Aura Protection Bath to Cleanse Yourself of all the Bullshit Happening in the World (via @TheHoodwitch)

It honestly feels like the world is going to hell in a hand basket right now. I don't know how to feel, what to do, or how to act. The last 2 days have been a blur full of mixed emotions... anger, rage, hopelessness, spurts of laughter followed by intense sadness... I feel like a hot mess and rightfully so.

Looking at images of black men being publicly executed... murdered by police who will more than likely go without any disciplinary action... only to then have that followed by murders of police in Dallas... it's just SO much to handle. Murder is not the answer. Crime is not the answer... we want outrage and justice for anyone who is murdered; however that requires equal outrage and justice, not just for specific lives. A white life or a "life in blue" is not worth more than a black or brown life.

With everything that's been happening I felt a pressing need to focus on self-care. One of the things I like doing and have found to be successful is doing an Aura Protection Bath. I like this recipe I found on TheHoodWitch.com that calls for about 30-40 mins of undisturbed time and ingredients most people have around the house.

Source 

I took this bath last night and it was amazing. I opted to use ACV and add the essential oils of Spearmint and Eucalyptus. It was magical. It's nearly impossible to not feel the weight of all the chaos currently happening in the world, so be sure to take some time for self-care this weekend. Stay encouraged and guard your heart... it's easy to get caught up in the bullshit and hate that's spreading like wildfires right now.

New year, new you?

At the risk of sounding a bit smug, there really is nothing special about January 1st. Yes, it marks the start of a new year, but in all honesty, you can make those changes December 1st or June 1st with the same potential for success. Nevertheless, a new year has begun and I'm excited to continue working on goals I set back in August/October of last year.

As I've previously blogged about, I decided to prioritize my mental, emotional and physical health. So, what does that mean? It meant recognizing the importance, setting goals, and most importantly taking action. I started seeing a therapist bi-weekly, working out at least 4-5 times a week, and being more accountable for the role I played in my life.

So far the progress I've made has been great! It can take a lot of work to get yourself to a place where you're ready to begin a journey, but once you're in the midst of your path, you look up and realize how much success you've already made.

This year I'm going to continue working out consistently, being sure to reevaluate my previous goals and make necessary tweaks that better reflect the progress I've made thus far. I'm also continuing my bi-weekly therapy appointments and doing the work necessary to be in an emotionally healthy place.

What else? This is so freaking random, but I finally reached my goal of getting all preventative dental work done! This may seem like a small thing to some, but I've been maxing out dental benefits for the past few years to get all cavities, root canals, and crowns taken care of. Last month marked the culmination of my journey when I got my wisdom teeth removed. I'm SO freaking excited to be done with preventative things and back on a routine of cleanings every 6 months.

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and full 2015! Thank you for your continued support with my blog and friendship in real life.

"You never really know what someone is going through..."

Titi Branch, Co-CEO of Miss Jessies

When I woke up this morning and saw news of Titi Branch, Co-CEO of Miss Jessies, having taken her own life my spirit was filled with a deep sadness. Not again. Not another one... another beautiful spirit lost to the darkness of depression. This is an illness that slowly creeps up on you, almost suffocating its victim in a deep, dark embrace of sadness and despair. It's an illness. Something you can't necessarily fight alone.

Every week it seems like we're sending out virtual condolences to someone who has tragically passed due to suicide. I'm starting to lose count of the number of times I've seen the statement "You never really know what someone is going through..." online.

Although it's an honest sentiment and something I think most people would agree with, I'm still left questioning -- what about the times you DO know what someone is going through? What do you do when you have friends and family around you who have expressed their feelings of depression, darkness, anxiety... I mean, what are you to do when you do have an inkling that someone is not okay?

While I may never fully grasp how or why a person chooses to take their own life, I do feel like I have been aware of those around me expressing their own battle with depression and dark thoughts... it just leaves me wondering what can I do? And primarily what can I do now to help them? I don't want to send out sweet words in memory of someone I love. I don't want to set up a charity to honor their memory, spirit and fight... I want to be able to champion for them while they live and breathe... give them the strength to overcome this disease which has claimed too many lives.

In this moment I feel frustrated. There are so many things occurring in the world which leave my spirit in a state of unrest... I just want to start somewhere. Help someone. I've started sharing my journey on the road to improving my emotional, physical and mental health. I have played a part in encouraging two close friends to seek out professional help. I hope I can help even more know that they don't have to travel down this road alone.

Prioritizing my Mental, Emotional and Physical Health

A few months ago I decided to make my mental, emotional and physical health a real priority in my life... and I mean actually doing something... In real life... Not just talking about it lol.

In the past I've had a tendency to get an idea, get excited about it... then fast forward a few weeks (or even days) later and I'm already failing big time. This time around I wanted to approach things from a more practical standpoint, identify goals, put together a plan for success, and set monthly benchmarks to measure my progress.

Now that I have a few months of success under my belt I feel comfortable sharing my experience thus far. I'm excited and hoping to encourage others to take the time and effort to prioritize all areas of their health: mental, physical and emotional.

It's not just about looking good in clothes or hitting the gym for endorphins, but truly taking stock of your life, any residual issues you may be carrying, and saying that you'll make the investment to be the healthiest version of yourself possible.

I'm excited to share my progress and continuing journey with everyone. Remember, you don't have to wait for January 1st to roll around to make change.