Happy International Women’s Day! Did you know IWD has been celebrated around the world for decades??  First, a brief history lesson: After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations. Today, International Women’s Day is a public holiday in some countries.  It is used as a day of protest for some; to some it is a day that celebrates womanhood. o much of our history is founded in HERstory.  Women inventors.  Women in business.  Women trailblazers.  Women in the military.  Women in politics.  Women who fought.  Women who supported.  Women who stood in the shadows.  Women who worked multiple jobs.  Women who held their tongue.  Women who held it down alone. Women who self-healed.  Women who never fully healed.  To all women: we applaud you.

National Caregivers Day is on the third Friday in February. Started in 2016, it sets to honor the health care professionals across the country providing long-term and hospice care. Caregiving is by no means an easy job so we are all here for the richly deserved recognition. Caregiving takes many shapes and forms, however, so today I would like to extend the honor not just to the professional caregivers, but also those that have had to step into the role for their own family members. Those brave, dedicated and unsung heroes that give unbridled support in any way that they can muster - the visitors, the chauffeurs, the cooks, the food blenders, the shoppers, the bill payers, the appointment makers, the medicine administrators, the organizers, the entertainers, the listeners. The ones that wake up in the middle of the night and are up at the crack of dawn. The ones who think of what is needed before they are even asked. The list is endless for those that are continually out there in the trenches doing whatever it takes to improve the lives of someone close to them who is going through. This too, on top of their own lives and responsibilities, is not an easy job.

Today is #NationalSendACardToAFriendDay and what better time to pay homage to the great and sometimes forgotten art of... a handwritten note! If you are anything like me, you often dread heading to the mailbox. Then there are the special occasions where I may see a small sized envelope with my name and address scrawled on the front in a funny kind of font... Most of the time they are thank you notes from some gift I had given. Not expected but always greatly appreciated. My aunt is known for filling up every possible inch front and back of the card and thanking you for each and every item and how special they made her feel. I love to see how expressive she can be, and her beautiful handwriting will definitely be part of her legacy. Same with my mom. I can spot their notes a mile away... I keep them and some day will cherish having a piece of "their voice" to hold on to. My grandmother also had beautiful penmanship and would lovingly sign her name, "Loads of Love, Grandma." These too are classic notes that I keep in a special place.

Here us WHY I am such a big fan of starting the Christmas season early. While we should maintain a giving spirit all year, most of us need a little reminder. Christmastime is when we let our inner child surface. It’s when we volunteer. It’s when we make extra time for our family and friends. It’s when we leave the 9 to 5 where it belongs, celebrate our faith and the people that matter most to us. It's when we give a little more effort to just let it go, and count our many blessings.

Becoming ONE with your H20 is an easy way to alleviate some of these ailments. Some people just don't like the taste of water. We get that... A few of my favorite things to add to my water are MINT and LEMON. Both are great ways to add a little freshness to your water and are not too hard to keep on hand.

In fact, you can make it really easy by growing your own! I took a sprig of mint that I purchased from the grocery store and placed it in a small jar to grow roots. It took a few tries, but eventually the roots sprouted! Once there were enough roots in the jar I moved it to a baby pot to continue to strengthen. Eventually it out grew that and I replanted it outside in a larger pot. Now I have no excuse - there are plenty of mint leaves to add to my water every day!

We reunited with past customers. We bonded with other vendors. The homecoming feeling rhythmically moved through each row. Frankie Beverly. Beyonce. Kirk Franklin. Chaka Kahn. A second line grooved down the main aisle. Even the vendors couldn't help but bounce to the beat. Music pumped through the speakers and a sense of lineage pumped through our bodies. Attending the Essence Festival truly is more like a family affair, an element that makes it a real treasure to be a part of. The sea of sisterhood made our entrance to Essence Fest one to remember proving it is the GOAT of conventions. We look forward to connecting with our newfound sisters over the coming months. There's no doubt Essence Fest 2020 is going to be even more lit. Same time, same place ladies? See you next year!!

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn to evaluate WHAT you are feeling, WHY you feel that way and that it’s OKAY to feel that way.  We gloss over and ignore and hope our luggage will just go away some how. Face it. Own It. Don’t let “it” take charge.Like the song goes, EXPRESS YOURSELF! One of the best coping mechanisms is to talk. To a friend, a professor, family, mentor, doctor. Holding it in is almost never the answer. We are bound to explode. There is no shame in exposing your vulnerabilities. Therapy is not for the weak as we may have been subconsciously taught. If talking is not your thing… find another outlet that helps YOU release. Exercise. Get crafty. Read. Write. Volunteer. Pray. However you choose to express yourself, the world is waiting.

The end of January tends to be when the pangs of winter really kick in. It’s cold. The blizzards and rain storms have started. The cuteness of Christmas and New Year’s Eve are far in the rear view. Your nose is cold and your toes are wet. You’re already done and you have at least until March to go…

Don’t let the winter blues get you down yet. Part of the magic of the holiday season was engaging with family and friends, eating yummy food and tapping into your inner creativity to spread some cheer. Who says that needs to end when the calendar flips to a new year??