Only a mother can truly understand the love they hold for their children. It’s immeasurable and it never wanes. However, at times that can hamper one’s self-growth. Savannah James, a now resilient beacon for modern-day women had to grow out from her LeBron James and mother’s shadow to realize just who she is. Her anecdote was simple, she had to be selfish.

On the ‘Queen’s’ podcast, a distressed mother called in to share a similar story. Having two adult kids, she was unable to find her persona outside of being their primary caretaker. It was understandable. Being a mother is an intricate affair, and to put it in simple terms, an identity change as well. The core onus becomes ensuring children don’t face any discomfort. Yet, it’s vital to discover one’s true calling, a message Savannah James reverberated with her own tale.

“This is an issue that I had for a really long time and it wasn’t just my kids it was also my husband. I felt like you know I didn’t have an identity outside of that… But there was a time necessary, you know your kids are grown but when I realized that mine were a lot younger that I felt like I wasn’t being of service to them in the way that I wanted to be because I was too wrapped up in just being their mom. Like my cup of myself was half empty,” she told the caller.

How did she achieve that? “So I had to really start to go on a journey to find out who Savannah was outside of Bronny and Bryce. I just really, I hate to say it like this but just be selfish with my time and selfish with myself,” the interior designer revealed.

To do so the 38-year-old admitted to taking unaccompanied trips out of town. It was simply her and her conscience trying to find their place. And when she did, Savannah James didn’t hesitate to flaunt her multi-talented gifts. Apart from her numerous business ventures, she has also started several women empowerment campaigns such as ‘Let it Break’ and ‘Women of Our Future’ to assist women in developing their own identity and practicing necessary self-care.

What brought about this switch, though, was another young woman.

Savannah James is motivated by wanting to be an inspiration for her daughter

Raising two boys who were inclined to be athletes required Savannah James to take on a supporting role. But when Zhuri, the youngest of the James clan came along, everything changed. Now, she wanted to become a pillar for her daughter and be a host of traits that her 9 nine-year-old would aspire to boast.

It enabled her to take on her improvement journey with stronger intent. James, who had been working on herself in the years prior now is hoping that even as her daughter grows, she continues to think as she did when she was 7.

“I was already kind of in a place of working on myself; in the last four years, I’ve been on this intentional journey of being a better woman. So a part of me, when she said that, I was scared, but then I was kind of like, okay, well, I’m onto something. We just have to keep it moving in a positive direction. I’m just hoping that with all of the decisions I’m making and the things that she’s seeing, when she’s 14, she’s still saying she wants to be like me,” James said in an interview with The Cut.

Gradually, she began to explore her interests and is now has a myriad of ventures she has mastered. From businesses to having an Instagram page dedicated to confidence and self-care, Savannah James wants to lead by example. And now not just Zhuri, but many other women can use her exemplary ways to inspire a spark within them.