success is not just about what you achieve externally but how you nurture your inner self. As Eliza S. Carter says, “When you honor your inner self, your business honors you.”

Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.