Month: May 2014

Happy #FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLiving Fitness Celebration of My Prevention Magazine Challenge

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Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

On May 28, I successfully completed my Prevention Magazine 28-Day Challenge. During the #28fitdays Challenge, I used social media on a daily basis to share photos of my healthy living journey.
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Sharing my journey via social media strengthened my healthy living commitment, created community with other women who participated in the Challenge, provided a cheerleading choir made up of my social media friends and followers, and offered greater accountability especially on days when I felt like skipping my fitness routine. The end result is a deeper healthy living practice on my road to #FierceLiving at 50.
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So what’s next for me?

I’m starting a 21-day fitness challenge called Body Reboot on June 1 to sculpt my core and increase my weekly running. I’m also planning to attend Mint Condition Day sponsored by my gym on June 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Marie Reed Elementary Soccer Field, 2200 Champlain Street, NW, Washington, DC. If you are in DC, click here to register for the free event. See you there!

Happy #CreativityThursday: Honoring Dr. Maya Angelou, A Creative Shero

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Happy #CreativityThursday!

Today I woke up hungry for the words and wisdom of Dr. Maya Angelou. So I reached for a book of her poems that kept me company during the second semester of my freshman year at Morgan State University in 1983. Her spirit guided me to her poem, “Thank You, Lord.”

Dr. Maya Angelou (1928-2014) - RIP Dr. Angelou.
Dr. Maya Angelou (1928-2014) – RIP Dr. Angelou.

Her words reminded me to say a thank you prayer for waking up another day and being inspired and influenced by her creative spirit. Her poetry and memoirs gave me permission to write and publish my own books.

How did Dr. Angelou inspire you?

Happy #InternetGeek Tuesday: Recap of My Serve DC Nonprofit Digital Storytelling Workshop

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Happy #InternetGeek Tuesday!

Last week, I facilitated a nonprofit digital storytelling workshop for my client, Serve DC’s National Service Program Director Institute. During the workshop, I shared several key points.

  • Stories connect people through feelings and emotions they can relate to.
  • Stories cause people to reflect on their own experiences, change their behavior, treat others with greater compassion, speak out about injustice, and become involved in civic and political life.
  • Nonprofit digital stories use visual images, (photos, videos, infographics, maps, and other images including text printed on colorful badges) and sound recordings (music, podcasts, or audio recordings) to do four things: 1) INFORM people about an organization’s mission, work (programs and  services), community outreach, news, awards, events, clients, staff, volunteers, interns, community partners, advocacy efforts, fundraising efforts, and in-kind donation campaigns; 2) INSPIRE people because they create a human connection and emotional resonance; 3) INVITE people to get involved and take action (advocate, donate, or volunteer); and 4) INFLUENCE conversations and public dialogue about issues that are important to an organization and engage people as active participants.

A nonprofit organization’s best source of digital stories is its staff, clients, interns, volunteers, Board of Directors, Advisory Committee members, donors, community partners, and other local stakeholders.

What’s your definition of digital storytelling?

Check out the photos from my workshop below. What stories do they tell?

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Happy #YogaMonday: Yoga Summer Reading – Yin, Yang, Yogini by Kathryn Livingston

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Photo Credit: Kathryn Livingston
Photo Credit: Kathryn Livingston

Happy #YogaMonday and Memorial Day!

Today, I discovered a new yoga memoir to add to my summer reading list. It’s called Yin, Yang, Yogini by Kathryn E. Livingston, an author, blogger, and yoga practitioner. Livingston’s memoir discusses how yoga transformed her life and taught her how to surrender and release the past and fear while living and trusting the present moment. I eager to read her book to learn more about her journey and how she faced the death of her parents, anxiety, breast cancer, and her children growing up and moving out of her home with yoga. Click here to learn more about Livingston and her Liv Write! blog.

Are you reading any yoga-inspired books this summer?

Happy #FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLiving Fashion

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Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

What is #FierceLiving Fashion for you?

My #FierceLiving Fashion starts with bright colors. I love wearing bright colors when I facilitate workshops, moderate panel discussions, give talks about my books, and attend conferences. Ann Taylor Loft, Dress Barn, Forever 21, H&M, Lettie Gooch Boutique, Macy’s, Marshall’s, Target, and Violet Boutique are some of my favorite places to shop for these events.

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This week, I facilitated a nonprofit digital storytelling workshop for my client, Serve DC’s National Service Program Director Institute. I wore bright colors: purple Ann Taylor Loft pants and white t-shirt, blue Dress Barn blazer, H&M gold necklace, Forever 21 gold bangles and ring, and Anne Klein black peek-a-boo wedge shoes. My vegan black bowling bag from Violet Boutique kept me company.

 

 

 

 

Happy #CreativityThursday: Writing E-Books

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Ananda writing in her journal at Love Café on U Street in DC in 2004
Ananda writing in her journal at Love Café on U Street in DC in 2004

Happy #CreativityThursday!

I’ve been writing books since 1992. I started with poetry chapbooks which opened the door to women’s creativity workbooks. All of this writing laid the foundation for blogging which began 10 years ago and the publication of my first novel, Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One in 2007 and my two memoirs, That Which Awakens Me in 2009 and Digital Sisterhood in 2013.

Photo Credit: http://ebookreadersoftware.wordpress.com/tag/publish-ebooks/
Photo Credit: http://ebookreadersoftware.wordpress.com/tag/publish-ebooks/

For the next six months, I have decided to write and publish a series of e-books. Today, I found a great article about publishing e-books on my digital sister and fellow author/blogger, Shonell Bacon’s LinkedIn page. It gave me some great tips for publishing my e-books. Click here to read it.

Do you have any plans to write an e-book? If yes, what resources are you using to write it?

What creative projects are you working on this spring and summer?

Happy Yoga Monday: The Spirit of Mantra

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Photo Credit: http://devapremalmiten.com/
Photo Credit: http://devapremalmiten.com/

Happy Yoga Monday!

Mantras have been a part of my yoga practice for the past 10 years. Mantra is a Sanskrit word that means mind protection. It is  a sacred word, sound or chant repeated during meditation to promote inner peace and facilitate transformation of your consciousness. Last week, I started Deva Premal & Miten’s 21-Day Mantra Meditation Journey to continue the work I have been doing to strengthen my meditation practice. The 21-Day Mantra Journey started on May 14 and offers a free, daily guided session. Click here to learn more.

Do you use mantras in your meditation and yoga practice?

Happy #CreativityThursday: Celebrating International Soul Art Day

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Happy #CreativityThursday!

Have you ever heard of Soul Art and International Soul Art Day?

Photo Credit: SoulArtStudio.com
Photo Credit: SoulArtStudio.com

Laura Hollick, an artist and shaman, is the brainchild behind them (see photo above). She is also founder of Soul Art Studio, a business that guides people to connect with their spirit and create a life and business that expresses it. Hollick says, “Soul Art awakens your inner artist so you can create your reality.”

Photo Credit: SoulArtDay.com
Photo Credit: SoulArtDay.com

International Soul Art Day is annual celebration held on May 14 that brings together Soul Artist from around the world to connect virtually and create art together for the day. Yesterday, I joined the Soul Art Day celebration by listening to recordings of two Google Hangout session and creating my own body mapping art project.

My Soul Art Day mixed media collage
My Soul Art Day mixed media collage

The body mapping art project allowed me to trace my hands and feet, journal, and create a mixed media collage (see photo above). The collage has become a visual affirmation and celebration of what’s living in my creative heart.

Have you ever participated in an online creativity challenge, event, or project that encouraged you to explore and honor your creative process?