BE F.R.E.E. AT 61
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Last Day of My 60th Year
Today marks the last day of my 60th year.
What a year it’s been of actively witnessing, wrestling with, and welcoming my self-vulnerability in my spirit, heart, mind, body, practices of grace + forgiveness + gratitude, curiosity, creativity, book writing and publishing, birthing process of debut spoken word album, relationships, abundance + finances, business, career, grief and healing journey, yoga + meditation path, tennis + fitness growth, Brazilian Portuguese language learning, travel adventures, and “chakra castle” home.
It’s definitely been a FULL YEAR filled with the privilege of getting to be ME each moment of each day.
That’s why I am slowing down to reflect about, give thanks for, and celebrate who I have become and who Spirit and the loving + wise + well ancestors are guiding me to be at the
soulfully surrendered,
self-lovingly soft,
sparkling,
sensual,
stylish,
strategically secure,
seasoned,
and strong 61.
Give Yourself the Gift of Self-Vulnerability This Holiday Season!
Hey there!
What gifts are you giving yourself this holiday season?
I am giving myself the gift of several self-vulnerability dates where I carve out time to meditate, reflect, journal, write poetry, and create art (drawings and collages) about the ups, downs, and in-betweens of this year.
This morning, I reflected on my 61st birthday which is fast approaching (December 18th). My reflections took me back to my first trip to Negril, Jamaica with my Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Soror Karla Ray Thompson in December 1992. That trip was really special because I turned 28 on the beach and surrendered to my first Saturn Return (astrology lovers like myself can appreciate this experience).
That trip offered me sacred and safe space to embrace and express self-vulnerability. That experience of telling myself the TRUTH about what I felt, thought, believed, and what was and was not happening in my world was MESSY, SCARY, MAGICAL, OVERWHELMING, and LIBERATING all at the same time. It helped me speak to my heart, listen to myself without judgment, and come home to myself. It marked the beginning of a major shift in how I showed up in my life, relationships, and career. It also laid the foundation for my Thriving Mindfully heart-centered approach to being, living, and serving humanity with my gifts.
Click on the video and listen to the “Thriving Mindfully Theme,” one of the nine spoken word poems on my newly released debut album entitled Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter.
Click the button below to get more information about my album. Buy and download it from Bandcamp, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms except Amazon and Spotify.
It’s been 33 years since that trip and my heart remains filled with deep gratitude for the gift of self-vulnerability that I continue to give myself and my Thriving Mindfully approach to being, living, and serving humanity with my gifts.
Do you want to learn how to give yourself the gift of self-vulnerability?
Need my coaching support?
GO HERE to sign up to join me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on December 14th and January 4th from 3:00 p.m. EST to 4:00 p.m. EST via Zoom
I look forward to seeing you at one or both of the Thriving Mindfully Sunday sessions.
Enjoy your holiday season!
Blessings,
Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke
P.S. SELF-VULNERABILITY TIPS
Great News: Read Word in Black Article Featuring Interview About “American Change Agent” Book Written by Me & My Dad, Dr. John F. Leeke
Go here to read the Word in Black article, “How Ancestry and Faith Shaped One Man’s Fight for Justice” by Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware (December 5, 2025)
VIRTUAL EVENTS: Join Me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on December 14 & January 4 at 3-4 PM EST
What’s causing you to experience VULNERABILITY in your life, relationships, or career?
How are you responding to your VULNERABILITY?
Are you afraid of, avoiding, resisting, or running from being vulnerable with yourself?
Is your response to being vulnerable creating stagnation, struggle, or suffering in your spirit, heart, mind, body, life, relationships, or career?
Are you ready to make a CHANGE?
Join me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on December 14th and January 4th from 3 p.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET.
Thriving Mindfully Sundays is a series of two virtual community gatherings that will offer you safe space and coaching support to tap into your VULNERABILITY, a lifeline to heart-centered awareness. I call that heart-centered awareness Thriving Mindfully.
Click the button to get more information and sign up to join me.
Watch Recording of Virtual Listening Party for My New Spoken Word Album – Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter (Released on November 20, 2025)
If you missed the virtual listening party that was held for my new spoken word album, Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter on the New Moon in Scorpio on November 20th, watch the recording below.
Click the button to get more information and listen to and buy Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter album on Bandcamp, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms except for Amazon Music and Spotify.
Navigating Vulnerability & Grief During the Holiday Season (Check-In Resources)
How are you doing now that the holiday season has begun?
After my mother Theresa made her transition on July 9, 2023, the months of November and December became filled with tons of memories and reminders that she was no longer physically present on Mother Earth.
These months have become some of the most emotionally vulnerable times of the year for me because they are filled with a mix of emotions ranging from gratitude to grief. I am grateful for having my mother for 58 years of my life. I am grateful I feel her love, hear her wisdom, and experience her presence and protection as my loving + wise + well ancestor each day. I also grieve her physical absence and miss sharing the holidays with her.
Navigating my vulnerability and grief each year can be messy, hard, and scary, especially when I try to avoid feeling or hide from my emotions. Over the past three holiday seasons, I have learned to cope by embracing and practicing self-vulnerability.
For me, self-vulnerability is an INVITATION to open your heart to yourself.
Self-Vulnerability is also a CHOICE you can make to tell yourself the TRUTH about your emotions, thoughts, grief, beliefs, fears, doubts, weaknesses, imperfections, experiences, and relationships instead of hiding from them.
Self-Vulnerability is also healing and liberating because it creates space for you to embrace your birthrights of self-awareness, self-love, self-kindness, self-compassion, self-forgiveness, and self-acceptance.
RESOURCE #1
If you are feeling vulnerable and/or experiencing grief during the holidays, I invite you to use my holiday check-in list of questions to get in touch with yourself below.
RESOURCE #2
Listen to my new spoken word song, “G.R.I.E.F.” that is included on my debut album, Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter (released on November 20). Go here to get more information about, buy, and download the album
RESOURCE #3
If you need more support, sign up to join me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on December 14 and January 4 from 3 p.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST via Zoom. Get more information and RSVP here.
RESOURCE #4: NEW SPOKEN WORD ALBUM
Go here to get more information and listen to and buy Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter album on Bandcamp, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms except for Amazon Music and Spotify.
If you missed the virtual listening party that was held on the New Moon in Scorpio on November 20th, watch the recording.
It’s My 42nd SIGMAversary Today!
November 19th is a very special day in my life as a Soror of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. It represents my 42nd SIGMAversary. Visit www.sgrho1922.org to learn more about my amazing sorority.
That’s right! It’s been 42 years since I crossed the burning sands with my Beta Tau Chapter Sorors Tracy Brown and Gail Harleston Tucker at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. I also shared the day and pledge process with Soror Tammy Hawkins of Gamma Phi Chapter at Coppin State College.
Special thanks to my mom, loving + wise + well ancestor, and Soror Theresa B. Gartin Leeke (Omega Rho), great-grandmother and Soror Florida Jones Leeke (Omega Rho), great-grand aunt and Soror Lillian Jones Brown (Omega Rho), Soror Corine J. Green (Sigma Mom/Mentor – Omega Rho), Soror Bonia Herring, Soror Martha Allen (Chapter Advisor – Omega Rho), Soror Myra Curtis (Chapter Advisor), Soror Sandre Mitchell (Chapter Advisor and Sigma Mom/Mentor), Soror Barbara Sawyer, Soror Karen Ledbetter Green (my Dean Too Sweet), Soror Evelyn Wright (my personal Big Sister Evilene), Soror Barbara Sawyer, my special Beta Tau Auroras – Sorors Saundra Davenport Townsend and Carol Callwood, and the Charter Line of Eta Beta Chapter at University of Maryland at College Park – Sorors Garlynn Jones Parker, Alberta Miller, Renee Netty, Valerie Dada, Karen Drew Higginbotham, Cheryl Brown, Veta Booth (Omega Rho), Teddie Stokes, and Brenda Makin. Each one of you made a major impact on my life.
Big thanks to my Beta Tau Chapter Sorors for making our chapter a powerhouse for the past 71 years.
Deep bow of gratitude to my SGRho Soror Kamaria Richmond for being my soul sistalove extraordinaire!
Many thanks to my SGRho Sorors everywhere for our Greater Service, Greater Progress sisterhood.
Don’t Miss Virtual Album Release Party for Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter
Hi Everyone!
I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS WEEK!!!
Don’t miss celebrating the release of my debut spoken word album, Thriving Mindfully As Theresa’s Daughter, during the virtual listening party I am co-hosting with my music producer Garnet Jackson on November 20th at 3 p.m. EST/8 p.m. GMT (UK) via Zoom.
-GET MORE INFORMATION & REGISTER: https://anandaleeke.com/album
-WATCH THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO: https://youtu.be/8J6st9yvcvc?si=fQWdcp4IU2U7sbwB
-DOWNLOAD ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT (EPK): https://anandaleeke.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/final_ananda-leeke_epk-2025_11425-4.pdf
Please help spread the word by sharing this message with your network. Thanks so much!
Thank you for your support!
Ananda Leeke
Join Me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on Nov 30, Dec 14 & Jan 4 at 3 PM EST
Ananda Leeke 