Join host Nadine McNeil in this deeply moving conversation with Professor Karen Carpenter, one of the Caribbean's leading voices on human behavior, sexuality, and mental health. In this special holiday episode, they explore the emotional weight many of us carry during the festive season—from family triggers and holiday shame to the unique challenges facing Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Professor Carpenter, one of the key founders of the Caribbean Sexuality Free Cl...

In this powerful episode, Nadine explores the deep connection between self-love and self-respect, and how these two practices shape every relationship, boundary, and decision in our lives. She begins with a profound truth: we set the standard for how we are treated. Respect can’t be demanded. It’s cultivated through our own embodiment — through integrity, aligned actions, honest communication, and the willingness to take responsibility for our choices. Nadine breaks down how self-respect an...

In this transformative episode, Nadine — Universal Empress — dives into one of the most powerful yet overlooked practices on the self-love journey: self-reflection. She opens with a truth many of us feel deeply: we weren’t raised to love ourselves. We were taught to fit in, to perform, to prove. Real self-love requires unlearning—and learning to see ourselves clearly, without judgment. In this episode, Nadine guides listeners through a simple but profoundly revealing mirror practice. With j...

In this episode, Nadine breaks down the essential difference between self-esteem and self-worth. Self-esteem comes from external validation—praise, performance, and approval. Self-worth is internal, steady, and rooted in who you are, not what others think. She explores how modern life conditions us to depend on outside affirmation, leading to insecurity and people-pleasing. Nadine shares her own experiences speaking to large audiences and how easy it is to fall into the approval trap. True ...

In this heartfelt update, Nadine McNeil returns with an honest reflection on life, service, and the necessity of caring for oneself. Shortly after launching the podcast, Nadine’s home country of Jamaica was devastated by Hurricane Melissa. With her background in emergency response and logistics, she felt called to return home and immediately dive into relief work. Moving across the island, witnessing the loss experienced by so many, deeply affected her. Amid the urgency to help, she realized...

True wellness begins when we love ourselves enough to care for every part of who we are - body, mind, and soul. In this episode, Nadine McNeil, the Universal Empress, explores self-love and wellness as a sacred practice. From the food we eat and the thoughts we entertain to the people we surround ourselves with, everything we engage in shapes our well-being. Through heartfelt reflections, Nadine reminds us that our bodies are our temples - the vessels that carry our dreams, joys, and purpo...

In this heartfelt episode, Nadine McNeil shares how her personal story of disconnection became the foundation of her self-love practice. Growing up in Jamaica under the structure of traditional expectations, Nadine followed all the “rules” - until one powerful question changed everything: "How can I do unto others as I would have them do unto me, when I don’t know how to do unto me?" Through raw honesty and gentle wisdom, Nadine reminds us that self-love isn’t a destination but a lifelong jo...

In this deeply grounding episode of The Self-Love as a Practice series, Nadine McNeil, The Universal Empress, guides you through the art of mindfulness - the sacred act of connecting with your inner being. In a world full of distractions and constant noise, mindfulness invites you to slow down, breathe, and return home to yourself. Nadine shares how tuning into the body helps you move from reaction to responsiveness, allowing you to navigate life’s challenges with ease, grace, and awareness....

In this reflective episode, Nadine invites you to return to the essence of what self-love truly means. Drawing from her book Self-Love Is a Practice, she reminds us that this journey isn’t a one-time act - it’s a daily devotion. As we grow and evolve, self-love takes on new shapes, new meanings, and new challenges. Through this series, Nadine explores self-love in all its expressions: in wellness, relationships, family, and self-respect. Some episodes will feature her intimate reflections, w...

Self-love is the most radical form of activism because from it, everything else flows. In this powerful opening episode of the Universal Empress Podcast, Nadine McNeil invites you on a transformational journey of unlearning, acceptance, and deep inner healing. Drawing from her book “Self-Love Is a Practice” (available on Amazon), Nadine explores how true self-love influences every area of life - the work we do, the relationships we nurture, the food we eat, and the boundaries we set. Join N...

In this episode of The Universal Empress Podcast, Nadine McNeil explores what it truly means to love yourself - not in theory, but in daily practice. Self-love, she reminds us, isn’t a walk in the park. It takes acceptance, self-awareness, reflection, and vulnerability. But once you begin this sacred journey, everything in your life starts to shift. Nadine shares her personal path - how yoga became her gateway to self-love and how subtle changes in her habits, mindset, and energy began to tr...

In this episode of the Universal Empress Podcast, Nadine McNeil shares her deeply personal journey of learning self-love - not from upbringing or tradition, but through experience, heartbreak, and awakening. Born and raised in Jamaica to Christian parents, Nadine was taught to be the “good girl” - to study hard, be kind, and put others first. But after a painful breakup in her thirties, she began to ask herself a powerful question: "How can I truly love others if I don’t know how to love mys...