In a world that tells Black women to grind until they break, Monica Marie Jones offers a radical counternarrative: rest, joy, and alignment are not luxuries—they are necessities.
The Detroit-based life coach, author, and speaker has built a career around helping people, particularly Black women in leadership, transform overwhelm into intentional, soul-nourishing alignment. And she walks it like she talks it.
“We talk and read about the importance of boundaries, rest, and wellbeing, but we rarely see it in practice,” Jones said. “I make sure to show that rest is possible in my own life, and my clients do the same.” From hosting immersive retreats to leading workshops centered on real-time restoration, Jones models the wellness she teaches.
One of her most resonant coaching tools is deceptively simple: Know your indicators. “It could be cold coffee, a cluttered space, or—my personal one—ashy ankles. “That’s how I know it’s time to slow down and make more space for myself.” She pairs that with helping clients identify their core values, giving them a compass to make aligned decisions in all areas of life.
Jones doesn’t just talk strategy; she shows receipts. She recounted working with a high-powered CEO who had lost all connection with herself under the weight of caregiving, career demands, and societal expectations. With Jones as her “rest partner,” they explored yoga, nature walks, art, and communion—tools that transformed her emotional state and her physical health. “Now she uses those practices in her daily life, and says, ‘I’m using the tools you taught me.'”
Her “Meaning over money” mantra captures the shift that changed everything. “When I chase money, it runs,” she said. “When I focus on meaningful work, abundance flows.”
That ethos is front and center in her retreats, like this year’s Restoration for Leaders in Marrakesh, Morocco. Hosted at the Mwasi Healing and Restoration Center, the gathering creates space for Black leaders to rest, reflect, and reconnect with themselves and each other. “Most of my Black participants had never traveled to Africa before,” she said. “That’s something I’m deeply proud of.”
However, Jones knows not everyone can travel worldwide, so she hosts local and national retreats to make rest more accessible. Whether in Detroit or Morocco, she curates spaces filled with art, movement, music, and community—soul medicine for those used to carrying the world on their shoulders.
Her resistance to hustle culture is rooted in realignment. “I was deep in that world after a business coaching program that centered on making money,” she said. “But it didn’t feel good. It wasn’t me.” Now, she’s stepped back from social media and the noise, relying on word-of-mouth and authentic connection to grow her practice.
Jones doesn’t just help her clients rediscover themselves. She offers a blueprint for leading, living, and loving from a place of wholeness.
Because when Black women rest, the world shifts.
Follow Monica on social @monicamariejones or visit www.monicamariejones.com
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