Meet Jamila Hazel – Architect, Advocate, and All-Around Amazing Woman
Our Full Cup Amazing Woman is someone who fills the room with warmth, wisdom, and quiet strength: Jamila Hazel.
I could go on forever about how incredible she is, but I’ll let her introduce herself in her own words:
“Hello. My name is Jamila Hazel. I’m 42, turning 43 this year. I’m the mother of two beautiful daughters, ages 10 and 6. I’ve been married for 13 years. I’m a registered architect and a proud graduate of Tuskegee University. I’m originally from New Orleans, Louisiana… I think those are the high points.”
I will add one important detail: Jamila is my friend—one of those people you’re just lucky to do life with. We’ve been friends for years and recently attended our 25th high school reunion (To You, McMain…).
A Word from the Past
Life in the 40s: “My mom warned me…”
Jamila shared that hitting her 40s has been like flipping on a light switch. Suddenly, everything clicked—and not always in a gentle way.
“My mom warned me: ‘When you turn 40…’ but I didn’t know it would happen so fast. I really started to understand myself. I’ve learned to prioritize my own needs, to put on my oxygen mask first without guilt.”
One lesson that stuck with her is a powerful visual:
“I was recently talking to a woman who said we’re all juggling balls. Some are rubber and some are glass. You have to learn which ones can bounce and which ones will shatter. My happiness? That’s a glass ball. Other things are rubber. As a mom, I have a lot of rubber ball moments, like If my daughter eats PB&J because I need rest—that’s okay. We’re all gonna be fine.”
Let that sink in.
Making Space for Herself
So how does a woman who wears so many hats—mom, wife, architect, friend—find time for herself?
Jamila credits her community of friends:
“My friends fill my cup. I don’t feel drained after time with them—I feel whole. They give as much as they take. It’s a beautiful balance.”
She is the creative friend who makes every event feel professionally curated—from t-shirts to jewelry, crafts to decor — Jamila creates and contributes. But she does it joyfully because she's surrounded by people who refill her.
The Evolution of Friendship
Friendships evolve, and Jamila knows that better than most. Life stages shift—marriage, motherhood, moves—but the bond remains.
"In 2014, it felt like there was a new baby announcement every month. We all got pregnant around the same time, and it was amazing to go through that journey together—it really kept me grounded. Even the friends who weren't moms yet were incredibly supportive. And when my daughter was born, she came everywhere with me—even to brunch. It was just understood that she was always part of my plans."
She’s learned to give grace, to understand intention, and to love her people through every season.
“I don’t take it personally if we don’t talk every day. We’re grown. We’re busy. But we’re still connected.”
Navigating This Season
Now? We’re in a different chapter: Perimenopause, brain fog, itchy ears (seriously), overstimulation, and very thin patience.
“I get so overstimulated and easily frustrated now. I need more quiet. More time in bed watching TV. Less of these streets!”
We laughed, but whew—if that isn’t the realest thing.
Pushing Through
When asked what helped her step into the bold, confident woman she is today, Jamila reflected on her journey with gratitude.
“Sometimes I was just in the right place at the right time. Not to say I didn’t earn it, but it’s like God and the universe always made a way.”
From internships that turned into careers to a hurricane that launched her into a new city (hello, Atlanta), Jamila followed the open doors.
“I didn’t always feel bold, but the opportunities came, and I walked through them. I’ve been laid off, moved, lost and found again, and kept going. It’s all been a blessing.”
Jamila is a mom, a wife, and a business owner — and she works a full-time job.
She’s the kind of woman who walks into a room and fills it—not just with presence, but with purpose. Her laugh is easy, her stories magnetic, and she’s not afraid to say the hard things.
She’s raising daughters who see her hustle, her softness, her strength, and her truth. Her daughters are learning from a woman who refuses to quit, who believes in showing up as her full self—messy, honest, beautiful and all things in between.
She says the hard parts of life—the heartbreaks, the pivots, the moments you didn’t plan for—are where you find the good stuff.
And when asked what advice she’d give to someone who hasn’t reached their 40s yet, she doesn’t sugarcoat it:
“Get ready. You’re going to learn yourself—and then the lightbulb will go off. You’ll have laser-sharp knowledge of what makes you happy, what you want, and what you don’t want. And you won’t have the patience for anything outside of that. If it doesn’t serve you, get rid of it. Oh, and you can’t make everybody happy.”
That’s what makes her energy so magnetic. She’s not just living—she’s building. She’s laying down each truth like a foundation, framing joy into the everyday, and leaving no space for what doesn’t fit the blueprint of her becoming.
Jamila Hazel is a woman of quiet power, deep insight, and unshakable grace.
She reminds us that choosing ourselves is not selfish—it’s survival.
She reminds us to give our friends grace and our children peanut butter and jelly (sometimes).
She reminds us that we are not alone in the chaos, the changes, the forgetting, the itching (seriously, why the ears?).
Jamila, we see you. We celebrate you. And we’re so grateful to have you in our circle.
✨ Inspired by Jamila?
Jamila is a proud member of The Full Cup Society—a vibrant community for women 40+ who are done shrinking, ready to dream louder, and live life fully, on their terms.
Want in? The first 50 women to join get founding member status with free lifetime access.
Your seat at the table is waiting—come join us. 💛
Living Life Unapologetically: How Nicolette Found Her Full Cup
It all begins with an idea.
There’s a certain kind of magic in a woman who knows who she is. She moves differently, speaks with purpose, and carries herself in a way that commands presence—not because she seeks attention, but because she no longer needs permission to take up space. This is the essence of a woman in her Full Cup Era, and for Nicolette, stepping into this season of life wasn’t just a choice—it was a revelation.
The Journey to Owning Her Story
For years, Nicolette played by the rules society handed her. She did what was expected, molded herself into what others needed, and often silenced her own voice in the process. Like so many women, she thought confidence was something you had or didn’t have—an innate trait reserved for the bold, the fearless, the effortlessly charismatic. But confidence, she would learn, wasn’t about being loud or knowing all the answers. It was about standing firm in who she was, even when the world pushed back.
“I don’t think I fully understood what confidence meant until recently,” she admits, reflecting on the past year of her life. “It wasn’t about pretending to be sure of myself—it was about showing up, over and over again, until I started to feel sure.”
The shift didn’t happen overnight. It was in the small, deliberate choices: speaking up in conversations where she once stayed silent, walking into rooms without shrinking, and setting boundaries that protected her peace. Each moment built upon the last, layering self-assurance like bricks in a foundation she had never been taught to build.
Confidence, she realized, wasn’t something she waited to feel before acting—it was something she practiced until it became real. And the more she embodied it, the more it became a part of her.
Finding Connection in a Disconnected World
For many women, entering the 40s can feel like stepping into a crossroads. Friendships change, priorities shift, and the support system we once relied on may not fit the person we are becoming.
But in Nicolette’s hometown of New Orleans, she found a sense of belonging.
“What people don’t realize about this city is how deeply it embraces you,” she shares. “You can go to a parade alone and leave with lifelong friends. People here open their homes, their tables, their hearts. It’s not just a place—it’s a feeling.”
Surrounding herself with people who celebrated life rather than just endured it became a turning point. She found community in unexpected places—strangers who became friends, moments of shared laughter that felt like home. And in those connections, she learned an important truth: we don’t have to walk through life alone. We aren’t meant to.
When women uplift one another, when we hold space for each other’s growth, we create something unbreakable. Nicolette’s journey is proof of that.
Redefining Wellness on Her Own Terms
Wellness, for years, had been something Nicolette thought she needed to perfect. Diet trends, gym routines, and self-imposed expectations turned it into something rigid—another box to check rather than a way to honor her body.
But in her Full Cup Era, she’s learned to redefine what health means for her.
“People assume I love the gym, but I don’t,” she laughs, shaking her head. “But I go because I love me—because I want to feel strong, energized, and capable. It’s not about looking a certain way anymore. It’s about showing up for myself.”
She no longer exercises out of obligation but as an act of self-care. She fuels her body with intention, not restriction. And most importantly, she listens—to what she needs, what feels good, and what truly nourishes her from the inside out.
“Wellness isn’t about punishment,” she says with a knowing smile. “It’s about joy. And I choose joy every single time.”
Self-Care as a Daily Ritual
One of the most radical acts of self-love Nicolette has embraced is turning the ordinary into the sacred. Something as simple as preparing a meal has become a moment of gratitude—a way of reminding herself that she deserves care.
“I don’t take my meals lightly,” she shares. “I sit down, I enjoy every bite, and I remind myself—this is love. This is me, choosing me”
In a world that constantly demands more, it’s easy to rush through the little things. But she has learned that presence—the act of slowing down, of truly being in her life—is one of the greatest gifts she can give herself.
The Power of Saying No
There was a time when Nicolette feared the weight of the word “no”. She worried about disappointing people, about losing relationships, about being seen as difficult. But she has since learned that the ability to say no is one of the most powerful forms of self-respect.
“There’s a lot of grieving that comes with growth,” she says. “Because when you start choosing yourself, not everyone is going to celebrate it.”
But the right people will. The ones who truly love you will honor your boundaries, respect your choices, and never ask you to shrink to make them comfortable. Nicolette no longer sees no as rejection—it’s an invitation for the right people, the right opportunities, and the right energy to come into her life.
A Life Fully Lived
Looking back, Nicolette sees the shift into her Full Cup Era clearly—not as a single moment, but as a series of choices that led her to the life she has today.
Confidence wasn’t something she simply decided to have; it was something she grew into, one boundary, one act of self-care, and one moment of self-acceptance at a time.
A Call to Step Into Your Full Cup Era
“It’s time we start taking care of ourselves,” Nicolette urges. “We’ve seen what happens when we pour from an empty cup—exhaustion, resentment, burnout. We deserve better.”
Her journey is a call to action for every woman reading this: You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to say no. You are allowed to step into the fullest, most vibrant version of yourself.
Your Full Cup Era isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you step into.
Are You Ready to Live Life Unapologetically?
What’s one thing you’re doing to choose you? Let’s start the conversation—drop a comment below.
Know someone who embodies this journey? We’re always looking to celebrate incredible women who are living boldly. Nominate an Amazing Woman for our next feature here.
Because when women step into their power, the world changes. And it starts with you.