Happy Hump Day on this Wellness Wednesday!

Today’s post is in celebration of Blak History Month, & I’m posting images & quotes to encourage & show love in the Black community❤🖤💚👊🏾

Let’s take care of ourselves so we can be full of unconditional love for ourselves & those around us. This is one of the best ways to cultivate our inner Peace. Have an awesome day my loves!❤💫👑

Please be safe out there today!

All that snow from yesterday is staying with us for a little while longer. Sending some early V-Day love & prayers for safe travels while the Winter storms come.

That being said, while we can prepare for some storms, there are some that we can’t. That’s when we have to roll with the punches. Yesterday, it was an official Snow Day, & while snowfall was anticipated, there was only so much prep that could go into staying ready for what was to come. That’s when super-survival mode kicks in & we look only at the necessities & leave certain luxuries to the side until the coast is clear.

In Life, this is how it can be sometimes & we just have to focus on what is most needed at the moment. Self preservation aka Self Care & Love, which is always needed. We give what we have to give & if we don’t make sure we have what we need, it makes it difficult to do for others. So, give yourself a random act of kindness today & pay it forward. Gift your neighbor some driveway salt if you notice they didn’t salt their driveway. Pay for the person’s coffee behind you in the line-up at the cafè. Let that other car in the lane. Today, give it all Love, being patient & giving attention to those & what need it most. Love yourself & be yourself. Peace & love ❤💫

“It is only in sorrow bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it.”-Amelia Barr

A friendly reminder on this crisp snowy Monday, that as we grow, we evolve & change. There is a transformative element to change when we make room for it in our lives. Doors & windows can open as we close doors & windows on other things, people, place or activities that are no longer serving their purpose/have completed serving their purpose in our lives.

As we make room for the new changes in our lives, it can get uncomfortable. It can feel foreign & cause you to be unsure about the choices you are making to make that change. Faith it till you make it! Look forward to the unknown with a brave spirit. Easier said than done, I know. I love a good challenge but when the outcomes are unclear & you feel like you’re going into it blindly, you most likely are. You won’t always know or have an idea as to what you’ll get, & that’s life. What we can take comfort in, as I often do, is trust the feeling you have when you make the decision to make the step in change. Do you feel good about the change? Is it keeping with your standards of Self Love, Self Value, & Self Care? A great way that can help you see if the change is right for you, is to list the Pros & Cons of the choice you’re about to make for that change. I was recently reminded of this & while it seems so basic it’s actually really profound. Is the Pro side longer or shorter than the Con side of the list? Depending on which list is longer you can see the benefit of your choice to make the necessary changes in your life & proceed with less apprehension or maybe even none👍🏾.

Trust the process, seek trusted guidance, & make the decision that is right for you. A change gon’ come, as change is the most constant thing in Life. When we make the decision to make the positive changes in our lives that we need to, we open the door (& sometimes window) for the positive opportunities, habits, & people that you need in your life. How will you move forward in confidence when it comes to change? Feel free to share in the comments! Love yourself & be yourself. Peace & love ❤💫

“The only thing, constant in the world, is change; that’s why each day I take Life as it comes.” – India Arie

Hi my loves!

Over the weekend I had the amazing opportunity to join some amazing ladies for the Fresh Start Rejuvenation retreat facilitated by the lovely Maxine Blagrove from Live Well with Maxine!

2 1/2hours north of Toronto, my daughter & I were given the opportunity to spend the weekend at the JW Marriott hotel to attend this amazing retreat & delve into some serious Self Care! The weekend was full of tips & activities that kept us in check when it comes to taking care of ourselves. And lately, I have been lacking in that area. I’d been having a hard time carving out time for myself lately & this retreat couldn’t have come at a better time. It forced me to not only come out of my comfort zone & make a long drive to an unknown place, but it also made me take a good long look at myself, where I am, & where I want to be. While I do take my own advice on how to regain & maintain that inner Peace, it gets to be tough when your plate becomes too full. That has been my life for the last little while (hence the lack of posting here, sorry guys). So when I got the chance to attend the retreat, I took it. My window was opened & I needed to go through. I’m so glad I did.

The time with the ladies (& my lil lady) at the retreat was well needed. We listened to each others stories, shared loads of laughter & at times, tears. We grooved our way through our lived experiences to Afrobeats with Sanaaj from AFIWI Groove, we posted our good vibes & intentions on vision boards, we ate gourmet food, learned more & more about self care with the lovely Maxine & Karen, & the girl talk, ohhhh the good ol’ girl talk. We got it all in & left the retreat feeling refreshed & ready to walk confidently in our Fresh Starts!

There are so many blessings I received on this trip. The most important one is to remember that I am worthy & deserve to make space for myself. This is so important when it comes to your inner Peace, as we must make the effort to cultivate it, make time for its nurturing & growth. If we crowd ourselves with too many external commitments & tasks, & not make time or space for ourselves to replenish, we do ourselves a disservice & end up in miserable & depressed states, and many times not even know it. I initially wasn’t going to this retreat. I didn’t have babysitter for my daughter & I was concerned that the cost was out of my budget. But in true Fresh Start fashion, an opportunity arose & instead of overthinking it I went forward & jumped at the chance. And my daughter was able to join us which was an even bigger bonus & blessing! She witnessed the coming together of women that are invested in their personal growth & helping others along their journeys as well😊

My encouragement to you today is to make time for your Self Care. When provided with the chance to develop your Self Care routine, such as a bubble bath or taking a nature walk, gym time or meditation, whatever it is that brings you Peace & Joy, make time to do it. It is so crucial along this journey of Peace(ful)ness. Today, I make time for me, to be present for me, to be vulnerable with me, & to Love me. One of my favourite things to do is journaling, so tonight I will make time to journal before bed. It’s a great way to clear my mind & put things into perspective in time for another new day ahead.

How will you make time for your Self Care & Love in 2019? Feel free to leave your Self Care activities & suggestions in the comments! Love yourself & be yourself. Peace & Love❤💫