What is your story? Or in other words, what made you your awesome self you are today?

In 2016, after battling with chronic undiagnosed mental health issues and a cancer scare, I had a nervous breakdown that drove me to the doctor's office. That was when I received a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Once I received the diagnosis I started a blog called Real Girls F.A.R.T. (Fearless, Authentic, Rescuer, Trailblazer) wanting to point to the stigma surrounding mental health conversations much like the taboo around the word ”fart”. I wanted women to be okay with showing their vulnerabilities and be comfortable shedding perfectionism. The blog was therapy for me as well as the desire to help others through their mental health journey. From the blog, we became a social media platform as well as a for-profit that hosts empowerment sessions for women and girls in the community. Continuing to write the blog I started turning my story into a book called Be...

What is your story? Or in other words, what made you your awesome self you are today?

My story is ever-evolving. What I know today, I did not know last night. Hour after hour, minute after minute, I am constantly searching for areas to grow, to do better, and to be better. I have become more vulnerable over the years, which has created a more authentic way of being, this has allowed me to search for truth, for answers and for guidance from others and my creator. I have many women over my life that have mentored me, supported me, and left me with diamond nuggets of information, affirmations, and love. My story is one of hard work, sacrifices, failing, growing, breakdowns, and breakthroughs. Today I am a work towards Awesomeness, today I am a student of Peace and Universal light...So today I am almost Awesome.

What message do you promote?

As a little girl, I was always curious, I learned to cook from my dad, I learned to pray from my mom and I learned to dance from my brother...

The unexpected anxieties of being pregnant throughout Covid-19…

Pregnancy can feel incredibly daunting. Bringing a new life into the world is an incredible experience but expecting mums can often feel anxious and unprepared. In the current climate, pregnant women are undergoing more uncertainty than ever. 

On Monday 16th March, pregnant women were officially encompassed in a “vulnerable group” by the chief medical officer. Naturally, this announcement has led to distress and anxiety, especially as there’s little information currently about the impact Covid-19 could have on pregnant women and new-born babies.

Let’s look more closely at the advice that pregnant women should be following and explore the ways that they can cope with pregnancy during the Covid-19 outbreak with the help of a very trusted source, Lil - Lets.

During this time, women and their families must take all the precautions recommended by the UK government, including self-isolation...

What is your story? Or in other words, what made you your awesome self you are today?

All my life I dutifully did what I was told. I was a model daughter and friend, then a citizen, a girlfriend than an employee.

I became a marketer and was working in various corporate environments, the last being commercial aircraft. I worked hard and lived for the weekend, like everyone else. By the time I was in my thirties, I became very unfulfilled and depressed, which baffled me because I was doing everything “right”, what society defined as successful living. I started to think that I was broken, that something was wring with me and it all peaked with a breakdown in the shower one Monday morning before work. I hated everything about my life! I realized that if I was going to survive within that context that I was going to have to do more activities that brought me joy. But at the time I didn’t even know what that meant so I remembered the joy I felt as a child. I recalled...

What is your story? Or in other words, what made you your awesome self you are today? 

I attribute my joy to the power of dreams, the wisdom of indigenous elders and nature, and the presence of support from all my relations (family, teachers, executives, pets, trees…) along the way. As early as age 4, I recall a dream where there was this huge earth with many stick people of different sizes, colors, shapes on it.  We each had our hands on each other’s hearts. I knew very early that this is who I was going to be when I grew up. Although I have new dreams, this early dream of connecting hearts persists. So even in the darkest times, when I held the painful secret as a little girl of being sexually abused and the trauma as a new teen of the race-related murder of my father, I had lots of healing to do: forgiveness to practice for myself and others, rekindling hope, and drawing on the power of unity.  

I am living my dreams, and I know that it is...

I recently saw a post on Instagram which read ” Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t and start loving yourself for everything you already are“.  It made me stop and think and ask the question am I doing this?

To be honest the answer was yes. To some degree I was, self-sabotaging my good works and hard efforts with unflattering comments that reflected poorly on my normal positive mindset.

I thought about this and I gave myself permission to wallow ( just for a little bit ) in my self sabotaging state of mind.  I felt as if I needed to go through this and get it out, after all, I’m only human.  Just like at times it’s good to cry, scream, yell, perhaps throw something or punch something. In order to let go of the negative energy that has taken over all the wonderful things you already are.

The first half of the statement is powerful, Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t.  This is not always easy to...