Moving And Grooving Through Big Life Changes

Two years away from the mic can change you, and for me, it did. This relaunch isn’t a quick comeback or a casual rebrand. “Moving And Grooving With Nikki” is my reset, my new era, and my promise to show up with more honesty about what it looks like to grow in real time. If you’ve been navigating life transitions, starting over, or trying to find alignment after a hard season, you’ll hear yourself in this story.

I break down why I’m putting “GP After Dark” to rest, where that name came from back in Wisconsin, and why the move to Arizona forced me to stretch mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. I share the milestones that happened while I was gone: building a dream home, launching new business goals, raising kids through graduation and enlistment, traveling, finishing college, and learning how to lead when life doesn’t slow down. This is personal growth, entrepreneurship, and faith without the highlight reel.

Then I open the door on the part of my story people always ask about: “felony to favor.” I talk about the weight of carrying a felony, the fear of being judged, the work it takes to rebuild trust, and what it means to move from shame to purpose. This space is for real conversations and real testimonies, and I’m inviting guests who can share relatable experiences that help somebody breathe again.

Subscribe, share this with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of your life are you rebuilding right now?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Hey everybody,

The Podcast Relaunch And Reset

SPEAKER_00 0:22

welcome back to my very first episode with moving and grooving with Nikki. And I am your host, Nikki. And first off, I just want to say thank you all for being here. It's been officially almost two years since I've been behind the mic. And I am so excited to be back being able to share these stories, the events, everything that has been taking place. Life has just been life, and that's all I can tell you at this point. So I know a lot of you guys remember me from my last, my older podcast, GP After Dark. So, and while that represent represented a certain season of my life, I knew um it was a it was a time now for me to go into some growth, some change, some upgrades to reset and realign in just a whole different direction and focus more on branding me, moving and grooving with Nikki. So today, this is just more it's more than just a podcast episode. This is just a relaunch or this is a reset. This is a new era, this is alignment, and I'm just so excited to finally share this new chapter with all of you. So let's get it. So

Why The Name Had To Change

SPEAKER_00 1:27

let's talk about the name change, okay? So, you know, we transitioning from GP after dark to moving and grooving with Nikki and how that started. Okay, it's coming from growth and just a whole different transition and how we evolve. And I'm no longer living in Wisconsin, and that's where it all started. It started in my business in Wisconsin at Golden Path. And back then we used to just after work hours, we will sit down, we would get transparent, and everybody would just kind of let their hair down and just talk and talk about everything. If it was the good, bad, if we cry, we laugh, whatever the case may be. So we will have such a good time that we'd be like, Oh y'all, it's GP after dark, so that's where that name came from. So since I'm no longer in Wisconsin, I transitioned to Arizona for a lot of you guys that have already known from the older podcast. We are now um moving and grooving with Nikki. So we're gonna put that to rest for right now at the end of the day. The content didn't change, the the information and everything that we share from the past and how we were just so deep and transparent and talked about all life events, relationships, business, work, family, everything that hasn't changed. It's just that the name has changed, and honestly, my life has shifted in so many ways in the last couple of years. So I just experienced so much growth spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and professionally. So this new name reflects who I am now. So moving and grooving with Nikki represents a movement, it represents pushing forward, it represents healing, it represents faith, it represents your purpose. Life is just always moving and even through difficult seasons. So this podcast is gonna be space for real conversations, real stories, real testimonies, real growth. The name, the same GP name. Now we just got, I mean, not the same GP name, but the same SGP, but only a name change. This is the 2.0 version. We're gonna talk about the life transitions, your purpose, relationship, entrepreneurship, healing, women building their lives and navigating change. This is a space for authentic. This is a space where we needed you guys, everybody just open up. I'm gonna open up because this is not just helping you guys, it's also helping me as well. Also, my material, a lot of my material, you guys, and my old podcast got lost. So when you log in, I have when I went inactive, I lost a lot of my podcast and for um content, but I am slowly reloading all that information back up on um the page on the on the page Buzz Sprout. So you'll see it all, and you'll also see the new that we got going on. So there we have it. Now,

Moving To Arizona And Growing Up

SPEAKER_00 4:09

for those of you who do know and those of you who don't know, yes, I relocated to Arizona some years ago. We talked about this in the past at GP After Dark. And let me tell you, moving to a new state is not for the weak, okay? There's moments of uncertainty, moments where I question myself, moments where I had to trust God even when I didn't even fully understand what was next. But looking back now, I can honestly say this move changed my life. Arizona has stretched me, it has grown me, it has introduced me to new opportunities, new people, and also a new purpose. That's alignment, y'all. That's alignment. Arizona, honestly, sometimes God has to move you physically in order for you to move mentally and spiritually. So during the break, there was a lot going on during these two years to where I had to move and groove. I went from um building my first dream home, um, started business this year. Um, my middle son graduated high school. Now, y'all, this boy done went in and enlisted into the Navy. My oldest son, he graduated college, but he's still doing the same thing, drinking up all my beverages and all, eating up all the food. That part didn't change. Um, the younger ones, they growing, grown, smarter, brighter. Um, I've been breeding poodles the last couple years, and also your girl moving and grouping with Nikki. I graduated college, y'all. So that's kudos for everything that's been happening. Of course, you know, we still got a journey. There's still other things that have taken place during the journey. So it ain't all been easy. It haven't all been just great along that pipeline. But at the end of the day, I can say that it has all it has been growth. And um, even though challenges may occur, it built strength into what the new purpose and a new life has changed. So it just equipped me to be a better mom, a better leader, a better wife. And I'm just taking that all in, you know, been doing a whole lot of traveling, traveling for leisure, traveling for work, traveling for leisure, and still having to do work while I'm having leisure, but it's all good. I learned so much about myself during this season, and I'm still learning. But one thing I know for sure is that I'm walking into the next season with intention. I'm walking into this next season with alignment, you know. Um, I'm just really understanding myself and rebuilding what's important and where my future is gonna lie, and also the future for my family as well. So I just wanna I I and this part is why podcasts matter so much. I want people to know that you're not alone in this transition. You are not alone if you rebuild, and you are not alone if you starting over. So I want to say this to say this because um I want to share a little snippet about myself and a little story, and I have shared parts of this, but I really want to share a part of a story to where there's gonna be a continuous story going

Felony To Favor And Trust

SPEAKER_00 7:18

on. We don't got time for it right now with the opening, but um I want to kind of share a story from felony to favor. Um, I wrote a book in 2022 for those of you that know. Um, I wrote a book in 2022 for from for some of you guys that have known, it was called it's called My Life, His Story, Our Journey. It's a three-series book, and in that book, I shared a lot of about myself. I gave a little snippet of me growing up and some decisions and choices that I made in my life and bad choices that landed me with a felony. So I didn't know back then how um back then it it took a lot on how that affected my past, but I didn't allow it to affect my journey, and also I didn't allow it to affect my um affect me today. So a lot of people ask me questions about my background, and I wanted to kind of write down those questions and answer them because I explained to people you I'm gonna be talking about, you know, my past and talking about how it got me to where I am today and how it can also help others or whatnot. Um, one question was some people always said, dang, I didn't know that about you. I didn't, you don't even look like the type they got a felony, you have a felony or have a criminal past. And I'm like, so what? I guess I don't look like a bad girl. I'm like, yeah, you right. I don't look like a bad girl because I'm a hot girl. No, I'm just playing. But but anyways, no. Um, how do it supposed to look? I didn't know that you got to paint a picture to look like a certain type that certain things happen. You know, you can say the same for people that's on social media, just because you you see people on social media, you don't know what they really got going on, if they really got money, if they really having things saying all the things they saying, if they really are coach, if they really led and did all those things, you just looking at them from a different channel. So at the end of the day, how do it supposed to look? You don't know if it's real or fake. So don't judge a book by its cover, read the story. You gotta understand, you gotta know people, you know. So I don't know how it's supposed to look, I just know that sometimes you know, things happen in people's lives, you you get into trouble and things happen. Another question is people ask me, how do you get people to trust, you know, you after certain things or whatever you have done bad? And to be real with you, I think trust comes from just being transparent, authentic, being you at the end of the day. Um I I say in reality, you know, 70% of us are felons. It's just not on paper because we all, at some point in our lives, majority of people have done something that was unethical. If it's stealing food to feed your family, feed yourself. If it's man, walking out the grocery store with the water at the bottom, you know you didn't pay for that, but you still just walked out. You know what I'm saying? Also claiming kids on your taxes that ain't supposed to be on their dependence. What about back then with the PPP? You know, I can go on and on and on, but at the end of the day, I'm just going, you know, I'm just saying this to say that most individuals have done things in their lives, they just didn't get caught, you know. So when things do happen and you make mistakes, you gotta pay for them. And, you know, at the end of the day, it's okay as long as you're growing from it and not going back to it. Um, some people ask me, um, like, how did I do all what I did with the felony on my background? And I'm like, I don't even know, y'all. It's be so hard for me to ask that question. But I think there's a part of me in my life that I had I didn't want to depend on people because when when it feels like you in a situation, a tight situation, and you stuck, you want to lean on being able to depend on others and depend on help. And sometimes that don't be all gravy. That that help doesn't be there to really support you because I don't know if it'd be because they know they got the upper control of you, or you just can't put your your your your world, your life in others. But the thing is, you you just got to have faith and trust God and move on and do the work. That's how I did everything I did. I had to trust God and do the work. I didn't want to be the one that put my business in someone else's name because of what I had on my background. I didn't want to be the person that felt like sit there in my sit there inside my depression and be discouraged to be like, I can't do this because of that, I can't do this because of that, and coming up with so many excuses. I wanted to be the person that can see what can happen, what I can walk out and do, and and just keep going and just don't stop. I just want to keep going and not stop, not let nobody stand in the way or whatever I had to go. And then I also had something to prove. I had something to not prove for myself. I had to prove to God that He gave me a second chance to do what I needed to do, and I wasn't going to let Him down or myself down, and I'm gonna keep going. And once I had that courage and that energy, that motivation and willpower to just keep going, it just fuels something in me, you know, to also make sure that people can trust me in business. I deal with a lot in business with you know, with people information and a lot of things where I wouldn't think that I wouldn't want people to not think that they can't trust to do business with me, trust who I am, and trust where I'm going, and also trust where they're going. You know, being um responsible for so many lives is stressful. I don't go to sleep, I don't go to sleep comfortable at night knowing that I got make sure people still have jobs every day. That's where a lot of trust because people is trusting me. So I had to trust God because it was it was a lot. Um, okay. Um, I had questions that came in. Um, how did it make you feel when I got that on my background? Man, horrible. I say it felt so horrible to where it was embarrassment, embarrassment and guilt that you gotta carry for years that sit on you, to where you hope people don't look you up, you pray that things it don't hinder the things you're trying to do in life. You you don't feel confident, you don't feel like, man, well, I gotta fill out this application and uh I gotta put this down and I'm gonna get landed the job. Is is this person gonna look at me differently or treat me a certain way? You know, it don't feel good, it didn't feel good um just knowing that I had to put on there convicted felon. It feels greater now to put on their convicted pardon, you know, even though you know something that happened almost 27 years ago, you know, you still you still think about that. You still think about, you know, where if I can change what happened back then, you know, if I can change then what would happen now. And um, I just say that a lot of courage have happened in my life to where I had to trust God and keep going and live through it. Um, some people ask me, have I ever gave a testimony? Okay, I'm giving one now. But um, yes, I have gave many, I have gave the first testimony I gave, I gave at a college. Now, I was not prepared, I was like not ready. I was still in my felony mode, and I did uh uh testimonies with some children just to talk about what I did and who I am. I'm a business owner, this and that. Then hey, them kids was just looking at me like, what did she say? We're not even on this, but they were still inspired because of I was a business owner and I can talk about what I'm doing in life, but they didn't, I don't think they even understood the feeling. I majority of the time I just sat there crying because I wasn't ready. I was not ready to speak my truth and talk about that past. And the second testimony I had, and and I'll go back. And back then, when I talked about that, I still had the felony on me. And the second time I did a testimony, I had my pardon, and I talked, um, I talked at a win woman's women's conference, and um, of course, I was still nervous, but I felt so different walking in that space. It was like, I don't know, God just came in and just took over and allowed me to, you know, share my story with the crowd, and also I impact a lot of people's lives because you don't know how your story will impact others that has relatable experiences that you do, and how people will sit down and be like, Man, I thought my life was over, I can never do anything. You just gave me hope, and and that's the goal. Like, man, you know, I ain't trying to give y'all hope to go out here and do nothing wrong and get a felony, like that's okay, but just hope to know that we do make bad decisions, we do make bad choices, but if we are looking to change and grow from that, there's opportunity. But um, they asked me, you never gave up, and I'm like, no, I tried giving up on some businesses, but I never gave up pushing. I never set back and just gave up. I kept going, I kept moving and grooving, and I think that's why now I'm just so wired the way I knew because I knew that I was in a tough spot, and I have no room to fail, no room to quit. And but yeah, so I know that was a whole lot, y'all, but this is definitely gonna be a continuation that I want to share with you guys a lot about, you know, that past of mine, and also bring on those guests that can share their testimony as well. Because, you know, that's it, that's the thing. People be able to share relatable experiences, and sometimes you can touch and you can help others through some traumatic times in their lives and um that they're going through. So I'm just really, really excited to be back on the mic. Um, it's been a long haul, and there has been moments and month, you know, month after month, I'm like, okay, it's time to get started. It's time to get started. But that was that stagnation. That was that uh stopping and not going and just being um how they say that just if you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready. But I'm ready. I'm ready to get back out here. I'm ready to share some things, and I'm ready to hear from y'all. You know what I'm saying? That was good. I'm almost done.

What’s Next And How To Connect

SPEAKER_00 18:53

Is that fine? Okay, so also, you guys, I just want to say thank you so much for joining me for my first episode with moving and grooving with Nikki. This episode means so much to me because, of course, it represents growth, it represents healing, and it's stepping into a brand new season. I'm so excited for all the conversations we're gonna have here. Man, we're gonna have a lot of conversations. I want y'all to come on here crying with the ugly face. I want you to laugh, humor, whatever the case may be. Don't hold back. I ain't gonna hold back. I'm gonna share whatever everything transition authentic is gonna be here, you know. So I'm just very excited for today. I'm very excited for what's gonna happen tomorrow. And if today's episode resonated with any of you, make sure you subscribe, of course. Share this episode with someone who needs the encouragement who needs it, and follow along because we have so much more coming. Now, a lot of you people say y'all want to support. Support. A lot of you want to hear more. The only how you can only way you can hear hear more is by supporting, tapping in, and joining the fun because it's gonna be fun. So I just want to leave you to say, remember, no matter what life throws at you, man, keep moving, keep growing, and keep grooving. I'm gonna see y'all in the next episode. So until then, also I want y'all to tap in to all my socials, y'all. Y'all know a girl needs that engagement. You know you need to tap in with me. Hype your girl up because I'm gonna be hype. But hey, it's it's it's not fun when you're doing it alone. Check me out on Instagram at Nikki MNG, check me out on Facebook at Nikosia King, check me out on my TikTok at Nikki MNG, moving and grooming with Nikki, and also y'all don't forget to tap in to YouTube if you want this full episode and you able to see this episode up close and personal with your girl at Nikki MNG on YouTube. And hey, drop a line, DM me if you're interested in calling in or being a part of um this YouTube and episode channel because I'm gonna make waves for you. I don't care how we're gonna do it. I gotta have you on speaker phone, you can be here. If you ain't up close in person, we're gonna make sure you can be here. But we're gonna definitely make sure we bring some guests in because I want to kind of bring some guests in and share some real life experiences for you guys. So I'm ready, I'm hype, and um it's all it's up from here. And all I'm gonna tell you, you guys, is in this new season, stay aligned, stay in alignment. We out. That was awesome. That was good. I'm gonna get one drop, I'm gonna get a drop from you.