How to Become an Expat: The "Plan B" Every Woman of Color Needs | Lynelle Baker-Hall

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Deneen L. Garrett (0:30): They say mothering is a biological act. I say it's a strategic one, the intentional choice to nurture a dream and protect a lineage. But what happens when a life you've built no longer fits the legacy you're called to live leave? Today, we find out. I'm Deneen L.

Deneen L. Garrett (0:51): Garrett, and this is Women of Color LIVE. Let's go. Hello. Hello. And welcome to Women of Color LIVE, the live version of women of color in intimate conversation, a top 20 best women's empowerment podcast.

Deneen L. Garrett (1:19): We center and empower women of color. We also have a community for black women 50, the Dream Lifestyle Collective. Shout out to our production team at the Leon Thomas Group, and a special shout out to today's guests, Lanell Baker Hall. She is a senior government advisor, founder of a global travel and lifestyle agency, and author of Start Healthy. After losing her mother three years ago, she began architecting a global plan B, not just for herself, but for her family.

Deneen L. Garrett (1:56): And this month, May, we're launching our series, She Who Mothers, redefining legacy, love, lineage. Lynelle, welcome to Women of Color LIVE.

Unknown Speaker (2:08): Hello, Deneen. Welcome. Hi, everybody. How are you?

Deneen L. Garrett (2:13): Thank you Hello. Hello. You are so welcome. And so last week, had a guest, actually maybe two weeks ago, another a friend and I learned something about her preparing for the show just like I learned something about you. You and I go back.

Deneen L. Garrett (2:28): I don't even know how many years but well, we go back more than Twenty four because my son is 24. So, we go back plus twenty four years. But, anyway, I learned in this whole process that Lanella's an author. So hey. Hey, girl.

Deneen L. Garrett (2:43): Hey.

Lanell Baker Hall (2:45): So, yes, I have, a few projects that I'm working on. One of the I have actually two books that are being published and one is already published but it hasn't been launched. I'm not gonna talk a lot about it just yet but that one is plan B your guide to becoming an expat. That happened back when I was ending a relationship living in Maryland and I actually moved to Vegas first and then I decided that I wasn't in love with Vegas and I decided to move to China. I lived in Beijing and then I moved to Ningbo, and I taught English, overseas for some years before the pandemic.

Lanell Baker Hall (3:37): And then, when the pandemic happened, I was, I became displaced, during Chinese New Year and, had to reinvent myself yet again. So, it's been quite a journey, but I I wouldn't trade it.

Deneen L. Garrett (3:52): Yeah. I know. And I pretty much have watched your your journey, from a distance. And we crossed paths in Vegas because I lived in Vegas, my son and I, for four years, but that was before you got there. But so it was interesting.

Deneen L. Garrett (4:05): And I actually did love it for the time that I was there. But, you know, things have a purpose, a season, and all those things. So four years was it for us, and then we came back home. So, listen, for those who are watching, join in the conversation, you know, drop a comment, drop a question, let us know you're out there. Put WOC for women of color, Dreamer if you're part of the Dream Lifestyle Collective or Heart if you are a family or a friend.

Deneen L. Garrett (4:35): So now we're gonna get into it. So Lanell, you've built a life that lives at the intersection of public service and personal preparedness. Was the moment or the loss that made you understand that every woman needs a plan B and that building one is an act of love?

Lanell Baker Hall (4:54): Well, there wasn't just one moment. There were layers of realization. I have to say what made it crystal clear for me, was witnessing how quickly life can shift. Loss, betrayal, instability, and sometimes all at once. I've seen women give everything to their families, careers, their community and still find themselves unprotected when things fall apart.

Lanell Baker Hall (5:26): And so that's when I understood that a plan B isn't just a backup, that it's an act of love and self respect. And for me, building a plan B became about ensuring that no matter what happens, I have options, not just for survival, but for peace. And women deserve that. We're taught to pour out, but not always taught to prepare. So I want women to know that preparation not, you know, preparation is not fear based, it's freedom based.

Lanell Baker Hall (6:05): And, that was the realization that I had when I had to reinvent myself on more than one occasion.

Deneen L. Garrett (6:14): And you know what, I love that. I love what you just said. And I'm feeling that this episode, even if it's just this part right here, is definitely gonna be a vulnerable one for me. It's gonna be somewhat of an emotional one because, loss, right? Was part of the question that I asked, and I mentioned how you had lost your mom.

Deneen L. Garrett (6:37): And as I shared with you before we went live is that right now, my house is hospice. My cousin is actively transitioning. So that's what I'm dealing with right now. And we definitely have to take care of ourselves, pour into ourselves first so that we are able to pour into other people. And me sharing this is an act of being vulnerable.

Deneen L. Garrett (7:02): And I've been doing that for like the last week or so, right? Here it is, the point of this podcast, the point of this live, a lot of the work that I do is to empower women and vulnerability is a part of that. And if I'm gonna be the one who's saying, Yes, live your best life, live your dream life, do all these things, then I have to share more of me. And so that's what I'm doing. And thank you for the opportunity to be able to share with you as well.

Lanell Baker Hall (7:32): Yeah, and it's not always the easiest thing because the first loss, the first loss wasn't my mother. The first loss was the relationship. I was in a long term relationship and abruptly came to an end and that was what I'd known for the last eight years. Mean relationships end every day so it's not the end of the world but there is an emotional toll that it takes and you know and the the embarrassment of you know where you live, your neighbors knowing that that things have ended. So you know I needed a shift and that was when I moved to Vegas and again it was okay.

Lanell Baker Hall (8:17): I didn't not like it but I didn't love it and so when the opportunity to go to China presented itself I was excited about that and I feel like it was more of what I needed because you know it wasn't just a move for me it was exploration. It was a whole different way of living and discovery. And I learned things about myself that I didn't even know existed, so.

Deneen L. Garrett (8:45): No, and that's beautiful and that's what it's about, right, for us to do things that where we are able to discover different things about ourself. And that's why I think travel is so important. I know on a previous show, we talked about how traveling is a privilege, which it absolutely is. We don't all have to go to China to explore. We can always just hop in a car and even go to another city within our same state.

Deneen L. Garrett (9:09): It's just the point of just getting out of your box and learning and exploring and, getting in touch with yourself. Right? Just doing something that you don't typically and normally do.

Lanell Baker Hall (9:20): Absolutely, getting out of your comfort zone, exploring. I mean, there are things in our own backyard here in Michigan and often people will travel the world and not even take advantage of the things that are right in their backyard right here at home. So yes you don't have to go abroad to explore But for me it's very exciting to do so but definitely not. If you need a staycation, if you want to go up north or I mean even just have you can have a staycation at home. Sometimes you need just a day where you can decompress, have a bubble bath, pour yourself some wine, cut the phones off and just have some you time and all women deserve that.

Unknown Speaker (10:04): At least Absolutely. One If not more. I know, right?

Deneen L. Garrett (10:09): It's not every Sunday or whatever day you wanna choose, Right? Like, we need to Exactly. Yeah. More important to Yeah.

Unknown Speaker (10:16): And you plan it like you plan everything else, like you plan calendar. Absolutely. Your calendar. At 05:00 on Friday, I'm not gonna be available. I have a meeting with myself.

Deneen L. Garrett (10:27): Yes, right, a meeting with myself. So every Friday for me Whatever it is. Whatever it is. So every Friday for me from twelve to four, I do have self love carved out. Now to be real, it doesn't always happen.

Deneen L. Garrett (10:42): And it's okay. It's just a point that I did at least set an intention to do it. And it's more likely to happen when you set that intention than when you don't. Yeah. Yeah, so, all right, so plan B.

Deneen L. Garrett (10:56): So prior to the call, like the posts and all those things and ask them questions about people and plan As and plan Bs, and I did get a few responses, and it was some good energy. So again, if you're watching, tap in, we wanna know you're out there, we wanna hear what you have to say, comments, questions, all the things. But I did have Ashley Minthe, who she mentioned that she did have this plan A, it didn't work out, and then it ended up being what she's doing now, and she's really growing and is seeing that she's doing, and it's these salon dinners. Ashley is an artist, and then she also makes space for other artists, right? And so that became her plan B.

Deneen L. Garrett (11:39): And then my cousin, Woody, he mentioned how sometimes our plan B really was a plan A all along, we just didn't know it. Right? So that was kind of cool, like to see that. So, you know, just seeing the different perspectives. All right, so you navigate faith based and government partnerships while also being a mother figure to a community and to bonus adult children.

Deneen L. Garrett (12:04): How has your definition of legacy evolved and what does intentional mothering look like when it extends beyond your own bloodline?

Lanell Baker Hall (12:15): Oh, great question. So my definition of legacy has expanded far beyond bloodlines. For me, legacy is more about impact. It's who you cover, who you guide, who you help stand taller. Like my husband says, he's running for office and that's something that he a tagline of his but who you help stand taller in their own lives because you showed up.

Lanell Baker Hall (12:47): Mothering for me is a form of nurturing, it's intentional, it's equipping and pouring wisdom, discernment, and structure into people so that they can navigate their lives with clarity and confidence. In addition, whether it's through my work in the faith community, through the engagement that I do there or relationships with my bonus adult children, is to help people become whole and not dependent. That's the goal.

Deneen L. Garrett (13:27): Yeah, and I like that what Corey says as far as standing tall, who have you helped stand tall, right? Because that is impact and that's part of why we are here, right? Ourselves first, because we do need to be whole before we can We should be whole before we start pouring in other people. We're able to better pour when we are whole. So I do like that perspective.

Unknown Speaker (13:52): All right.

Lanell Baker Hall (13:53): Real legacy I'm sorry. Real legacy is not just being remembered, but being replicated in strength, wisdom and integrity. And that's something that he does well and, is something that, we all hope that we are doing.

Deneen L. Garrett (14:13): Yeah, replicate. I love that. So, Lynell, for a woman who has spent her life being the pillar for everyone else, how does she begin building a plan b for her own global freedom without feeling like she's leaving her responsibilities behind? And before you answer, we'll be back after this break. Hello, It's me, Demino Garrett, a cultural alchemist who shifts shapes culture through storytelling, through writing, through speaking, and through the Dream Lifestyle Collective, which is a community for black women 50 and up.

Deneen L. Garrett (14:47): You also know that I have a podcast, women of color and intimate conversation, which is a weekly live on Thursdays at 1PM. Well, as of Friday, it's official. My journey to become entrepreneur of impact. Good news is I did make it through top five. Again, the bad news is the journey is over.

Deneen L. Garrett (15:11): Yes, a bit disappointed that I will not make the cover of entrepreneur magazine. I will not have the one on one coaching with Damon John. And of course, the 25,000 prize money, was going to be invested into the podcast and the collective. But hey, here's the thing. Those things can still come.

Deneen L. Garrett (15:33): They can still happen. It's just that my contest journey is over. So there's that. So if you're wondering how to back up, first of all, thank you. Thank you.

Deneen L. Garrett (15:43): Thank you. Thank you. Because of you, because of your daily votes, because of your tax deductible donations to gen youth, I did make it through to top five. So, you know, let me go ahead and celebrate that. Let's clap it up for that.

Deneen L. Garrett (15:59): Now wondering how you can still support me? Multiple ways. Watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Subscribe and listen to the podcast. If you are a black woman 50 and up, join the collective.

Deneen L. Garrett (16:12): And if you are a business looking to sponsor, hit me up. So just getting started. Just one part of a journey has ended. It's only open space for this next part. So again, thank you.

Deneen L. Garrett (16:24): Thank you. Thank you. Alright. So welcome back to Women of Color LIVE. We are talking global citizenship and and intentional lineage with Lynel Baker Hall.

Deneen L. Garrett (16:36): And before the break, I ask, how does a woman begin building a plan b for her own global freedom without feeling like she's leaving her responsibilities behind? Alright, Lynell, let's get into it.

Lanell Baker Hall (16:49): Okay. So global preparedness as as a legacy tool. I need black women especially those over 50 and beyond to understand that building a life abroad is not running away, it's expanding your options. Because we've been conditioned to believe that our roots must limit our reach but legacy is not about staying in one place. It's about positioning yourself and your family for access, opportunity, and longevity.

Lanell Baker Hall (17:23): Global preparedness is more about understanding how to live well wherever you are. Like we said, there are things you can do in your own backyard, things that you aren't doing that you can start doing that will improve your life and your longevity, creating financial and lifestyle flexibility, giving the next generation options that we didn't have. And, so when I created the magazine Start Healthy, excuse me, it was more it was more than about travel. It was, about travel, but it was also about teaching women and men how to move through the world with intention, confidence, and readiness. And that is not escapism, it's strategy.

Lanell Baker Hall (18:08): And so I want people to understand that, and especially women, that you have permission to be who you are, to explore, to live the life of your dreams and to live the things that you have manifested in your mind. You should not wait until you retire to start living because I hear so many people say that and it's like we're living right now. Tomorrow's not promised. And so we have to get out of that mindset that you know, oh when we retire we're gonna do this and you know next year we're gonna do that. And you know sometimes that doesn't come and I can say that freely because I've dealt with so much loss lately and so part of my entire forum is about Carpe Diem, seize the moment, you know, for today.

Lanell Baker Hall (19:00): Of course you save something for a rainy day and prepare for the future, but you have to enjoy your time here. So to the woman who's done everything right and it still feels like your own freedom may be out of reach, I say this clearly and with no apologies that you don't have to, you know, earn your freedom through exhaustion. We have a tendency to do that. It's not about being exhausted. It's about living, you know, resting without guilt, exploring without explanation and just building a life that feels good to you because at the end of the day legacy isn't what you leave behind.

Lanell Baker Hall (19:50): It's how fully you've allowed yourself to live while you were here.

Deneen L. Garrett (19:54): Oh, I love all of that. And what did you say, girl? We don't have to earn the rest through exhaustion?

Unknown Speaker (20:02): Exactly.

Unknown Speaker (20:03): Wow. Wow. Because that is how a lot of us live, right? A lot of us.

Unknown Speaker (20:08): It is.

Deneen L. Garrett (20:09): We're doing all the things and you know, you talked about, you know, not waiting until we retire. Same here. That's why I started, you know, my whole mission around living a dream lifestyle. It's like, you know what? Do that thing now.

Deneen L. Garrett (20:23): Like you said, we're living now. You know, tomorrow is not promised guarantee. We're we've talked about that already on, you know, during these few minutes and I share with you, you know, what I'm experiencing right now. You share what you've experienced as well and we gotta live now, right? Because again, it's not promised.

Deneen L. Garrett (20:42): You know, you may wait until you're retired and then you don't feel like it. You know, you may not even physically be able to. So you gotta find out that thing that brings you joy, that lights your fire, that, you know, gets you up that pep in your step and start doing it and living that now. Absolutely. Yeah.

Deneen L. Garrett (21:00): All right. So your book, Start Healthy, A Guide to Travel and Healthy Living centers global readiness and intentional living. Do you want black women, again, especially those 50 and up, to understand about why building a life abroad isn't escapism, but one of the most powerful acts of legacy that they can make for future generations? Well,

Lanell Baker Hall (21:27): it's definitely life changing. You're in a whole another climate. I mean, you're seeing life from totally different perspective. For me it was a total game changer, you know, and I can say this because it's true. One of the things that I loved about living abroad is that you know, as an international teacher, you don't have rent.

Lanell Baker Hall (21:56): You don't have a mortgage. And that was that was a game changer. I mean, just think about the money that you can save when you don't have those type of things. But I mean people move in different ways. I mean some people buy a home there or some people would have a mortgage depending on how they're going abroad and what they're going to be doing while they're there.

Lanell Baker Hall (22:17): But I just feel like it's a life changer and it is an experience and what people need to realize is that if you decide that you want to experience life abroad and you make it to a place and you may say hey you know I don't like it I can't adjust to the social norms and I want to go back. That's a real thing as well. And so it's okay to allow yourself that time to explore, to explore different places you know before you go, before you make a decision where you want to live long term you may you know travel to a couple different places before you find a place that you feel like you can call home. And you don't have to stay there year round. I mean people have this thing, that we have here in The States called snowbirds.

Lanell Baker Hall (23:02): So some people live in Michigan part of the year, and then they'll live in Florida or California another part of the year. It's whatever works for you. It's whatever it looks like for you in your world. You know, what makes you happy? What what's going to, bring you peace in in your life?

Deneen L. Garrett (23:22): And I love that to you know, the the hopping around. And the thing that, like for me, I love international travel. So that's like my main thing. And when I do travel, I go, I look for blacks wherever I'm going, Facebook groups, right? And there are groups for black women for, you know, relocating to Panama.

Deneen L. Garrett (23:44): There's group in, Portugal, you know, Mexico's Mexico, Mexico City specifically. So there's so wherever you're looking to go, do your research, check with these you know, see if there's groups and then connect with them and say, hey, this is what I'm interested in doing, you know, and that's helpful as well because you do want a community. Right? And you you know, you wanna tap and kinda get, you know, thoughts and experiences for other people, just getting information. Right?

Deneen L. Garrett (24:13): And then you make a decision as to what you wanna do with that information. And again, maybe you decide, I only need to go for a few months and then let me go somewhere else and so on and so forth. Do that. Right? Start thinking about that.

Deneen L. Garrett (24:26): Start thinking like, that's what I want my life to look like, and let me check it out.

Lanell Baker Hall (24:31): And so I provide a service called astrocartography.

Unknown Speaker (24:37): Okay,

Lanell Baker Hall (24:38): What that is, is global mapping and I use your birthday. Okay. When you were born, the place you were born, and I'm able to map out some global lines and kind of tell you where, your energy lies, you know, where you'll find love or where in the world.

Unknown Speaker (25:03): Oh, gee, I'm learning another thing.

Lanell Baker Hall (25:06): What places in the world are best for your career? Again, it's something helpful. It's a helpful tool. It's not always 100 because that can change.

Deneen L. Garrett (25:21): Yeah.

Lanell Baker Hall (25:21): What you want changes and evolves over time and with age, but it does give you a starting point if you're confused. Also using someone like myself who is a travel agent or who does a global relocation and someone who's actually lived abroad and traveled extensively who can help give you some guidance and to kind of throw some things at you that you hadn't considered and that you wouldn't consider if you've never done it. So there is help out there you know, if it's something that you desire to do, and I'm not terribly expensive. So, because this is more a labor of love, and I enjoy seeing people live intentionally and making the most of life because life is short. We have to enjoy the time that we have here.

Deneen L. Garrett (26:19): Absolutely. And just just to throw out there, so how we are connected, we both actually worked in the travel industry. So, right? So that's how relationship started. And then from Lynell has moved literally, figuratively, more so than me in the travel space, but she's also been a flight attendant.

Deneen L. Garrett (26:40): As she said, she's lived abroad. You know, she'll pick up and move to another state. You know, all those things, no problem for her, to move like that. So she definitely is a source of information, a great resource. And like I said, it's about that community.

Deneen L. Garrett (26:54): So find and connect with those people and learn from them and grow and then just do it, get out there and make it happen. Even if you're not ready to leave, leave, or live abroad, Maybe go somewhere for like a week or two or a month or whatever and just test it out and you never know. You absolutely never know what comes up And

Lanell Baker Hall (27:21): about those groups the videos, a girlfriend who's interested in moving abroad, she sent me one yesterday that some people made. Some of the things they said were on point and some of them were not. Then they actually gave their view on China they even said that they'd never been to China. I'm like how can you give your view on a place that you've never been? They're basing it on news stories and things like that and some of the things that they were saying I could tell that they had not been there because they simply were not true.

Lanell Baker Hall (28:00): Those are resources but some of the things kind of take it with a grain of salt. It's like going to watch a movie and this person loves the movie and this person hated it. I mean, what we

Deneen L. Garrett (28:13): just said what we said earlier about Vegas. Mhmm. Exactly. I loved it. You know?

Deneen L. Garrett (28:19): You're not as hot.

Lanell Baker Hall (28:21): Yeah. It's not a one size It's fits not that I didn't like it, it was just I was going through something at that time and Vegas was my rebound place. Had I gone there under different circumstances or at a different time in my life, I may have loved it, but it served the purpose for the time that I was there. I've been back to visit since because Vegas is Vegas, but you have to take some things with a grain of salt, sure, get involved with groups and things of that nature, but first find yourself. First take that time to have that quiet time and that peace that you desire.

Lanell Baker Hall (29:10): Get yourself together first and then you can connect with those groups after you're whole.

Deneen L. Garrett (29:16): Oh yeah, I love that. And so that kinda brings me to my framework. So I created a dream lifestyle framework. And so the first step is dream, then it's to decide, design, and then, drive. So dream, just whatever.

Deneen L. Garrett (29:32): Just dream big. Just think about it. See it, all the things. And then, you know, you get to the point where, okay, you decide. Well, what dream do you wanna go for?

Deneen L. Garrett (29:41): And then you start to design it. So what does it look like? And drive is putting in the work and effort to get there. So, yeah, that goes to what you said. You need to get learn yourself.

Deneen L. Garrett (29:50): And so those are some steps that you can do to get to know yourself and then move towards whatever that dream is, you know, whether it's travel, whether it's something else, but those are some tools that you can use to get there. And again, everything that we're saying, even this podcast is a resource. You take from it what you need, what you want at that time. Because like you said, it is timing that makes Yeah, a

Unknown Speaker (30:18): I'm sorry to interrupt. It's not a one size fits all.

Deneen L. Garrett (30:20): Right, absolutely. So let's kinda go back to China because COVID was an interrupter, right? You had planned to be there and then COVID.

Lanell Baker Hall (30:30): Well, yeah. So imagine packing up your stuff to go on a vacation. I went on a vacation with 50 other women from all over China, most of them women from different parts of The United States who chose to move to China and we had this trip planned for months to go to Bali, Indonesia and it was a beautiful time. We were there for a week and I had planned a stop on the way home in Australia to visit my cousins that were working for the State Department. It was just great.

Lanell Baker Hall (31:10): COVID kind of started before I left, but we're thinking that, okay, by the time I'm back from vacation it'll have blown over. But it didn't blow over. It kind of like exploded. Yeah. I had an amazing time in Indonesia and I did get to Australia and some of the ladies that were going directly back to China after Bali chose to extend because COVID had just kind of gotten out of control in China and the news was outrageous and people were afraid so they extended.

Lanell Baker Hall (31:56): I left and went to Australia. When it was time for me to return to China from Australia, my flight was cancelled and the country was shut down and I wasn't able to go back. Honestly, I had a suitcase, a roller bag with swimsuits. I don't even think I had any underwear because if you're gonna be in swimsuits all week, what do you need underwear for? You know, I left with with a week worth of swimsuits and, you know, a few outfits to wear out and, you know, some of my personal items that's all I had.

Lanell Baker Hall (32:39): I had a full apartment there with things in my nightstand, stuff in the bathroom and my medicine cabinet, all of my personal things and I have not been back to that apartment to this day. Because every time I thought I was going to get to go back there was another outbreak and another outbreak. Then at one point I really needed to work because I was exhausting my savings. COVID was still going on, but I'm like, What other countries can I apply to that aren't having this? And so I was offered a job in Vietnam.

Lanell Baker Hall (33:19): And I did all of the paperwork and the authentications and things that I needed to able to teach in Vietnam and every time they got ready to bring me over they had outbreak and another outbreak so that never came to fruition. And so I kind of bounced around here in The States from this state to that state, this relative's house to that because I mean, eventually had to leave Australia and come back here and I had nothing set up because it was COVID. So how could you set anything up? I kind of sold my vehicle before I left. I didn't have a house here or anything because I planned on being in China long term.

Unknown Speaker (34:06): It's just

Unknown Speaker (34:09): one

Lanell Baker Hall (34:09): of those things that people have been going to China for years and teaching in other places and, you know, when I decide to go, there's a global pandemic. So it's not something that you can can prepare for, but I'm I'm a strong woman and I had to you know kick into my skills set there and growing up in Detroit as Detroit native resilient and able to adapt to the situation and I did that And, you know, I came back here and, it was meant for me to come back at that time because I didn't know that shortly after returning that I was going to lose my mother. I lost a close cousin who practically raised me. She's my first cousin, but she's a lot older because my dad had, much older brothers and sisters. There were 16 of them.

Lanell Baker Hall (35:07): So my cousin Elaine died first and then my mother transitioned. I had two dogs two beautiful Maltese boys that I got when I was losing a baby. And so they're like my kids. And so one of them, Ty Neiman, Ty Neiman and Jackson Nordstrom because the mother likes to shop. Ty Niemann also transitioned and the anniversary of that is coming up.

Lanell Baker Hall (35:42): He actually passed on Mother's Day, my first Mother's Day without my mom. Things that happen to you, they just make you stronger and build character and they happen to you as well so that you can be a resource and so you can help others. I truly believe that everything we go through is so that we can be there for someone else. We can be the road map to say I did it and this is how I did it. And so you do it your way, but I want to show you one way that you can get through it.

Lanell Baker Hall (36:15): And, oh, I don't want to leave this out because it's very important, especially when we start talking about, women's rights and reproductive health. So while in Australia you know in China I was you know on glass bridges hiking you know hiking to pagodas taking the train I was doing a lot of walking. Think one month I had over 300,000 footsteps. That is major! In Australia I was very still and that allowed time for a fibroid to grow because I wasn't being as active.

Lanell Baker Hall (36:53): It was COVID so kind of sheltering in and just kind of staying in the house and just trying to keep yourself entertained. I got sick over there and I had to start going to the doctor paying out of pocket because we're not a part of the universal healthcare system. So if I had been from The UK or someplace that had a reciprocity, they would have seen me. But being from The United States, we're not a part of that. So I was paying for ultrasounds, MRIs, and things like that out of pocket because I wasn't feeling well.

Lanell Baker Hall (37:31): So that was another caveat to returning, to The States. I wasn't well and I was needing to have a major surgery. And that kept getting pushed back because of COVID. And so, finally, I was able to have it and, it was a 24 centimeter, fibroid from the front of me to the back of me. And finally, the surgeon who, Doctor.

Lanell Baker Hall (37:57): Braar, who she's now moved to Atlanta, she's my angel. She had wings because she said, I don't know how anybody let you walk around with this for so long. She's my hero. She got me back healthy. I'm starting to get excited now because during this time, I reconnected with a friend from college who we never dated.

Lanell Baker Hall (38:25): And we both went to, Fisk University thirty years ago. And, he saw me on social media and inboxed me and said, let's let's catch up. So I I gave him a call and we began, to catch up. And, you know, so again, this is during COVID. So where nobody's working There's nowhere to work, everything's shut down, people are sick.

Lanell Baker Hall (38:49): We just began talking every day, all day. Even during COVID we started traveling to see each other because at one point I had left Detroit and gone back to Maryland where I had previously lived and I was staying with a girlfriend there. So I was flying back and forth to see him and he would fly back and forth to see me even during COVID we did this and so we fell in love and and we decided that we were going to get married. So imagine that a woman in her early 50s getting married for the first time because you know when you get to be that age and you haven't been married you start to think that maybe you're never going to get married and I was okay with that. I had made peace with it.

Lanell Baker Hall (39:38): I was enjoying my life but I enjoy being married and I love the institution of marriage and we have a lot of fun. He didn't have the travel bug like I do and so now he does. So I rubbed off on him. And so now he's just we've got we're gonna be off for a week for the holiday. Where are we going?

Deneen L. Garrett (40:02): That's a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing. Right? Matching your energy, matching your adventure and love for travel. And something you said I wanna raise up.

Deneen L. Garrett (40:12): So, you know, because we've been talking about and we kind of been promoting like, yeah, know, go ahead. If you want, try it, you know, go to another country, think about moving, relocating, all those things. Learning about their healthcare and how you're able to get healthcare, that's something to keep in mind as well. So all the things that are important to you in The US, keep those things in mind even when you're considering moving somewhere else because that's important as well. So just wanna throw that out, as, you know, things that, you know, could be part of your checklist, things to consider when you are thinking about moving.

Deneen L. Garrett (40:46): And again, get with a professional, someone who has a business around this, you know, can aid you as well, and that's something that Lynell provides, a service that she provides. So Lynell, for the woman watching who has done everything right, the career, the service, the sacrifice, and still feels like her own freedom is a luxury she hasn't yet earned, what permission do you give her?

Lanell Baker Hall (41:12): Well, I give her permission to dream, permission to be, permission to be who you are, to be yourself, to love yourself fully, to permission to explore, permission to live unapologetic, to live outside of the box. We don't have to stay in this box that people wanna put us in. And and and just be free to be you. You have an idea of what you want out of life and things that you dreamed about. And so don't just dream it, do it.

Lanell Baker Hall (41:59): Tomorrow is not promised and life is short and you don't want to have any regrets. And and I want women especially to please stop waiting until you retire to start living. Start living today intentionally however you can, whenever you can. Book the trip. Book the trip.

Lanell Baker Hall (42:21): Buy the shoes.

Unknown Speaker (42:23): Wear the shoes.

Lanell Baker Hall (42:25): Buy the shoes, wear the shoes. Yeah. Don't just buy them and save them for a special occasion. Every day is a special occasion. And if we didn't learn anything from COVID, we should have learned that because so many people who loved life and who were vibrant people lost their lives.

Lanell Baker Hall (42:44): We just don't know what tomorrow brings, so we have to prepare for a rainy day always, but we have to live for today. And that is what I promote in the Start Healthy magazine. I also have a book that has been written. It has been published, it hasn't been launched yet, and it is called Your Guide to Becoming an Expat and there's a lot of information in that book that will help you become an expat. I am working on an app that you can take courses in to learn how to apply for your visas and different things.

Lanell Baker Hall (43:24): Within the app you'll even be able to set up consultations with me. Of course you can always email me or call me and set up a consultation, if you're interested in relocating abroad or if you want to book an exploration trip or an ex a astrocartography. And, I also have two additional books, in the process of being published and, these are some some, titles that most women will probably resonate with and, one of them is called, She's Not She Ain't Your Friend and I said it that way on purpose. And it's a the title sounds like it the book could be negative, but it's really a positive book and, it's saying that, you know, real, you know, positive female friendships are possible. But it does, you know, talk a little bit about the shade and and the things that we deal with as women.

Lanell Baker Hall (44:22): And I don't know why, that's so much a women thing, but we all have to use our powers for good and learn to be play nicely. The other one is I'm not here for you to like me. That comes from years of people's opinion of you, their perceptions of you, and you can't control any of it. But guess what? That's not who you are and you don't have to own that.

Lanell Baker Hall (44:58): Are very positive books, self help books, if you will, for women to stand in their power and, to rise.

Deneen L. Garrett (45:12): Yeah. I love that. And so again, you'll have Lynell's information as far as how you can get your hands on these books because, you know, we do need a community. We do need a sisterhood. You know, we don't we can do things on our own, but we don't have to.

Deneen L. Garrett (45:30): Right? Because there's other people who can share that journey with us. So you don't wait for permission, you become it. And when you become it, everything rises to meet you. That's the dream lifestyle standard.

Deneen L. Garrett (45:42): And if you're ready to live it, join us inside the Dream Lifestyle Collective. We provide the strategy, sisterhood, and structure for black women 50 ready for their next chapter. And Lynell, before I ask this last question, I know you wanted to share something, how you're helping Corey, that's one of the things that Yeah, you

Lanell Baker Hall (46:04): so I told you this story about the man and I got the ring and so it's funny how you manifest things for yourself and how other people manifest things for you because this I'll make it quick because I don't know how much time we have but so when I was living in Chicago I was on this, the opening for this TV show called Chicagalicious and it was a hair show with a guy AJ who he's done like Michelle Obama's hair, you know all of these famous people and so, I'm in the opening and I've got this big blonde hair and McCray is doing my hair and so when they flash to me they say we have politicians' wives and, at the time I had never dated a politician or thought that I would be a politician's wife, but my husband, he is, that is the field that he works in and he has, you know since college worked for everybody, in the industry and most recently our our our wonderful governor here in Michigan. So he's running now for State Senate District three and I'm I'm so proud of him because he's worked so hard and he's always been behind the scenes doing things to help people.

Lanell Baker Hall (47:26): And he's passionate about it. So what you'll see on the screen now is the fundraiser that he's having tonight at Soul on Ice and you guys are welcome to come. Any donation big or small we appreciate it all. You can come and meet the man in person and he'll learn all about him if you live in District 3. District 3 is from Detroit from Livernois all the way to the Grosse Pointe Line.

Lanell Baker Hall (48:02): So it's part of the West Side and all of the East Side Of Detroit. It's also, Highland Park and Hamtramck. So if you live in District 3 and you want to come to the fundraiser tonight, you'll meet Corey. You'll also meet me and, and some of our our friends from Fisk. So, this fundraiser is being put on by, Fiskites, Fisk Friends for Corey.

Lanell Baker Hall (48:26): And, we've we have more coming up. If you come tonight, you'll find out about the other ones that we have coming up and, you can also, check out his Facebook page, Corey Hall for State Senate. And thanks for letting me give him a plug.

Deneen L. Garrett (48:40): Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. Because we do have some local folks that are, you know, that watch. And the two people that I mentioned who chimed in before, I believe that they're in that district, so they may be interested.

Deneen L. Garrett (48:52): And then for those, because this is a global, honey, we are global. So for anyone who's watching wherever you are, if you're wanting to support, the information is there so that you can, support from wherever you are. Alright. Lynell, what is one step a woman can take today to begin mothering her global future?

Lanell Baker Hall (49:14): To begin mothering her global future. So, well, starts with a plan. And so like I said before, what you you dreamed about and so you kind of have some idea of something that you like to do. Well turn that into reality. One of the things I absolutely love is this vision board.

Lanell Baker Hall (49:39): Mhmm. Creating a a vision board or creating a journal, but also seeking the information. There's so much information available to us now that that wasn't even available, you know, when we were coming up because we didn't have the Internet. I'm sure there were travel agents back then but I don't know if there were people doing global relocation and that type of thing. Use the tools that you have available to you at your disposal and start collecting information and doing your research on things that you think you might want to do be it relocating internationally or opening a business or whatever it is.

Lanell Baker Hall (50:25): You need to have all the information, all the facts, and you just start putting a plan together and just take it step by step, day by day, one thing at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day. And there there will be naysayers and, just ignore that. Be quiet. Keep it to yourself except for your your close knit support group, people who you know who have your back and who are gonna be encouragers because when you're trying to do something the last thing you need is unsolicited negative advice from people that don't want to see you rise.

Unknown Speaker (51:04): Quiet, research, dream, map out your plan.

Deneen L. Garrett (51:13): Thank you for that. Thank you so much. So Lynell Baker Hall, thank you so much for joining us on Women of An Intimate Conversation, the Women of Color live version, and shout out again to the Leanne Thomas group who is the production team of this production. And for those who are watching, listening, shared us with a woman who was ready to stop shrinking and start architecting. And next week, we'll be back Thursday at 1PM eastern with Mooji Bukomson.

Deneen L. Garrett (51:43): She is a founder and visionary tapping in from Nigeria. See you next time.