Define Normal: Recent Episodes
Shelbi Jones
There is a moment when we've all looked at our lives and wondered: Is this normal? On each episode of Define Normal, host Shelbi Jones and her guests unpack their experiences with societal norms.
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On this solo episode, I give a mini recap of the Generation Women show. I also share my thoughts on turning 30, friendship and sensitivity.
Generation Women Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHdAQEWO2BI
TikTok I mentioned about sensitivity: https://www.tiktok.com/@define.normal/video/7197545372045053227?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7007878479015773701
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In this solo episode, I share my experience at the Generation Women writing retreat in the Catskills. I also share my struggles around my identity as a writer. I finish the episode by sharing that I'm preforming at the Generation Women show on 2/2 at Joe's Pub and give you a preview of the story I'm sharing.
Generation Women is a multigenerational storytelling series that invites a performer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s+ to share an original true story on a theme. Our mission is to amplify underheard voices, and create space for intergenerational connection and community.
For more information on the upcoming Generation Women Retreat on 3/24-3/27: https://www.generationwomen.us/writers-retreat
For virtual tickets to the show on 2/2: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/generation-women-livestream-only-tickets-483084437557
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This week, I am joined by my friend and provisionally licensed clinical psychologist, Shelley Eisenberg. Throughout this conversation, Shelley and I discuss norms in therapy, sexuality, gender roles and her thoughts around people who aren't quite ready to try therapy.
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This week, I'm joined by Melissa Hougland (@dontmissmelis) as she shares her egg freezing journey. Mel shares her process of finding a doctor, administering shots, covering the cost and her words of wisdom for those who are interested in the process.
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On this episode, I am joined by Elaine Thompson is a New York-based interior designer and the founder and principal of Pistachio Designs. Her work has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, Rue Magazine and Apartment Therapy. Elaine has decorated my past two rental apartments. We discuss her journey to entrepreneurship, design style and where she sources some of her favorite items.
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I'm baaaaaaack! In this solo episode, I'm discussing what's top of mind for 2023 and what you can expect from the podcast in the upcoming weeks.
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In this very special episode, I virtually sit down with my maternal grandmother, Sadie Robinson, who I lovingly refer to as Grandmommy. We discuss growing up in Jackson, TN, her career, what she's most proud of and how she manages to keep up with technology.
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A solo episode where I discuss the importance of making a crush list, inspired by a TikTok made by @tinx
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For my last episode of Black History Month, I interviewed my friend Ade Adeshoye. Ade and I discuss his upbringing in Bethesda, MD, attending boarding school, his time at Northwestern, as well as his experience at Yale. Ade and I also discuss how growing up in predominately white prestigious environments shaped his identity and sense of self.
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On this episode, I virtually sit down with personal chef and founder of @KidsTableNY, Anicia Ngozi (@aniciangozi). Anicia and I discuss her transition from tech to the kitchen, her experience working with high profile families in NYC and her journey to entrepreneurship.
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In this episode, I am virtually joined by Tyshaia Earnest (@tyshaia), Marketing and Communications Manager for the Fifteen Percent Pledge. In this episode, Tyshaia and I discuss her experience as a Fashion Merchandising Major at Kent State University, her time interning and working for the Nordstrom buying team in Seattle and her current role at the pledge. We also discuss retailers that have taken the Fifteen Percent Pledge, along with retailers who we believe could do better. To end the episode Tyshaia shares some of her favorite Black-owned brands.
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In this solo episode, I talk about how New York has changed since I left, how I'm adjusting to my new neighborhood, friends leaving and everything that the city is in the midst of a pandemic.
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On this episode, my friend Tony Francis (@tonyfrancisv) and I agree to disagree on West Elm Caleb and the current date of the dating world. We also get a few hot takes from Tony's friend AK (@shotsfromtheak)
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On this solo episode, I discuss why Discipline is my theme of 2022.
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On this episode, we experiment with a new format. I'm coming to you live from Clubhouse with my friend and co-worker Yesenia (@yeseniaxvargas) as we discuss the phenomenon that is Casual Instagram. We deep dive into our own relationship with the platform, performative instagram and influencers. We are also joined by Domenic Iniguez (@dominic), Tony Francis (@tonyfrancisv), and Will Weinbach (@weinbach)
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On this solo episode, I provide some context on why I took a break from the podcast, talk about my 2021 in review and reveal my main goal for 2022.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with my friend Jess and her fiance, Adam to discuss their relationship and how Adam's son Chance from his previous marriage has impacted their relationship. Jess speaks about developing a relationship with Chance, learning to parent and settling into her role as a bonus mom. Adam discusses dating after divorce, when he decided to let Jess meet his son and advice for other people dating after divorce. They also discuss their wedding plans, along with if they plan to have more children or not.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Ben Helms to get his perspective as a man who is into fashion. We discuss fast fashion, male accessories, designers he is into the evolution of his style. Ben posts his fire fits on his personal IG (@bennyhunnaz) and he also has been featured on the IG stories of the popular podcast Throwing Fits, so you know his style is on point.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with my friend Rachel Caudill to discuss the evolution of our 15+ year friendship. We met in middle school and have been in each other lives through breakups, college, moving to new cities, weddings, losing family members and everything in between. In this conversation, we discuss some of the issues we went through that caused rifts in our friendship and the conversation that ultimately brought us back to a good place.
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In this solo episode, I discuss my relationship with softness, vulnerability in friendship and how I'm making an effort to lean more into my feelings.
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In this solo episode, I discuss my decision to leave Facebook for Clubhouse.
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In this episode, I virtually sat down with my sister Sydney Jones to discuss our recently diagnosed COVID-19 breakthrough cases. As the Delta Variant spreads across the country, we discuss our symptoms, what we were doing before we got diagnosed, how we feel about anti-vaxxers and our COVID survival kits.
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In this solo episode, I share a big life update on my job. Tune in for the tea!
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Sam Kraus to discuss his experience with Ulcerative Colitis. Sam shares his story from diagnosis to his decision to get an Ileostomy. We also discuss his recovery, relationship with food post surgery and how living with a chronic illness can be isolating.
You can find Sam on Instagram @s_kraus05
In this episode, I virtually sit down with my friend and college roommate Michelle Botomogno. We discuss her experience growing up biracial in a predominately white affluent suburb of Columbus, OH. Michelle and I discuss her identity, how she feels about her blackness, body image, speaking up about issues surrounding race and immersing herself in black culture.
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In this solo episode, I discuss work and social burn out as a result of the world being open again. We are all trying to make up for lost time in our social lives that we lost during the height of the pandemic. We are flying to weddings, vacations and visiting friends, not to mention the fact that we are still spending the majority of our days on Zoom. I discuss my own personal relationship with burnout and how we need to get more comfortable with just saying "no."
Harvard Business Review Time Management Won't Save You: https://hbr.org/2021/06/time-management-wont-save-you
In this episode, I virtually sit down with Aurea Sanabria Molaei, Founder and Creative Director of Flower Bodega. Flower Bodega is a modern floral design & content studio specializing in events, installations, editorial, and experiences. Aurea and I discuss her journey from being a producer for large experiential events to falling in love with floral arrangements and starting her own business. We also discuss the woes of owning a business and how she managed to pivot to make Flower Bodega flourish during the pandemic.
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In part 2 of episode 24, I virtually sit down with my friends Thomas and Kunaal to talk about their lives as two boys who love love. Kunal finished his story about his almost marriage to a woman he was dating from India, then we get into Thomas' dating life and what makes them swipe right on the apps.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with my friends Thomas and Kunaal to discuss love. They share what it means to be a hopeless romantic, as guys in their 20s. We discuss the type of relationships they hope to land and what's going on in their love lives currently. This episode needed two parts. In part one, we speak about the juxtaposition between what Kunal thinks about love as someone who grew up in an Indian family, but also fully immersed in American culture. He takes us through a journey about his experience with arranged marriage and you don't want to miss it.
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I just celebrated my 28th birthday on May 31s, so for this solo episode, I share the lessons I've learned over my 28 years of life.
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For this week's episode I virtually sit down with Amanda Taylor, CEO and founder of The Unplug Collective. If you haven’t heard of Unplug, you should be following them on IG @theunplugcollective.
If you are already following, you know unplug is a platform for Black Women and gender-expansive people to share stories about mental health and body discrimination. Unplug has received recognition from major publications such as Vogue, Forbes and InStyle. Not only do Amanda and her team tell stories, but they provide educational content to take a deeper dive into these narratives. This conversation with Amanda centers around perfectionism. We discuss perfectionism in many different forms from what we eat, how we talk and how society projects the definition of what we consider perfection.
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In this episode, my college roommate and friend of a decade, Amanda Oswald and I virtually sit down to discuss our experience as the single friends in our group. We talk about Midwest vs. East Coast dating, what it means when your friends say they're in a "serious relationship," the death of situationships in your late 20s and we also give each other dating advice.
You can follow Amanda on Instagram at @aoswald11.
Girls Gotta Eat Episode that Amanda references: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-are-all-the-decent-men-feat-author-jon-birger/id1348777092?i=1000504928395
TikTok that I referenced about celebrating men doing the bare minimum: https://www.tiktok.com/@baddieofbengal/video/6962304352388205829?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowDQdtKSwsLjyuzjX3RbdaSx5VxcN4%2FyVzGAMwOZO90GIqtUWbsuPi4fgHKnrVOfuJGgA%3D&enable_clips=1&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAgrM9su4RBNJjcOS4b40HQpgyzuJl5T4qCXwi9Puv4dK3xYPfPUD17uTSq2WHwAxO&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=6962304352388205829&share_link_id=B514869B-E7A6-4061-A32A-7DDF5D4C7F4F&source=h5_m×tamp=1621339063&tt_from=sms&u_code=dg8hgkjhkja25d&user_id=6911463876845093893&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=sms&_r=1
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In this solo episode, I discuss the struggle of quitting activities in order to make room for the things in my life that I actually want to pursue.
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In this episode, I am virtually joined by Hayet Rida, Creative Strategist, influencer, author and a serial entrepreneur. We discuss the vulnerability of sharing her life on Instagram, how she manages a six-figure blog business along with a 9-5, boundaries and Black women in luxury.
You can find Hayet on Instagram @hayet.rida or via her website hayetrida.com
In this episode, I am virtually joined by Aubrey Johansen, personal chef and Instagram influencer. We discuss her choice to be sober, how she's found community, moving to a new place, navigating life's big moments without alcohol and her commitment being there to support people who also are navigating this journey.
You can find Aubrey on Instagram @thatwhatsheeats or via her website thatswhatsheeats.com
In this episode, I virtually sit down with Ashley Wallace to hear about how she and her husband made the decision to be child-free. We discuss how they decided, the feedback from their families and why it ultimately is the right decision for them.
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In this solo episode, I discuss my feelings around the death of Daunte Wright and police brutality.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Willie Sinclair, fellow midwesterner and Lead Wardrobe Stylist for the Emmy nominated Daytime talk show “The Wendy Williams Show." His work has been featured in a range of publications, including the New York Times Magazine, W Magazine, Variety and The Wrap. He was most recently profiled for PAPER Magazine in the article entitled “The Stylist Who Got Wendy Wearing Telfar and Dapper Dan.”
Willie and I discuss his path to becoming a stylist, how the fashion world could use more inclusivity, which brands he’s loving right now and his plans for the future.
In this episode, I virtually sit down with Deb Renteria to discuss Toxic Productivity. We unpack how it impacts women of color in the workplace, how to practice better boundaries and how leadership in the workplace can set the tone for the rest of their team.
Deb is a marketing professional who currently works on the Multicultural Marketing team at HBO, where she focuses on creating experiences to organically gage diverse audiences and elevate top priority programming. Deb is originally from Long Beach, CA and attended the University of California at Berkley. She’s a proud first generation Mexican-American and co-founder of La Nueva Link, a community for LatinX creatives and media professionals.
You can follow Deb and La Nueva Link here:
https://www.instagram.com/thatdarndeb/
https://www.instagram.com/lanuevalink/
In this episode, I virtually sit down with Penny Lam to discuss her experience as an Asian-American. Penny shares her thoughts on the anti-Asian hate crimes, along with the spa attacks in Atlanta. Penny also provides insight on how we can be better allies to the Asian community.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Stella McCabe-Soares as we discuss her freshman year at Ohio State during a global pandemic, moving from NYC to Columbus, Ohio and how she is managing virtual learning.
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This week, I virtually sit down with Gerald Edwards, the founder of the clothing brand NSOD. We discuss his early days of entrepreneurship, founding his brand in high school, how he balances a 9-5 while building his business and his top tips for budding entrepreneurs. We also discuss the importance of a creative community and prioritizing your output over accolades.
You can find Gerald at nsodclothing.com and @nsod_ on Instagram.
In this episode, I virtually sit down with Rob Rush. We discuss his journey as a first-generation college student from the South Bronx who attended Harvard University. Rob is also the founder of Become What You Can't See, a community for and by first-generation students. You can find his community on instagram @becomewhatyoucantsee and their website https://www.becomewhatyoucantsee.org/
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In this solo episode, I discuss the importance of friendship in a world where society idolizes romantic relationships.
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In this episode, I am virtually joined by Tori Bell, founder of the employee resource group Black Women@ Facebook and most recently, founder of Inclusion Unpacked (@inclusionunpacked), a weekly newsletter with weekly diversity resources. During our conversation, we discuss the secret sauce of community building, her partnership with Sophia Amoruso, founder of Business Class and how white women can be better allies.
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In full solo episode, I discuss my observations after one week on the NYC dating app scene.
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In this episode, I share my thoughts on vision writing and how to manifest the life you want in 2021.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Daniel Stokes as he shares about his mental health journey. Daniel lives in NYC, works as a Senior Culture Manager at a travel company and he also suffers from anxiety and depression. We discuss the moment his anxiety manifested, going to therapy, being transparent about mental health and how he's surviving the global pandemic.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Natalie Lynch and Stuart Nelson, a couple who originally met on Bumble and have been maintaining a long-distance relationship from across the world for the past year. We discuss their first date, how they're surviving after so much time apart and a few tips on how to create an amazing dating app profile.
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In this episode, I virtually sit down with Katie Foley, a millennial conservative white woman from Dayton, OH. We discuss her conservative values, religion, growing up in a bubble and how she plans to raise her future children. The episode begins with me providing context for why I'm interested in hearing Katie's viewpoint, although we have conflicting views.
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In this episode, I sit down with my mom, Sharon Jones, to discuss how we are surviving quarantine and what it's been like to live together for the past 9 months. We talk about gourmet quarantine meals, what she's learned about me during our time living together and how she still doesn't know what my job title is.
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In this solo episode, I explain what to expect from the podcast, along with why I started it and provide a little more insight into my personal background.
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