Thriving Mindfully in Autumn with Intentional Softness
Tag: mental health
My 17-Year-Old Self
In addition to creating my Ancestral Medicine digital collage collection, I am reflecting on and creating digital collages about the person I have been and currently am.
Yesterday, I found my high school senior class photo and thought about who I was at 17 years old.
I looked into my 17-year-old eyes and saw Madelyn Cheryl Leeke (my legal name; known as “Puf” to family and friends), an independent, talkative, focused high achiever, leader, and student at Elizabeth Seton High School (all-girls Catholic school), poet, future lawyer, public speaker, and a fun-loving, social, party and flirty girl who loves lipstick, Prince, dancing, shopping, dressing in vintage clothing mixed with jeans, going to basketball games, dating, speaking Spanish and French, traveling, dreaming of living well on 16th Street in DC, nature, basketball, catching the Metro, art, music, beaches, and all things cultural.
I see a sensitive, creative, and smart girl who put a lot of pressure on herself to succeed.
I see an intense, self-determined, and brave girl who had high expectations for herself and believed she had to achieve academic, career, and material success in order to survive and THRIVE.
What a young woman!
Over the years, I have had to forgive myself for some of the beliefs I had and choices I made that created unhealthy mindsets, behavior, and experiences.
I know my 17-year-old self did the best she could with what she had.
Let me also say, I am still in the process of forgiving and healing the person I was during each decade of my life. That work is ONGOING.
With that said, I can honestly say at 61 that I would not change a thing about my 17-year-old self because she got me to the place I am today. All of her beliefs and choices, the good and not so good, led me to experiences, people, lessons, wisdom, grace, forgiveness, patience, dreams, joy, pain, loss, healing, growth, and blessings that make me who I am today. And that person is a Woman Intentionally and Patiently Progressing (W.I.P.P.).
The title of this collage is “17.” I started it with a painting I made in 2006 or 2007 as the background. I loved the red and yellow colors because they remind me of my high school colors.
The color red also represents my root chakra energy and how focused I was on establishing career and financial security.
The yellow represents my solar plexus chakra energy and my intense focus on personal power, persistence, and self-determination.
Three Ghanaian Adinkra symbols were added to the collage.
Epa is the name of the Adinkra symbol that is repeated on my graduation gown. It symbolizes law and justice and illustrates my dream and career goal of becoming a lawyer who helps people and makes good money to afford my lifestyle and home on 16th Street in DC.
The Duafe (the comb) Adinkra symbol represents femininity and beauty and illustrates my desire to be, feel, and look feminine, stylish, and beautiful.
The Bese Asaka Adinkra symbol represent abundance and wealth and illustrates my goal to live well.
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
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.
“The Big V” — VULNERABILITY
Hey there,
This month has me walking down memory lane, giving thanks for, and reflecting on my yoga journey which began 30 years ago with an African American yoga teacher from Detroit who taught the class on a cruise down the Nile that was a part of an African American culture and history tour to Kemet (Egypt) led by author and scholar Anthony Browder.
Twenty years ago, I started my yoga teacher training with Flow Yoga Center in Washington, D.C. and began learning about Traditional Chinese Medicine and the power of acupuncture. I also booked my first acupuncture appointment and began incorporating Traditional Chinese Medicine wisdom and rituals of each season into my life.
Did you know that in Chinese medicine, the autumn season is associated with the lungs and slowing down, reflecting, refueling, focusing on the mind and soul, and release thoughts, beliefs, behavior, emotions, expectations, experiences, stories, and relationships that no longer serve you?
As I’ve slowed down and reflected in my journal and conversations, I have noted what causes me to experience “The Big V” better known as VULNERABILITY and how my responses create stagnation, struggle, and suffering. I’ve also decided to seek and use healthier ways to respond to VULNERABILITY.
So far, my journey down the yellow brick road of VULNERABILITY has taught me that it can be messy, frustrating, uncomfortable AF, and painful. It shows up when I fall back into having to know and control everything; perfectionism caused by my inner critic’s need to pressure me to achieve based on unrealistic expectations (ESPECIALLY LEARNING NEW THINGS ON THE TENNIS COURTS THAT DON’T COME EASY — WATCH VIDEO BELOW); unworthiness born out of comparison, self-criticism, and self-judgment; and the fears of what will happen to the United States in the coming months and years, not having enough financially, and how aging will impact my body.
I am also learning that VULNERABILITY is an invitation to come home to myself and a CHOICE I get to make that can either create stagnation, struggle, and suffering OR softness, strength, and stability. I am choosing softness, strength, and stability!
Watch the video below to learn more about VULNERABILITY as an invitation to come home to yourself.
REFLECTIONS FOR YOU
I’d love to hear your responses to the questions below. Share in the comment section below.
What’s causing you to experience VULNERABILITY in your life, relationships, or career?
How are you responding to your VULNERABILITY?
RESOURCE #1: MUSIC
The energy of this week’s Super Full Moon in Aries is my heart-centered reminder to find and express courage in facing my vulnerabilities by slowing down and coming home to my REAL self with loving kindness, compassion, nonjudgment, patience, and forgiveness. I call that heart-centered awareness, THRIVING MINDFULLY!
Click on the video below to listen to my “Thriving Mindfully” theme song and learn more about heart-centered awareness (album release on November 20th). Garnet Jackson (Garnet Jay), music producer and founder of the London-based Footprint Productions, produced the album!
RESOURCE #2: WATCH VIDEO RECORDING OF THRIVE@WORK WEBINAR & LEARN HOW TO EMRBACE THRIVING MINDFULLY AS AN IMPERFECTIONIST.
NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY EVENTS
Join me for Thriving Mindfully Sundays on November 30, December 14, and January 4 from 3 p.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET.
Thriving Mindfully Sundays is a series of three 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.
During Thriving Mindfully Sundays, you will have an opportunity to:
-Identify and explore what’s making you vulnerable (examples: perfectionism, comparison, unworthiness, self-criticism, self-judgment, unrealistic expectations, aging, grief, health or financial issues, societal or political events, fears, or life/career/relationship changes)
-Learn how to use the five Thriving Mindfully core commitments to embrace your vulnerability and face whatever has caused you to experience stagnation, struggle, and suffering.
-Develop your Thriving Mindfully strategy and plan to soften, strengthen, and stabilize yourself as you step into your next chapter of living.
GET MORE INFORMATION: https://anandaleeke.com/events
LET’S WORK TOGETHER!
Need one-on-one support navigating change in your life, relationships, and career?
I currently have space for YOU as a Thriving Mindfully coaching or human design client.
Click here to learn more about my 1:1 Thriving Mindfully as the REAL YOU coaching program and schedule a free 30-minute call to discuss how we can work together.
Go here to learn more about my human design session.
Does your organization or community need a keynote speaker, coach, and/or trainer?
Click here to learn about my mindful living, mindful technology, and mindful creativity services.
FINAL THOUGHTS
May you and your family be safe, peaceful, happy, and free from inner and outer harm.
Love, Ease, Grace, Wisdom, Joy, Health, Abundance, and Quantum Alignment,
Ananda
Your Inner Critic, Your Inner Child & Your Joy
Hey there!
On my walk to the tennis courts last week, I had conversations with my inner critic archetype, Broomfield a/k/a Broomie and inner child/little girl archetype, Puf that helped me face self-care sabotage with JOY!
What a juicy conversation we had that reminded me of how powerful JOY is! Watch my latest video to learn what happened.
How do you define JOY?
What does JOY feel and look like in your life?
For me, JOY is a choice to become aware of and rejoice in the JUICY moments that OPEN YOU up from the inside out. The JUICY moments are filled with goodness. When you can make this choice and appreciate and experience your own JOY, you are able to develop the capacity to rejoice in the goodness of others. That’s called sympathetic joy or mudita. It starts first with you.
Here’s some Thriving Mindfully food for thought. I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Need help practicing self-care and/or facing your self-care sabotage?
Click the buttons below to get my Thriving Mindfully self-care resources and sign up for Thriving Mindfully Mondays and/or my Thriving Mindfully as an Imperfectionist session for the Thrive@Work Series: How to Thrive at Work During Change and Uncertainty this month.
LEARN ABOUT MY BOOKS
I’ve been writing and publishing my poetry chapbooks, novel, and memoirs since 1992. It’s wild to think that I have been learning and growing as a poet and author for over 30+ years.
Did you know I have written three mindfulness books that reflect aspects of my life journey?
Click the button below to learn about and purchase them online.
–Love’s Troubadours, a self-love and yoga-inspired novel that is based on some parts of my life and imagination
–That Which Awakens Me, a mindful creativity memoir
–Digital Sisterhood, a mindful technology memoir
I am currently writing my midlife memoir, Thriving Mindfully as Theresa’s Daughter and working on the release of my debut spoken word album, “Theresa’s Daughter.”
Contact me (ananda@anandaleeke.com) if you or your organization or book club would like me to speak about or facilitate a book discussion about one of my books.
WATCH #THRIVINGMINDFULLY COMMUNITY’S IG LIVE VIDEO: Conversation About Impact of World Champions Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles & Simone Manuel Prioritizing Their Mental Health & Declaring Self-Care Birthright
Go here to watch the IG Live video.
My Thank You Letter to Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles & Simone Manuel for Declaring Their Self-Care Independence Unapologetically!
July was a powerful self-care month in the lives of three of my favorite women athletes, Naomi Osaka, a 23-year old Japanese-Haitian American world tennis champion and entrepreneur; Simone Biles, a 24-year old African-American Olympic gymnast; and Simone Manuel, a 24 year-old African-American Olympic swimmer. Each of these women of color have chosen to make their mental health, well-being, and self-care a priority. Watching them put themselves first above their demanding careers and public scrutiny has been a master class in what it means to embrace, embody, and express the radical self-care wisdom of African-American writer, womanist, and civil rights activist Audre Lorde: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.” I think we can all learn something from these self-care sheroes!
NAOMI OSAKA
After watching Naomi step away from the French Open and withdraw from Wimbledon to prioritize her mental health, I read her essay in TIME and watched her Netflix documentary. Her courage to be vulnerable with herself and willingness to share her vulnerability on the world stage filled my heart with deep gratitude. Gratitude because here is a woman who clearly has her own personal issues (like the rest of us) and is deeply engaged in her own wellness journey, stepping out and shining a light on a topic most of society is hesitant to acknowledge, discuss, and address. In her TIME essay, she writes, “I do hope that people can relate and understand it’s OK to not be OK; and it’s OK to talk about it.”
SIMONE BILES
Naomi’s decision to speak openly, honestly, and from her heart inspired Simone Biles (“Simone B.”) when she decided to withdraw from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games. During one of her interviews, Simone encouraged other athletes to “put mental health first, because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to.” She also reassured them, “it’s OK sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself, because it shows how strong of a competitor that you really are, rather than just battle through it.” Her mental health activism stems directly from the deep commitment she has made to herself to get help when needs it. In her most recent interview with Health Magazine, she shares how she uses the support of a psychologist, her family, and her boyfriend to navigate her life and career.
It is worth noting that after Simone B. followed her own mind and took a week to rest and focus on her mental health, she decided to return to the Tokyo Olympics and compete in the balance beam final on August 3, 2021. Once again, she has shown women and girls of color and all people how to love, honor, and nurture oneself. Her decision and actions illustrate what it means to be an IN-POWERED HUMAN BEING. A person who is able to put being before doing to honor their own mental health, well-being, and self-care. In the end, she came back on her own terms and won a Bronze medal!
SIMONE MANUEL
Like Naomi and Simone B., Simone Manuel (“Simone M.), represents a new wave of women of color who are using their global platform to champion mental health, well-being, and self-care as they express their own vulnerability and how they are nurturing themselves. Last year, Glamour Magazine interviewed Simone M. about the importance of mental health. Check out her candid response: “Mental health is so crucial because it contributes to how you navigate through this world and what you think of yourself. I’ve been seeing a sports psychologist since I was 15 and I use that to talk about my experiences as a Black swimmer and a Black woman in this world. I think that it genuinely has helped me be able to handle some of the hardships or the experiences that I’ve dealt with in my life. It’s such a powerful, powerful tool to be able to exercise your mind and strengthen your mind.”
Throughout the interview, she gives an inside look into her self-care which includes two of my favorite mindfulness practices, meditation and journaling. She urges us to resist numbing our feelings. She also reassures us that it’s okay to feel and talk about our emotions and listen to our bodies. I know she was following her own advice when she took a break from training after being diagnosed with overtraining syndrome earlier this year.
THE GEN Z + GEN X CONNECTION
When I look at these three 20-something women who represent my niece Jordan’s Gen Z generation and their self-care journey, I realize we share a similar path. As a 56 year-old African-American woman who sometimes self-identifies as a Gen X member, I remember what it felt like to be an overachieving stressed and time-pressed lawyer and investment banker in my late 20s and early 30s. My self-worth was tied to my career. When my career didn’t produce the success I expected, my mental health and well-being were nonexistent. With the support of my parents, family, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority sisters, Howard University School of Law and Georgetown University Law Center classmates, friends, and a therapist, I started to recognize how important it was to ground myself in self-care. It became the foundation for how I currently live my life. It also inspired me to express my creativity as a writer and an artist-in-residence for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts at Howard University Hospital and Walter Reed National Military Hospital. In addition, it led me to study and become a certified yoga and meditation teacher, a reiki master and sound healing practitioner, and a digital wellness educator. Today, I am blessed to use my experience and expertise in my work with people of all ages who are struggling with self-care as the Chief Mindfulness Officer of my wellness company, Ananda Leeke Consulting, and the founder of the Thriving Mindfully Community and Academy.
As I closed out July, I decided to write a thank you to letter Naomi, Simone B., and Simone M. for showing up as their REAL selves. Check out what I had to say.
Dear Naomi, Simone B., and Simone M.,
Your courage to stand up, speak your truth from your heart, say HELL NO to society’s hustle culture, and say HELL YES to your mental health, well-being, and self-care has become a powerful gift to all of us Black and Brown women, women of color, all women and girls, and folks on Mother Earth.
You are showing many of us how to declare our self-care independence unapologetically.
Your choice to honor yourself on the global stage is helping some of us see what it means to be vulnerable, loving, kind, gentle, and compassionate with ourselves. When we see you, we are able to look in the mirror and see folks who look just like us claim and practice their birthright of mental health, well-being, and self-care.
Without even knowing it, you are helping us all recommit ourselves to a healthier life mission. One where we are humans being instead of humans doing. One that carves out a public pathway to self-care beyond survival, the very thing Dr. Maya Angelou spoke about in her ancestral wisdom statement: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive.”
One last thing! I wrote a poem, “What’s Next: A Lifeline to Stop Doing, Start Being” that expresses what this thank you letter could not. Watch a video of me reading it below.
Deeply grateful,
Ananda
Check out the IG Live conversation I had with Xina Eiland, President of X+PR, co-founder of Unmute, and co-host of the Get Found Get Funded podcast on August 1, 2021, about the impact of Naomi, Simone B., and Simone M.’s decision to prioritize their mental health and self-care.
SELF-CARE SUPPORT FOR READERS
Just in case you need self-care support, I invite you to do three things.
- Go here to take my self-care survey (4 easy questions that take less than 5 minutes to answer).
- Click here to claim your complimentary membership in my Thriving Mindfully Community, a digital sacred space that inspires you to nurture, transform, and celebrate your life and career.
- If you wanna deepen your wellness commitment and expand your personal growth journey with my support, join me for the Thriving Mindfully Academy’s Master Class on August 4th at 8–9:15 PM ET or August 7th at 1–2:15 PM ET. Click on the links below.
-Buy your ticket here for the Thriving Mindfully Academy’s Master Class on August 4th at 8–9:15 PM ET
-Buy your ticket here for the Thriving Mindfully Academy’s Master Class on August 7th at 1–2:15 PM ET
Digital Wellness Movie Recommendation: The Social Dilemma
Last year, I watched The Social Dilemma, a documentary film that paints an alarming picture of how technology and social media shape our lives, on Netflix. The film features interviews with tech professionals including former Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest employees who discuss the risks technology and social media bring to our emotional and physical well-being, mental health, human rights, freedom, and democracy. Watch the trailer below.
Given the fact the film was released in the midst of a global pandemic, mass mobilizations for racial justice, a major U.S. presidential election, and a new socially distant school year, I think it is a MUST SEE! Why?
1) Because our society’s dependence on technology for connection, education, health and social services, consumer shopping, news, and entertainment has expanded tremendously.
2) Because the tech companies and social media platforms have a lot power, are not heavily regulated, and if left unchecked, can hurt our emotional and physical well-being, mental health, freedom, human rights, and democracy. Medical News Today addressed the following negative physical, emotional, and mental health effects of technology in a February 2020 article:
-Physical Health: eyestrain, poor posture (neck and back pain), poor brain development in children and teens, lack of sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle that reduces physical activity and contributes to obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and a premature death; and
-Emotional and Mental Health: anxiety, depression, isolation, loss of focus, digital distraction, and tech overload
Read the Digital Detox’s blog post, The 19 Negative Effects of Technology in 2019. Also, check out the Pew Research Center 2020 Survey that reported 64% of Americans thought social media had a mostly negative effect on the way things in the U.S.
After watching the film, I took a hard look at my digital life and habits and decided to recommit to my own digital wellness. I recommend you watch the film on Netflix this weekend or later this month. May it inspire you to use digital wellness practices to transform how you use technology and social media this year.
Need more help with digital wellness?
Visit the Thriving Mindfully Academy here for digital wellness resources.
Need coaching or training support for yourself and/or company or organization? Head on over to Ananda Leeke Consulting to learn how we can work together this year.
Use De-Stress Tool to Manage Political Stress
According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of American Psychological Association (APA), more than two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) say that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was a significant source of stress in their life. The APA survey also reported that regardless of political affiliation, majorities say the election is a significant source of stress (76% of Democrats, 67% of Republicans and 64% of Independents). Read more here.
Do these statistics describe how you felt last year?
Do they describe how you are currently feeling in the wake of what happened on January 6th when domestic terrorists stormed the U.S. Capitol?
Do they represent how you feel about local and national politics, the current White House administration, the electoral certification process, Georgia Senate races of newly elected U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on January 20th, and the coming days of getting a new Democratic-controlled government in place?
If you answered YES or MAYBE to any of these questions, I ‘ve got something you can use to manage your stress.. Watch the video below and learn how to use the Thriving Mindfully Academy’s De-Stress Tool.
Need more support? Visit the Thriving Mindfully Academy’s mindful self-care resources here.
Need coaching or training support for yourself and/or company or organization? Head on over to Ananda Leeke Consulting to learn how we can work together this year.
Ananda Leeke 