Author: Ananda Leeke

This year’s Wonder Women Tech DC Global Summit (#WWT2019) kicked off with a 10-minute mindfulness meditation led by yours truly on May 1st at the Embassy of France. The meditation encouraged attendees to make their breath their BFF as they settled in and set an intention for how they wanted to show up at the conference. Watch the video below to get a taste of what my meditation was all about.

Throughout the day, I led five-minute mindful moments that invited attendees to explore what it feels like to belong to their bodies and the #WWT2019 community; to reflect on their Summit takeaways and aha moments; and to give thanks for all they are and have received during the Summit.

The Summit featured dynamic speakers who inspired and encouraged women to show up fully as themselves, pursue their dreams in tech, ask for support, and reach back to help other women. My soul sistalove Karen Alston, founder of the Spectrum Circle, served as the afternoon Mistress of Ceremonies. She did a phenomenal job!

My mentee Alicia Marshall, a graduating senior majoring in engineering at the University of the District of Columbia, attended the conference and networked like a rockstar!

Special thanks to Wonder Women Tech Summit founder Lisa Mae Brunson and the #WWT2019 team, sponsors, speakers, and attendees for making this year’s conference a success!

For more #WWT2019 highlights, check out the photo slideshow below.

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Happy 1st Year Anniversary #ThrivingMindfully Meetup Group! I am deeply grateful for everyone who has attended the Mindful Monday Meditation classes since April 16, 2018, at Qi Kratom CBD Tea. It’s been a blessing to share meditation, mindfulness, gentle yoga, silence, hugs, and delicious tea with you. Building community with you is powerful!

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Many thanks to everyone who attended the first-year anniversary celebration on Eath Day, April 22nd. Deep bow of gratitude to ee, Kai Kai, Gigi, Vyse, Vince, Naimah, Sincere, Reg, and the Qi Kratom CBD Tea family for supporting and hosting us for the past year. Super grateful to Angel Dundee for leading several classes and Martin for blessing our community with your delicious vegan treats!

P.S.: Join the #ThrivingMindfully Meetup Group here and attend the upcoming Mindful Monday Meditation classes from 6:15-7:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC (free). Bring a family member, friend or colleague!

 

Happy National Meditation Month!

May you take this month to make your breath your BFF as you meditate and practice mindful moments. if you are a newbie, start with my #ThrivingMindfully podcasts that provide guided meditations. Share them with people you know!

• Mindfulness 101
• Meditation 101

Also, join me for two free meditation classes I am offering on May 8th and May 15th from 9-9:30PM ET via Facebook Live session. Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join you.

If you are in DC, come meditate with me in person at my Sunday, Monday, and Thursday classes. Click on the dates below to register. Bring a family member, your BFF, and favorite colleague.

• Sundays, May 5, 12, and 19 (no class on May 26) from 2-3PM ($20): Thriving Mindfully in the City classes at the Eaton Workshop’s Wellness Center, 1201 K Street, NW
• FREE – Mondays, May 6, 13, and 20 (no class on May 27) from 6:15-7:30PM: Mindful Monday Meditation classes at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW
• Thursdays, May 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 7-8PM ($20): Thriving Mindfully Meditation classes at lululemon Georgetown, 3265 M Street, NW

ENCORE OFFERING

After I facilitated the May 4th RECHARGE! online workshop, I learned many people were unable to join me. So I am offering IT again this month. Join me for RECHARGE!, my mindful self-care online workshop, on May 14th from 8-10 PM ET ($35) via Zoom. Honor the women in your life with a special Mother’s Day gift: a workshop ticket that will help them practice mindful self-care! Get your tickets here.

What do you think about when you hear the word wellness?

I think about MINDFUL SELF-CARE. Mindful self-care helps me invest in myself. It offers me space and time to reflect, release, and recharge. It creates a more resilient me.

My mindful self-care happens in four parts.

• Part one happens when I slow down and choose to pay attention by listening and seeing what’s happening and NOT happening in my spirit, heart, mind, body, and life.
• Part two occurs when I set an intention, identify practices, create a plan on how and when to use the practices, and seek support and accountability.
• Part three is essential because it reminds me to give myself loving kindness, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and nonjudgment for those moments when I don’t practice mindful self-care.
• Part four is all about celebrating my small, medium, and big wins.

GIFT FOR YOU: Check out my #ThrivingMindfully Podcast episode on creating a mindful self-care toolkit. May it inspire you to honor all parts of yourself and life!

Looking for mindful self-care support that will help you develop practices and a plan to outsmart stress with mindfulness and meditation, release and forgive, set intentions, action steps, accountability, and celebrate YOU during the next 30-90 days?

Join me for RECHARGE! Online Self-Care Workshop on the first Saturday of each month from 3-5PM ET via Zoom. Click on the dates below for registration information ($35). Tell your family, friends, and colleagues to join you (give them a ticket as a birthday, “just cuz they are special” or thank you gift).

• May 4
• June 1
• July 6
• August 3
• September 7
• October 5
• November 2
• December 7

 

One of my favorite things to do is to share my mindfulness services with people living in and/or visiting the DC area. That’s why I am offering RECHARGE! on the first Sunday of each month from 6:30-8:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW. Click on the dates below to buy your ticket. Bring your friends, family members, and colleagues (surprise them with a gift ticket).

• May 5
• June 2
• July 7
• August 4
• September 8
• October 6
• November 3
• December 8

 

Guess what’s coming to DC? lululemon luminaries powered by WE, a three-month program designed to support 20 women including moi who enlighten and influence others to make DC a better place for everyone. I was nominated for this DC inaugural program for my inspiring work to help others through mindfulness and holistic mindful living.

During the lululemon luminaries program, I will receive support for my goals as a mindfulness entrepreneur through development, authentic relationships, and #thesweatlife. I am honored to be joining a dynamic community of women and look forward to growing and glowing with my fellow luminaries. My summer sweat from working out will definitely make me glow! I’ll keep you posted about my adventures in a few weeks!

On April 20th, I spoke with my soul sistalove Yael Flusberg, a Reiki Master Teacher, Board-Certified Polarity Therapist, yoga therapist, leadership coach, organizational facilitator, and poet, on my Thriving Mindfully Show on Eaton Radio at the Eaton Workshop, a woman-owned arts, social justice, and wellness hotel, co-working space, and center in DC. The episode (S1 EP2) focused on “Living A Resilient Life & Shining Your Light with Meditation, Yoga, and Poetry.” In case you missed it, watch the Facebook Live video here. The audio link will be shared in a few weeks.

During the show, Yael discussed the meaning of resiliency and mindfulness, Yael’s early years in New York City, and how her parents’ lives as genocide survivors impacted her life. She also talked about what led her to practice yoga and meditation, and write poetry including her poetry book, The Last of My Village published by Poetica in 2010 (received Annual Chapbook Award). In honor of National Poetry Month, she read her poem “Living Waters.” She ended the show with her leading a short meditation. For more information about Yael’s weekly classes, yin yoga teacher training, and Belize Rainforest Healing Retreat in November, go here.

Watch the after the show video to learn more about Yael.

I am looking forward to leading mindfulness sessions that include my “Make Your Breath Your BFF” exercises at the Wonder Women Tech​ 2019 DC Global Summit on May 1st. Join me and learn how to embrace #ThrivingMindfully in all you think, feel, say, and do in your life and tech career. Register online here.

 

 

Happy #WellnessWednesday!

What do you think about when you hear the word wellness?

I think about mindful self-care. Mindful self-care helps me invest in myself. It offers me space and time to reflect, release, and recharge. It creates a more resilient me.

My mindful self-care happens in four parts.

• Part one happens when I slow down and choose to pay attention by listening and seeing what’s happening and NOT happening in my spirit, heart, mind, body, and life.
• Part two occurs when I set an intention, identify practices, create a plan on how and when to use the practices, and seek support and accountability.
• Part three is essential because it reminds me to give myself loving kindness, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and nonjudgment for those moments when I don’t practice mindful self-care.
• Part four is all about celebrating my small, medium, and big wins.

GIFT FOR YOU: Check out my #ThrivingMindfully Podcast episode on creating a mindful self-care toolkit. May it inspire you to honor all parts of yourself and life!

Need more mindful self-care in your life?

Invest in your own self-care with my support during the RECHARGE! online workshop on Wednesday, April 17th from 7:30-9:30PM ET. Register online ($35) here. Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join you!

On April 6th, I interviewed Meico Whitlock, founder of Mindful Techie, on my Thriving Mindfully Show on Eaton Radio at the Eaton Workshop, a woman-owned arts, social justice, and wellness hotel, co-working space, and center in DC. The episode (S1 EP2) focused on “A Mindful Techie’s Journey to Finding Freedom.” Watch the Facebook Live recording here. The audio link will be shared in a few weeks.

During the show, Meico discussed his childhood in Atlanta, how his undergraduate study abroad experience as a Morehouse College student impacted him, his graduate studies in public health and information technology at the University of Michigan shaped his career, and the personal development lessons he learned with the support of Unity’s new thought spirituality, Unity of Washington, DC, and Unity Radio Online. He also shared how these experiences helped him launch Mindful Techie, a professional development firm dedicated to helping purpose-driven professionals and organizations tackle technology distraction and information overload so that they can live a balanced life in a digital world.

Watch the after the show video to learn about Meico’s Intention Planner.

In honor of National Poetry Month, I am sharing three of my favorite mindfulness poems. Check out the video of my poem “Present Moment Awareness” from my mindful creativity memoir, That Which Awakens Me (available of Amazon). It celebrates what happens inside of me when I meditate.

Here’s a sneak preview from my upcoming book, Lighthouse: A Memoir of Thriving Mindfully: two Thriving Mindfully Podcast episodes featuring “Our Breath” and “My Breath Is My BFF” poems I wrote last year that celebrate the power of the breath.

• Episode: “Our Breath” poem
• Episode: “My Breath Is My BFF” poem

May my mindfulness poetry inspire you to take a moment to breathe deeply, meditate, and embrace #ThrivingMindfully in all you feel, think, say, and do!

PS: Wanna know what #ThrivingMindfully is all about? Listen to my podcast here.