With all that you have going on in your life, how do you find guiltless balance?
I try to pay attention to my overall life intention. My career, single parenting of a seventeen-year-old, and life, in general, can be very demanding. I have learned that if I allow it, there will be no time left for me. So, I had to unlearn some ways of operating and learn how to incorporate my inclination to give 150% to everything that I do and be present for it all with my burning desire to balance the things necessary for my well-being. I do so by not overcommitting; saying “no” distractors – which sometimes is me – committing to the things that add to my life mission; scheduling and guarding my self-care time; having social media breaks; staying focused on my health & fitness and; carving out time for my hobbies. That can be challenging in our fast-paced and very interconnected world, so I’m always calibrating.
You had a blood clot in your arm several years ago which was life-altering. How did that change your perspective about health and wellness, and did that experience lead you to discovery?
That period, dramatically, changed my outlook on life. I already had a high appreciation of life and over a decade before, was focused on health & fitness but I fell off. When I experienced that and digested two doctors, on separate occasions, telling me that I could have died, I became adamant about re-evaluating my choices. For about six years, I experienced unexplained warning signs, several diagnoses, several hospitalizations, many doctors, horrible side-effects to medication, learning, re-learning, and adjusting to ‘new norms’. That long process brought out my fiercest warrior and my most introspective self which resulted in my making minor lifestyle changes over a few years. About two years ago, I realized that I needed to love myself more and that further guided the alteration of my choices and mindset. I want to be here for a long time; see my son become a man and; complete my life mission –becoming the best version of myself is mandatory.
With your 40-pound weight loss, how has that emboldened you to encourage other women to get into shape?
I feel healthier, have more energy, am happier, and am more at peace. While going through those medical challenges, a friend said, “You are stronger than you know” and I never forgot those words. I apply them to everything that I do. I learned how to be a fierce warrior so I fight to push myself through workouts, say “no” to things that could negatively affect me i.e. certain foods, low-vibrating human interactions, and environments that don’t feed my soul. I hope to encourage others as others encourage me through their actions. Everyone has a fierce warrior inside, armed and ready, to fight for what is needed. I hope to encourage other women to find theirs. Women are taught to be nurturers which often means placing ourselves last on the list. I hope to encourage them to put themselves first so that they can be better nurturers and impact the world in the way that they are, each, called to.
What does #LovingOnMyself #iCrushGoals to impact the world mean to you?
We are each here for a reason – to impact the world. As I have gotten older, I’ve learned that most of what I do is not just for me nor my family. By taking care of myself gives me a greater chance of achieving my goals and life mission. So if loving on myself and crushing my goals enhance that possibility, then so be it.
As a black woman raising a young male in this generation of enlightenment and heightened awareness, what do you hope he’ll take away from your weight loss journey and desire to impact the world?
I hope he understands that health is wealth; learns to put himself first; knows to be okay with learning lessons, and embraces self-forgiveness. But most importantly, that he can manifest anything.
What do you hope to accomplish with the #LovingOnMyself #iCrushGoals to impact the world campaign?
I hope to inspire women to learn how to give themselves permission to put them first in whatever way works best for their life.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want many people who will never know my name to be, positively, impacted by my actions for generations to come.
The #LovingOnMyself #iCrushGoals campaign seeks to encourage women to impact the world by putting themselves first. By setting small health-related goals, crushing them, and slowly building up to larger and, long-lasting ones, women will strengthen their ability to keep changing the world. Its launch celebrates the 2019 Kimmie Awards which is dedicated to the illustrious woman and commemorates National Women’s Health Week which kicks off on May 12th.
