The Breakfast Club: Interview with Iyanla Vanzant – "Spiritual Hygiene," The Inside Fix & More

Original Air Date: January 15, 2026
Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee, Lauren LaRosa
Guest: Iyanla Vanzant

Episode Overview

In this insightful and candid episode, The Breakfast Club welcomes renowned spiritual teacher and life coach Iyanla Vanzant to discuss her new book, Spiritual Hygiene, her new show The Inside Fix, the difference between assertiveness and aggression in women, leadership, accountability, personal boundaries, grief, and healing. The conversation blends wisdom, humor, and vulnerability as Iyanla shares practical advice and memorable anecdotes about her journey, her teachings, and her ongoing growth.

Key Discussion Points

1. Iyanla’s Relentless Drive & New Projects

• [03:43] The hosts greet Iyanla, noting her legendary status and constant productivity with recent projects: her show The Inside Fix and new book Spiritual Hygiene.
• Iyanla jokes about "not wanting to grow roots" and needing to keep her energy moving:
  • “I could be on the pole, but this is so much more beneficial.” (Iyanla, [04:25])

2. Revisiting “Fix My Life” and the Power of Self-Reflection

• [04:50] Iyanla explains The Inside Fix revisits previous topics and applies their lessons to current societal issues, especially struggles among women.
  • “We didn't get all the juice out of Fix My Life. That's why we can go back in and do it again today.” (Iyanla, [05:57])
• [06:39] She highlights the importance of understanding the deeper issues beneath sensational stories.
• The show now provides viewers with workbooks and worksheets to engage in self-work.

3. Feminine Leadership: “Lady Balls” vs. Masculine Aggression

• [07:21] Discussion on the concept of “lady balls”—feminine power based in assertiveness and nurture versus overt aggression.
  • “Feminine power is assertive. Masculine power is aggressive. Feminine power is nourishing… Lady balls are how a powerful woman stands in her power in a way that nurtures, supports, heals, grows other people.” (Iyanla, [07:51])
• [09:12] Her advice to women:
  • “Lead with your heart and not with your head. Lady balls don’t come from the crotch, they come from the heart.” (Iyanla, [09:12])
• She recalls learning to access her “lady balls” after losing her daughter and raising her granddaughter, finding peace in decisions made from the heart.
  • “A course in miracles says: I must have decided wrongly because I am not at peace.” (Iyanla, [11:09])

4. Accountability & Truth in Relationships

• [15:59] On improving relationships at work, at home, or with friends:
  • Tell the truth
  • Be accountable
  • Know what you bring to the table
  • “One of the reasons our relationships are dying and drying up is because we lie about everything... In order for anything to grow and thrive, you gotta have some truth.” (Iyanla, [15:59])

5. Defining & Practicing Spiritual Hygiene

• [18:03] Iyanla details the daily practice of spiritual hygiene:
  • “It’s the daily, daily commitment and practice of clearing your mind, of cleaning your heart, of strengthening your spirit. Your spirit has to be maintained like your teeth.” (Iyanla, [18:03])
• She notes many people lack self-awareness, have “fungus in their mind,” and are “emotionally constipated.”

6. Religion, Prayer & Being Present

• [19:07] The difference between “begging” and truly praying:
  • “Most people beg, they don’t pray. What’s your relationship with God? They learn the function of the prayer but not the presence in the prayer.” (Iyanla, [19:07])
• Shares her childhood story about “rejecting” traditional baptism and only later cultivating genuine spiritual presence.
  • “Instead of going out, go in.” (Iyanla, [21:06])

7. Self-Awareness Exercises & Preventative Spiritual Hygiene

• [22:15] Practical exercise:
  • “Seven minutes, three times a day, for 21 days—shut your mouth, turn off everything, be still… The first foundational principle of spiritual hygiene is self-awareness.” (Iyanla, [22:15])

8. Emotional Literacy—Teaching the Next Generation

• [26:28] On raising her great-grandson:
  • “He is emotionally literate... He knows the distinction between frustration and anxiety, he knows when he’s happy, he knows when he’s frustrated. Why? Because I taught him.” (Iyanla, [26:28])
• Warns of how young people today lack emotional presence due to lack of connection and communication, urging adults to “talk with” not “at.”

9. Setting Boundaries, Accountability, and Grieving

• [32:02] Differentiating between protecting peace and avoiding accountability:
  • “Integrity. You know when you’re avoiding, denying, projecting… Protecting your peace looks and feels different than erecting a wall.” (Iyanla, [32:02])
• Shares her choice not to attend her daughter’s funeral due to family tensions, made “from a place of love and care.”
  • “She was still going to be dead the next day. I didn’t have to be there.” (Iyanla, [33:47])
• Rituals and cultural differences in mourning; importance of somatic (body-based) practices for processing grief.
  • “Where is the grief in your body?... My oldest daughter died on Christmas Day. I’ve turned Christmas into a whole thing… It’s there in celebration, not in mourning and remorse.” (Iyanla, [44:05])

10. Letting Go of Outcomes

• [45:10] Iyanla distinguishes between “assignments” and “cases,” noting she’s not attached to the outcome—her purpose is to deliver the process, not guarantee change.
  • “I’m not attached to the outcome. I’m attached to the process.” (Iyanla, [45:28])
• Discusses her role as a guide, not a savior; much depends on each person’s own spiritual hygiene and willingness to do the work.

11. Accountability, Healing, and Legacy

• [50:09] On the importance of personal responsibility:

  • “May my legacy be, if nothing else, that I gave people skills and tools to take responsibility for themselves… The mess that we’re in is because we were anticipating somebody else doing for us what we needed to do for ourselves.” (Iyanla, [50:30])

• [51:15] Pillars of growth:

  • “Awareness, accountability, and integrity. Integrity where your mind, your heart, and what you do are all aligned. Get in integrity, line it up, and be willing to piss people off to maintain your own integrity.” (Iyanla, [51:15])

• [52:12] On the “messiness” of real work:

  • “People want to intellectualize spirituality... but sometimes you are human and it’s okay... There’s so much depth to healing.” (Iyanla, [52:12])

12. Mortality, Health, and Living Authentically

• [56:20] After profound losses, Iyanla affirms her intention to live to 102, healthy and active. She refuses to let medical stereotypes for her age dictate how she lives.
  • “They wanted to do these weird things to me… because people your age… That has nothing to do with me.” (Iyanla, [58:08])

13. Love, Dating, and Spiritual Requirements

• [60:19] Discussing love after loss, Iyanla says her priority is her great-grandson. When she returns to dating, her criteria are clear: a partner with a good relationship to his mother and children (“because iyamala means great mother”), and ideally a younger man—no “blue pill” needed.
  • "Take your bluechew down in the basement, get out of here." (Iyanla, [63:29])
• She humorously recounts being approached by a much younger man:
  • “I got bras older than you.” (Iyanla, [64:22])

14. Closing: Uplifting the Community

• [65:01] Angela Yee and the hosts express their admiration for Iyanla. Iyanla affirms her pride in the hosts’ continued work and impact, encouraging them to keep representing the culture powerfully.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Lady balls don’t come from the crotch, they come from the heart.” – Iyanla ([09:12])
• “Awareness, accountability, and integrity. Line it up, and be willing to piss people off to maintain your own integrity.” – Iyanla ([51:15])
• “You can’t fall off the floor. So I was on the floor. To see how far I’ve come from how far down I was, it’s humbling… millions didn’t make it.” – Iyanla ([55:28])
• “Protecting your peace or creating a boundary looks and feels very different than erecting a wall.” – Iyanla ([32:02])
• “Instead of going out, go in.” – Iyanla ([21:06])
• “They wanted to do these weird things to me and I said, why? ...Don’t have nothing to do with me.” – Iyanla ([58:08])
• “Take your bluechew down in the basement, get out of here. I am not on the bluechew committee.” – Iyanla ([63:29])

Highlighted Timestamps

• 03:43 – Iyanla’s entrance & energy
• 04:50 – Purpose behind The Inside Fix
• 07:51 – “Lady balls” versus masculine power
• 18:03 – Definition of "spiritual hygiene"
• 22:15 – Self-awareness exercise: 7 minutes x 3 daily
• 26:28 – Teaching emotional literacy to her great-grandson
• 32:02 – Boundaries vs. walls in accountability
• 33:47 – Personal story on not attending her daughter’s funeral
• 44:05 – Grief somatics and honoring the dead
• 51:15 – Integrity and not dimming your light
• 55:28 – Reflecting on personal growth through adversity
• 60:19 – Love after loss and conscious decisions for her family
• 63:29 – Hilarious exchange on dating, age gaps, and “bluechew”
• 65:01 – Mutual appreciation and encouragement for the show hosts

Tone, Language, and Style

The episode is conversational, direct, and infused with both humor and deep wisdom. Iyanla Vanzant’s warmth, wit, and bold honesty keep the interview engaging, while the hosts’ genuine curiosity and occasional playful banter create a comfortable, respectful environment for her teachings and stories.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers not only practical advice (like daily spiritual hygiene routines and boundary-setting), but personal stories from Iyanla’s journey through pain, healing, and ongoing personal development. You’ll find laughter, hard truths, healing exercises, and encouragement to own your story, lead with your heart, and practice accountability—making this a must-listen for anyone seeking growth and inspiration in 2026.

Contact/Upcoming Appearances:

• The Inside Fix premieres January 17
• Iyanla’s live appearance at MGM Theater in D.C., January 25
• Spiritual Hygiene available now