Big Sean continues to open up about his spirituality, mental health, and how he manifested his career. Over the years, the Detroit rapper has been open about his battle with depression and anxiety and has praised holistic practices such as meditation as well as therapy. He also is a believer in manifestation and the law of attraction and how he was able to use those lessons to obtain success. Back in 2019, he released a video about manifestation where he said, “If I want it and I believe I can have it, then that’s my reality.”
He also did an interview with Jay Shetty’s podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty a year ago about manifestation that was such a big hit with fans that he’s back for another purposeful conversation. In the March 2022 episode, the “Play No Games” rapper dives even deeper into manifesting abundance, success, and happiness. Here are some highlights from the hour and a half-long interview.
Big Sean on How Meditation Lifts Your Vibration
“I change my meditations up frequently. I do mantra meditations sometimes and sometimes I do just guided meditations that are specifically for me. Maybe for that week, things that I, not necessarily trying to accomplish but things that I put in my consciousness. Things that I want to approach right, but most importantly it gets me right for the day. It’s like taking a shower after you work out and you take that shower and feeling fresh. That’s what it does for my consciousness, my energy and things just flow better.”
“I literally feel like I’m lifting my vibration up to a higher place of just to be successful and it all starts right there for me. You can’t do it right or wrong way. There’s no right or wrong way in doing it. The fact that you take the time out to just be with yourself to breathe. Your mind is going to race all over the place sometimes. Sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes it does. You bring it back to your breath, you bring it back to whatever you’re listening to, and just the fact that you took that time out to breathe and spend that time on yourself, you’re gonna feel an incredible difference every time.”
Be Specific With Your Intentions
“If you are specific, well then always make sure in that specification that you put and more or I’m open to whatever possibilities are also available, whatever options there are if you are specific because we can be specific somewhat, but you can’t be too specific and leave it there. You can say I want to have the number one podcast that talks about mental health and all these things but the specification of that is even bigger than that. Everything you do is way bigger than that, but you’re open to all of those expansive options. I just hope that people realize that whatever you want in life–first of all, wanting something is acknowledging the lack of it.”
“So, remember in our last interview I talked about how God gives you what you ask for so I kinda don’t say I want anything anymore, I say 'I desire,' or 'My intention.' I don’t say I want it because I’m just acknowledging over and over that I don’t have it and I don’t want to match that vibration of not having it anymore. So instead it’s this is my intention, my desire, and I put myself vibrationally on that frequency already having it already being there and that for me works I don’t know if that works for everyone else, but try it. If life isn’t going exactly how you want it to which is 99% of us in this world, try it that way.”
Self-care is Service
“The whole purpose of self-care is the complete opposite of being selfish. It’s service to the world so when you’re overwhelmed with all the anxiety of what’s going on, you’re overwhelmed with your personal problems and the world’s problems and things seem to be too much, we all go through this, the most important thing to rely on the faith that everything is going to be okay. When you put your best foot forward, the extra steps to take care of yourself to bring your best foot forward you realize, we talked about it last time, that the reason that we’re in this moment in the first place is ‘cause we have the ability to change this moment.”
“The great part about being in any situation whether you’re up or down in life is that it’s an amazing opportunity and you have the ability to change every situation. So, when you have that faith. I talked about that invisible bridge to have that faith and walk across and you don’t really see how you’re gonna get across, but you know it’s there and you step off that clip and unto where you don’t see anything and you still haven’t fallen. That’s what faith is and that’s what we have to have in each other and society and realize the more conscious we are the more we work on ourselves the more steps we’re taking to get to the other side of things."
Have Faith and Trust in Divine Timing
“These things, when they even happen you realize, I in the first place should never be mad at a timeline because how can I be mad at a timeline or something not getting done or a deadline when I’m on God’s time. I’m moving at God’s speed. I’m not moving at my speed. I can set my intention, give my attention to that intention in hopefully getting something done. It may get done earlier. I may want to finish something in April and it may get done in February. I may want to get something done by April and it may not get done till next April.”
“Who knows? Because it’s unknown but when we embrace that unknown, which a lot of us, it’s hard to do ‘cause we always like to think about what’s the worst that can happen instead of what’s the best that can happen. I had to change my whole mindset to think, okay, what’s the best that can happen because I don’t even want to attract what’s the worst that can happen. That’s such a normal saying. That saying is wack. I had to flip it over to what’s the best that can happen because I have 100% faith.”
Be Rich Within Yourself
“You can be rich in money but it’s conditional. That money goes, you’re not even rich anymore. If you take all of the money away from me or anyone around me, my family, we’re at a point where we were rich before we had money. Because of the rich practices that we were taught which is to take care of yourself early on which is a lesson I put on a back burner and went through and experienced life and life was hitting me and beating me up. I had to take a step back and reaffirm the things that I already knew but really strengthen them up. That is being rich for real because money is conditional and that is the energy we assigned it."
"It’s the currency of our countries and living the way we live but time is the currency of our universe and love is the currency of all. Love is God. I know I’m kind of rambling, but I just want people to get that because when you judge someone else, you’re just wasting your time. You’re really just giving someone else your energy that’s so valuable. You can be building a mountain with that energy, you can be building your future or career or something else, Instead, you’re worried about somebody else or tearing somebody else down and it doesn't make sense. It’s so easy to do though.”
Find Your Happiness and Writing a Book
“Make everything you’re doing fun because we’re here for such a short period of time and when we see somebody pass away that’s close to us or someone we idolize, our heroes or family members or friends whatever just you gotta realize that I work but I gotta make this fun because that is the key to happiness, right? And that is to me, that’s real success is when you’re happy so you gotta have fun with whatever you’re doing and if it’s not fun you gotta make it fun or do something else. Even if it pays your bills or anything you gotta –if you just approach it like that, something that may be depressing to you can completely change. That job you may have been working on, I’ve been doing this since I was 11 years old by the way making music, and obviously, I want to do other things with my life.”
“I want to write a book because I’ve learned so many lessons from you, Deepak, I get to sit with Sadhguru, my mom especially, I get to sit with Jhene (Aiko). I get to sit with all these amazing, I get to sit with Marie Diamond. I get to sit with a lot of people who know so much and I know that that’s one of my life purposes is to put that information into, and all the experiences I been through, all the testaments I’ve seen, and all of the magic I’ve witnessed in my life that’s the reason I want to write a book. I’m not doing it because, oh it’s a cool thing for your career to do I feel like I have to write a book because it’s one of my missions for humanity.”
How To Manifest ABUNDANCE, SUCCESS, & HAPPINESS Into Your Life | Big Sean & Jay Shetty
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Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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What Is A Mother Wound? Signs You May Have One & How To Heal
I didn’t know I had a mother wound until my therapist named it for me.
I had been describing a pattern of emotional unavailability in my choice of partners as a commonality between them. I told him how there was often a physical presence but also one paired with an emotional distance. I expressed that I felt inclined to be the "reasonable" one in my relationships. Easy to love, eager to please, emotionally contained. He gently gave me language, but some I wasn’t expecting: “It sounds like a mother wound.” That statement helped me connect so many dots, but at the same time, I asked him, "But, how?"
My mother is there for me. My mother is a home for me. My mother loves me. What I learned was that a mother wound doesn’t always have to come from abuse, neglect, or other forms of toxicity. Sometimes it comes from a very human mother who is doing her best in all of the ways you could ever ask her to and even in ways you couldn’t, but one who is also emotionally unavailable, overly critical, or dependent on you to meet her needs. (Parentification, party of one.)
My mother wound took form not because she was unloving, but because she was often emotionally unavailable. As a single mother of three and a mother to countless others working in education, she carried the weight of everything. And while I’ve always admired her strength and loved her deeply, I now understand that some of my emotional patterns were shaped by the love I craved but didn’t always feel. She is an amazing mother, and I still have a mother wound. I hold space for both truths because they both deserve space.
If you’ve ever struggled with the ability to self-soothe, people-pleasing, low self-worth, or emotional boundaries, your mother wound may still be calling the shots in your life and your adult relationships. To learn more about what the mother wound is, how it shows up, and how to start healing it, keep reading.
What Is a Mother Wound?
A mother wound refers to the behavioral patterns, emotional pain, and belief systems derived from the relationships we have with our mothers or maternal figures. It's an attachment wound that is not always caused by overt harm. Sometimes mother wounds stem from emotional absence or a lack of emotional support, criticism, passive-aggression, control, co-dependency, or a feeling that you had to earn love by being self-sacrificing or self-sufficient, "easy," or helpful.
The wound is less about pointing fingers at who to blame and more about having awareness around where your needs were left unmet, and how that impacted the way you show up in the world.
Trauma Integration Coach Ally described the impact of such a wound perfectly. In an Instagram caption, she wrote, "When there has been mother wounding, the heart defends itself and tries to close. Our whole system lives in a state of contraction and unsafety, depleted of love, nurturance, and connection."
That "state of contraction and unsafety" she refers to can look like:
- Feeling emotionally guarded, even with people you love
- Struggling to trust your needs or believe you’re allowed to take up space
- Over-functioning in relationships or assuming the role of caregiver/fixer
- Having chronically anxious or hyper-independent nervous system states (i.e., never letting yourself rest or receive)
While these patterns are often unconscious, they have the potential to quietly shape everything, from your self-worth to your romantic relationships.
The Types of Mother Wounds
5 Types of Mother Wounds You Should Know About
While everyone's experience is unique to them, some types of mother wounds show up more commonly than others. According to The Mother Wound Project, there are seven types of mother wounds, but I've also seen sources that say they are as many as 15. Because mother wounds are complex and can originate from different behaviors experienced in a mother-child relationship, it is possible to have multiple types of mother wounds depending on the parent.
To begin healing your mother wound(s), it is helpful to identify the type of mother wound you may be carrying and how it might be playing out in your life today. Check out a few of the more common ones below.
The Abandonment Wound
If your mother was physically or emotionally unavailable, or even absent from your life altogether, you might have an abandonment wound. Perhaps she worked a lot, struggled with her own mental health, or was unable to attune to your emotional needs. As a result, you might have felt unheard, unseen, or like your feelings weren't important.
How it manifests:
- Attracting unavailable or avoidant partners
- Struggling to ask for help or trust others
- Having a fear of rejection, or like you're "too much"
The Criticism Wound
If your mother had impossibly high expectations for you, was overly critical, or was a perfectionist who wanted you to follow suit, it's possible you internalized a harsh inner critic. Love might have felt conditional, like it had to be earned through success by way of accomplishments, accolades, and achievements, or through being compliant, easy, or needless.
How it manifests:
- Feeling like you're not "doing enough," not now, not ever
- Struggling with impostor syndrome or chronic self-doubt
- Fearing you might make the "wrong" choice, or that you'll fail
The Enmeshment Wound
For many with mother wounds, it’s not just about what was lacking or missing, but instead how closely they were tied to their mother’s emotional world. This is where emotional enmeshment enters the chat. This can look like little to no emotional separation between you and your mother, where boundaries between the two of you become so blurred that you don't know where her needs and feelings end and where yours begin.
If you felt responsible for your mother’s mood, well-being, comfort, or approval as a child, you might have an enmeshment wound.
How it manifests:
- Feeling guilty when setting boundaries
- People-pleasing in relationships or anxious attachment
- Difficulty when deciphering what it is you want in life (Read: "Living Your Best Life Actually Looks Like Decentering Your Mother")
The Emotional Neglect Wound
A quieter wound, but felt nonetheless. An emotional neglect wound develops when your emotional needs are constantly overlooked, minimized, or rarely fully acknowledged. Your mother might have been there physically or provided for you through material things, but she rarely asked you how you felt, let alone validated your emotions or created space for vulnerability.
How it manifests:
- Feeling like your feelings are a burden instead of a gift
- Difficulty expressing your emotions or naming them
- Feelings of emptiness or disconnection even in close relationships
The Invalidation Wound
If you grew up feeling like your experiences, perceptions, or feelings were belittled, you're not alone. You're one of many with an invalidation wound. This type of wound originates from having your reality dismissed or constantly questioned. Your feelings could have been labeled as "dramatic," your truths might have been denied or invalidated, and your experiences might have been minimized.
With time, this behavioral pattern impacts you by causing deep confusion around what you believe you are "allowed" to feel and your overall sense of self.
How it manifests:
- Struggling with conflict or trusting your voice
- Second-guessing your instincts or questioning your reality
- Feeling gaslit even in safe relationships
How to Heal Your Mother Wound
As previously mentioned, healing a mother wound is not about blaming your mother, it’s about tending to the parts of you that didn’t get what they needed way back when. It’s about creating emotional safety, clarity, and self-connection, often for the first time. And you don't need anyone's permission to do it, just the courage to start. Here’s where to begin:
1. Acknowledge what you needed but didn't get: You're allowed to name the emotional gaps that were and are still very real for you. And you're allowed to do so without guilt. Awareness is the first step in the healing and reclamation of your voice.
2. Self-parent yourself: Speak to yourself with the softness, nurturance, love, and validation you once craved. You can affirm yourself, you can meet your needs, you can reparent your inner child. You can remind yourself that you have the power and you can choose how to go about wielding it. Self-mothering is one of the ways to do this.
3. Set compassionate boundaries: You don't have to cut your mother out of your life if you don't feel called to, but it's important to remember that setting boundaries is about protecting your peace, not punishing your mother. If you need to create some space while choosing peace over performance, do that. And do so with compassion.
4. Hold your grief without shame: Even if your mother did her best, you're allowed to grieve the mother you wished you had. Honor that loss as the act of liberation it is.
5. Redefine what mothering looks like to you: Yes, you're every woman, and it's all in you, but we weren't born to do life alone, hence the need for love and connection. If your mother can't meet those needs, open yourself up to receiving love from other places and sources.
Let yourself be nurtured by friendships, chosen family, therapy, and nature. You're worth it.
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