Month: May 2024

Hey there!

The impact we make in our life, family, community, and career/business starts with how we love and care for ourselves.

During the early days of the global pandemic in 2020, I made a commitment and set an intention to press the reset button on how I love and care for myself in deeper ways.

My commitment and intention helped me lay the foundation to release my definition of success and embrace making an impact in my community and the world in small, medium, and big ways in 2022.

I talk about my personal journey of redefining success and realizing that making an impact is more important to me with Mindful Techie founder Meico Whitlock, my soul brothalove and accountability partner, on his Dear Mindful Changemaker Podcast. 

During the episode, I share how my purpose is to impact one person per day through various means, such as coaching, art, prayer, and reiki. I emphasize the importance of using my gifts, talents, skills, and intuition to make a positive difference in someone’s life.

Click the video below to listen to the episode.

UPCOMING EVENT THIS WEEK

Click the button to sign up for the Spring Reset.

NEWS: INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALIST MARIA BOYNTON

On May 12, 2024, journalist Maria Boynton, host of Atlanta Up Close on News – Talk 1380 WAOK-FM, invited Ananda Leeke to share what it means to mother yourself when you are grieving your mother.

Durng the interview, to Ananda discussed the peaceful transition of her mother Theresa B. Gartin Leeke and how she has used her Thriving Mindfully Academy’s five self-love languages to navigate her grief journey.

The interview highlights information Ananda shared in her article, “Mothering Yourself as You Grieve Your Mother” that was published on Black Health Matters website. Go here to read the article.

LISTEN TO AN EXCERPT THAT WAS POSTED ON THE THRIVING MINDFULLY PODCAST BELOW.

JUNE EVENT

Click the button to sign up for the Monthly Grief + You 2-Day Retreat on June 29-30.

Writing the article about grieving my mom Theresa’s physical absence on Mother Earth was very healing.

Click here to to read the article.

Many thanks to my soul sistalove Corynne Corbett, Editorial Director at Black Health Matters, for inviting me to share my grief journey.

Click the button below to register.

It’s May 3rd. Nine days away from Mother’s Day. The first Mother’s Day without the physical presence of my mother Theresa B. Gartin Leeke. Knowing this is about to happen has got me in my feelings. 

CONFESSION: I’ve been feeling waves of grief rising up in my heart and body around experiencing Mother’s Day without my mom Theresa on Mother Earth since Easter Sunday. 

On Easter, I decided to give myself more grace and space when these emotional waves of grief show up. I also decided to open my heart and seek out new ways of supporting myself. One of the new ways was signing up for grief doula and sound healer gina Breedlove’s Vibration of Grace weekend workshop at Kripalu Yoga Center (her book, The Vibration of Grace is awesome).

SIDE NOTE: I love that gina spells her name in lowercase letters like ntozake shange, one of my favorite African American woman creative sheroes and poets. 

gina’s powerful workshop and the community of people I spent time with at Kripalu last weekend helped me get in touch with, reflect on, and express hidden areas of grief with the power of my own voice in singing, chanting, and using affirmations along with rituals, meditation, journaling, reiki, yoga, dance, and mindful walking and movement. What a blessing!

Today, I received a divine download after moving my body with my Barre3 community that invited me to honor and embrace my mom Theresa’s ancestral spirit, love, and legacy by becoming my own mother and exploring how I can use mothering to deepen my self-love and self-care birthrights.

Resource

Listen to the latest episode of the Thriving Mindfully Podcast that discusses how grief can call us to mother ourselves.

Over the past 30 years, I have learned that death, loss, and grief are master classes in surrender.

This year, I have learned how important it is to have a safe and sacred community to share how I am feeling, practice self-care, and receive support in my death, loss, and grief journey.

I am sharing the lessons I am learning and holding space for anyone facing death, loss, and grief during the monthly GRIEF + YOU 2-DAY RETREATS this year.

IMPORTANT: I am offering a special discount for the May 4-5 and June 29-30 retreats: a sliding scale with three options – $85, $105, or $125.

Click the button to get more information and sign up.

Many thanks to my amazing Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority for featuring me on the latest episode of The Greater Women Podcast.

During the podcast episode, I discuss my Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority journey that started with being the daughter of Cultured Pearl Soror Theresa Leeke, great granddaughter of Soror Florida Jones Leeke (Grand Anti-Gramateus, 1927-29), and the great grand niece of Soror Lillian Jones Brown. I give a shout out to my dad John Leeke for being an SGRho Gent. I also share how joining Beta Tau Chapter at Morgan State University in 1983 changed my life.

The episode features my insights on mindfulness, self-care, and digital wellness. A mindfulness exercise and self-care tips are included.

Click the button to listen to the 16-minute episode.