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!
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.
a chief executive officer, the highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for making managerial decisions.
Clara is the epitome of Girl Boss and Phenomenal Woman, all wrapped in one! We met in Grad School at LMU through a mutual friend. She’s always been kindhearted, full of life, and a true friend, who eventually turned into a big sister! I look up to her and admire her for her work ethic, from the way she carries herself with such poise and class, to how she handles business with style and grace! An advocate, counselor, game changer, and beautiful Black Queen. She uplifts the special needs community and always puts her clients first! She goes above and beyond to ensure clients get the adequate care they need, providing parents/caregivers with long lasting tools for their children to live a meaningful life. I am truly inspired by her and her advocacy for children on the Autism spectrum.
Here’s her story:
Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you meet Bree?
My name is Clara Youngblood and I am the Founder/CEO of Full Spectrum Child Care here in Los Angeles, CA. Full Spectrum Child Care is a private company that provides respite services for families with children on the Autism spectrum. I met Bree through a mutual friend on campus while we attended LMU to obtain our Masters Degrees. We instantly became friends and shared a few classes together. My most fondest memory of Bree was our girls getaway to The Grand Canyon!! We shared SO MANY LAUGHS. Bree embodied the love and kindness you’d want in a friend; in a sister.
What inspired you to start your company? When was it founded and why?
The inspiration behind Full Spectrum Child Care came from the lack of services for families, parents/caregivers in particular, who needed additional support to raise their children with special needs.
Anxiety can be a blessing and a curse. It can either push you forward or become so debilitating, to the point where you’re stuck in pit of negative emotions. This in turn becomes a cycle of thoughts that induce panic, fear, and worry.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, every year. Yet, only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
While most seek professional treatment such as psychotherapy and medication, there are effective strategies you can use daily to manage symptoms of anxiety. Whether you suffer from a diagnosable anxiety disorder or experience the occasional anxiety, anxiety can find its way to you.
Here are 4 strategies to help ease anxiety in your daily life:
a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products.
Deja is a burst of energy and sunshine! We met back in high school during our drama club days and she was always positive and such a joy to be around. We have been laughing together ever since. An advocate, activist, creative, game changer, and beautiful Black Queen. With every cloth diaper she sews, she makes it with love and her customers in mind. She uplifts those around her and is #FUBU to the max, spreading awareness on the beauty that is Black culture. She proudly uses her platform to discuss topics of social justice and promoting eco-friendly baby products. I am truly inspired by her and her business she runs. She’s not only building a legacy, but creating generational wealth for her family too.
Here’s her story:
Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you meet Bree?
Hey ! I’m Deja, 29 years old, sage burning, fist raising, mother of one little Sunshine Jaylen. I met Bree in high school. She was super sweet with a big smile and I knew we would become friends. We spent 3 years singing, acting, and laughing together at Junipero Serra High School.
What inspired you to start your business? How long has it been up and running?
When I had my son Jaylen at 19 he had really sensitive skin. He experienced frequent baby acne breakouts and really bothersome diaper rashes from disposable diapers. He had one really bad chemical rash and I decided to try out cloth diapers as an alternative. After one full day in cloth diapers, I decided to make the switch. Soon after, I began to make his cloth diapers and received requests to make diapers for other babies. Once I started fulfilling orders, I never stopped sewing.
It turned into a passion, it led to viral posts, and a cloth diaper that disrupted the natural parenting world and brought about change. 9 years later, I am still sewing and using creative activism to promote change in the cloth diapering community.
What is the main focus of your business?
The main focus of my business is Black Centered Designs and Eco Friendly baby products. I combine the two and raise money for organizations that benefit black people while supporting myself and my son.
For most, Sunday’s are bittersweet. It seems like the week drags on, the weekend flies by, and next thing you know it’s Sunday. It’s the last day to soak up some rest, relaxation, and fun before embarking on yet another long workweek.
Personally, I love Sunday’s. It’s the one day where I can solely focus on me in a variety of ways. There’s time to cook, clean and organize my space, journal, whip up a homemade face mask, and even slide in a nap! It’s heavenly!
Growing up we followed the Sunday Routine: Church, Breakfast, Clean & Meal Prep, Nap/Relax, Dinner, Prep for the week & Wind Down. I adapted this method early on in life and utilize these habits now as an adult. Following my Sunday routine sets the tone for the week ahead.
Here are 6 habits to maximize productivity for the week!
a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change.
Madina is truly one of a kind, so full of life! From the moment I met her, I knew she was a forced to be reckoned with. An advocate, activist, author, poet, social worker, and game changer. She stands with all communities of color in solidarity. She fights on the frontlines and challenges the system. She proudly advocates and spreads a wealth of knowledge about her people in the Afghan community. An inspiration with an amazing story to tell.
Here’s her story:
Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you meet Bree?
I’m the child of Afghan refugees settled on Tongva land in what is now called Los Angeles. I describe myself that way because decolonization, of our minds, of our language, our education, it’s all important to me. My parents survived the Afghan civil war and had me one year after. I was raised in a progressive Pashtun household. The Pashtun people are the largest matrilineal tribe in the world, and I’m proud to come from such resilient people.
I always wanted to work in a service capacity and this brought me into the field of social work & mental health. I’m especially passionate about using my privilege as a non-black, non-Indigenous person of color to fight for equity and promote anti-racism. I had the privilege of meeting Bree while we both served at Covenant House, a transitional aged youth shelter in Hollywood, CA.
What inspired you to start your blog? How long has it been up and running?
I always wrote long Facebook posts and have had something to say since I was young. The Afghan & Iraqi occupations really influenced my desire to speak out against oppression & injustice. I always wanted to write in some capacity. Burqas & Beer was born after the Israeli assault on Palestine in 2014; this was the year I became highly involved in grassroots organizing in LA, and I documented my experience through my blog.
When’s the last time you truly sat with yourself and took a deep breath in?
When you allowed your natural body clock to awaken you without the aid of an alarm.
When you rolled out of bed and took time for your morning skincare routine, to prepare breakfast, and drink your favorite cup of tea.
Living in the unprecedented times of COVID-19, I’ve gotten the chance to sit with myself and embrace my season of stillness.
For a while I was frustrated because I felt stuck creatively. I saw other bloggers and content creators I admired that “took advantage” of working from home and seized the moment of producing consistent content for their audience. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to consistently engage with those who follow and read my blog. Writers block is real and I didn’t want to force myself to create for the sake of having ample time and opportunity to do so.
So, I PAUSED.
I shared my frustrations with my cousin who is my writing partner and kindred spirit. She shared that she too, hadn’t felt inspired to create during these times and reassured me that the inspiration will slap me in the face when it’s time lol.
It’s important to PAUSE and REFLECT often especially during a season of stillness.
Here are my 5 Reasons Why You Should Take A Break!
Michelle is such a sweet spirit! From the moment I met her, I knew she was destined for greatness. She always manages to uplift my spirits with her encouraging words of wisdom on her blog. From always keeping it real, spreading love and light, to reminding us of God’s goodness and grace, she is definitely doing work for the Kingdom!
Here’s her story:
Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you meet Bree?
I’m a young married woman with a sweet baby girl on the way! I have worked in the physical therapy world for about four years now, but ministry and people are my heart. I met Bree at Cal State Dominguez Hills. She was a mentor of mine and I always knew that she had something everyone else didn’t. Come to find, it was the light of Jesus!
What inspired you to start your blog? How long has it been up and running?
What inspired me to start my blog at @allthingsrealtalk was the need to have a safe community where women could find solutions to real life issues. So many times we try to cover things up in our walk of faith and feel embarrassed to be vulnerable about our struggles. I wanted to embrace these issues and provide a source of strength through Gods Word. My page has been up and running for about two years now.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Reporting to you live from Bree’s Quarantine Life!
It’s Week 4 of Working From Home and I feel like I’ve finally settled into my routine and work schedule. It seems like most days I can’t catch a break with back-to-back conference calls, Zoom Meetings, and telehealth therapy sessions with my clients. Yet, I’m grateful for the opportunity to remain employed and fulfill my duties at home.
As I settle into this New Normal, I’m giving myself grace and taking things one day at a time. Instead of complaining about the lack of freedom, I’m embracing the stillness.
On the other hand, I know that everyone won’t adopt this same mindset.
Thee Heart of The Matter 