Narrator: For nearly twenty-five years, she held a secret that festered inside her, a traumatic memory of being raped at fifteen. She blamed herself, buried the shame, and never told a soul, not even her husband. The secret became a silent illness, a weight that manifested in her body and spirit. Then, one day, while stuck in traffic, a profound realization washed over her: "Your secrets are making you sick." In that moment, she made a terrifying decision. She went live on Facebook and, for the first time, told her story to the world. The act of releasing that secret didn't just liberate her; it created a tidal wave of connection, as thousands of others shared their own hidden pains, proving that vulnerability is the key to freedom.

This raw and transformative journey is at the heart of Tabitha Brown's book, Because It's My Business: Mind Your Business with Love, Joy, and Freedom Every Day. Brown, an actress and vegan food star affectionately known as "America's mom," offers a guide to living an authentic life. It’s a heartfelt declaration that true freedom isn't found in conforming to the world's expectations, but in taking ownership of your own life—your gifts, your health, your relationships, and your dreams—with unwavering love and grace.

Narrator: Tabitha Brown posits that every person is born with unique gifts, an inheritance that is their business to nurture and share. Ignoring these gifts, she argues, is like leaving the richest place in the world—the cemetery—full of untapped potential. Fear and skepticism often prevent people from embracing their talents, especially when those gifts are unconventional. Brown shares her own experience with what her family called "second sight," a gift of premonition that she initially feared. As a child, she had dreams that would come true, which left her feeling isolated. This fear followed her into adulthood, but a terrifying vision ultimately solidified her belief in her gift. She had a vivid premonition of her young daughter, Choyce, falling out of the car on the freeway. Shaken, she immediately checked on her daughter in the backseat and discovered Choyce had just unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. That moment taught her to trust her intuition and embrace her unique abilities. Brown’s experience underscores her central message: accepting and using one's gifts, no matter how strange they may seem to others, is essential for living an authentic and purposeful life.

Narrator: Before one can effectively manage the business of life, Brown insists they must first tend to their own well-being. She challenges the notion that self-care is selfish, reframing it as a necessary act of self-preservation. This principle was tested early in her move to Los Angeles. While juggling a job at Macy's and raising a young daughter, she felt a pull to take a Monday night acting class to further her dream. The decision was fraught with guilt; it meant she wouldn't be home to cook dinner or put her daughter to bed one night a week. Despite her husband's initial disapproval, she had an internal conversation, reminding herself that she moved to L.A. to pursue this dream. She took the class, and her family adjusted. This act of putting herself first was a pivotal lesson in setting boundaries and prioritizing her own happiness. Brown extends this idea to physical health, recounting her own struggles with chronic pain and illness, which she realized were exacerbated by years of neglecting her body. The core lesson is that prioritizing one's own needs—physically, mentally, and emotionally—is not a luxury but the fundamental groundwork for building a successful and joyful life.

Narrator: Holding onto anger and resentment, Brown explains, is like being in a prison. Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door, but it’s a process done for oneself, not for the person who caused the harm. It is about reclaiming one's power and peace. She shares the deeply personal story of her relationship with her stepfather. After her mother’s death from ALS, Brown discovered recordings detailing the mistreatment her mother had endured from him during her illness. Consumed by a righteous anger, Brown cut off all contact. For years, she carried this heavy burden of resentment. However, she eventually realized that this anger was a poison affecting her own life and blocking her blessings. In a profound shift of heart, she chose to forgive him. She wrote him a letter, releasing the pain and blame. Years later, when he reappeared in her life, she was able to embrace him with genuine love, confirming that the forgiveness was real. This experience taught her that blame is a trap, and true healing only begins when one is willing to let go, understanding that forgiveness is the ultimate ticket to personal freedom.

Narrator: One of the book's central tenets is the idea of "minding your business," but Brown adds a crucial element: do it with love. This means focusing on one's own path while respecting the journeys of others, offering support without judgment or interference. She learned this lesson most profoundly through her son, Queston. In 2020, Queston developed motor tics. Worried, Brown and her husband took him to a doctor, who advised them not to draw any attention to the tics, as it could create insecurity and make the issue worse. The doctor’s advice was to simply let it be unless Queston himself complained. This was incredibly difficult for Brown, who wanted to fix the problem. However, she chose to trust the advice and "mind her business with love." By not making his tics an issue, she allowed her son to remain confident and unburdened. The tics eventually subsided on their own. This experience taught her a powerful lesson: sometimes the most loving and helpful action is to step back, trust the process, and avoid creating a problem where one doesn't need to exist.

Narrator: Throughout the book, Brown champions radical self-acceptance, arguing that freedom is knowing you are enough, just as you are. She recounts her journey of shedding the layers of conformity she adopted to fit into Hollywood. For years, she tried to hide her Southern accent, which people had criticized as "country" or "uneducated." She felt ashamed of her roots and tried to adopt a more "acceptable" way of speaking during auditions and in corporate settings. One day, she had a revelation: by hiding her accent, she was hiding her family, her history, and her true self. From that day forward, she decided to embrace her voice fully. This commitment to authenticity became her signature. She realized that if people couldn't accept her for who she was, then she wasn't meant to be in that space. This liberation extended to her style and even her hair, which she began wearing in a natural Afro. Her success skyrocketed when she stopped trying to be someone else and instead leaned into the very things that made her unique. Her journey proves that true power lies not in fitting in, but in bravely and unapologetically being yourself.

Narrator: Brown is adamant that success is a marathon, not a sprint. Her own "overnight success" was, in reality, a 23-year journey filled with detours, setbacks, and what she calls "temporary seasons." These periods, which included working at a UPS call center and as a nursing assistant, were not failures but training grounds. At the call center, she learned empathy and management skills by supervising a team of older employees. The job provided her with a severance package that funded her move to Los Angeles. Each seemingly random job and difficult period provided a "permanent lesson" that prepared her for her ultimate purpose. She encourages readers to see their own challenging seasons not as dead ends, but as necessary preparation. She stresses the importance of working while you wait, constantly learning and honing your craft so that you are ready when your opportunity arrives. Her story is a testament to the power of unwavering belief and consistent effort, proving that destiny is yours, but the journey requires patience, faith, and the resilience to never give up on your dream.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Because It's My Business is that a life of authentic joy and freedom is an inside job. It begins with the radical decision to take full ownership of your life—your gifts, your health, your healing, and your dreams—without apology. Tabitha Brown teaches that this isn't a selfish pursuit but a sacred responsibility. By "cleaning up" your own side of the street, forgiving what needs to be forgiven, and embracing the person you were always meant to be, you not only liberate yourself but also create a ripple effect of love and light that touches everyone around you.

The book leaves you with a profound challenge: to stop waiting for permission to be yourself. In a world that constantly asks you to conform, the most rebellious and rewarding act is to stand firm in your own truth. What part of your authentic self have you been hiding to make others more comfortable, and what would happen if you finally decided to let it shine?