
Dana Chanel And Prince Donnell Share Advice On Accountability, Faith And Self-Love

Sprinkle of Jesus founder Dana Chanel is at the top of everyone's Explore page - whether it be promoting one of her CurlBible products or creating cute TikToks with bae-siness partner, her husband Prince Donnell. When you think of #RelationshipGoals, you think of going on Instagram Live together and giving status updates of your relationship while planning out your next joint YouTube video and island-themed baecations. For the serial entrepreneurs, love and relationships are all held up by the foundation of communication, respect and faith. The Philly-based millennial power couple evolved from a private message to a marriage built on profit and prosperity. "You helped make our first million dollars. I praise God for giving me the ability to fire my husband's boss," she praised her hubby in an Instagram post.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dana Chanel 2032 (@danachanel) on Apr 27, 2020 at 8:54am PDT
Their multiple business endeavors across the financial- and faith-based enterprises include Jumping Jack Taxes, which aligns with their mission of building generational wealth while expanding to affiliates encouraged to jumpstart their own virtual tax services. Who would have thought that Donnell sliding in the DMs for mentorship and business advice would later lead to a Philly-bred marriage with a focus on building generational wealth while embarking on a journey of mental, emotional and spiritual strength? The best friends, lovers and business partners have shown all of social media and beyond that love and faith can coexist.
During an exclusive interview with xoNecole, the coupleprenuer opened up about gender roles, self-love and mental health.
Ready, Set, Go.
"Not gonna lie, I wasn't ready at all. I was a 20-year-old dude who just started my career as a personal banker with my life, accident and health insurance license and making $60,000 per year," Donnell admits to xoNecole about his mental preparation for a serious relationship. "I moved into my own apartment, got my own car and I had a few extra dollars on my check every two weeks after bills. To be honest, I felt like I made it."
After living what he thought in his mind was his best life with having his friends in and out of his apartment everyday and a fair share of friendships with various women, he soon came to realize that his life would change after meeting his wife with whom he shared the same alma mater, Community College of Philadelphia. "I remember her third time visiting my apartment and she threw out all of the liquor bottles on the top of my fridge and forced me to go food shopping because I would eat out everyday and she wanted me to start saving money. It was clear that she was different from the majority of women I've dated," added Donnell.
He admits that he wasn't ashamed of not "being ready" for a relationship when it presented itself to him while arguing pointedly that no one between the ages of 20-25 years of age is actually ready for what life has to give them. "We don't have enough experience. Social media places a ton of pressure on millennials to be this perfect person who is rich, has a business, drives a luxury car and seems to have their life in order. Man, that's for movies. As long as you're making a conscious decision to improve your life each day and your partner is supporting you through that journey, that's what truly matters," he advises.
"I'm 25-years-old today," Donnell continues, "and although I run a company that generates over ten times the amount of my yearly income at the bank and have all of these 'luxury items,' it still hasn't made me fully ready for my marriage. Everyday is a new learning experience to become a better man and to love my wife like Christ loves the church."
Courtesy of Dana Chanel/Prince Donnell
"We don't have enough experience. Social media places a ton of pressure on millennials to be this perfect person who is rich, has a business, drives a luxury car and seems to have their life in order. Man, that's for movies. As long as you're making a conscious decision to improve your life each day and your partner is supporting you through that journey, that's what truly matters."
Self-Love and Loving Each Other
As Donnell touches on loving one another and opens up about the practicality of readiness for a romantic relationship, Dana Chanel brings our attention to the importance of self-love and catering to one's self. Chanel agrees that self-love is a responsibility of one's own self, but there's additional work that needs to be done. "It is so important that if you're gonna decide to do life with someone that they honor, encourage and motivate you to continue to evolve as you guys get older," she says. "Never be afraid to join a journey with your spouse if you know it's important to them, ain't nothing like someone screaming in your ear."
Dana tells xoNecole that after getting married to Donnell, she gained twenty pounds of happy weight, but rather than being degrading or condescending, Donnell took it upon himself to encourage his wife and be her biggest support system. "Don saw I was irritated and disappointed in how lazy I had become with myself. So instead of just watching me embark on my own self-love fitness journey, he joined me at the gym [twice] a day, he intermediate fasted with me and encouraged me by being by my side," Chanel shares. "It's so much easier to self-love when your partner isn't just a bystander but is hype about you loving yourself."
This Isn’t Just a Man’s World
When it comes to the roles of gender in marriage, oftentimes the man is expected to be the breadwinner and the woman to be a docile housekeeper and child bearer. In the 21st century, the power couple has proven to the world that they can do it all as not only man and woman - but as equals. As the two began to step into their partnership, they've respected each other in business and romance. "I praise God every single day for blessing me with a husband that doesn't put me in a box as a woman and is my PARTNER!" Dana praises the equality and respect in her relationship with Donnell. "Listen, we are hardworking women. We grind and are just as emotionally and mentally exhausted after a long day of work, so we work together around the house. I cook, he does dishes, he does laundry, I do bathrooms. He doesn't just assume or force me into a duty we could do together. He respects the other roles I play in life as a CEO, a sister, a friend and alleviates pressure."
In their relationship, Dana and Donnell make it a point to uplift and encourage one another while providing emotional and mental support for one another in rough times. We live in a society where women aren't subjected to stand behind their man, but beside them. "When he is weak, I have to put on my cape and be superwoman," Dana adds.
"Something that is important though is [to not] be afraid to ask your spouse to help you out," she further advises. "We make it look really easy when we're struggling to do it all. Your relationship is about providing your spouse the best possible circumstance to grow and flourish, not feel burdened by obligation. Y'all are doing life together, remember that. Don't wait for a nervous breakdown before you ask for help. Ain't no gender roles, we're gonna do whatever necessary to be aware enough to spot each other's weaknesses and be an extraordinary family no matter what position we gotta play."
Courtesy of Dana Chanel/Prince Donnell
"I praise God every single day for blessing me with a husband that doesn't put me in a box as a woman and is my PARTNER! We grind and are just as emotionally and mentally exhausted after a long day of work, so we work together around the house. I cook, he does dishes, he does laundry, I do bathrooms. He doesn't just assume or force me into a duty we could do together. He respects the other roles I play in life as a CEO, a sister, a friend and alleviates pressure."
Faith, God and Hustle
Aside from holding one another accountable and being a stable support system, faith and a relationship with God serves as the foundation for the metaphorical house that is their aspirational marriage. "Faith is the foundation of our marriage. As a husband, I can't properly lead my family without the Holy Spirit's wisdom and guidance. Especially during those times when things get tough," says Donnell. In times of COVID-19, couples and friendships are deteriorating, but yet they find a way to communicate through Christ and keep a healthy relationship afloat.
"Faith is a superpower we all possess but don't fully tap into because we can't see the results right away - but faith isn't enough to make a relationship [or] marriage last," he continues. "It requires that other word called 'work' that people are afraid of. These 'relationship goals' couples look real good on social media and these marriages look like fairy tales on television. But what happens when it hits the fan?"
For more of Dana and Prince, follow them on Instagram @danachanel and @princedonnell.
Featured image via Dana Chanel/Instagram
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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