Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Radhia Afif . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Dr. Radhia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have known that I was creative for a very long time. I remember writing my first poem in the 4th grade, making up dances for the family cookouts around 8-9 years old, playing dress-up (creating cool outfits with my wardrobe) and just…creating. Using my natural talent was never something I desired to do as a job. I was always told that I needed to pick a career path, go to college and get a good job. That message was ingrained in me at a young age and I dedicated most of my life to that goal. I spent the normal 13 years in school (k-12) before embarking on a 12 year journey of college. Then, as planned, I started my career as a Licensed Behavior Specialist.

I mostly kept up with my creative outlets through shopping and creating outfits, attending dance classes, and writing poetry as material presented itself. At one point I really got into nail art as well. I wasn’t the artist, but I used creative direction to give guidance on the colors and designs I wanted.

One thing that always stood out to me was my love for dance. Being in the studio, hearing the music and feeling the beat within me was something that made me feel confident and alive. I felt like I could release and be my authentic self although I was a tad bit shy. Dancing helped me to express myself without words. However, I didn’t truly believe I could ever be the instructor. I settled for being on the front line in class and giving as much energy as possible.

In late 2020, during the pandemic, I started to go through a shift which I now identify as my spiritual awakening. I was starting to see myself in a new way. I was starting to see the world in a new way. I thought about what I truly loved in life and what I would be doing if no money was involved. Dance was the first thing that came to mind.

I had already been working as a Behavior Specialist for about 7/8 years. During that time I wrote my first book and had graduated with 4 degrees. But, something was definitely missing. Teaching dance seemed like the thing I needed to do to be in alignment with my purpose. So I put all my fear in my back pocket, set the date and booked the studio. I taught my first Twerkshop in September of 2021 and it was a sold out class!

Even though it was my first class, I felt like I had taught 1,000 times before. It felt natural. It felt euphoric. It felt purposeful. The Goddess Twerkshop Experience was birthed. Of course there’s more to that story but you’ll just have to keep reading.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

There are many layers to my story but I think its best to start at the most pivotal time in my life, 2016. In 2016 I was a full-time Licensed Behavior Specialist, working on my dissertation, and preparing to open my home daycare. I found out I was pregnant in March 2016. I found I was having twins in April 2016. I found out they were girls in June 2016. Three short weeks later I gave birth to two beautiful girls Azhara and Zari. One stillborn and one alive, but the doctors chose not to save my baby.

This experience was so unreal to me. I loved twins, I was excited about having girls, my pregnancy was so joyful. But, sadly it was short lived. I cried a lot in the beginning and after a while I just shoved all of those feelings deep down. I threw on my cape and continued to be Superwoman. This part of my story is relevant because I created my health & wellness business around the memory of my girls. Though I suffered a great loss I also gained a new outlook on life. I wanted to share my story and also the joy that I felt carrying my girls but that came a bit later.

Let’s jump around just a tad bit to get everyone up to speed.

By profession I am a Licensed Behavior Specialist (BSC). I have worked in the field for 10 years. I started my first business “The Behavioral Wealth Project LLC (BWP) in 2019 to support children and families in creating healthy cycles of behavior. Through my work as a BSC I saw a gap in education for parents and implementation of interventions across settings. I decided that I wanted to bridge the gap and create tools, resources and services that could be used to inform, educate and support. This is where my creative writing skills come into play.

I wrote my first book ‘How To Train Your Parents: A parent’s Guide To Managing Challenging Behavior’ in 2019. Later, I went on to create ” The Behavioral Wealth Deck’ which is a card deck with prompts for parents. The goal is to have parents answer the questions by journaling, talking it out or simply reflecting to identify areas of improvement in parenting practices. In addition to these tools I currently offer Parent Coaching and Parent Workshops for organizations and corporations.

Starting BWP was exciting. I was able to use my ability to connect and understand people with my education and experience as a Behavior Specialist. I proudly called myself “The Behaviorist” on social media. But, something was missing and I wanted to do more.

In 2021, when I was going through my spiritual awakening (mentioned earlier in the article) I thought about ways to honor my daughters. I wanted to create something for them to express the joy I felt carrying them for 5 short months. This would also include my adventures with the dance class, fashion and travel. I wanted to expose other women to healthy lifestyle behavior, patterns and mindsets. So, I came up with Azhari Life-Style. Azhari is the combination on my daughters names (Azhara and Zari). Through Azhari Life-Style I offer The Goddess Twerkshop Experience, Dance Fitness Classes, Styling and Personal Shopping. My focus is to empower women to step into their Goddess Energy (period!). If you come across my social media platforms you will find a little bit of everything from motivational quotes, travel recaps, fashion pictures, dance fitness workouts and of course Twerking! I encourage women to show up confidently, authentically, and vulnerably to really experience the joy of life.

Now you’d probably think the story stops there, but there’s more! My newest branch of business is dedicated to coaching superwoman. If you head over to @drafifspeaks on instagram, facebook, or Tiktok you will hear me telling women to take off the C.A.P.E (control, anxiety, perfectionism, and expectations). I have been Superwoman for way to long. I watched my mom and many other woman become that as well. I decided I didn’t want to be her. The C.A.P.E always gave me a false sense of strength and power. In reality I was broken inside, but ready to tell my story.

In, late 2022 I wrote my second book ‘Don’t Call Me Superwoman: An Exploration Of Divine Intervention, Alignment and Self-Love’ (available on amazon). My book made it to the best sellers list. In writing and continuing to go on my journey I realized that this was another opportunity to help women. I created my behavior coaching business specifically for Superwomen who are ready to take off the C.A.P.E, gain clarity in their lives, and to take up space in the world.

Although my journey started as a Behavior Specialist I have transformed into something so much more. My natural ability to connect with people, to relate to people and to understand without judgement has lead me to a place of abundance. I have been able to navigate my healing journey and to help others along the way. I am most proud of my ability to be my authentic self. It hasn’t always been easy. I’ve been self-conscious and held ideals that didn’t serve me well. But, I deserve all the great things in life that I desire and so do many other people. My goal is to fill my cup and use the overflow to pour into as many other people as possible.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is showing up authentically and having others understand me and embrace me with open arms. I have often felt invisible. People saw what they wanted to see on a surface level (i.e achievements) but not many people really got to know my deepest self. The fear, the insecurity, the emotions held. Being creative allows me to express myself in many ways without thinking that I have to conform to a standard. Yes, I still have moments when that old mindset and those insecurities kick in but I am more equipped to navigate them. Continuing to lean into my creative expression and understanding how it shows up in my life has been a light on my path.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to bring awareness to the journey (life’s journey) and impact as many people as possible. There is so much that we have to unlearn and relearn in this world. Take joy for example. When many of us were children we found joy in the simplest things. We weren’t super fearful of life, we just lived. As we grew older and became more exposed to the messaging of society we created boxes for ourselves. Being creative means that you take yourself out of that box and create your own rules. It allows space for freedom and flow which is necessary in finding joy. So my goal is to share my story, to continue to provide outlets and resources for others, and to show someone else what is possible when you choose yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drafifspeaks.com
• Instagram: @azhari.life.style @drafifspeaks @the.behaviorist
• Facebook: @azhari.life.style @drafifspeaks @thebehaviorist0
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drafifspeaks
• Other: Tiktok @azhari.life.style @drafifspeaks

Image Credits
photo with white blazer: Ani D. @ Celebrating The Bounce Back