The Great Exhale

BOOK COVER REVEAL & HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ?????? It's my birthday today, and I got one of the best birthday presents ever!! My book cover is finalized, AND so is my Amazon author page, which means my first-ever book, Space to Exhale, is available for pre-order!! https://amzn.to/3CvyEhb ?????????????? I'm so incredibly excited!! Shoutout to Rose-Ann Reynolds for doing a fantastic job with designing the cover! ?????? It's been a year of ups and downs, but this is definitely one of the "ups" that I will celebrate forever! ???????? Thanks so much to everyone who has supported me through this process, in particular Luvvie Ajayi Jones and The Book Academy. ?????? Who is Space to Exhale for? ?? It’s for anybody who is exhausted because of hustle culture. Space to Exhale provides encouragement and tips for how to rest. ?? It is for anybody who is searching for a quieter, more contemplative life. Space to Exhale blesses you with moments of respite, as well as meditations, breathing exercises, affirmations, prayers, and everything you need to go within and get more aligned. ?? It is for Black women who are tired. Tired of doing it all. Tired of guiding, lifting, and supporting everyone else, but getting little support when we need it. Space to Exhale provides validation, love, and support. ?? It’s for my sistas who are tired of being the Strong Black Woman. Space to Exhale ushers in the era of the Soft Black Woman. ?? It is for anybody who is suffering from post-election fatigue; from giving their all, doing their best, and still getting disappointed. Space to Exhale proposes an alternate path - a focus on self. Space to Exhale is a book about making progress, bit by bit, step by step, and yes, breath by breath, toward enjoying a more easeful life. If that sounds like you, Space to Exhale is the book that will help you achieve it. ?????????? And if you're wondering what to get me for my birthday, my love language as a new author is pre-orders, lolol! ???? So head on over to Amazon, and pre-order your copy of?Space to Exhale.?Link is in the comments. Let's goooooo!!! ?????? #SpaceToExhale #TheGreatExhale

The Mountaintop We lift every voice and sing — The name of a Black Woman who stood at the mountaintop. With audacity that reflected off the glass ceilings that shattered when you spoke her name. Kamala Devi Harris. You stood. Standing in the spirit of Shirley Chisolm, Unbought, Unbossed and Undenying. You dreamed. The girl who would not be deferred and went on to write a letter to the world with a signature that now reads — It’s Possible. It’s Possible for a Black girl from Oakland, California, to see the mountaintop. And when she gets there to take the world off her shoulders and sit. Sitting in the resilience of Fannie Lou Hammer, you took the world by Storm. Never going Rouge and letting anyone take you out of character. You laughed. You filled rooms with hope and integrity and lit paths with perseverance. You opened. Doors that had been closed. You stepped — Over walls that had been built. You climbed. The Mount Everest of expectations with a smile that sat at the intersection of joy and justice. Because a country built in spite of you, you stood in spite of. You are the embodiment of what can be, unburdened by what has been. Rest in the knowing that you are ours. We thank you for the view from your moutaintop.

Happy Sunday, y’all. ?? I’m back to my regular programming, focused on healing and upliftment. Today’s #SundaySalutation is by the supremely talented BikosManna. Black women, gather round. Let this soothe your heart. Sending love. ?????????? #TheGreatExhale #SpaceToExhale ??: @ BikosManna on TikTok. Link in comments.

Our good sis RaeShanda Lias said it best: Hit a home run. Stick the landing. Make a goal from a penalty kick. In other words: Vote Vote Vote. So much is at stake. Keep safe out there, and let’s bring this thing home. ????????? ??: RaeShanda Lias aka shopaif on TikTok #Kamala #WereNotGoingBack

We don’t talk enough about the power that lies in trusting yourself. Especially in a system and society that positions you to conform to survive. We look outside for confirmation. We look outside for validation. We look outside for direction. Whole time, all we need to do is look within. Because more times than not, we know best. Episode 41 is about reclaiming the power that lies within. Link in the comments ??

Happy Friday, Beloved! Keep breathing... your story gets better ????????????

???? Say It With Your Checks ???? On the penultimate day of Black Business Month, I want to share a reminder and a call to action: Black Business Month is every month, so support Black businesses all year round. That means myriad things, including putting your money where your mouth is. It also means supporting each other, and providing each other with opportunities. Case in point: I was given the opportunity by pocstock to contribute to their instock newsletter for this month. ???????? Here's an excerpt: "What does “being the change” look like, you ask? The answer is simple. Right now in your circle, in your connections, in your spheres of influence, there are Black business owners that you know. Support them.?Support us. Not only with tags and likes, but also with funds and purchases. We cannot sustain our businesses with comments and kudos. We cannot pay our bills with exposure. Get active. Use some verbs: ? Hire. ? Fund. ? Donate. ? Promote. ? Purchase. ? Subscribe. Want to support us? Say it with your checks! Support a Black-owned business today,?and tomorrow, and the day after that..." To read the full piece, and the entire edition, link is in the comments. And because pocstock always has the sauce, you know they came out with a #BlackJobs collection. Make sure to check it out. #SayItWithYourChecks #pocstock #TheGreatExhale Thanks to Steve Jones and the pocstock team for amplifying my voice!