Bustle Exclusive
The podcast co-hosts are launching a new members-only community listen in.
Social media makes it seem like, Oh, I got it together.
Im a mom of three kids.
I work full time.
I go to the gym.
My husband loves me.
And Im like,What the hell?Itsallgreat?
That is not real.
But even in her world, Everyone is like, How am I getting by?
Were all just trying to figure it out.
It would be great for people to be more vocal about that.
(Season 3 drops this week.)
Theyre also slow-launchingLet It Break, a members-only womens community offering self-growth education and expert support.
Their entries into wellness spaces started separately.
Before, I was just a mom.
Thats where I felt my validity was, says James, 38.
I put all my eggs in that basket without even trying to look outside of it.
That candidates have a desire to heal and help themselves.
(Theres a $250-per-month fee, with an annual commitment.)
We dont want members coming here for me and Savannah, says McDaniel.
Were not here to fix peoples lives.
We want someone who says, I want to grow in community.
How many times a day do you two text each other?
James:All day.
McDaniel:A million.
You know this is work hours?
Im like, I dont care.
What are you doing?
How did your friendship inspire Let It Break?
I lost my husband 11 years ago, and I was kind of stuck emotionally.
How do you scale a group like this?
McDaniel:Were not looking to mass grow.
Were not accepting 20,000 members or looking to raise $20 million.
Thats not our vibe; we dont want to lose the essence of us.
We knew doing this would require us to be vulnerable and honest.
I was very hesitant about it initially, and Savannah continued to encourage me.
I was like, I dont know about this.
And Savannah was like, We got this!
And Im like, Dowe?
James:We still ask ourselves this daily.
McDaniel:Im aTaurus, and I want to control everything.
Theres something so powerful about women finding community, especially during aloneliness epidemic.
McDaniel:Yeah, and the calls we get on the podcast!
People are so hard on themselves, even the youth.
People 21 years old, 26 years old…
James:14 years old.
McDaniel:We had a 16-year-old call us the other day.
She was like, Im not doing enough.
And Im like, Girl.
None of us are.
Savannah, you met your husband when you were in high school in Akron, Ohio.
Can you talk about how youve defined your own identity, apart from your marriage and family?
I applaud myself for being a mom.
Ive raised amazing human beings and thats part of who I am.
But Im much more multifaceted.
Im also Savannah, and Im also generous and curious and genuine.
I love joy and I love to laugh.
Its been really nice to explore those different parts of myself.
What are some of the Let It Break classes that have resonated with you?
Thats my Zone of Genius, and I was like, Thats actually a pretty cool part of me!
On your podcast, you ask callers, Whats your name?
Where are you from?
And whats your crazy?
So if you were each calling in, what would your crazy be?
I wish I could push pause and stop time, just breathe for a second.
When you move so quickly, you dont even get to feel, because its like,Next thing.
Boom, boom, boom.
And then when you decompress, your system crashes.
So that is crazy.
McDaniel:Oh, I am constantly planning for the future.
It tends to ignite a little bit of fear.
[Unlike] Savannah, I dont have a partner.
That tends to be a bit daunting.
Age is another interesting conversation, because for the first time, Im like, Damn.
James:Im a Botox virgin so Ill let you all know how that is when I get there.
Im just not ready yet.
McDaniel:So Savannah, whats your crazy?
How did you react to seeing your husband and son playing together in the NBA?
James:I didnt get as emotional as I thought I would.
When I saw them on the courton TVfor the first time is when I cried.
I was so anxious for the moment to happen.
I felt all the anxiety in the arena, and I knew Bronny would be nervous.
So the whole time, I was just like, OK, God.
And thats what happened, because my stomach was doing backflips.
So it was a lot of feels, but all good feels.
If you could go back and give advice to your 20-something selves, what would you say?
McDaniel:Dont be fearful of love.
James:To open my heart.
I love openly for the people that I love, but I didnt always have that love for myself.
What was holding you back?
James:I felt like I wasnt good enough.
I would have understood that its OK to be a mom and to raise my kids.
That I will still have time to be a career woman, or for whatever I want to do.
McDaniel:For me, it was that love is something you cannot control.
It feels so good!
And I was like, [Im] the polar opposite.
Like, that feels so dangerous; someone else is going to control your feelings?
I waited pretty late to allow myself to love.
And then when I finally fell, my husband passed.
You guys really destigmatize therapy by talking openly about it.
I imagine that wasnt the way it was when you were growing up?
James:I didnt even know what therapy was.
McDaniel:Growing up, I was like, Therapy is for crazy white people.
People around us are so curious, but theres fear.
And Im like, But youre dysfunctional, so… there could be a better version of you.
Men think theyre supposed to look and act a certain punch in of way.
On your podcast, you mention you both went on a medicine journey.
Is that like Ayahuasca?
McDaniel:It is a mushroom journey for one day.
We did it with one of our amazing Let It Break facilitators, Victoria Song.
She wrote a book calledBending Realities.
She does a lot of consultations for CEOs.
But you have to be ready, because you cant control the emotions that come up.
Savannah, what was your experience like?
Did you find it healing?
James:I did.
Not necessarily healing there are still things that need to be worked on post-journey but clarifying, for sure.
April gifted this experience to me for my birthday.
I want to stay in the house.
And that journey was like cracking my heart open to be received.
Its unlike anything Ive ever done.
And your families were supportive?
You didnt tell the kids…?
James:I didnt talk about it with my kids.
Let It Break is for women only, but do you envision some offshoot for men?
I think thats where were headed.
As Savannah and I model what we are doing, the men around us see it.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
