Bend, Balance, Move!

Stressed? 

Why not give yoga a try!

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to let go of a day’s worth of stress. Before I begin practicing I focus on nothing but the moment...not worrying about what happened earlier or what still needs to be done but just being present becomes my priority. 

I find the most peace as I bend, balance and move to my breath without interruption or distractions. As you can probably tell by the photographs my favorite poses involve being in the headstand position! Give me some empty space and I will be upside down in seconds!

There are so many poses that you can try. Each has great benefits for the body and your overall health. Take your time and do what feels right for your body. While flexibility is one of the biggest goals, the added bonus of practicing yoga is that you will also learn to cope with stress through meditation and you will also learn to control your  breath. 

It will be terrifying the first time but through patience, practice and persistence the poses will become easier. Once you master one pose, challenge yourself to do it even better!

Be you. Know you. Love you.

This weekend I had the wonderful privilege of joining the Young Black Women's Society (YBWS) for their Next Generation Women of Color Summit. From the moment I walked into the Conference Center at Simmons College in Boston I was greeted by warm smiles and friendly faces, the combination of the two made the room full of strangers feel like a room full of sisters!

The day was packed with excellent speakers, wonderful sessions and an abundant amount time to network. The guest speakers humble, transparent and encouraging. Throughout the course of the day we, as attendees, were encouraged to be ourselves, to invest in ourselves and to invest in each other. We were reminded that we need each others and that as we succeed and excel, part of our duty is to lift our sisters up along with us.

Not only were we encouraged professionally but we were also encouraged spiritually. As I sit here reflecting, I am reminded of one of the sessions that I attended titled "Nurturing Your Spirit". Our speakers for the session were Dr. Bernadine Nash-McClam and Vannessa V. Lewis and one of the great things that we learned was that personal development is key to professional success. Sometimes we focus so much on our professional careers that we lose sight of who we are and we suffer personally. We were encouraged throughout the session to really take the time to nurture our spirit and to take care of ourselves. How do you nurture your spirit? One way is to consciously quiet the noise around you. Your internal voice needs to be louder than the voices outside of you. Having the courage to face your fears and to strive to reach for your dreams is another important way to nurture your spirit. Recognize that fear is a feeling and you are much stronger than you think!

Be you. Know you. Love you.

Many businesses were represented in the room and I had the wonderful privilege to sit down with Bithyah Israel, the founder of City Strings. City Strings is a stringed instrument learning program that is offered to youth in the inner city of Boston. All too often our youth miss great opportunities to participate in programs such as this because of the lack of financial resources but I was overjoyed to learn that City Strings is offered at no charge. At City Strings, students are taught how to play the cello, read music, collaborate with other musicians, and perform in a public setting. Find out more about the program and learn how you support City Strings!

There is so much more that I can share but I hope that I have peaked your interest in joining or supporting the Young Black Women's Society!

SoWa Open Market 2014!!

I love to buy and support local small businesses in and around Boston and SoWa Open Market makes it so easy! Set up on Sunday afternoons SoWa is a great place to get introduced to local businesses, taste good food and shop! It is open to the public and there is no cost to enter. You wont feel pressured to buy anything but keep in mind you may find something that you like!!



Food trucks!
Art galleries
Vintage clothes!
Handmade designs!
Antique wares!
Fresh fruits and vegetables!
Pastries and so much more!


With three blocks full of vendors there is bound to be something there for you!

What did I find while at SoWa Open Market? Mint Honey from The Herb Lyceum located in Groton, Ma, Moroccan Mint Tea and Mediterranean Blend Spice from Soluna Garden Farm based in Winchester, Ma and I cannot forget my Special Cake Donut from Union Square Donuts located in Somerville, Ma.

Stop by May through October along Harrison Avenue in Boston’s South End you wont regret it!