Category: Reflection

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Congrats Jawole!!! I attended the Urban Bush Women Summer Leadership Institute (UBWSLI) in 2017. Some say do something that scares you. UBWSLI was that thing that scared me. Such a FABULOUS experience! Jawole Willa Jo Zollar Wins Gish Prize, New York Times

What? Yassssss!!! Do it little sis! Girl, 13, is youngest black student accepted to medical school: ‘What is age?’, New York Post

Interesting read. I Couldn’t Escape My Body, So I Made It More Visible Instead, Jezebel

I come from a line of farms so NOT SURPRISING. Let’s support Black women farmers! Why some Black women are trying to defy the odds of farm ownership, NBC News

Friendships are so important. Taking this into consideration can take your friendships to a different level. The Secret to Making Beautiful New Friendships and Nourishing Older Ones, Sister From AARP

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This!!! Why the First Women’s Tour de France in 33 Years Is a Bittersweet Victory, POPSUGAR

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I attended, Hear to Slay! Such a stellar event! No words! Here’s a glimpse.

 

 

What I Do: I don’t have access or a subscription to various newspapers or magazines i.e. the New York Times. So, I checked with my local library. I’ve learned I have access to the New York Times free with my library card. Always check with your local library to see what offerings are available to you.

 

 

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Yesssss! Soooo, TRUE!!! Why Do So Many Black People Approach Hairstyling From a Place of Fear?

HELLO! A Message to the Millennials About to Turn 40, Bazaar

This was interesting. 6 Negative Truths That Are Actually Beneficial, Wit & Delight

Yes, please and thank you. Text Your Friends. It Matters More Than You Think., New York Times

I have PMDD and only discovered after meeting Hubbs. This is so REAL!!! How PMDD Made Me Closer with My Partner, Think

On the same note. Is Your PMS Really PMDD?, Thinx

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Tour de France. I love Hubbs. Enough said.

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How Patreon is rewriting the equation between creators and their fans, Fast Company

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I use Scrivener. iA Writer is a minimalist writing tool Marie Kondo would adore, Fast Company

I’ve used Apple Notes since I began writing. Yeah, the entire book is there. The secretly powerful little app that you could write an entire book in, Fast Company

I use ProWriteAid. Please note it’s not free but worth comparing to Grammarly. These 3 essential tools will help you write better—for free

 

 

What I Do: I don’t have access or a subscription to various newspapers or magazines i.e. the New York Times. So, I checked with my local library. I’ve learned I have access to the New York Times free with my library card. Always check with your local library to see what offerings are available to you.

 

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It’s Time to Eliminate Shame From the Wellness Conversation, BYRDIE

TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH? DON’T., CrimeReads

The FDA Just Approved a New Treatment for Hair Loss From Severe Alopecia Areata, Sisters From AARP

Brittney Griner’s plight deserves more attention, Roxane Gay argues., New York Times

Here’s Why My Skincare Routine Has Been Doing More Harm Than Good, BYRDIE

 

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ALRIGHT! Watched this a few times (ha, ha, ha)! Christopher Meloni Went Nude For a Peloton Ad, and Ryan Reynolds Has Thoughts, POPSUGAR


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Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Pocast

 

 

What I Do: I don’t have access or a subscription to various newspapers or magazines i.e. the New York Times. So, I checked with my local library. I’ve learned I have access to the New York Times free with my library card. Always check with your local library to see what offerings are available to you.

 

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No Estrogen, No Problem: Sex and Menopause, Dame

Did you know: July 3 is Black Hair Independence Day. Here’s why it matters, Fast Company

Black women will get no-strings-attached monthly checks in this new guaranteed income experiment, Fast Company

How Generations of Black Americans Lost Their Land to Tax Liens, Bloomberg

Financial Wellness Is the Latest Self-Care Trend—Here’s What You Should Know, The Everygirl

The ‘Sexy’ Side of Self-Care You Might Be Neglecting, Sisters from AARP

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How to Get into a Creative “Flow State”: A Short Masterclass, Open Culture

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Black and Published

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Why Does It Take So Long to Publish a Book?, Literary Hub

 

What I Do: I don’t have access or a subscription to various newspapers or magazines i.e. the New York Times. So, I checked with my local library. I’ve learned I have access to the New York Times free with my library card. Always check with your local library to see what offerings are available to you.

 

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The 4 Stages of a Relationship, According to Experts, POPSUGAR

My Marriage is Stronger Than Ever Thanks to This Sunday Night Routine, Camille Styles

Two Years After Summer 2020, Black Americans Are Still Fighting for the Right to Live, The Everygirl

40 Foods Every Black Woman Over 40 Should Consider Eating, Sisters From AARP

Inside Slack’s bold bet on training formerly incarcerated people to be tech workers, Fast Company

Why Black Doulas Mean Better Births for Black People, Good HouseKeeping

 

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In Our Mothers’ Gardens, Netflix

 

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J.ill the Podcast 

Disco Diva Sylvester Moved With an Audaciousness That Resonates Today

 

 

What I Do: I don’t have a subscription to the New York Times. So, I check with my public library and learned I can access the New York Times free with my library card.

 

“The older I get, the more I realize how much agency I have over my own time.”

These are questions I ask myself at the end or beginning of each monthly. I have also begun asking myself these questions, daily, weekly and mid year. As a way to hold space for myself, check in with myself and just reflect. Try them out and see if they work for you. Take what you need. Leave what you don’t.

 

1. AM I SPENDING MY TIME THE WAY I WANT TO?

My mind is always flooded with all of those things I must do. It can be overwhelming but I remind myself that I can do everything at my leisure. I do spend a majority of my time doing what I want and ALL OF MY TIME doing things the way I want.

2. HAVE I SET BOUNDARIES TO PROTECT THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF MY LIFE?

I continuously revisit the boundaries I set because there are moments they become blurred and I have to step back, reflect, and remind myself of the importance of my boundaries. This may require me to adjust, create and even remove boundaries to better fit what’s going on in my life.

3. ARE MY HABITS AND ROUTINES IN LINE WITH MY PRIORITIES?

My rituals, habits and routines are my top priority. Self care: reflection, self growth (reading and writing), meditation, exercising and writing.

4. HAVE I COMMUNICATED MY PRIORITIES TO THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO ME?

I keep those important to me informed of my priorities, but I am protective in how much I share so not to break my focus but also to limit overwhelming them with my thoughts and creative processes.

5. DO I HAVE A SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY AND PREVENT BURNOUT?

As soon as I read this question, I cringed. This used to be difficult for me. In the past, I wasn’t completely in tune or aware of when I was burning out. I would find myself angry at the world and exhausted. Now, I’m intentional about incorporating those things that serve me and removing those that don’t. One example, is when I take the beginning of every month (an entire week) to reflect on the previous month and plan for the current month.