Movement for Change @KaisaFit + @Lululemon

Seattle-based fitness coach and all-around dope chick KaisaFit is my eternal fitness bae. Not only does she inspire hundreds of thousands of people each day with her message of positivity and focus on "just moving", but she also has a heart for giving back. She's a woman who talks the talk, and walks the walk (or in most cases does a dope ass leap)... always putting action behind her words.

Tomorrow morning (9/30 @ 10a) Kaisa will be leading an amazing workout that is geared to ALL levels at the UW Husky Stadium. The icing on the cake? 100% of proceeds will go toward Stolen Youth, a Seattle-based non-profit.

This will be my 4th or 5th workout with Kaisa and every time she's been amazing. She embodies such a positive, vibrant energy and passion for fitness and health.

On top of that, she caters to ALL LEVELS, so if you're feeling intimidated by her sickening skills on Instagram don't fret. She always shows a few variations of each moment and truly is a coach that meets you where you are.

I'll be out there tomorrow, so if you see me come say hi! Or maybe give me a hug if I look like struggle bus city lol... My activity level has been a tad bit low this month with the move from Cap Hill to West Seattle. I'm looking forward to sweating with everyone and raising money for a great cause.

Suggested donation for the event is $15. Click here to register.

Let's Talk About Therapy...

I'll never forget the day -- sitting in my car, the parking lot of Metropolitan Market in Queen Anne, crying on the phone having ANOTHER f*cking breakdown... that's when my mom said I needed to "speak to a professional" because my daily phone calls had turned into a "downer" and she sometimes didn't want to answer the phone. My mom has loved me through all my phases in life, but when it became a drain on her life force, she set up a very gentle boundary and encouraged me to seek the next step in self-care. I've now been in therapy for a little over 3 years and it's still one of the best decisions and financial investments I've made.

Hoping to encourage at least one person to speak with a professional therapist and take a proactive step in their self-care. You don't have to be "crazy" or have your life falling apart to seek a therapist, though if your shit is a hot mess you should run (not walk) to one. Therapy goes beyond the notion of "praying your way" through things (which many of us have been told), and is a vital step in loving yourself, acknowledging your past, PROCESSING AND HEALING AND LETTING GO, forgiveness, gaining new tools to conquer each day, having a healthier relationship with yourself and those around you, taking ownership of your shit and DOING BETTER AS YOU KNOW BETTER... it's just the best thing you can do.

It can be expensive, but there are so many options out there. Also know that some therapists offer a sliding scale, do pay what you can, or have referrals to someone who is qualified and in your price range. Therapy isn't convenient and will be a sacrifice for many -- but know that it's a SOLID investment and worth every single coin you'll spend.

If you feel comfortable, please share your experiences with therapy in the comments and feel free to share this post/link with your friends.

A quote I like:
"If you don't deal with your shit now... your shit will deal with you later."

My First Camping Trip #OutdoorsyAF

Whenever I'd tell someone in Seattle I hadn't gone camping before their first reaction was shock! Like, how are you living in Seattle and you haven't gone camping? Well, I'm from Chicago and grew up with my mother -- so, our version of fun was brunch, being nosy at open houses, and watching ballroom dancing on Channel 11. I never had the desire to sleep outside and my mom didn't have the desire to be anywhere without air conditioning, so that was that. I had a great camping-free childhood and it was fantastic.

Fast forward to July 2017 and I'd committed to making more of an effort to do outdoorsy stuff with my boyfriend and his friends... the first of which was camping! Last month I packed up my stuff (too much stuff if I'm being honest) and trekked into the great outdoors for my first camping experience. Instead of jumping in head first, we decided we'd start with 2 days and 1 night... ease into things slowly, kinda like playing "just the tip" (but not as fun). Now, to keep it 100, this was technically car camping and on my boyfriend's friend's cabin/property, so we had access to a bathroom and kitchen -- but we all slept in tents on the property and I've never slept outside before... so yeah, this was camping for me.

As an adult my first camping experience was really fun and I attribute that to a few things:
1) Having an open mind + positive attitude
2) My boyfriend acting as my Outdoorsy Sensei
3) A great group of camping friends
4) All the right gear (Again... all because of my boyfriend)

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on Jul 3, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

So, after successfully camping what's the next thing on my list? Backpacking! So many people give me a crazy look when I tell them I'll be going on a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip on the coast. I'm sure this is because of a few things: 1) It's probably not as normal to have someone go from zero camping experience to a major backpacking trip. This will be my first time backpacking and only my 2nd time camping. 2) It's a 7.5 mile hike to the campsite, which includes elevation gains AND the use of ropes to navigate some of the climbs. 3) A lot of people LOVE camping and HATE backpacking, thus they assume everyone else will feel the same. I'm using my inexperience to my advantage, keeping an open mind, and appreciating the lacking frame of reference for how intense a backpacking trip can be.

We have a great group going to the coast and I'm so excited to be open to life and new adventures. My boyfriend actually just sent me a photo of some of the gear he snagged me from REI as we prepare to leave! Also, a major thank you to bae's childhood friend Kelly for letting me borrow her extra backpack... who just so happens to be Instagram famous for all of her beautiful outdoor adventures! If you'd like to ooooh and awwww over some DOPE ass photography, check out her Instagram account @kellll_bell89.

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on Jul 3, 2017 at 12:57pm PDT

interSessions: The Art x Hip Hop Dialogues

What is interSessions?
interSessions: The Art x Hip-Hop Dialogues™ is a series of curated conversations between figures from the arts community and the hip-hop community. Each conversation – mediated by artist Fahamu Pecou – features notable figures speaking on a range of subjects related to intersectional experiences in the arts and entertainment and their impact on popular culture and society.

interSessions™ considers the growing number of engagements between the worlds of hip-hop and fine art. The series is dedicated to interrogating art and hip-hop not as isolated encounters, but rather where they overlap, how they complement and enhance each other, and, ultimately, how in conversation they act together to transgress the status quo.

The event kicks off tomorrow night (8/2 @ 7p) with guests Negarra Akili and Frank William Miller Jr. @ The Piranha Shop in SoDo.

Click here to RSVP for tickets to this FREE event

Kendrick Lamar Laser Show 8/4 & 8/5 @ 10:30p (via @PacSci)

The Pacific Science Center is about to snatch all of your edges -- they've just added a laser show for Kung Fu Kenny, Mr. Kendrick Lamar himself! I'm so freaking excited that they're adding more variety to their laser show line-ups and recognizing talented artists in their prime.

They'll be kicking things off with 2 shows this weekend: Friday, 8/4 and Saturday, 8/5 @ 10:30p. Tickets are $12 (non-members) and the show will run 60 mins.

Click here for tickets.

Dress for Success Seattle: Summer Clothing Sale

There's a saying that urges people to "dress for the job" they want, but what do you do if you don't have access to those clothes? Founded with the mission to "empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life," Dress for Success Seattle is a key resource in helping women rebuild their confidence with access to professional clothing and career coaching to re-enter the workforce.

As an effort to raise funds, Dress for Success Seattle will be hosting their annual Summer Clothing Sale Thursday, 7/13 through Saturday, 7/15. The event is BYOB (bring your own bag) and will feature new and gently used designer items, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Dress for Success Seattle! Truly shopping for a great cause.

The event will be held at 1118 5th Ave (5th and Seneca) inside the Downtown Seattle YWCA Building.  For more information click here.