February 2021 – Thee Heart of The Matter

20 Black Owned Businesses To Support This Month…And Beyond!

Posted on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 by Bree in HOTM

Happy Blackity Black, Black History Month y’all!

I hope y’all didn’t think that I forgot about BMH. Since we live in a country that thrives on capitalism, what better way to spend our coin then by supporting those who look like us? Black Owned businesses (especially Small BO businesses) often get overlooked for many reasons. As we prepare to wrap up BHM, I wanted to share some small & large businesses worth looking into.

Creative Arts & DIY

Brittany Loves Art

My cousin Brittany started her Perler bead in December 2020. Brittany got into beading while working for an after school program, and her hobby soon morphed into a profitable business in the blink of an eye. Brittany can make anyone and any thing out of beads. She creates key chains, wall art, and portraits. She’s best known for her celebrity and family portraits.

Check out her work here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrittanyLovesArt

Designs By Rhyver

My sorority sis Rhyver has an amazing shop of customized home decor. Her work ranges from custom mugs, all styles of drinking glasses, liquor bottles, flower vases, and beyond.

Check out her work here: @designsbyrhyver on IG

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HOTM SELF LOVE CHALLENGE WEEK 4

Posted on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, Latest

We’re in the final week, Week 4 of the Self Love Challenge and I’m actually sad about it.

My prayer is that this challenge helped you tap into more of what you need. Often times we give so much of ourselves to others, that we forget to nurture ourselves in return. Here’s to refilling our cup until it overflows!

This past week we discussed self forgiveness, celebrating self and our accomplishments, re-evaluating our priorities through the lens of wants versus needs, and more!

I’ll be updating the daily prompts below, so be sure to check out the updates right here on the blog or you can follow along in my Instagram stories @theeheartofthematter.

Check out day 22-28 below:

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SPOTLIGHT TUESDAYS PRESENTS: THE JILL OF ALL TRADES

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Bree in Spotlight Tuesdays

A woman who is skilled in or adept at a wide variety of tasks or abilities, multifaceted, thee Master Creative!

Brianna is the true Jill of All Trades! Never in my life have I met someone who is good at EVERYTHING, until I met my best friend. We met second semester of high school during our freshman year. She was new to the school and we instantly clicked! She’s always been creative, full of life, silly (the shenanigans we’ve gotten into over the years LOL), stylish, talented, and most importantly loving with a huge heart! I look up to her and admire her for her ambition, strength, and lust for life. A creative, innovator for all things Beauty & DIY, and beautiful Black Queen. I am truly inspired by her and I’m excited for what lies ahead for her business in the creative world.

Here’s her story:

Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you meet Bree?

My name is Brianna, but y’all can call me Bri. I’m the owner of designedbyxavi: hand made Headwrap, headband, and mask sets. I’m also a wife and stay at home mommy to my 1.5 year old.
I met Bree 2nd semester of freshman year in high school. I was the new girl and she was so welcoming and sweet. We clicked and have been best friends ever since.

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HOTM Self Love Challenge Week 3

Posted on February 16, 2021February 23, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, Latest, mind

We’re in Week 3 of the Self Love Challenge and I don’t know about you but, I’m really enjoying myself. Answering these prompts bring about a sense of introspection.

This past week we discussed giving yourself grace, dismissing worry and negative thoughts, boundary setting, and more!

I’ll be updating the daily prompts below, so be sure to check the updates right here on the blog or you can follow along in my Instagram stories @theeheartofthematter.

Check out day 16-21 below:

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HOTM Self Love Challenge Week 2

Posted on February 8, 2021February 13, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, Latest, mind

We’re in Week 2 of the Self Love Challenge and I’m feeling recharged and in tune with self.

This past week we touched on a few topics, from the importance of affirming yourself, making room for healthy habits, embracing our differences, and loving on our inner child.

I’ll be updating the daily prompts below, so be sure to check the updates right here on the blog or you can follow along in my Instagram stories @theeheartofthematter.

Check out day 8-14 below:

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HOTM Self Love Challenge Week 1

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, Latest, mind

Welcome to Week One of the Self Love Challenge!

Each week on Monday, I’ll post the calendar for the next 7 days. Here you’ll have access to the daily prompt/activity. I’ll post the follow up prompts daily on my Instagram stories, here one the blog, and will save them for you to view on Instagram in the Self Love Challenge highlight.

Check out the first 7 days below:

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Self Love Challenge

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, Latest, mind

Self Love

/ˈˌself ˈləv/

noun

regard for one’s own well-being and happiness

Self-love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth.

Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being for others.

Self-love is not people pleasing.

Self-love is not selfish.

Self-love is not settling for less than you deserve.

Self-love can have a variety of different meanings, but the root always goes back to YOU.

We’re officially in the month of LOVE, which usually revolves around showing your love and appreciation for others. What we often forget is to show the same appreciation and effort in nurturing love for ourselves. There are plenty of ways you can show love to self and prioritize your own daily happiness.

Join me on the 28 Day Self-Love Challenge.

Follow along every day in my Instagram stories @theeheartofthematter! #HOTMSelfLoveChallenge

Goal Setting 101

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Bree in HOTM

Did you know that 80 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions give up on them by the second week of February? Research conducted by Strava using over 800 million user-logged activities in 2019 predicts the day most people are likely to give up on their New Year’s resolution is January 19th. This means many people have fallen back into their old habits and lifestyles as we speak.

Well, I want that to end today!

I’m sharing my Goal Setting 101 habits that will help you yield real results. I believe it is important to utilize the art of Goal Setting because goals give you FOCUS, they help you MEASURE progress, they help you stay MOTIVATED, they help you beat PROCRASTINATION, they help you DETERMINE what you want in life, and once you accomplish your goals, you ACHIEVE more.

Along with creating my annual Vision Board, I write out my goals for the year. This is where I focus on how I want to feel and what I would like to accomplish.

My list consists of 8 categories which are: Career, Finances, Hair & Skin, Health & Wellness, Passions, Relationships, Spiritual, and Travel. Under each category I list what I would like to accomplish by turning my resolution into a specific, measurable goal.

Check out my Goal Setting 101 tips now!

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Vision Board 101

Posted on February 6, 2021February 6, 2021 by Bree in HOTM

(Late Post)

Happy New Year! We’re in our first week of 2021 and there’s so much in store.

For the past five years or so, I started a tradition of creating a vision board on NYE. The goal was to go into the New Year with a clean slate and a new focus. Sometimes I created them alone or in a group with my close friends/family. I’ve found it extremely beneficial to visually lay out my hopes, dreams, desires, goals, and lifestyle changes for the future in plain sight.

Visualization is one of the most powerful mind exercises you can do.

Check out my tips below on creating the perfect vision board!

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10 Self Care Tips For The Holiday Season

Posted on February 6, 2021February 6, 2021 by Bree in HOTM, mind

(Late Post)

Can you believe that Christmas is in four days and the New Year’s around the corner?! I can’t, but with the end of the year vastly approaching, we have a few things to consider.

The holiday season is filled with hustle and bustle, excitement, and cheer. On the other hand, there’s also stress, exhaustion, waiting in long lines, planning, preparation, and even guilt.

We all know that holidays this year have been drastically different from what we’re used to. Some people will gather virtually, some people will meet in smaller groups, and some people will spend the holidays alone.

However, this leaves little time for taking care of oneself. Below 10 tips for practicing self-care during this holiday season.

Make Time For Self

It may seem like it’s selfish to take time to relax, but good stress management requires intentional down time. Create a daily routine for specific activities you enjoy, such cooking, taking a nice hot bath, meditating, reading a novel, or binging a Netflix series.

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