Peace fam! Hope all is well. I woke up this morning feeling like “blah” lol. Have you ever gotten up from sleep feeling like doing nothing at all? Well, I call that feeling “blah” and that is exactly how I felt. There is so many things I should and could be doing but I just wasn’t feeling it at all. Nowadays when I feel like that, I allow myself space to chill. I am naturally a “workaholic” and often neglect myself by not getting proper rest. So, I allowed myself to just BE this morning.

Afrikan women are often expected to work and nurture and give without exhaustion, regret, or complaint. But, we need to learn how to just be. We need to sleep in some days, rest our minds and bodies, recharge our batteries, and be with ourselves unapologetically. As this year winds down, there is still much to do but one of the most important thing we can and should do is to reflect on where we are and also where we want to be. We need to nurture ourselves through the transitions in life lovingly.

When I was in my 20’s, I never slept properly. I worked hard, played harder, and slept hardly any at all. But, now that I am in my mid 30’s, I realize the havoc I was wreaking on my heart. My heart needs healing, from hurt and from lack of proper nourishment. On the journey to wellness, I found that although my physical body may look awesome, so much lies beneath that I need to work on. There is much I have not dealt with, heartaches that I ignored, rest that I have been deprived of.  So, as 2016 concludes, I have made a pact with myself to do the work necessary. Ashaki deserves to be loved by Ashaki. I will never become the greatest version of myself if I do not learn to love myself fully.

I want to encourage you to do the work necessary to reach the optimal level of health for yourself as well—emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. You are a precious being and deserve the best! Rest more, love more, do what you love more. Give to yourself abundantly. And give to yourself without any regret!! Have an awesome weekend loves!

Hetepu,

Ashaki Ma’at Mirembe Ali