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Shayla Smith | Over 30 Lifestyle Content Creator

@shaybutta1908

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Elevating millennial women through lifestyle
Lifestyle | Education | Sorority 🩷💚
📍Ohio
Founder: @digitalcoachshay
📩 [email protected]

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I’ve seen this play out too many times.

Black educators are often the first ones called when behavior becomes an issue…
the ones expected to step in, restore order, and “handle it.”

And while we do that with excellence, what often gets overlooked is our ability to lead instruction, build systems, and drive real academic impact.

We are more than the people you call when things go left.
We are strategic. We are intentional. We are instructional leaders.

And the moment we start being recognized for that…
everything about how schools function has the potential to shift.

Because we were never meant to just manage behavior…
we were meant to lead.

If you’ve experienced this, you already understand.
Drop a “FACTS” in the comments or tag an educator who deserves to be seen beyond the role.

#teacher #teachersofthegram #teacherburnout by @shaybutta1908

They counted us out, underestimated our voices, and questioned our impact. But one thing about Black women? We know how to SHOW UP. ✊🏾

After 2024, many expected us to be discouraged, defeated, and disengaged. But here we are in 2026, still showing up, still making our voices heard, and still demanding a seat at the table.

To the 92%, your voices matter. Your votes matter. Your presence matters.

And if last night reminded us of anything, it’s that you can never count Black women out. 🤭

#BlackWomen #Election2026 #BlackWomenLead #MidtermElections #RepresentationMatters by @shaybutta1908

Teachers, can we be real for a minute? This school year is SCHOOL YEARING! 😩

It’s November, and if you’ve been in education long enough, you KNOW this time of year hits differently.

The excitement of August has worn off. The demands are increasing. The behaviors are behavioring. The paperwork is piling up. You’re trying to close learning gaps, meet deadlines, maintain classroom expectations, and somehow still find the energy to show up as your best self every single day.

And you’re TIRED.

As someone who spent years in the classroom and now serves as an Assistant Principal, I see both sides. I see the expectations, the pressure, and the amount of work happening behind the scenes that people will NEVER understand.

But here’s what I need us to talk about…

Teacher burnout isn’t always about the workload. Sometimes it’s about the lack of SUPPORT that comes with it.

Teachers don’t always need another meeting, another initiative, or another thing added to their plates. Sometimes they need someone to listen, provide solutions, and recognize that they’re HUMAN before they’re educators.

So, to my teachers who are already counting down to Thanksgiving break, I SEE YOU!

You’re allowed to be passionate about teaching AND exhausted by the demands of this profession. Both can be true.

Teachers, let’s talk in the comments. What’s been the HARDEST part of this school year for you so far? 👇🏽

#TeacherBurnout #TeacherTalk #TeacherLife #EducationMatters #TeacherSupport by @shaybutta1908

Sometimes trusting God looks like crying your eyes out, questioning everything, and still finding the strength to GET UP AND KEEP GOING.

Before anybody gets worried, let me give y’all some context.

This video is from a moment when life was LIFE-ING, and I was trying to figure it all out. I was overwhelmed, emotional, and carrying more than I was letting people see.

As a content creator, I realize that social media often shows the highlights. The outfits, the trips, the accomplishments, the smiles, and the beautiful moments. But what you don’t always see are the tears, the struggles, the uncertainty, and the moments when you’re simply trying to hold it all together.

Just because life looks good doesn’t mean life isn’t still LIFE-ING.

As I step into this new month and chapter of my life, I want to be more intentional about showing you the REAL behind the content. Not just the wins, but the process it takes to get there.

I’ve cried. I’ve prayed. I’ve been overwhelmed. I’ve had moments when I didn’t know how things were going to work out. But one thing about God? He’s NEVER failed me.

I’m learning that trusting God doesn’t mean the process won’t hurt. It means believing that even in the uncomfortable, uncertain, and overwhelming moments, He’s STILL working everything together for my good.

So no, this isn’t a cry for help or a reason to worry. This is me being transparent about a moment in my journey because I know somebody else needs the reminder that you can be blessed, favored, successful, and STILL have hard days.

I cried. I wiped my tears. I prayed again. And I GOT UP.

Because the same God who brought me this far isn’t about to leave me now.

The process may be painful, but the promise is STILL GOOD.

Welcome to the real behind the content. We’re growing, healing, figuring life out, and most importantly, we’re going to KEEP MOVING.

#TrustGodsTiming #FaithOverFear #KeepMoving #ContentCreatorLife #RealLife by @shaybutta1908

Little does she know, while I’m helping make her childhood magical, she’s healing the little girl in me.

Being an auntie is one of the greatest blessings God could have ever given me. There’s something so special about being able to pour love into a little girl, create beautiful memories, expose her to new experiences, and remind her every chance I get just how loved and special she is.

What she doesn’t realize is that every adventure, every laugh, every hug, and every moment we share is just as meaningful to me as it is to her.

Sometimes healing your inner child looks like becoming the person you once needed.

She thinks we’re just making memories, but baby, we’re healing generations.

Rich in life because I get to be HER auntie.

#RichInLife #AuntieLife #HealingMyInnerChild #BlackGirlJoy #MakingMemories by @shaybutta1908

I’ve cried. I’ve prayed. I’ve lost things I thought I’d never recover from. I’ve had to start over, rebuild, and trust God even when I couldn’t understand what He was doing.

But one thing about me? I NEVER stopped believing that God had a plan for my life.

At 34, I’m realizing that some of the hardest seasons of my life were preparing me for the very blessings I prayed for.

I’m no longer dwelling on what I lost, what didn’t work out, or the doors that closed. I’m making room for everything God is getting ready to restore.

My peace. My joy. My stability. My confidence. My opportunities. MY EVERYTHING.

This next chapter isn’t about proving anything to anybody. It’s about walking boldly in everything God has already promised me.

I don’t need luck when I have GOD’S FAVOR!

So if you see me smiling a little harder, celebrating a little louder, and moving a little differently, just know there’s a testimony behind it all.

I’m living proof that you can lose a lot and STILL be favored.

JOB 42:10. THE RESTORATION SEASON.

#NotLuckyFavored #Job4210 #GodsFavor #RestorationSeason #FaithOverFear by @shaybutta1908

There’s something so powerful about being in rooms filled with Black women who are educated, accomplished, confident, and unapologetic about their leadership.

As a Black woman in educational leadership, I know firsthand what it means to work twice as hard, navigate spaces where we aren’t always represented, and still show up with excellence.

That’s why I’ll never take for granted the opportunity to sit alongside other Black women who are not only breaking barriers but creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Representation matters. Our voices matter. Our leadership matters.

We’re no longer just asking for a seat at the table. We’re building tables, making decisions, and changing what leadership looks like.

Here’s to more Black women leading, thriving, and opening doors for those coming behind us!

#BlackWomenInLeadership #BlackWomenLead #WomenInEducation #EducationalLeadership #BlackGirlExcellence by @shaybutta1908

Can we PLEASE retire the phrase “I’m just not a math person”? Because the truth is, we are creating math anxiety in children before they even have a chance to discover what they’re capable of!

As an instructional leader who works closely with math teachers, one thing I will ALWAYS advocate for is the belief that EVERY child has the ability to become mathematically proficient.

Math isn’t about being naturally gifted. It’s about building confidence, developing problem-solving skills, making mistakes, and having teachers who believe in your ability to grow.

We have to stop allowing students to believe that struggling in math means they’re not smart. Sometimes, the struggle is where the REAL learning begins!

Our responsibility as educators is not just to teach students how to solve problems. It’s to help them believe they CAN solve them.

Let’s normalize saying “I haven’t mastered it YET” instead of “I’m just not good at math.”

Educators, let’s talk! Do you think math anxiety starts with students, or is it something we unintentionally create as adults?

#MathEducation #InstructionalLeadership #MathMindset #EducationMatters #TeacherTalk by @shaybutta1908

If you only knew how many times I’ve had to pick myself back up, wipe my tears, pray through the uncertainty, and figure out how to start over AGAIN.

This season of my life has stretched me in ways I never imagined. I’ve experienced losses, disappointments, closed doors, and moments when I genuinely questioned how everything was going to work out. There were nights I cried myself to sleep and mornings I had no choice but to get up, put a smile on my face, and keep showing up.

But one thing about GOD? He has NEVER stopped showing up for me.

At 34, I’m learning that God’s favor doesn’t mean life will always be easy. It means even when life gets hard, I’m never walking through it alone.

Some doors I thought were closed forever, God reopened. Some things I thought I lost, He replaced with something better. Some situations I thought would break me became the very things that strengthened me.

So when you see me smiling, celebrating, traveling, accomplishing goals, and enjoying life, please understand that you’re witnessing answered prayers, not luck.

I’m not lucky. I’m FAVORED. And everything I’m becoming is evidence that God is STILL writing my story.

Psalm 5:12

#NotLuckyFavored #GodsFavor #FaithOverFear #AnsweredPrayers BlackWomenOfFaith by @shaybutta1908

Dear Black Women in Your 30s,

I hope you’re giving yourself permission to LIVE a little more and simply EXIST a little less.

Because one thing I’m learning in this season of my life is that there’s so much more to life than being responsible, meeting deadlines, paying bills, building a career, and constantly showing up for everybody else.

As Black women, we’ve become so accustomed to being the STRONG ONE, the dependable one, the one who figures everything out, that sometimes we forget we deserve to ENJOY the life we’re working so hard to build.

And at 34, I’m realizing that I don’t want to spend my entire life working toward a future that I never take the time to enjoy in the present.

I want the beautiful dinners, spontaneous trips, unforgettable experiences, meaningful friendships, peaceful mornings, and memories that remind me just how good life can be.

I want to experience MORE, not just accomplish more.

Because success isn’t just about what you achieve, how much money you make, or how many people depend on you. It’s also about how you FEEL while living the life you’ve created.

So here’s your reminder to book the trip, wear the outfit, make the reservation, take yourself on the date, and stop waiting for a special occasion to enjoy your own life.

You deserve a life that feels just as good as it looks. And you don’t have to earn the right to enjoy it.

To my Black women in their 30s, what is ONE thing you’re doing for YOURSELF before this year ends?

#BlackWomenInTheir30s #BlackWomenDeserveSoftLives #WomenInTheir30s #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyBestLife by @shaybutta1908