Naturalista4me

Why You Should Use Natural Deodorant

17/04/2018Qwania Dixon

I was skeptical when it came to trying a natural deodorant as I did not want to walk around smelling like a skunk. The first time I tried to wear natural deodorant it was an epic fail. I sweated all day and I was funky. I had to do something as wearing regular deodorant was no longer an option. It has been almost a year now that I have been wearing natural deodorant and I can now confidently hug others. Ha!

Hygiene and beauty products contain chemicals that are harmful. Chemicals are being used to preserve products, prevent mold and bacteria growth, cause a lather effect and give fragrance and color. This sounds great and all but there is a gamble with your health involved. Non-natural deodorants contain aluminum, parabens, fragrances, steareths and triclosan – to name a few.

Aluminum can clog your pores therefor preventing sweating. I know, we want to stay dry but at what costs? Parabens are used to preserve product by preventing bacteria growth and mold. Parabens have been linked to spur the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells. Fragrances can cause irritation and allergic reactions as it is absorbed through the skin. Steareths are used to help hold together the ingredients of the products therefor preventing separation. Triclosan is also used to prevent bacteria and mold growth in products. Sounds good right? So not so…. I decided to detox my underarms and this also helped with the stench. I also improved my diet.

Armpit detox recipe-

You will need-

Bowl or Cup – Do not use metal

Fork or Spoon- Do not use metal

Bentonite clay- Approx. 1 teaspoon

Apple Cider Vinegar- Approx. 2 teaspoons

Directions-

Combine the bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar until smooth. You may need more or less ACV so always eyeball as you combine it with the bentonite clay.
Apply to underarms.
Let dry.
Rinse with lukewarm water.

I detoxed my arm pits once a week until I achieved my desired results. This can vary from person to person as each individual is unique.

I do not wear deodorant every day. I know this may sound crazy, but now I am able to do this. I learned I could do this when I went an entire day without my deodorant. I was simply rushing and forgot to put it on. I sweated throughout the day but did not have an odor. Go me! Ha!

Natural deodorants are the best way to go to support good health. Although chemicals preserve our products, they are also gambling with our health. So, are they really helping us?

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Disclaimer- This post may contain affiliate links.

Naturalista4me Show

10/04/2018Qwania Dixon

Naturalista4me now has a show that will debut Sunday May 6, 2018 at 5pm CST on the Naturalista4me Facebook page. On this show I will be sharing with you all things holistic health, natural hair and lifestyle. I will be LIVE every Sunday!

On our first show we have guests Tonya Miller Cross of Accented Glory and Loronda C. Giddens, Keynote Speaker, Author and Founder of EnerPeace Creations, LLC.

Let’s connect on Facebook!

Naturalista4me Page– https://www.facebook.com/naturalista4me2/

Naturalista4me Group (Women)– Holistic Health, Natural Hair Care, Lifestyle

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Naturalista4meGroup/

Healing My Way to the Top – https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeditationManifestationWomensGroup/

For sponsorship and guest inquiry, please contact us using the form below.

My Visit to Edwin Warner State Park

29/03/201829/03/2018Qwania Dixon

As a child I spent many hours sitting outside listening to the birds, admiring the trees and flowers, digging in the dirt and being in a state of peace. My favorite tree to sit in was a Magnolia tree. The leaves disguised me, and I could observe my surroundings from up high. Nature is healing. My love of nature is still as strong as it was when I was a child.

I was not feeling the best this past Sunday and I knew I needed to get out in nature. I needed fresh air and to feel the vibration of nature all around me. It grounds me, and I use herbs and spices to promote my health and heal myself. Nature is the original medicine.

My husband and I decided to visit Edwin Warner State Park. This park is located in Nashville, TN . When I first walked onto the pathway, the beauty and feeling was so overwhelming I began to shed tears. My husband looked at me in a state of confusion. I told him that my tears were coming from a place of joy. I released something from my being in that moment and felt pure overwhelming joy.

My tears eventually stopped flowing and we began our walk. And so, our nature healing shower began……

You must experience it for yourself.

Learn more about this park here–>Edwin Warner State Park

How to Wash Locs with African Black Soap Video Tutorial & Product Review

27/03/2018Qwania Dixon

African soap is beneficial for its ability to gently cleanse. It is an antibacterial and many use it to care for skin conditions such as acne.

I am always up to try natural ways to cleanse my locs, so I gave African soap a try.

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African Black Soap Raw Organic Natural Pure 1lb 16oz

Holistic Journey To A New Me

22/03/201823/03/2018Qwania Dixon

Patricia Marie- Christ Follower | librarian | writer | editor | runner

Naturalista4me Contributor

Holistic Journey To A New Me

There comes a point when the heaviness of life begins to weigh us down. We question who or what is the cause, and we search for answers and relief. My story is simple. I hated my life, felt I had no purpose and waited for the moment that God just flipped the switch and saved me from this hell hole.

On the outside, so many would wonder what craziness I was feeling. How could I be so unhappy? They saw a beautiful, single, 34 year old successful woman with no kids… living life. But, what they couldn’t see was the heaviness I struggled with in my mind: Depression.

It’s not a week of pms. It’s not a bad hair day. It’s not a season of a breakup. Depression is this unexplainable sadness and lack of hope to keep pressing forward. No matter how successful you are. No matter how much money you make. No matter how desirable you are. Depression will disregard all of that and slap you right across your face. It’s a heaviness that holds positive perceptions hostage. But, I won’t dwell on that. I just want to share how I escaped.

In the past I would start a new regimen. It would work for a few days. Then, out of nowhere depression would creep its head around the corner and say, “Well I hope you enjoyed that, ‘cus I’m back with a vengeance.” This time around, I am happy to say this happy bubble I’m in is real and not a mirage of my imagination.

There were a few things that I can say are playing a major part in my holistic healing journey.

First off, I quit my prescribed antidepressant. The side effects were not worth continuing the prescription. I replaced them with an all natural supplement called 5 HTP. Within days I felt like a brand new person. I thought maybe it was a fluke and would be one of the many things that only brought happiness for 3 days then back to the hell in my mind I’d go. 30 days later and I’m steady climbing the peace and happiness ladder.
I also increased my spiritual regimen. I bought a sage kit to begin healing my surroundings. The kit included White Sage and Palo Santo wood to burn while, blessing and or cleansing myself or my home.
Thinking that practicing more self love would help with my healing, another healing step that I took was purchasing a Yoni Egg set. Yoni eggs are created by forming healing crystals into the shape of an egg. When inserted, they can help to heal in many ways. Even though I have only had a few sessions with my first egg, I have begun to feel more beautiful and have become more aware of my body.
Research has shown me that sound therapy is very beneficial and can even help with mood enhancement. Binaural beats are my go to when I need a quick pick me up or if I just want to simply meditate for a few minutes. These specialized sounds may just sound nice and relaxing, but they are playing in a certain frequency that can help with anxiety, depression, concentration, and even pain.
One last item that I have added to my holistic healing regimen has been an Essential Oils Set. As a form of aromatherapy, these oils can change your mood and even heal certain ailments. I place the oil into a diffuser or they can even be used topically.

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All in all, I have felt so amazing the past month. Healing takes time and effort. As I continue this journey, my prayer life will expand and my intimacy with God, the Most High, will be untouchable. I pray that I have encouraged someone today and would love to share more details with anyone that is interested.

Instagram: writtenlady
Youtube: Patricia Marie

How to Choose the Best Jamaican Black Castor Oil

21/03/201821/03/2018Qwania Dixon

How to Choose the Best Jamaican Black Castor Oil

There are many Jamaican black castor oils on the market, so it can become overwhelming to know which one to purchase. What is the difference anyway? Are they created equal? I am here to help you make the best decision.

As with all products there are ingredients. I have learned that the longer the ingredient list, the more complex and diluted the product usually is. I tend to lean more towards limited ingredient products. When it comes to oils this standard also applies because I do not want to use diluted products if I can help it.

Take a moment one day while you are in the grocery store and look at the olive oils and coconut oils. You will notice there are different brands. You may also see terminology such as refined and unrefined. Is there a difference in these terms? Absolutely.

There are products that are diluted and/or stripped of most of it’s nutrients, for example, Shea butter to turn it from yellow to white. I want my products as natural and closest to it’s purest form as possible so that I can get the most benefit from them. Products that are in their purest form, for example, raw Jamaican black castor oil, will have a strong scent. A little goes a very long way. When using diluted products, I notice that I use them quickly.

Organic products may cost a bit more than non-organic, but I am here to tell you that it is worth the investment. We spend a lot of moolah using diluted products because they run out so quickly. On top of that, we are not getting the nutrients we could get if the product was not diluted or stripped of it’s nutrients.

Garden of Life Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – Unrefined Cold Pressed Coconut Oil for Hair, Skin and Cooking, 14 Ounce

When choosing an olive oil from the grocery department, I look for a rich, thick and darker in color oil. When I am choosing coconut oil, I use organic or unrefined. Unrefined means it has not been stripped of most of its nutrients. I apply the same standards when choosing other oils.

Jamaican black castor oil is a powerful oil that is beneficial for fighting scalp fungus, improves hair growth, fades scars and soothes skin. I have tried many castor oils and I can honestly say they are not created equal. Some of the castor oils I purchased were a blend of oils and was diluted. I came across a company by the name of Rooted Treasure and I fell in love with their castor oil. The ingredients are plain and simple, one word. This oil is not in stores and must be purchased online.

http://www.rootedtreasure.com/

This oil is rich, thick like maple syrup and dark brown. The scent is nutty. This nutty smell is missing in many diluted oil blends so that is the first indicator that you have a diluted, stripped of its nutrients, castor oil.

To get the most benefit from your castor oil, you want to make sure it is as close to it’s purest form as possible to achieve better results. Invest in a product that is created to help you and give you the most nutrients possible!

Probiotics and Hair Growth

20/03/2018Qwania Dixon

I must be honest and say that I have been through the most when it comes to dealing with an unhealthy gut. If my diet is not as it should be, it surely reflects and makes me miserable. I now incorporate natural ways to support my gut health and give natural relief.

Why is gut health important?

Our digestive tract plays a major role in the detoxing and immunity of the body. If your gut health is not good, other complications may arise like constipation, bloating, cramping, fatigue and decrease in mental clarity.

If there is an imbalance in the immune system of the body, this makes us vulnerable to the many toxins we come into contact with daily. Diseases can begin to manifest in the body.

Nordic Naturals Nordic Probiotic 12 Billion Live Cultures

What does probiotics have to do with hair growth?

Our gut consists of good bacteria and bad. We experience problems when there is an imbalance and hair loss can be a result. If the gut is healthy, the blood in our body will be cleaner and this blood nourishes our hair follicles.

Full course antibiotics can kill the good and bad bacteria in your gut. If you are prescribed antibiotics, you can incorporate probiotics into your diet to support a healthy gut. It can take up to a year for our gut to return to good health without taking probiotics, so it is a plus to support our health now. Toxins accumulate in our gut and over time you may experience symptoms such as fatigue, nausea and most of all, for me, an alteration of mental clarity.
Hair loss is largely influenced by your diet, lifestyle, and environment. Hair follicles that are subjected to malnutrition, inflammation, and environmental pollutants cannot sustain hair growth activity and, as a result, die off.

Probiotics encourage healthy flora in the gut and this improves health. Your body will be able to ward off toxins and other conditions that could result in hair loss. Probiotics can increase hair growth and thicken hair. They also have a positive effect on your blood pH levels, thereby resulting in a healthy shine.

Which probiotic is best?

The most commonly used probiotic in modern studies is lactobacillus. When choosing a probiotic supplement, make sure that is the primary strain. You can consume probiotics by supplementing with capsules, consuming foods with live cultures such as yogurt and drinking probiotic drinks.

We should take preventative measures internally to support healthy growing hair!

**Disclaimer: All information shared on Naturalista4me.com is for informational purposes only. Please consult with your physician about any medical concerns you may have.

Is detangling your hair really necessary?

19/03/201819/03/2018Qwania Dixon

Is detangling really necessary?

Detangling can be very time consuming especially if you have thick course hair. Many have chosen to toss the combs and brushes and finger detangle while others have found an oh so wonderful brush to make their lives a whole lot easier.

It is important that you detangle unless you are wanting to transition to a freeform loc journey. Over time, your hair may begin to lock. I experienced this with my two daughters. I would wash their hair and rush through to detangle somewhat and this went on for a couple of months. Our lives seem as if they are on turbo since relocating from our country bumkin hometown to Tennessee. Taking time and doing hair was the last thing on my list of things to do.

My daughters rocked afros, frohawks and puffs for the most part. I finally took the time to go through their hair and detangle it and I trimmed their ends. Their hair looks and feels so much better. In the crown area of both of their heads, their hair had begun to intertwine. Curly, kinky hair can easily begin to lock as it intertwines.

I like to use brushes and my fingers to easily detangle my children’s hair. There are many brush choices out there. Your hair type and texture will determine which brush will work best for you. How are you supposed to figure that out? I gotcha! Hang tight.

There are different hair types and textures. You may have heard about this before as we become researchaholics when we are thinking about returning natural or just recently began our journeys. I surely did this sun up to sun down admiring all the long curly haired youtubers. I couldn’t wait for mine to get there!

Curly textures are type 3a to 4c. Type 4 hair is kinkier and more course than type 3 hair. Be mindful of the bristles on the brush and whether or not it is tugging and ripping at your hair.

Here are some brush options.

ArtNaturals Detangling Brush

This brush is one that I have personally used on my children. My daughters have two different textures. My youngest daughter is a type 3c versus my oldest daughter is 4b. It worked better on the type 3 texture best. It kept getting caught in the type 4 texture.

My oldest daughter’s hair is very kinky. She does have coils that form at the root and get lost in the afro bush as you continue down the hair strand towards the tip of the hair. This brush worked great for her.To detangle with this brush, began at the end of the hair strands and make your way up the strand towards the scalp/root.

I will give this brush another try on my daughter with type 4 hair with a conditioner that has great slip.

Wet Paddle Brush
This brush is one that works great for my daughter with type 3 hair. To easily detangle with this brush, part hair into smaller sections and detangle in sections. This makes the process easier and less painful due to tension for you or your loved ones.

Our hair sheds 50-100 strands of hair a day so do not be alarmed if you see hair in your brush. Take your time detangling.

Denman Brush
This brush is one of my favorites as it works great for both of my daughter’s hair types and textures. This brush can be used to achieve a wash and go style for those who have more defined curlier textures. You may say that your texture is not defined but if you notice a defined curl pattern while your hair is wet with water or covered in your favorite conditioner then you can achieve a wash and go!

If you do not notice a curl pattern when your hair is wet, try a natural hair detox like a bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar hair mask. This natural mask can remove product buildup that could be weighing your curls down. This mask also conditions while cleansing.
Learn more about it here.

Whatever brush you choose to use is up to you. What works for you may not work for others and my daughters are a great example of that. This also applies to products and hairstyle choices. We must find what works for us.

Detangling is very important if you are not ready to go on a loc journey or experience the process of cutting knots out of your hair. Taking preventative measures is important!

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Herbal Oil Infusion for Sale!

14/03/201814/03/2018Qwania Dixon

I love making herbal oil infusions for my family as well as others who order from me.

Herbal oils are a natural way of caring for your scalp, hair strands and skin. Our skin is the largest organ of our body and it protects us from outside harmful toxins so caring for our skin is a must.

Many are experiencing scalp issues. My now 7 year old daughter had fungus on her scalp and it would often bleed when she was 4 years old. There were days when I would be terrified to take down her ponytails because the fungus would build up on the scalp within the pony tail area.

I could only imagine how she felt. How embarrassed she was! How creeped out she was knowing a fungus was on her scalp and her scalp was bleeding from it.

One day I decided to cleanse her scalp with baking soda. I then rinsed her scalp and hair with Apple Cider Vinegar. I followed up by massaging raw black castor oil onto her scalp.

My daughter has not had a scalp issue since!

I am not a doctor! Just a lover of natural remedies.

I work with oils and love herbs so I decided to blend the two to help others as well as my family’s needs.

Herbal infusions are now on sale for only $19.99.

This includes shipping and handling within the U.S.

Step your product game up by adding infused oils to your hair and skin care collection!

Herbal Hair Growth and Skin Care Oil Infusion

Encourage hair growth and healthy, clear and radiant skin naturally. (includes shipping US only)

$27.75

Detoxing and Hair Growth

13/03/2018Qwania Dixon

Detoxing and Hair Growth

Does the health of your body have anything to do with your hair health? You take care of your hair by applying products to it, but you must keep in mind that your hair grows from follicles. Are your follicles in good health? Are you drinking enough water and eating a proper diet to support a healthy balanced body?

Detoxing is important for supporting the elimination of toxins in your body. We encounter so many toxins a day and consume them in some of our food. If you do not encourage detoxification, this leaves room for diseases to manifest in the body.

Your hair grows from your hair follicles. Your follicles must be in good health just like every other part of your body to function at it’s best. If there are complications within your body systems, this can alter your hair growth. For example, there are people who have high blood pressure. They take a prescription medication and this medication can alter the growth pattern of the hair. Certain high blood pressure medications can cause hair loss.

You can detox your scalp and hair using healing clays and other natural remedy concoctions, but you also need to detox your inner. We must always focus on our bodies as a whole. If we only focus on one thing (the symptom) then we are risking altering the proper functioning of other body systems.

Do you see how this all works full circle? When you are balanced, your body can function and heal itself properly and you will not be the breeding ground for all types of diseases.

Many women are dealing with the struggle of losing belly fat. Toxins are present within this stubborn fat and that is why it is so difficult to get rid of it! If we detox our bodies, we are encouraging the balancing of the body therefor our bodies can do what it can naturally do- heal!

For an internal detox you can go on some cleanses of your choice. You can detox through juicing as well as other cleanses that you can purchase at herbal, wholefoods and other health supporting related stores.

Check out these store options-

Starwest Botanicals

Herbal Garden

Arbonne 7 Day Botanical Based Cleanse

These are just to name a few. I am very selective about herbal and other natural/organic choices that are sold and I trust these businesses therefore I am sharing them with you! Quality is always important and this does not change when it comes to the products that you use inner or outer for your body.

The Benefits of Hair Growth Smoothies

01/03/201812/03/2018Qwania Dixon

Hair Growth Smoothies

Can drinking smoothies really help your hair to grow?

Drinking smoothies is a great way to get nutrients into your body. Too often we focus our attention on the next best product for our hair. It can be easy to forget that our inner health plays a major role in the health of our hair. Hair grows from follicles in our scalp, so it is important that we maintain a healthy scalp.

I love making smoothies as it is the most convenient way for me to eat a complete meal sometimes. I experiment with different fruits, leafy greens and seeds to prepare tasty blends. I do not need a really tasty smoothie, however, my children and husband will not consume it if I do not make it yummy.

How can drinking a smoothie help my hair to grow?

When you consume nourishing foods, your body can function at it’s best. Improper functioning of the body can cause complications. Inner problems can influence our outer. When there is imbalance in the body, this can influence the hair growth process. Smoothies are an easy way to give your body the nutrients that it needs.

Natural Body Care Products

If you are anything like me, it can sometimes be a hassle to sit down and enjoy a meal with a busy schedule. I am working on time management so that I can sit down and enjoy my meals throughout the day. Until I get this together, smoothies are to my rescue.

For your smoothie to be a meal replacement you would need to make sure it consists of sufficient protein. Protein is an important building block for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Almost 80% of human’s hair is made up of protein. It is important for hair growth.

Check out these awesome protein powders.

Kale

Spinach

Spinach and kale are great protein sources. They are always at the base of my smoothies. I choose one or the other. The fruits that I have added to my blend so far are blueberries, strawberries, bananas, mangoes, pineapple and apples. I also add flax seeds or chia seeds, coconut water or almond milk.

As you begin to make your own smoothies, you will find your rhythm and create your own blends.

How do you make a smoothie?

Of course, I couldn’t let you go without answering this question for you!

Choose your ingredients (leafy greens, fruits, seeds, water, almond milk or coconut water)
Add to blender
Blend well
Enjoy!

Smoothies are super easy to make and a major part of my daily lifestyle. Your body will thank you for it!

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Is Your Shampoo Fading Your Hair Dye Color?

28/02/201812/03/2018Qwania Dixon

Many naturals are coloring their hair and I have rocked a few colors myself. Vibrant colors are making bold statements as many are expressing themselves by coloring their hair. You may notice that your color fades quickly and this is an absolute bummer. If your vibrant red is fading, it will have a dull appearance and can sometimes look orange.

naturalista4mecolor — Being selective about my shampoo choices helped me to rock this bold red longer than many are able to using regular shampoos and conditioners.

I do not know anyone who wants dull looking hair. If you are getting your hair dyed professionally, your beautician may tell you how to care for your hair at home and what products to use to preserve your color. I love it when stylists give care instructions. I used to work in a salon in Atlanta, GA, Capri Salon, and we would write hair prescriptions. I thought it was the coolest idea ever to give home hair care instructions.

So, you just colored your hair and now a week or two later you wash it. You notice your color is a bit dull. What do you do? Why is this happening?

Many shampoos contain chemicals that strip the hair of any build up. Unfortunately, these types of shampoos strip the hair of everything, including some of your color. If your hair dye is permanent, the color was able to penetrate the hair strand and get into the cortex of the hair strand where most of the pigments are. Pigments give the hair color. Hair dye also coats the outside of the strand. For those who use hair dye rinses, the dye is coating the outside of the hair strand. You may notice that your color may fade quicker than those who have permanent hair dye.

If you have color, it is good to use a shampoo that will not strip your hair and dull your shine. There are products that tailor to colored hair and maintaining vibrancy and moisture.

A great option to try is Arbonne Pure Vibrance. It is a botanical based fortifying shampoo that can help your color to last for up to 20 washes. It also cleanses without drying. No one wants to purchase color, take the time to do it or pay a salon top dollar and it only last two washes. That is wasted money!

Invest in a color preserving shampoo and conditioner and your hair will thank you for it!

Have you been experiencing fading color after shampooing?

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Naturalista4me is an Arbonne Independent Consultant

I Am Now an Arbonne Independent Consultant

27/02/201801/03/2018Qwania Dixon

I have great news to share! I am now an Arbonne Independent Consultant! I was introduced to this product line recently by a personal trainer and Arbonne Consultant. I wanted to learn more about it so I began to research, ask questions and I attended a nutrition and makeup event. Almost immediately I was drawn to the detox selections and protein powders. I love making smoothies with protein. Yummy and healthy! I am all about detoxing and caring for the body inside and out, so I was excited to learn more about the products.

Arbonne is a chemical free product line that has products for nutrition, bath and body, skin care and makeup. I am excited to be a part of Arbonne as I share with everyone the importance of caring for our health.

Good health plays a major role in the growth of our hair. As I work with individuals daily, I can see how their lifestyle choices are reflecting in their hair growth. It is important that we take care of our outer but we must not forget to take care of our inner. Our bodies are working daily to heal themselves and maintain balance so that they can function properly. It can be challenging to completely avoid chemicals, especially with all of the toxins in the air but we can take care of what we do have control of like the foods we consume and the products we apply to our bodies.

Prescription medications can alter the state of the body as well and create an imbalance. Millions of people are on prescription medications for various illness and diseases. Using complimentary alternatives methods can encourage better health. Eating nourishing foods, minimizing your stress levels and using chemical free products are just some complimentary ways that you can better your health.

I am a sweets gal. I love chocolate chip cookies and brownies! I know that sugar isn’t good for me and this is just one of those things I am having to work on. I am transitioning to a better me instead of overwhelming myself by stopping everything cold turkey.

I have had a natural skin care regimen for years that consisted of honey, sugar, lemon and bentonite clay. Once I tried the Arbonne skin care line, I knew right away that I was going to purchase some. My face felt amazing. Although I do not wear full face makeup, I decided to try it anyway. I loved how light the makeup felt on my face and how natural it looked.

I believe in using natural products, detoxing and all other things that we can do to improve our health. Most of all, I believe in helping others to achieve their health and life goals. I believe it is my purpose to help, uplift and raise the vibration of others so they can be their best selves.

I can’t wait to share these products with you’ll as we work together on bettering our health and achieving our goals!

Shop now!

Jamnatura Products Review

25/02/201825/02/2018Qwania Dixon

I had the opportunity to try some of Jamnatura’s products. On a path to bettering my health and maintaining healthy growing hair, I have been leaning more towards natural things. I was excited to try their products.

I received my products quickly and could not wait to dive in! The packaging was nice. It was a brown box with a company label. Inside the box, my products were nicely placed and there was information about the product from the company. The smells were heavenly.

I did a first impression video review. My items were activated charcoal soap, matcha green tea and thyme hair and skin oil and activated charcoal cream. In the video I unboxed, smelled and gave my opinion on the products.

The soap was heavenly. I thoroughly enjoyed how soft and smooth my skin felt after using it. It lathers well and smelled great too. I have been battling with eczema since I was a child and most soaps irritate me. This soap did not irritate me at all.

I used the oil to moisturize my skin daily. I love the scent. The scent reminded me of organic fresh fruits, herbs and spices. I felt earthy, relaxed and most of all at ease knowing I was wearing something that was beneficial for me.

I did not use the charcoal cream as often as I did the oil. I think I am just an oil person. I do make herbal oil infusions myself, so I have a love for oils. The charcoal cream made my skin feel just like the charcoal soap. My skin was soft and looked exfoliated. I only used a very small amount of the cream as a little goes a very long way. Because of this, the cream lasts for a while.

I am looking forward to trying more products!

My Visit to High Garden Herbal Store

24/02/2018Qwania Dixon

I was in herb heaven yesterday. I had a meeting with a personal trainer and Arbonne Independent Consultant at High Garden. High Garden is a sipping apothecary and herbal store. When I first moved to Tennessee I began looking for herbal stores and asked the locals to recommend a store. One store kept coming up and that was High Garden. I googled the location and took the time to browse their website. I love adding the medicinal properties of herbs to my oils for hair and skin care. I like to give my carrier oils an extra boost. I also drink herbal tea to detox and support good health.

0223181154 — Meeting with Personal Trainer and Arbonne Distributor Kathy Mead.

When I walked into the store I stopped for a moment at the entry and took it all in. There was a sign posted near the entry that stated no laptops, so I was hesitant about having my cell phone visible. I decided to go ahead and ask an employee if I could take a few pictures. He granted me permission, so I went for it.

The tone of High Garden is very earthy. I enjoyed a cup of tea to uplift my mood as my day had started off rocky. I browsed around for a few checking out the herb selections. In the back of the store there was a Kombucha bar. I had my four-year son with me and he wanted something to drink so I asked the lady at the bar if they had anything that a child may like. She suggested a lemonade. My son tried it and it wasn’t his cup of tea, but we know how children’s taste buds can be. As an adult I am not as picky about taste when it comes to my health.

My tea definitely enhanced my mood. My original plans were to leave the herb shop and close up in my home all day but instead I ended up staying out and about enjoying the beautiful weather. I even took my little man to the park.

I purchased nettle for an infusion I am making for a customer, natural deodorant, a pine bundle for cleansing my space and a quitting blend for my husband as he is quitting smoking.

I will be revisiting this location. The employees are very knowledgeable about the herbs and products sold. This makes a huge difference. If you have any questions on where to start for your needs, they will guide you in the right direction. They answered every question I had, and I left a satisfied customer.

Healthy Happy Hour Networking Event

22/02/201822/02/2018Qwania Dixon

I recently attended a networking event that I thoroughly enjoyed. I connected with a lady (Kathy) from a local girls Facebook group and learned that she was a personal trainer and independent consultant with Arbonne. Kathy shared an event flyer with me for the Healthy Happy Hour Networking Event. I just had to go! I was interested in learning more about Arbonne products and networking.

The event took place at the Nashville Farmer’s Market. I have always wanted to visit a farmer’s market, so I was excited to be able to visit the location. The time of the event was near the closing hours of many parts of the farmer’s market and I was power walking and looking for the conference room, so I was not able to fully capture what all the market has to offer. I will be revisiting one weekend for sure.

Arbonne is a chemical free product line. This line consists of nutrition, make-up, skin care and bath & body. I had the opportunity to try the make-up at an Arbonne pamper party that I attended this past weekend. My face felt amazing. Although I do not wear full face make-up, I decided to try it anyway. Before applying full face make-up, we had the opportunity to use the facial cleanse. I have never attended a pamper party but this Mama needed some me time and a little pampering.

At the Healthy Happy Hour Networking Event we were able to learn more about the nutritional line and taste test. I am no stranger to protein powders, probiotics and greens blends so I was excited to learn more about Arbonne. I taste tested the vanilla protein and will be using it by adding it to my smoothies. Smoothies are an absolute hit with me as I drink them every day. Sometimes I do meal replacement smoothies that have extra protein on days when I am busy -on the go.

I am very interested in doing the 7-day cleanse by Arbonne. Shall we do a 7-day cleanse challenge? We can hold each other accountable!

My Visit To Meet My Child Self

15/02/2018Qwania Dixon

I attended an online Masterclass yesterday with Marisa Peer and it was an experience to remember. She is an English nutritionist and hypnotherapist.

I knew that I had some blockages related to my childhood, but I did not know how big of an affect it had on me. I carried it into my adulthood and it has not been easy. Our perspectives shape our lives and I am so glad I took the time to attend the class.

During the end of the masterclass Marisa took us through a hypnosis session that guided us back to our childhood to moments of time that caused the blockages within. She took us back to a time where we were hurting as a child. She guided us on how to talk to our child selves and encouraged us to express love through our words and actions. Something like this may sound off the wall but something has shifted within me for the better.

I did not grow up in my ideal circumstances, but I cannot change anything about my past. I was holding on to my past more than I realized. During the hypnosis I discovered the root cause of my anxieties and other mental blockages. I was also able to see things from a different perspective.

After she guided us to talk to our child self, she directed us to show our child self our present. This put a huge smile on my face. As a child, I wanted to be loved and wanted not just tolerated. I often questioned if I was truly loved as I always felt distant from those around me and did not fit in with a crowd. As a child, I met my best friends at the “outcast table” at school during lunch. We didn’t blend in with a crowd and barely fitted in with each other, but we got to know each other because we understood how it felt to be different.

I was able to show my child self our present and I felt so much joy within because our home is full of unconditional love. I was raised by a stepfather who I always believed loved my mother but tolerated my siblings and me. I am grateful for his support in providing our needs. I desired a father-daughter relationship with him or my biological father but that was not the case for me. My biological father and my mother divorced when I was very young and he relocated to the west coast while my mother stayed on the east coast. I didn’t talk with him much. To this day, we do not have a close relationship and rarely talk. I never thought I was bothered by my father not being in my life, but the hypnosis showed me I was lying to myself, big time!

My husband is a stepfather to three of our children that I had from a previous marriage. He treats them like they are his own flesh and blood. My children do not have to feel tolerated but wanted and loved no matter what. I also do not have the relationship I desire with my mother so because I do not, I act in making sure that I have a better relationship with my children.

I too am loved unconditionally. My husband and children show me every day how much they love me- even on days when I may not be up to par. Why was I holding on to that blockage even now when being loved is no longer an issue. Time has come and gone and I am not that kid anymore.

That child and I are one in the same. I mentally removed her from the past and brought her to the happiness of the now. Love is healing. In our home that child has a safe place to heal and be loved. She doesn’t have to hold on to the past. She is no longer there. We are both in the NOW.

If you are dealing with blockages to living your best life, dig deeper. Many times, something that was said to us at a young age plants a seed that grows as we age from year to year. It can be the reason you have the fears that you do. It can be the reason you are afraid of rejection so you do not even try. It can be the reason you are not able to unconditionally love others.

Dig deeper…..

Qwania

Are Your Products Harming You?

12/02/2018Qwania Dixon

Are Your Hair Products Harming You?

More and more people are becoming health conscious by the day and they are going green. When it comes to hair products, we know that there are ingredients that will not be the best choice for our hair. Many product lines are beginning to create chemical free products. I have noticed that these seem to be a little pricier than chemical filled products. When you really think about it, healthier options do seem to come in less quantities and at a higher price.

There is one product line that comes to mind and this was during the beginning of my natural hair journey in 2012. I purchased everything on the line and it was expensive for my budget, but I just had to have it. I ran through the products quickly as I didn’t have much in the bottles anyway. It was getting costly. I decided to return to “regular” products. I did this for a few months and decided that I had to research a little more into these products and why (based on research) they were causing so many allergic reactions.

I began to break down each ingredient and in no time, I knew right away why the body would react to contact of these chemicals. Can we ever be completely free from chemicals? Probably not but we can take preventative measures from overloading our systems. Detoxing is great for this if you are looking to rid your body of “crud”.

With any product that you use, be sure to pay attention to how you feel as well as the health of your hair and scalp. Maybe that itching isn’t dandruff…Maybe it is an allergic reaction to whatever product you applied to your hair. Some products have caused hair loss. If you notice early on that your hair appears thin or you see too much hair in your shower or sink, you can toss that product and prevent further damage. Paying attention to signs and symptoms is very important.

When using products with chemicals in them, try your best to wash your hair with the water running backwards down the back of the head. This will prevent the product from touching your eyes. Chemicals in products can cause blurred vision and blindness.

If you are one who has a sensitivity to chemical filled products, there are product lines who can offer a healthier option.

I have a bottle of shampoo and conditioner that is not all natural and I do use it from time to time. So, I am not completely chemical free as I use it for convenience when I do not feel like whipping up my bentonite hair cleanser.

Be very mindful of the products you are using and how they may be affecting you. This can prevent hair loss and other illnesses that can evolve from your reaction to a chemical.

Camp Gladiator Almost Took Me Out

05/02/201805/02/2018Qwania Dixon

I joined a Facebook group so that I could connect with more women and get out of the friggin’ house. I was invited to meet for coffee followed by an outdoor workout by one of the members of the group and boy was I in for a surprise. I have been walking like an old frail woman for the past two days because I am so sore.

After we met for coffee I followed her to the park across the street to take part in the outdoor workout. We placed our yoga mats in rows on the concrete and shortly after a short introduction we jumped right into the workout.

We did cardio, abs, legs, buttocks and arms exercises. My entire body feels it!

I have not done a long strenuous work out in many years so about five minutes in I was ready to disappear to my car. I must say, if it were not for the men and women surrounding me, I probably would’ve snuck to my car when the trainer wasn’t looking.

I made it through the work out and on my way walking to my car I was high-fived by every person that I passed. They told me how great of a job I did and invited me back for the next Saturday. I really am trying to get in better physical shape so most likely I will give it another go.

After the workout I headed to the Smoothie Bar to get a protein packed smoothie and pretty much relaxed for the rest of the day. Sunday morning was horrible……. I could hardly get out of bed without help. My whole body was sore. I just knew I was going to be out and about, but my body had other plans for me.

I pretty much relaxed all day Sunday and now it is Monday and I am still sore. I visited the Smoothie Bar again this morning to get a protein packed shake to help my body to rebuild and repair. I did not want to be held captive to my bed due to soreness today. I also stretched, and that helped a lot.

I invited my husband to come along next time. I can only imagine how he will handle the after soreness. Ladies you know how our men can get when they are hurting. I better get my hands and oils ready to give endless massages. He will surely be asking for them.

Overall, Camp Gladiator was an awesome experience. It pushed me beyond what I felt were my limits. Everyone was so friendly, inviting and supportive of each other. I think this made the experience a great one overall.

I Pushed Through My Anxiety and Attended My First Black Professionals Mixer

29/01/2018Qwania Dixon

Since relocating to Tennessee, I joined some groups so that I can get out of the house and connect with more like minded people. I have also been connecting with ladies while out and about grocery shopping and such. One thing that I must work on consistently is following through by showing up somewhere (when invited) where there will be a crowd. I deal with anxiety when contemplating attending events. I had to look deep within myself to see what this is about.

I learned that it is a confidence issue. I believed that what I had to say was not as important as what the next person may have to say. As much as I study and implement, I still would feel like maybe I need to learn more so that I can feel comfortable with talking with others about what I do. I did not want to come off as a know it all who really doesn’t know everything.

We are all forever learning so I should not have let that be a reason to shut me up when I needed to speak up and be confident in doing so. To others I was Naturalista4me the blogger but to me I was just Qwania. Many seen in me what I couldn’t see in myself.

This was a major part of my self-seeking journey. I had to learn about myself (the good and bad) and how and why I processed the way I did. Once I was able to narrow that down, I was able to deal with it therefor it can no longer hold me up unless I allow it to.

I met this lady at the store and she looked at me and said that I have beautiful energy and wanted to introduce herself. We talked, hugged and exchanged numbers. She invited me to attend a black professional’s mixer with her and her friends and at first, I began to look for every reason not to go. My husband said, “woman you need to go”. Ok, so I went! I had a wonderful time and made great connections.

I put on my vision board a few years ago that I wanted to attract a new social circle that supports where I am in life as well as support me as I am growing. I wanted to attract friends who are also seeking to start or already have their own businesses so that we can discuss business. I wanted to attract friends who were in relationships so that my husband and I can have couple outings with friends. I wanted to attract friends that have children, so they can play with my children therefor our children will create new friendships.

I learned that the ladies I was with are starting or have already started their own businesses, I learned that they have children, partners and are looking for the same things I am looking for in their social circle. I have manifested this into my reality.

If I had not gone to the mixer, I would not have met these ladies. I had to get over my anxiety to push through and my husband helps me with that a lot. He knows how to talk to me to help me get over myself. I am getting into the habit of pushing through my feelings of discomfort as I believe on the other side of comfort lies the desires of my heart.

I didn’t feel overwhelmed with all the people in the room and I also felt confident. I shared what I do as well as listened to everyone else. I told myself before going that I would just keep quiet but I realized that was that confidence issue kicking in. Why would I be quiet if I am going to network? That doesn’t make any sense. Why would I not share what I am passionate about in person as I have no problem doing it through my computer and cell phone. That doesn’t make any sense either.

What I have to say does make a difference and the more I open up and speak, the more I find myself helping someone who has been waiting on an answer to their questions.

The ladies were all so welcoming of me. We are already planning to get together again soon.

I understand that in order to manifest the life I desire, I must get over myself. In order for me to do that I had to first learn and understand the roots of my behavior and thought patterns. I have learned that I do have a choice. I can choose to stay within the vibration that no longer serves me (old ways and patterns) or I can choose a new way of doing things. I’ll take that for 100 please! Lol!.

On this self self-seeking journey I have found inner peace. I have the power to change my life and overcome any mental or health illness, doubt, fears, etc. that may try to come to the forefront. . I can overcome any challenges that come my way!

Healing My Way to the Top

16/01/2018Qwania Dixon

Enough is enough ladies. Do you agree? Do you know who you are? This is not a question for you to think about who others percieve you as, this is a question for you to really think about. Do you really know who you are? I had to peel back many layers and figure this out. It was not done over night. I work on myself EVERYDAY. I have cried too many nights. I have wasted too much time hurting. I have been off track for too long. I have been a disservice to myself and those whom I was sent to this earth to help. I had to do something for the sake of my sanity and happiness. And so it began……

To many of us are pushing things to the back burner that do not need to be pushed back. Many feel that if they could just not think about it then it will go away. I am one to tell you that I thought this would work for me but little did I know that those things I have pushed to the back burner would resurface at a not so good time. I would be fine one minute and the next I did not want to deal with anyone and find myself getting caught up in the emotions of what has resurfaced. There are many triggers that can cause us to revisit the emotions of things that have hurt us – over and over. Now, I am able to revisit but smile at how proud I am for taking the steps necessary to heal. Instead of ignoring issues that need to be dealt with, we can heal therefor it no longer has domonion over us!

I have organized and hosted workshops in my hometown (in which I no longer reside there) and I have learned a lot. I love helping others, so the events were very fulfilling. I was unable to keep it going due to funding but if I had the mindset that I have now, I would have reached out further (outside of my community) for the support needed to keep the events going. There was no profit to assist in keeping things going. Well, I did profit $17 once. I jumped all in thinking that sponsorships from the local community would assist me in bringing events to life. Now, let me give you an idea of my hometown so that you can better understand why the support simply was not there.

The community is small approximately 10,000 in population. There is one primary, elementary, middle and high school. My children were attending the same schools as I did as a child. The stores are mainly mom and pop and there are restaurants that are popular like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King just to name a few.

Here I am this creative mind in a very slow-paced community and the fire inside of me would not simmer down enough to let me just settle for what the community had to offer. I began to organize and host events that would bring something different to the area. This was very challenging for me. It was hard to push my ideas in an area that wasn’t ready for something so different. Will they ever be ready? Maybe.

Covering the expenses on my own was challenging so I had to decide to stop putting my families well being at risk for the cause. I am now much smarter than that. Women, we can not get anywhere putting our well-being last. Lessons learned – for sure.

I retreated to my computer and began blogging more and I also interact with many in my new Naturalista4me Group for women on Facebook.

That fire is still burning, and I have been behind the screen too long for my liking. I am stepping out in communities on a mission. What is this mission? Healing My Way to the Top Mission. What is this all about?

Many women contact me daily pouring out their hearts as they are dealing with everyday life obstacles and/or can not find a way to heal from the past. Their past is holding them up from living the life they desire. Their unwillingness to forgive is weighing heavy on them. Their lack of support from loved ones has them feeling alone and they find themselves dealing with depression. This goes on and on. Healing My Way to the Top is going to help many women clear these blockages that are holding them back from being happy. Are you happy? Take a moment to think about his. This isn’t about your financial status, your partner, your kids or your friends. I am asking are YOU happy. This is the focus of this mission, YOU.

It is time for change. I have done a lot of self-work and now understand what my hold up was. Because I did the work to figure this out, I was able to take back control of my life. Others no longer control me. The pain I felt when revisiting my past is no longer there. I am happy, not just smiling to keep the appearance of being happy.

So many women are having to be strong. Strong for their children, strong for other women, strong for our partners and where the problem kicks in is that many women struggle to give themselves that same attention. Too many are putting themselves last.

Healing My Way to the Top is about you doing what is necessary to reach your top. Your top may be that you desire to be a home owner someday. It could be that you can quit that job you hate clocking into everyday and finding your dream job. Everyone has their own “top” and I am going to help you to reach it.

This will only work for you if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. If you are fed up with living a chaotic life and just want to be able to breathe for once without worrying yourself to death, this is for you. If you are a woman who has lost yourself in others as I did, this is for you. If you want to take back control of your life, this is for you.

This is not for the “I don’t know women”. The ones who will not make any moves because they are comfortable with being unhappy. This isn’t a beg you mission to live a purposeful life. This is women being real with themselves and addressing those issues lying dormant so that we can deal with them and become our best selves. You must make your mind up. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Stand firm in your decision to change your life.

Healing My Way to the Top is an ongoing series of events that empowers on a holistic level. Events and meetups can consist of meditation, journaling, niche vendors, guest speakers and goal setting – just to name a few.

Events are coming your way soon. If you would like to have one in your area, comment your location.

Join the new Naturalista4me Group for Women on Facebook. We have a lot to chitter chatter about!

Donations for the cause!

Your donation, no matter how big or small, will support this mission by assisting with the organization of events, travel and any expenses event related to help reach women on a global level so that we can make a difference. Thank you!

$5.00

66 Days New Year’s Habits Challenge

15/01/201815/01/2018Qwania Dixon

I have joined the challenge, have you? Naturalista4me is teaming up with Holistic Coach, Emelia Hester for the 66 Days New Year’s Habits Challenge. We all have habits whether they are good or bad. The bad habits can prevent us from living the life that we desire. Your bad habits can consist of everything from your eating habits, self-sabotaging and being so quick to react negatively to situations. Most of the times we can acknowledge these bad habits on our own and some even have the nerve to get upset when someone tells them something they already know about themselves.

Since it may hurt one’s feelings to be called out on the truth, this is not a bad thing (although many will take it as such) it can be the beginning of your life changing-for the better. When one does not act to change the truth about one’s own holdup, they are choosing to keep those bad habits. We can not grow if we do not change.

The 66 Days New Year’s Habits Challenge is organized and hosted by Holistic Coach, Emelia Hester. Emelia has a passion for teaching and helping others to shine. She organizes and hosts empowerment events in her location, Atlanta, GA. She is changing lives on a daily basis and is ready to help more people make a change for the better.

26167691_10100919535545979_7970748736096512741_n — Emelia Hester- Holistic Coach

When I signed up, Emelia shared with me the importance of being aware of my surroundings when doing the challenge. She told me to find a support group. Talk with my friends and family so they could encourage me and check in with me as I am making this change for the better. She told me that a positive environment will help me to stick to the challenge.

Join Emelia Hester’s Facebook Group: Black Women Who Shine

I have a love for uplifting others and will began to talk deeper about something I have discovered about myself since I have been on a spiritual journey. I will be encouraging those who have joined this challenge to keep pressing on when you began to have doubt or run into any obstacles. The time is now for us to take back control of the direction of our lives. It is not too late. You still have breath in your body. Take the steps starting now.

You can join the 66 Days New Year’s Habits Challenge here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/66-days-new-years-habits-challenge-virtual-tickets-41483156237

Visit her website- https://www.shinewithemelia.com/

Are You Dealing With Eczema?

09/01/2018Qwania Dixon

I was diagnosed with eczema at a young age. I believe I was around the age of seven. Growing up I had dry, itchy, scaly and oozing skin on my elbows. I now have it every now and then on my right elbow. I also have it on my hands. It can be very aggravating as I must be careful what I apply to my skin and with it being on my hands, that makes it that much harder. My hands are always exposed and touching many different things throughout the day.

Having eczema in visible places can be very embarrassing. Imagine having dry, scaling oozing skin on your hands and someone reaches out to give you a hand shake or you are handing someone money at the store to pay for your goods and you notice the cashier gives your hands a prolonged look. Yea, this has been my life. I have learned some things that I will share in this blog post but first let’s get into what eczema is.

Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. It is a skin condition and symptoms vary from person to person. The skin may be red, itchy, oozing and scaly. Eczema can be found on various places of the body: hands, back of the legs, on the nap of the neck area, on the scalp and the arms- just to name a few.

As I have grown older, I pay attention to the triggers of my eczema. I notice that when I am stressed, or my diet is not as healthy as it should be, my hands begin to itch and ooze. Diet plays a major role in eczema and we covered this in my last semester of class at the American College of Healthcare Sciences. I am currently attending this school to obtain a Holistic Health Practitioner Diploma.

As we continue to consume foods that do not support a healthy digestive system, our gut health goes downhill, and this is a major contribution to eczema. To test this, I went on a green smoothie cleansing diet for three days. I replaced my meals with green smoothies that consisted of fruits and leafy greens. I had no dairy and drank a lot of water. I played around with recipe combinations and some were tasty, and some were disgusting. I am going to be completely honest here. Some combinations I will be staying away from.

I have gotten better at creating green smoothie blends with great taste. I know which fruits will work to better the taste and sweeten. Bananas and strawberries have a bold flavor. Pineapple helps to sweeten. My base consisted of leafy greens such as kale, chard and spinach.

The smoothie cleanse helped me to cleanse my digestive tract and I did notice that I did not scratch my hands not one time during this cleansing. I also did not have to apply any type of ointment or cream for a few days after doing my cleansing. So, gut health is a big contributor to my eczema. Staying away from dairy also helps A LOT.

I have used hydrocortisone for years to help soothe my eczema. It has worked for me but there is something that I do not like about it. Hydrocortisone contains chemicals and has side effects.

I have been applying a chemical filled cream directly to my broken skin for years. Hmmm…. So, what are these side effects? Hydrocortisone can cause nausea, dizziness, headaches, heartburn, thinning of the skin, stretchmarks, menstrual period changes, insomnia and acne. Can a Sista get something side effect free please? If I am applying a chemical to my body, it is a given that my body could react in some way.

Because of my love for holistic health, I began to consider some ways to care for my eczema so that I can toss that hydrocortisone to the side. I began whipping up my own Shea butter and adding herbal infused oils that are good for eczema. I chose herbs that are beneficial for eczema and healing the skin. Eczema can also cause the skin to turn dark and Shea butter helps me with that.

If you are looking for a chemical free way to care for your eczema, eating a healthy, dairy free diet in combination with natural soothers/healers (for external) can work for you.

I have a new Facebook group, Naturalista4me Group, that is for women from all walks of life. In this group I can communicate with my followers on a more personal basis. In this group you will find hair care tips, lifestyle and mind, body and soul posts, Facebook LIVES and videos.

Get Rooted is a company that makes eczema cream , hair sapp, natural deordorants and more! They will be going live in the group January 16, 2018 at 8PM EST. Please join the group so that you do not miss it!

Join the group here—> Naturalista4me Group

LIKE my page here—> Naturalista4me Page

Until next time,

Qwania

Know When It Is Time to Let Go

08/01/2018Qwania Dixon

Are you someone who loves to help others? That is me wholeheartedly. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves helping TOO much. How can you help someone too much? By losing yourself in a person who is not trying to take the steps to help themselves.

I always see the best in people. Once I learn someone’s talents, my mind begins to think of all the ways they can utilize that talent to live the life they desire as well as help other people through their gift. I used to be quick to share these thoughts with individuals, but I quickly learned that my bombarding them with my visions did not help at all. Sometimes what we see in others they cannot see in themselves. We are looking at them from the outside and we do not have their thoughts and have not lived their life so what we see is different from what they may see.

I will ask questions to see where the person is at and if the energy/vibe is right, I may say a few things that is on my mind when it comes to their talents. I will ask questions like, “have you every thought about going to the American Idol”? Questions like this have planted fear in individuals who are subconsciously scared to death to come out of their situations. They want change, but change is also scary. It is so scary that they sometimes choose to stay in the situation because they at least know what that feels like – “comfort zone”.

You have those who will take the steps to change their circumstances and unfortunately you have those who will sit back and watch you do all the work and worrying. I do not know if they purposely do this or not and I do not wreck my brain about it anymore, however, the fact is they are sitting back and not putting as much or more work in for themselves as you are for them.

There are many who reach out to me and say they want to do this or that and want to know if I could assist them by guiding them and being a support system. I love, love, love to do this. In doing so I have had experiences where someone would contact me, and we would get the ball rolling but the only person that seems to be making progress towards their goals was me. I found myself searching day in and day out for resources for them. Sending message after message and link after link of information that is in alignment with what it is the person said they wanted to accomplish. Sometimes I send articles. Sometimes these ladies or gentlemen would ask me to explain the article -and this is fine- but they wouldn’t read it themselves.

We are supposed to help each other but we are not supposed to live other people’s lives for them. We are supposed to HELP. If you don’t want to read an article in your niche that is teaching you how to start the business you say you want to start, then that makes me wonder if you really want to achieve your goals after all. See, my life matters too. Whether you have a busy schedule like myself or not, we do not have time on this earth to waste achieving other people’s goals for them. I can’t sing the song for you if you are the one gifted with the voice. There is only so much I can possibly do. They either want it or they do not. We should not have to beg someone to read an article that can better them or attend FREE events that can help them achieve their goals. We should not have to beg someone to get out of bed early to jump on their goals or beg them to take any steps at all.

There comes a time when you must recognize things for what it is and take your hands off the situation. This is not to say that you should be mean in any way to that person or cut them off completely. I am saying that you should be wise in these kinds of situations because if you do not it can consume you-it happened to me a few times.

I do check ins for accountability on those whom I am helping. If I ask someone did they do something, and they always have a reason as to why they could not or did not, this is a big red flag to me. Everyone can find time in their day – even it is just five minutes- to work on something pertaining to their goals. You may need to get up a little earlier or go to bed a little later, but everyone can make time in their day to work towards their goals.

I am a mother of four, a wife, an entrepreneur and my time to work on my business is very limited. I must write my blog posts sometimes with chaos all around me. I have had my days of where my kids have deleted my hard work and have drawn squiggles on my important paperwork. When my husband comes home I must help him in anyway that I can as he has had a very long day. Sometimes I can’t make it to events because I do not have a sitter or must accommodate my husband and kids schedules with appointments, etc. Sometimes I can’t afford to attend things that many people invite me too because I have other obligations, so I can’t be present when they are looking forward to seeing me.

These are just some of the things that take place in my life. I could use them as an excuse not to do something towards my goals, but my passion and drive will not let me do that. I have a very clear vision and most of all I genuinely LOVE what I do. I look forward to getting up everyday and doing what it is I do. I love helping others.

One must pay attention to the signs when you are trying to help someone who will not put in work to help themselves.

So how do I go about backing away from these individuals? I just back away. Point, blank, period. These individuals have never asked me why because the truth is they know exactly why – within. These people still contact me to ask me how I am doing but they have stopped asking for my assistance on their own. Your time is precious. You have the right to treat it as such!

Meditation Chat LIVE

07/01/2018Qwania Dixon

Earlier today I was conversing with Holistic Coach, Emelia Hester. We decided to go live on Facebook (last minute) to discuss the importance of meditation and how it could be a life changer for you. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with everyone and answering questions to help people start this life changing practice.

We are going to do more Facebook lives to continue to encourage and educate others on how to change their lives for the better. We are not getting any younger. THE TIME IS NOW to take the steps to come out of strongholds, toxic relationships, patterns and habits that do not serve us for our good.

Check out the live!

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How To Make Flax seed Gel, Chemical Free

03/01/201805/01/2018Qwania Dixon

Many consume these very beneficial seeds to support the overall health of the body but did you know that you can make your own hair gel from it?

Who in the world would want to make their own hair gel from something that you can eat? You may find yourself getting the DIY bug after reading this. 🙂 .

More and more people are becoming more health conscious and are doing things differently. Many people are changing their diets as dis-ease is at an all time high. Chemicals that we place in and on our bodies, are throwing our body systems out of whack. Not to mention the medications that we are prescribed once we become unbalanced.

With so many people having the “hurry syndrome” DIY’s may be the farthest thing from your mind. I get it, who has time to consider what every ingredient is on a product. With everything being so fast paced today, many want to grab and go. If your favorite YouTube blogger tells you it works, you believe it may work for you and you purchase it believing in that product. I am not completely free of the use of chemicals. I do have a shampoo and conditioner that consists of chemicals that could be harmful, however, I rarely touch it and find other ways to cleanse my hair as much as possible. If I do not feel like whipping up a natural hair cleanser, then I will use it. Balance is very important here. Our bodies are created to fight off everyday toxins you may run into but are we helping ourselves by overloading our systems with toxins?

I am familiar with many gels as I have styled hair since I was a teenager and it wasn’t until about two years ago that I began to look deeper into the ingredients of products. My favorite hair gel was a dark brown gel and so many swear by this gel due to it’s ability to give a great hold. As I think back over the years that I used the gel on myself, I can remember times when it would burn once I applied it. I never understood why that was so then, but I know now. Many gels contain alcohol. Alcohol burns when it is put on damaged scalp. During the time I would use it, it would be after I had relaxed my hair and I would slick my edges (the main part that burns when receiving a relaxer) with this gel. I would also do updos and ponytails by slicking my hair up on the sides. Do you’ll remember that popular hairdo, snatch back ponytail? This style consisted of a bun in the front and a long ponytail positioned on the crown or mid back of the head. I just knew I was going to turn heads with my fresh snatch back hair do.

My scalp would burn like crazy, but I took one for the beauty team anyway. I was willing to let it burn for the sake of the look.

Alcohol is also very drying to the hair. I always discuss products with the ladies and men that come to me to style their hair. Little things like alcohol being an ingredient can make a big difference in the health of your hair.

You can make your own natural gel using flax seeds. Flax seeds has many benefits for internal and external use. Many use flax seeds in their salads. I love to add it to my smoothies for digestive health.

Flax seeds are one of the riches sources of omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. The omega 3 supports healthy hair growth by strengthening the hair, can prevent alopecia, reduces dandruff and aids in the prevention of baldness for men and women.

If you do not want to use them on your hair you can just eat them!

How to Make Flax seed Gel

You will need,

A small saucepan/pot
2 cups of water
½ cup flaxseeds
Stocking or mesh strainer (anything to strain the finished product)
Essential oil (optional)

Directions:

Place water and flaxseeds in a pot over medium heat
Bring to a boil (stir occasionally to prevent sticking of the seeds to the pot)
Continue stirring until it reaches an egg yolk consistency (white and frothy)
Turn off heat
Strain into a cup, bowl or container of your choice using stocking or strainer object
Add 3 drops of essential oil of your choosing

Tip- Get creative and add more to your gel to fit your needs. You can alternate essential oils and even add aloe vera.

Natural flax seed gel does not have a long shelf life as it does not contain chemicals/fillers to prolong the shelf life. The average length of time that I have been able to keep this gel is 2 weeks by keeping it in the refrigerator. If there is a sour smell to your flax seed gel, this is a sign to throw it away. Do not use if it stinks or you will be stinky. Hehehe….. No, I don’t know if you will be stinky, but I have smelled old flax seed gel before and it is not nice.

Watch Video: How To Do A Braid-Out With Flax Seed Gel & Unrefined Shea Butter

It feels good to know that you are making something natural and healthy for your hair. You know exactly what you have put in it so there are no guessing games as to how this gel can be harmful to your health. Flax seed gel does not dry out your hair. I look at it like hair food.

I love flaxseed and keep some in my pantry. I use it for hair, skin and I consume it often.

Give it a try!

Accomplishing Goals As A Mother? Yea Right!

03/01/2018Qwania Dixon

I am sitting here typing this as my four-year-old son is sitting at the end of my bed. He has been waking up earlier than usual and early is when I like to meditate because the house is quiet. He has been changing the game on that. When he hears me coming up the hallway or walking down the stairs, he jumps up out of the bed and is ready for breakfast. Here I am nowhere near ready to whip out the pots. It throws me off to jump into my day without meditating first.

My other children sleep in late unless it is a school day. Now I must find a way- that’s life. As a mother sometimes, our plans and routines may have to change for the sake of our children. This within itself can discourage many parents and my mother is a great example of this. My mother wanted to do so many things in life and she had five children. She began to work her butt off to provide and this work was not within her talents. My mother can sew very well, crochet, paint, do hair and she writes. I remember (as a child) my mother going to work, getting home, cooking then locking herself in the room to rest. Boy did I hate it when my mother would close up in that room. I found myself doing that sometimes with my children and had to find balance because I know how I felt when my Mom would close up in the room for hours. I hated talking through a locked closed door to her with a passion.

Now that I am a mom I can understand that me time is needed to get your mind right, but I do not need so much me time that I am not actively involved with my children. Balance is very important!

I am a YouTube blogger, so I try my best to upload a video as often as I can. My children do not be quiet long enough for me to get a recording in sometimes. Sometimes I spend a full day trying to record a good video because I am stopping and doing this and that when my children are around. So, you may say, what about when they are in school? When they are in school I have from 9a-2:30p to do everything that I need to do (kid free). That really isn’t that much time, but it will not be an excuse. I will find the time for sure to do more of what I love to do. It is not a reason to just say forget it. Because I am a mother doesn’t mean that I need to forget about my purpose. Just because I am a wife doesn’t mean that I need to forget about my purpose. We can get so caught up in these “roles” that we put a halt to what we really desire to do in life.

My mother once said to me that if it were not for her having us (my siblings and I), she would have been on a different path in life, achieving her goals. Maybe her path would have been better-or worse. After this statement I began to look at her like I was a problem because I was born. My huge heart would not let me forgive myself for being born and causing so much hold up in my Mom’s life. How does one live with the regrets of being born? For me, I just disconnected and found a way to co-exist. She may not have intended to hurt my feelings in such a way, but this is a lesson that I am able to apply as I am very careful about what I say to my children.

I am an entrepreneur and I have four children. Yes, it can be difficult because you must provide for your children, spend time, teach and be all those things that a mother is to her child. I get it, I really do. I have had to quit jobs due to no babysitter or not being able to afford it. I was working basically to cover sitter expenses it seemed.

I have had to go weeks without uploading a video because I couldn’t get in hours of quiet time for whatever reason. This may have thrown me off schedule during those times, but I did not give up. I kept going by other means. If I can’t do a video, then I can surely do something else! I have a video on my YouTube channel where I had to completely mute out my background noise because my kids were playing, and I was doing a hair tutorial. I added music and annotations and you basically just watched me style my hair and read the directions. I made a way. There is always a way to keep working towards your vision.

I never wanted to have children, but I did. They are here, and I do not regret them. I looked into my 12-year-old daughter’s eyes last night and told her she is one of the best things that could have ever happened in my life. I told her that her and her siblings mean the world to me. I had my first child at 20. If you are younger than this and have a child, just know that you still have a very bright future ahead of you. I work around my children and/or involve them in what I have going on so that I can keep a close connection to them.

Do my children hold me up from achieving my goals? No. The only person that can hold me up from achieving my goals is me. My children will not be my excuse for giving up on my goals. They are the WHY in why achieving my goals is very important for their well-being. I am breaking generational curses, mental bondage’s and blockages. I am not passing on things to my children and their children and so on that does not serve them if I can help it. My mother has not lived a life doing what she loves. She is still living so she can! I do not want to wait until I am older to start living. I do not want to wait until my children are grown before I am able to enjoy life doing what I love. I am done with the excuses.

My sisters are doing great things as well as my brother. My siblings and I are studying in career fields that help, encourage and/or heal people. We want to be of service to others. We all have children too!

Before I end this posting I want to give you an update, I now have one child at the end of my bed and one lying next to me bumping my arm trying to get my attention and they are arguing about drinking water. My four year old has even “accidentally” kicked my computer as I have it on my lap. So, kids will be kids. Press on anyway! #noexcuse2018

It’s About To Be A New Year Baby!

29/12/201729/12/2017Qwania Dixon

The end of the year is quickly approaching, and many are sharing their new year’s resolutions. I have never been the one to do new years resolutions as I believe in jumping on things now – like right now. This year I am setting a goal that is generalized. I know, you may say that a generalized goal isn’t specific, and you are right. I do have my specific goals written out already and I am actively working on those goals daily.

My generalized goal for 2018 is to get over myself. I grew up thinking little of myself and this did not go away once I became an adult. I decided to “lay low” and made sure I did not do too much to make me stand out. I did model once, but because I felt like I could become successful in that, I began to back away from the casting calls. My confidence was not there like many people thought it would be.

I did not have a support system when it came to my modeling dream and to be completely honest, the ones who were saying “that is good Qwania” to me once I got chosen for a gig gave me a completely different energy that overruled what their mouths were saying. My confidence was not there already, and it did not help to have the awkward energy from those I thought would be my main supporters.

So, when I say that I am getting over myself that means that I am getting out of my own way. I am going to purposely work on my confidence in my works and stop self-sabotaging due to thoughts and feelings of doubt. I am stopping being so overly critical of myself to the point to where I shut myself down. I get in a “stuck” state of being where my ideas are there in my head, but I am not taking the steps to bring them to my reality.

I began to wonder if what I bring to the world is really helping. During these moments I usually receive an email, YouTube video comment or run into someone who tells me that I am helping them so much. See, if what I am doing does not help someone else, I am not fulfilled in my works. My purpose consists of me helping others. How can I do this sitting around stuck with ideas floating around in my head.

I was listening to an inspirational video by Les Brown and he stated that the richest place on earth is the graveyard because, so many take their ideas to the grave. This opened my eyes. We are creators. Why are we not creating the desires of our hearts? Why are we our own worst enemy? Why do we go harder for others than we do for our own personal goals? We will work 40-60 hours a week for a company helping to achieve the company goals but give our goals the leftover energy. The I don’t feel like this energy. The I’ll get to it later energy. Before you know it, years have passed, and we are still saying we will get to our goals eventually.

If tomorrow is not promised, what makes us think we have years to procrastinate? I may live past 100 years of age but is it promised to me though? I want to live a life where I can visit beautiful nature sights all over the world with my family and just be. I want the feeling of freedom. Don’t we all?

Because I know exactly what I want, I need to get out of my own way and make it happen. I know I will be uncomfortable along this path, but it is all a part of it. I recently moved out of my comfort zone physically (my hometown). I am completely uncomfortable in a new city that is way bigger than where I came from. I often catch myself looking at the scenery and smiling. It takes my breath away. For me to grow I must stay out of my comfort zone so that I do not find myself settling. I am forever learning and growing.

For the new year I am getting out of my own way, what about you? Do you have a new year’s resolution?

Let It Go Sis

21/12/201721/12/2017Qwania Dixon

Holding on to your split ends is trouble……

Too many times I see women dealing with damaged hair as they are afraid to cut/trim it because they will lose length. They are willing to deal with the damaged hair for the sake of length. If we are so worried about length, does this not subliminally suggest that we believe it is hard to grow our hair or that short hair is not beautiful? Why do you think many Sista’s hold on to hair that is damaged for dear life?

When I was between the ages of 7-15 I had hair that was shoulder length and this made me feel beautiful. Long slick hair was admired by many in school and it felt good to receive compliments. I have always had long healthy growing nails. They are not long curly nails, but they grow out long, healthy and strong. My mother once cut off my nails as my sister and I got into a sibling fight and she chose to cut my nails because I left a scratch on my sister. That crushed me to the core but oh well, that is the past. So, what was my attachment to the length of my nails? What was my attachment to having longer hair? It made me feel important, worthy and beautiful. Wow! As I am typing this I can tell that I have really come a very long way in how I think about beauty and feeling important.

My hair began to break off around 16 years of age as my mother gave us relaxers every now and then, but she didn’t have the time to do our hair as often as my sisters and I needed due to her strenuous work schedule. My grandmother owned a salon and my mother also did hair in that salon when I was younger. I used to walk around watching the stylists do hair and my grandmother would also teach me different things like how to do waves, a jerry curl, roller sets and updos. I had to take what my grandmother taught me and apply it so that I could keep my hair up as well as my siblings. I asked my auntie if I could use one of her manikin heads and she let me use it and I taught myself how to braid. I then began to braid my mom’s hair, my sisters (sometimes) and myself. I did my own micros for my graduation pictures.

I began to practice hairstyles on my already damaged hair. I loved rocking a ponytail. You know that old style of slicking your hair up with gel into the center of your head and adding some weave with glue or bobby pins to the ponytail. What about those microwave curls? You know, the ones that you roll up and put in the microwave to dry to achieve a roller set look. That was the ish……until I began getting sores from the bobby pins that were digging into the center of my head. Nothing is more aggravating then having a bobby pin in your head that you can’t get to. This caused more breakage in the top of my head. Enough was enough and I decided that I should cut my hair, so I did. I cut off those split ends and ended up with a bob of some sort and would just rock a butterfly clip on it.

I believe that during that time I really let go of the long hair is the only beautiful mindset. Cutting my hair improved my growth until I started slapping in that creamy crack every 6 weeks that weakened it.

So many are transitioning to natural and one common thing that I notice when I ask them why not just big chop is their fear of having short hair. Even if it was just a matter of cutting off 2-3 inches therefor leaving a lot of hair, they still felt uncomfortable about it. They say they do not want to lose their length they have worked so hard to achieve.

So, let’s talk about how we can be our only hold up by being afraid to cut our hair in any way because we do not want to lose length.

Split ends can prolong your hair growth goals. Many do not go and get trimmings because they are afraid that the stylist may cut too much, and/or you are not ready to lose your length. Does the length of your hair define you as a person?

Split ends are at the end of your hair strands and it is a damaged part of the hair strand. If you do not get your trimmings when it is time, split ends can travel up the strand of the hair causing more damage to the entire strand.

I had a blow out done once since I have been natural and when my stylist showed me a picture of the back of my head, my hair was a little past my shoulders. All the hair that past my shoulders needed to be cut because of the split ends. I ended up with a bob like haircut again, BUT my hair began to flourish. I am sure if I would have gotten my trims when it was time instead of prolonging it for years, I may not have had to cut off so much hair.

Do you want a healthy hair journey? If your answer is yes, then do not be afraid to let go of those split/damaged ends. Do not be afraid to cut off the damaged hair. Well, what about those who say their head is too big for short hair (that was me in the beginning too). I would say accept and embrace yourself no matter what. So, what my head looks big! I will soon have a big ole afro to cover this big head.

We need to remove the unhealthy attachment that we have placed on what beauty is. Beauty is not just long hair. It is not just short hair. You are beYOUtiful no matter how you rock your hair! Healthy growing hair is the goal.

It is time to let go of those damaged ends so that you can experience a healthy hair journey.

Are you holding on to damaged hair?

How To Set The Tone of Your Day

12/12/201713/12/2017Qwania Dixon

set the tone for you day (1)

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I began doing something new this year and that is setting the tone for my day. There were some days when the alarm clock wasn’t set correctly, and I found myself jumping out of bed and right into getting the kids ready for school. Boy was those mornings hectic. I was aggravated, and the kids were getting aggravated with me. Lol!

I notice that on days when I can get up and have some quiet time I am able to take some deep breaths and express how grateful I am for all that is taking place in my life. I express how grateful I am for my family, supporters, my health and whatever else I can think of. Your list does not have to be long so if time is a concern I am sure you can think of at least one thing you are grateful for.

Having an attitude of gratitude first thing in the morning helps me to find more things to be grateful for throughout my day. Instead of looking at my kids in a state of aggravation because I am having to tell them to brush their teeth and get dressed over and over, I can look at them and just smile and say I am grateful that we have the things that we need for them to be able to brush their teeth and get dressed for the day.

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So, the aggravation becomes less, and the gratefulness kicks in. My shift in energy will rub off on the kids and everything falls right into place therefore it goes much smoother in getting them ready.

Recently my husband accepted a new job, so he must be to work before the kids have to catch the bus. At first, I was in my feelings because I didn’t want to walk to the bus stop everyday to take our youngest daughter. I was taking her to school until now. Little did I know that I would love it. This also helps me to set the tone of my day.

I wake up, take some deep breaths, express all that I am grateful for, get the children ready and walk my youngest daughter to the bus stop. The fresh air and beautiful scenery of the mountains early in the morning is amazing. My neighbors may think I am nuts for scrolling slowly back to the house while looking all around and smiling. I am truly amazed at the beauty of nature. Something that I thought I would hate doing in the morning turned out to be something that I look forward to. It is a great addition to my morning routine.
I challenge you to try it and take note of how your day goes. Was it easy peasy? Did you handle situations better? I know if I go a day without setting my tone I will not deal with things the same. It just seems so much harder. I enjoy being chill, worrying less and reducing the stress!

How do you set the tone for your day?

Qwania

The Benefits of Using Herb Infused Oil for Hair & Skin

06/12/201707/12/2017Qwania Dixon

I am a lover of nature and I have been spending a lot more time appreciating the outdoors and studying the medicinal benefits of plants. I applied to attend the American College of Healthcare Sciences in January of this year and ran into some obstacles there, but I did not give up and guess what, I am now a student there! My focus is Holistic Health Practioner and Herbalism. I look forward to studying herbs on a daily basis. I also incorporate herbs into my daily life.

Before I started college, I was whipping up concoctions for my family and those within my hometown community. I began to make frequent visits to the herbal stores and would pick three or four herbs to study at a time and incorporate them into my daily lifestyle. I have learned so much and have shared this on my Instagram and Facebook.

What is an herb infused oil?

It is the process of infusing herbs in a carrier oil such as coconut oil, jojoba oil or olive oil.

I infuse oils to use on hair and skin. I incorporate my herbal infusions in my whip shea butter or I simply use it alone by applying directly to the scalp, hair and skin.

Some of my favorite herbs to work with for hair and skin care are: lavender, chamomile and hibiscus. I infuse these oils for 4-6 weeks and use them on my family, hair clients and myself.

Lavender

Chamomile

Hibiscus

Lavender is known for keeping the follicles detoxified. It stimulates new hair growth and controls dandruff. It also regenerates the skin.

Chamomile has been used to lighten hair in tea form. It is great for dandruff and irritated scalp. Chamomile can be used for acne and eczema helping to reduce inflammation and prevent scarring.

Hibiscus combats hair loss, strengthens hair, promotes hair growth, treats dry itchy scalp and combats hair loss. It consists of antioxidants. Hibiscus combats aging by lifting and firming the skin. It also evens your skin tone and gives a good moisture boost.

IMG_20171205_112938 — Hibiscus herb infusing in olive oil . Week 3

I have eczema and have always used shea butter to help with dryness, itchiness and the fading of scarring. Incorporating herbal infused oils into my shea butter has helped me so much. Eczema is a bit complicated as many things must be looked at when it comes to this skin condition. Gut health is important as well as watching your stress levels.

chamomile shea — Chamomile infused whipped shea butter.

The shea butter works great for me and I get a lot of great feedback from those who purchased some from me to use on their family’s hair and skin.

Now that I have experienced herbal infused oils, I prefer these oils rather than stand alone carrier oils. I noticed that my eczema does not react well to coconut oil and I don’t remember when I first began noticing how itchy it made me feel but I stopped adding coconut oil to my whipped shea butter. I also had a young lady to tell me that coconut oil irritates her as well.

23417281_802142146625481_6147294439162249216_n — Image from my YouTube video on some of my favorite oils for hair growth.

Because of this I infuse my herbs in a good brand of olive oil. I say a good brand because there are so many to choose from on the shelves and many are really diluted. That is not the one that I want. I know it can be easy on the pockets to purchase a store brand big jug of oil, but I am here to tell you that all olive oils are not created equal. I have been using it for many years and pay close attention to how it works for my family. Pay attention to the thickness of your olive oil. Does it look diluted?

If you want to add an extra boost to your hair and skin care regimen, I would recommend using an herbal infused oil.

The herbs that I work with I have studied extensively and found that they are great for stimulating growth and have healing properties. You can also do hot oil treatments with it or just apply it regularly as you normally would your carrier oils. Carrier oil plus a boost of the medicinal properties of an herb is very beneficial.

To increase blood flow circulation in the scalp, give yourself a good scalp massage in a circular motion once you have applied your choice of oil. Be sure to use the padding of your fingers when doing so to prevent any scratches on the scalp.

19623015_122709081667506_5657189742421213184_n(1) — Chamomile and Lavender Infusion in Olive Oil

Did you know that you could also do herbal tea rinses on your hair? I will cover this in another blog post.

What do you think? Would you give herbal infused oils a try?

I would love to make you an herbal infused oil or herb infused whipped shea butter! Contact me below.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and do not claim to be. I do not treat, diagnose, prescribe or claim to cure. I am a lover of nature and use its’ medicinal properties to better my health. All information shared is for informational purposes only. Consult with your physician about any medical needs you may have.

5 Reasons Why You Should Not Do Length Checks on Your Natural Hair

05/12/2017Qwania Dixon

1. YOU CAN BECOME IMPATIENT

Are you newly natural and binge-watching YouTube slideshow videos of 3-month, 6 months and 1-year length checks? I have been there. I found myself getting so caught up in achieving growth (based off where my favorite youtuber’s hair was) that I began to get on my own nerves. I was length checking after every protective style- every two weeks. Lol!

When you are wanting your hair to grow so bad, you can get to the point of length checking every opportunity you get. It can become discouraging. This takes me to #2.

2. YOU CAN BECOME DISCOURAGED

Why isn’t my hair growing? Why is hers so long at 6 months and mine isn’t? Something must be wrong with me. I must not be using the right products. Let me go and buy the whole line of (fill in the blank). I am just going to return to the relaxer -as you post this in your state of aggravation in a natural hair group on Facebook. Whew! Posting that you are returning to the relaxer in a natural hair group will get you a lot of comments. Lol! I have seen some ladies attack a Sista like a pack of wolves on that type of post. It went something like, “ok”, “do your thing”, “you must want some attention”, “noooobooodddyyyyy cares”.

As you are being so focused on these length checks, you set expectations that if you do not reach in the timing you expect, you become discouraged.

3. YOU MAY BEGIN TO COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS

Why oh why my dear are you doing this to yourself? First it starts with comparing length then it starts with comparing textures and whatever else. I have seen it. I have worked with so many women one on one and they would show me picture after picture of women, their length and texture. They were admiring their hair AND complaining about how terrible theirs is compared to the lady in the picture. As a natural hair blogger and stylist, it is so hard to encourage someone to accept where their hair is at the time and to be patient when they have it already set in their mind that something is wrong or it’s’ just not meant for them to rock their natural crown. We can’t force anyone to love their hair. Rocking their natural hair must ultimately be up to the them.

4. YOU JUST MIGHT STUNT YOUR GROWTH

You read it right. Stress can eventually make its’ way into your life as you worry yourself like crazy over why you are not achieving your desired growth. Stress can cause you to lose your hair. So much for length checks huh? It’s not worth it AT ALL. Not only can you lose your hair stressing, you can put your health at risk. Stress causes so many dis-eases. So here you are stressed, then you end up having stomach issues or aches and pains. Now you must visit a doctor and they prescribe you medications because you got your blood pressure high and high blood pressure pills can cause hair loss. It isn’t worth your health. Stress is a killer. #teamnostresszone. Just breathe………

5. YOU MAY NOT EMBRACE YOUR BEAUTIFUL UNIQUE JOURNEY

Your hair is like no other. You are unique so your journey will not be like anyone else’s. As naturals we may experience some of the same problems like dryness and knots but your hair may not react to the same products that are working great for others. You may have more shrinkage than those you are comparing your hair too. When I let go of the attachment of the idea length based on how long I have been natural, my hair just flourished. I look back over my pictures and I am like wow. I don’t take the time to length check. I just be therefore I can love it every step of the way. Letting go of expectations has been one of the best things I could’ve ever done for my natural hair journey. I just take care of my hair and go on about life.

I went from big chop, to thick afro, to tapered cut (with shaved sides) to semi free form locks. My hair is growing like crazy! Others tell me that my hair has grown so much. I only notice my length as I am popping myself on my neck or in the face because I think something is crawling on me. Lol! Seriously, I have done that one too many times as I must get use to the length of my locks.

If length checking is only going to add to your frustration, DON’T DO IT! It isn’t worth it. Simply embrace your length every step of the way. Before you know it, you will have reached your hair goals minus the stress.😃

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Qwania

Are You Stuck In A Victim Mindset?

04/12/2017Qwania Dixon

This post contains a link that will direct you to another site to purchase. The product available for purchase is created by myself (Naturalista4me) and spouse (Evans Dixon).

Having a victim mindset will not help me to heal and darn sure does not help me to grow. There are those people who learn from their stories and then there are those who are drowning in their stories. Some people cannot find a way to move on from the hurtful things of their past or deal with the hurtful things that may come their way in life.

Once you begin to look at things from a different perspective rather than, my life is terrible, I hate my life, the world is against me and anything within this low vibrational mindset, you can begin to do what is necessary to be happy despite.

With everything that I have experienced in life and am currently experiencing, I am able to look back over my past and see that I had problems then too. I made it through those problems and here I am today, standing tall, healthy and encouraged. In my past I had no idea how I would make it through, so I stressed about every little thing. Guess what?! I made it through. Was stressing worth it? Is putting my health at risk worth it?

It was only until this year that I begin to change my mindset from being a victim. I feel so much better! I used to share my stories (everyone has one) and it would depress me all over again. I used to play the blame game. So, and so hurt me. So, and so is not a good person. So, and so will get what is coming to them. Why would so and so hurt me? Why me? Why do I keep encountering obstacle after obstacle? What did I do to deserve this? So many questions and thoughts would mentally drain me.

I also had friends that would entertain my victim mindset and would sometimes even bring up my story to me if I was being too positive. Once I noticed that I would distance myself from that friend for a while. This may sound like a mean thing to do but I did not want to be constantly reminded of hurtful things.

Now when those friends bring up those things, I have learned to redirect the conversation. This way I do not have to distance myself. I am healed from my past and anything that comes at me now I know how to center myself and learn from it. Each situation brings its’ own set of emotions but I still know how to bring myself back to a state of gratefulness and understanding of what is taking place around me.

I busy myself with things that make me happy. After all, all we really have is the now. If I find myself deep in thought about problems in life, I make myself snap out of it. One day when you are deep in thought about how terrible things are going in your life, observe how your body feels at that moment. How is your energy? What type of energy are you putting out into the universe at that time? Do you think these emotions will make your situation better or worse? If I am consumed in how terrible my life appears to be going, I will look for more things to add to the list of how terrible my life is. I have socks, but it isn’t the socks that I really want. I have food, but it isn’t the food that I really want. I have a car, but it isn’t the car that I want. This way of thinking takes you out of a state of gratefulness.

The old me would stress, sleep, eat and check out mentally. I did not want to be bothered. I ignored phone calls, knocks at the door, emails, texts and avoided going places where I might run into people who may ask me how I am doing. This person that I am today will feel myself getting down, so I immediately start doing something to bring me back to my happy place. This could be putting on some feel good music, dancing around alone or with my husband and kids, reading, writing, calling up a friend, going to the state parks to spend time in nature, going for a drive or whatever is needed to bring my vibration back up.

No one’s life is clear of obstacles. Because this is a fact, the best thing that we can do for ourselves is to learn to be happy anyway. Some people say, “I will be happy when I get rich”. What if I told you that there are rich people who are very unhappy. I recently read a book by Tony Robbins and he mentioned that there was a guy who was a billionaire and when he loss some money (he was still rich) he committed suicide. We shouldn’t wait until we have this or that to be happy.

Many years ago, I did a program called Mind over Money and I learned so much about my relationship with money. When I had a great flow of money I found myself having bad relationships with friends and family. I spoke over myself that I’d rather have just enough to get by so that I can have peace in my relationships. Because of this I began to subconsciously self-sabotage. I would pass up opportunities. I dimmed my light as I didn’t want to shine so bright to offend anyone.

Being that I had this to work on, it was easy for me to get consumed in problems of my past and do the blame game as to why past partnerships didn’t work out. In this, I can only blame myself, right? I created a lot of my past problems because of where my mind was at the time. I attracted a lot of foolery. 😜I allowed people to treat me all types of ways because of how I felt about myself. I allowed people to get over on me because I felt I would be OK (yea right). I can holler I am a victim all day, but I play a role in a lot of my past situations. See, we have more control over our happiness than we think.

Today I can see all of this clearly and it all makes perfect sense. While going through the things I have experienced I put so much fault on others. Some situations were fault of others and unfortunate, but I also played a role in many of my past situations. Being a “victim” made me vulnerable and naive.

Instead of falling victim to my circumstances I now observe what is going on and take a good look at myself and how I play a role in it. I also look for ways for me to help myself. I ask myself, “what can I do now to make this better or to make sure it will not happen again?” Instead of doing the blame game or being consumed in the low vibration emotions, I acknowledge how I feel and look for a way to make it better.

As I look at those who fell out with me over money I must take responsibility for my part in enabling them by always coming to the rescue even when I couldn’t afford it. I didn’t know how to say no. I felt obligated and put myself last for those who didn’t appreciate me. They treated me like I owed it to them. I allowed that treatment by giving in every time something was needed or requested. I allowed them to disrespect me time and time again and I would still give because I felt pressured. I have learned how to say no, or I have other obligations. I have so much more respect now from those individuals. At first, they didn’t like it (of course) but I put my foot down and conquered the situation.

What about those people who have hurt you? They have moved on with their lives. We must find a way to forgive them and ourselves. Quit beating yourself up about what you should’ve, could’ve done. There isn’t anything that can be changed about it so there is no need to allow this heavy weight to carry on with you for the rest of your life. Take the steps to heal.

Some techniques that I use to heal are cord cutting, visualization, meditation, positive affirmations and spending time in nature. I will talk more in depth about these techniques in another blog post.

Take back control of your life. You are not a victim. Get out of the victim mindset as it is an anchor. It keeps you down. Every time you revisit that situation in your mind it can cause you to become angry, stagnant and depressed. Get to a place where when you think about the situation you have a peace within you so that you do not fall victim to your circumstances.

You are not a victim, you are more than a conqueror!

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If I Fail, At Least I Have Given It My All

01/12/2017Qwania Dixon

Hi guys my name is Jasmine Barton-Moore author of Sparks Fly. I self-published my own book, but before I explain let me give you a little back ground of myself. I am twenty-six years old at the moment. I found myself lost and wondering what I was going to do in life. I had gotten my degree of Associate of Arts in English. After that I still found myself lost. I told myself you could go back to school and continue your education and get into a lot of debt or you can live out your dream, live for the here and now. Tomorrow is not promised to us. Now I am not saying I will never go back to school, but I was tired of waking up every morning and not living to my fullest potential. I had started my blog post www.jasminebartonmoore.com where I would publish chapters of my book, but that still wasn’t enough for me.

I had surgery December 2016 and I had six weeks off from work, I found myself lying in bed, sleeping all day and doing absolutely nothing with my time. One day I decided to I pull out my laptop and finish Spars Fly. At the time I had no title for the book, but I was driven to accomplish something and be happy about it. Just like that I had finished my book, but I didn’t know where to go from there. So of course I turned to the Internet, I educated myself on self-publishing, building a business and growing my platform.

You’re probably thinking, why not go to school to learn this stuff. Believe me this was no easy journey, it was stressful. I worked a fulltime job, I sat on different boards for church, I squeezed in working out, living the married life, and I took care of my brother. My day would start at 5:30 in the morning and end at midnight every day. The reason I choose not to go to school at the time is because I remember sitting in class and listening to my professor say how he was still paying off his student loans and how so many people have had to go back to college because no one is hiring in the field they went to school for. I didn’t want to be fifty years old and paying back school debt when I could be my own Boss. I do still work a fulltime job, but just like I put in nine hours a day at that job, I come home and put just as much time into my business.

When I was looking for direction I looked to God, but also I had to restore the confidence I lost and believe in myself again. If I was going to fail, at least I knew I gave it my all. The year 2018 I plan on publishing two books and announcing another project I have been working on so be on the look out for that.

If you want to learn more about my journey you can find me on all social media platforms:

Instagram- @jasminebarton_moore

YouTube- Jasmine Barton-Moore

Facebook- Jasmine Barton-Moore

Twitter- jasminebartonmoore

Journey of Healing | Interview with Vanessa Edgeston

10/11/201721/12/2017Qwania Dixon

I have been on a healing journey as I have made many changes in my life recently. I recently took a leap of faith that I truly believe is what I have manifested while in my healing process. When we are holding on to things, they can become very heavy. Whether that hurt is from our childhood or things that we experience throughout our day, we have to find a way to heal so that we can live a fulfilled life.

As I was browsing my Instagram I came across a lady that captivated me. I scrolled past her picture but found myself searching for her picture again as it was something about it- her energy. I decided to visit her Instagram page to learn more about her and that is when I discovered that she too was on a journey of healing. I guess it is safe to say that I saw my reflection in her and that is why the pull was so strong.

I reached out to her and asked her if she would be willing to share more about her journey and she was happy to do so. I am so grateful for that.

She is known on Instagram as ~~@phoenixrising1993~~ @victoriasflowerchild

” Hello Queen. What is your name and where are you originally from?”

My name is Vanessa and I am originally from Blue Mountain, Mississippi. I currently reside in Oregon.

“Are you on a journey to healing? Do you mind sharing what you are healing from?”

Yes. I have needed healing for a very long time but it wasn’t until last year when I began to focus on healing myself and to address all the pain I was feeling. The root of most of the pain stems from years of neglect and trauma that I endured during the first 21 years of my life.

“I watched a video on your Instagram of you explaining that you became angry after being used by your fellow classmates as a teenager (the taking advantage of your giving spirit). You stated that as an adult you are able to give freely. How did you heal from not being able to trust people to the person you are today?”

When they took advantage of me, that really hurt my feelings. I became very selfish after that. I started only looking out for myself and only thinking about myself and that is not a peaceful or balanced way to live. I became very protective of my heart, but in doing so I was shutting a lot of people out. I realized that by shutting people out I was missing out on valuable opportunities to connect with others. Because selfishness and fear, I was creating a form of isolation to the spirit. I wanted my spirit to be truly free so I had to remove the hardness from my heart.

I healed because I learned the lessons from those circumstances. I realized that painful memories are mostly unlearned lessons.

When you learn the lesson, you release the pain. When you are no longer in pain, you are healed.

“Absolutely…..You also mentioned that you wrote a letter to your father, how did this help you to heal?”

When my dad Frank passed away I was happy that he was at peace and no longer suffering. His death sparked a lot of emotions and questions in my heart and mind. I asked myself what kind of daughter had I been. I felt guilty for not calling him as much as I could have. I regretted if he would always be around. I know that we all depart from this world…but I was not expecting to lose my father so soon.

Frank is indeed my father, but he is not my biological father. I spent years hating my biological father for his abusive ways. When Frank came into my life he was the only source of fatherly love that I had known. I did not feel that kind of love from my biological father. I wrote to him and I told him everything I felt, and in my heart, I believe he heard me.

All my dad ever wanted from me was for me to know that I was loved.

I realized that if I live my life knowing that I am loved and build a life for myself that reflects all the love I have been given and all the love I must offer–then I will be doing exactly what he wanted me to do. And that is the best way I can honor his memory.

“Condolences to you for your loss.”

“You have beautiful pieces of wrapped stones on your Instagram. When did you begin making wrapped stones? What inspired it? What are the benefits of wrapped stones? How can they help in the healing process?”

I was 19 when I moved to Atlanta, GA. I lived there on and off for about a year. I was homeless for most of the time I was in Atlanta. During that time, I met many kinds of artists when I was on the streets. One artist I met showed me how to make a simple wire wrap and that is when my love for wire wrapping began. When I went through a severe depression I lost all interest in art and everything else I was passionate about but when I began my healing journey I reconnected with the missing pieces of myself.

The part of myself that I had lost was my sense of creativity. I decided that I wanted that part of myself back, so I started wire wrapping again–and I am so thankful that I did.

I have grown and healed so much from making art again. Being in contact with so many different crystal energies has awakened parts of myself that I was unaware of.

I am still growing in awareness and discovering the power of all the beautiful stones I meet. I am a different person now than I was when I started wire wrapping again.

I am happier, more confident and less clouded by other people’s energies. I am less of others and more of myself and I am just getting started.

“In our most troubled times we can learn valuable lessons. Those lessons we can apply and use as we evolve. I have learned many lessons during troubled times. How we deal with those troubled times is what makes the difference in living a fulfilled life or having the mentality of defeat therefor we just exist.”

IMG_20171109_161155 — “Stop giving a fuck. Stop being a people pleaser. Stop letting people walk all over you. Stop waiting for permission to love yourself. Speak your mind. Listen to your heart. Heal your wounds. Be fucking glorious!” -PhoenixRising1993

“If you had a conversation with someone today who is having a hard time trying to figure out their first step in healing and evolving, what would you tell them?”

I would ask them if they are living their dreams and if they are not I would ask them why. If they do not know why, then their first step towards evolving and healing would be to answer that question. If they do know why they are not living their dreams, then their first step would be for them to ask themselves what obstacles are blocking their path.

“Why is healing important?”

Healing is important because we can never rise to be who we were born to be if we are stuck in pain, fear, and toxicity.

“How can one embrace their emotions behind things, release and learn from them?”

You must accept that to heal and move beyond your pain is that you must face it.

You cannot numb yourself and pretend that the pain is not there AND heal at the same time. If you want health, you must let go of the sickness.

It is not an easy process in the beginning, but facing that pain makes you stronger. If you run from yourself, you will never find peace.

“I know all about pretending to be ok. I learned that I had to face those things in order to heal from them. I felt so much lighter after finally facing the things of my past. They no longer have power over me.”

“How can one find balance in the midst of their storms?”

Know that storms exist to teach you about life as well as yourself. Know that storms will pass. Know that the more storms you survive the more resilient you become.

“Your Instagram page attracted me and I spend a good bit of time browsing your wrapped stones. How can one purchase a stone from you? If someone has a stone would you wrap it for them?”

Contact me. Let me know what colors you like. I can send you pictures of stones that I have available to be wrapped. My prices range, and I can work with any budget. I have wraps available for as low as $5. 🙂

If someone mailed me a stone to wrap for them I would happily do so.

“I am going to send you a few of mine for sure!”

“How can someone contact you about wrapped stones? Where can one purchase?”

You can email me vanessaedgeston1993@gmail.com

You can also contact me on Instagram @phoenixrising1993. Send me a message and I will respond to you as soon as I can.

Thank you Vanessa for sharing your journey with us!

Healing is very important and although it may not be easy to do so, it is worth it.

Qwania

How To Deal With Stress

01/11/201702/11/2017Qwania Dixon

Is stress taking a toll on your health?

With all the ups and downs of life, it is easy to become stressed. Stress can be the root cause for many diseases and can also make diseases worsen.

The body responds to stress by releasing stress hormones. These hormones make blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels go up. Long-term stress can help cause a variety of health problems, including: Mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety.

Just like everyone else, I have experienced many ups and downs in life. I have been depressed and did not know what my next best move would be. I would call my friends and family and pour my little heart out but still felt bad. Because of this, I began to deal with everything alone and became reclusive. We all know that dealing with things alone may not always be a good route to take but I did it. Since talking to others about my problems seemed to get me nowhere, I had to find ways to deal with my stress.

Before I get into how I deal with stress, I would like to share with you how it affected me tremendously. While stressing about things that I could not control, I noticed change (for the worse) in my body. I began to have body aches, decreased appetite, constipation, I felt sluggish, I felt alone (depressed), my eczema on my hands worsened and people began to ask me what happened to them. No matter how much cream I put on my hands or herbal concoctions, I still had the worse eczema flare on my hands.

I also began to experience anxiety. The feeling of your heart racing and shallow breathing is scary all within itself. I felt like any moment (while experiencing those episodes) I would die. I kept how I felt (anxiety) from my husband most of the time because I did not want to worry him.

Stress took a major toll on my body. This person today – who incorporates techniques- still is not completely clear of stressful situations. The only difference is that I know how to nip it in the butt before it gets the best of me. I do not know about you, but I do not have time to let stress take me out. How is my husband going to explain to our children that Mama could not handle life, so she let it get the best of her and her body followed suit? Hell no! I am not going out like that. You may not have children, so you may say, “well I do not have kids that will miss me”. You have someone who loves you whether you know it or not. You will be missed by someone!

Since losing my life to stressful situations is not going to fly, I began to incorporate techniques into my daily life to help me prevent and/or deal with stressful situations.

1. Meditation

Meditation is the act of sitting quietly and breathing. It calms the mind and aids you in centering yourself. Meditation is number one on my list because it has changed my life. It has helped me to see things clearer and have a different perspective.

To meditate, find a quiet place – at work, home, in nature, in your car, wherever- and close your eyes. Take some deep breaths and just be. Your mind may feel too busy to just be but the more you meditate, you will notice that your thoughts will no longer overwhelm you.

When I first started meditating I could only sit for five minutes. Now I can sit as long as I desire. Focus on your breathing and just observe all thoughts that come to mind. No need to do anything about them, just observe.

2. Spending Time in Nature

Did you know that nature is the original medicine? Oh….Well, with all the synthetics and chemicals that have saturated our world today, this truth has found itself hidden. There are many who research the medicinal properties of nature (like myself) and we understand how powerful nature is. Did you know that some prescription medications derived from nature? Yep! It sure did. Just taking a walk-in nature is very relaxing and calming. Try it. Turn off your phone or put it on silent and take a nice long walk in nature. See don’t you come out with a “I’m good now” attitude and rightfully so because ALL IS WELL!

3. Journaling/Writing

I feel so relieved after writing things down and going on about my day. If you do not want to write, then record. Me personally, I get loss in my words when I am recording but if I am writing then it just flows. I dump everything that I am feeling onto the paper and I feel so much better. Things do not seem so bad after all.

4. Attitude of Gratitude

Yes, I said it! You should have an attitude of gratitude because things could always be worse. You may say, how can you tell me things can be worse. I am a woman who was losing everything (home, cars, etc.) silently while still encouraging my friends. I remember one time during a low point in my life one of my friends called me and she was crying and upset. I asked her what was wrong, and she stated that she had no spending money after paying all her bills. Instead of telling her that I was losing everything (due to decrease in income in our home), I encouraged her and told her that at least her bills are paid. I encouraged her to manifest increase rather than being down about her situation. I encouraged her to have an attitude of gratitude. I was crying inside myself about my own situation, but I knew that things could always be worse.

I eventually shared with my friend what all I had been through and all she could do was look at me and say, “I don’t see how you can be so strong and level headed when you are going through”. I looked at that time like a lesson. Obviously, I did not learn enough because I found myself homeless a little over one year later after things began to get better for my family. I learned my lesson then and began to make different decisions with my money, time and lifestyle. My children did not ask me to birth them into this world and I needed to provide a more stable home/living for them. I had to get my s*** together. You can fill in the blank. I know, I know, you may be shaking your head because I cursed but I DO CURSE and curse words get the point across. Did it not catch your attention? Lol!

Look at all the things that you do have and focus less on what you do not have. It works! Thank me later!

5. Spend Time with Supportive People

Why don’t you take your loved ones up on the invite to come over or go out for dinner? If you are anything like me, it can be hard pretending to be happy, so you dodge people. I get it, trust me I do. The reality is, there needs to be balance. If we spend too much alone time, we can find ourselves sinking into deep depression over our stressful situations. Spend time with a POSITIVE loved one to take you mind off things for a few. I reiterate POSITIVE because this is no time to have pity parties. This does nothing for your situation.

What are some ways that you deal with stress?

My Move To My Dream Location

31/10/201731/10/2017Qwania Dixon

I am one who believes that you can manifest your hearts desires. I use many techniques-meditation, vision boards, mindset work, speaking positive affirmations and healing to align myself with the things that I desire.

My husband and I visited Tennessee for my birthday a couple of years ago and we both fell in love with it. My husband loves to sing and even got a chance to sing at BB King’s in Nashville, TN during one of our visits. I love the scenery as I am a nature lover.

IMG_20171026_193011_745 — Photo taken by me at the Radnor Lake State Park in Nashville TN.

The more we visited the more we fell in love and finally decided that Tennessee would someday be our state of residency. There were many questions as we began to look for a home. Where do we start? Who do we have there who could help us with our children etc.? So many questions came across our minds and to be completely honest, it became stressful for me. One thing about relocating somewhere you do not know much about (like my country bumpkin hometown) you do not know what the neighborhood is like, school systems etc. We searched and searched and was at the point of saying maybe now is not the time.

We had also both applied for jobs in the area. This was another challenge as how do you work in another state when you have nowhere to rest your head at night. During this time of aggravation and feeling somewhat hopeless, I had to consistently work on my mindset work. I kept telling myself that the universe supports me and will work out all these details. I meditated every morning to clear my mind and set the tone for my day.

I began to detox my body using herbs so that I can be in better physical health and made my mind up that we were moving somehow. It felt right in my spirit and I decided to now worry myself with the details. We looked and looked from a far.

My husband and I had a long talk and we decided that it was time to jump and not worry about all the details. This was a time of faith. He had jobs that contacted him back and were asking him to come in for an interview. They worked with him because of our distance and waited on us to say when we would be in the area. My husband decided to call one of the employers back and told them we were coming to the area within the next few days. That interview was set and now we just had to find a home (just in case he got the job). In my mind there was no just in case. I believed that the job was his already. He felt it, I believed it and guess what……HE GOT THE JOB ON THE SPOT. So now that was taken care of now we had to buckle down on a residence.

We browsed house after house, apartment after apartment and left message after message. We dealt with all kinds of scammers from craigslist texting us and emailing us requesting “holding monies” and the search went on and on.

I decided that we needed to incorporate some fun into our trip to Tennessee, so we held off on the house hunting for a bit and went out for a night of fun.

After the night was over we got up the next day and began our search again. We ran into a lot of “we need proof of income for the last 30 days” (for my husband). Our problem with that is that we were not living in Tennessee yet and my husband had not started work yet. Showing income from a whole different state definitely wasn’t going to work being he was not transferring. Keeping a positive mindset and attitude- my husband and I kept our search going.

We finally found a home that is perfect for our family and I must say I felt numb during the approval process. I couldn’t believe that it was happening. I couldn’t wait to get home to tell our children that we were relocating. We now had 3 days to get our home packed up and hit the road to move into our new home.

Since we have been here it has been a breath of fresh air. No, I do not have any friends here, but I will meet some. My husband has a job that requires he travel throughout Tennessee, so he will learn the routes quicker than I will. That is OK, he can just chauffeur me, right? He loves driving me around (so he says). I personally think he just thinks he can drive better than me. Either way, I will enjoy the passenger side and enjoy the scenery along my ride.

IMG_20171026_193011_740 — My youngest daughter and I on a nature trail.

I have been spending a lot of time in nature and just doing a major detox on my life. I have reevaluated many things in my life and I am at a place where the old ways were just not getting it. You can feel when it is time for change. As I began walking in my purpose- as I continue this journey to self-discovery, I feel whole and so much lighter. As big as my heart is, I easily carry so much weight of what others are going through and too often I would get lost in that. I am blessed to be that comfort for many but if you are anything like me, we must also take time to pour into our own cup. My previous location didn’t have the scenery that I needed. It didn’t have the feel (vibration) that I needed to calm my mind (beautiful nature scenery). My escapes consist of lakes, river, mountains, springs, herbal stores and anything associated with nature. Where I am from my scenery consisted of wooded areas and ponds. I didn’t have much variety. Most of the ponds were private owned so you had to figure out who owned what so that you could just sit by the pond. Now, I have state parks and other locations to just breath in the fresh air as I stare at nature for miles ahead.

Image by me

My stress level has gone down. My sleep pattern has changed. My mind is not cluttered. My vision is very clear. In life we must do what we need to do for the sake of our sanity so that we can continue to be healthy while being of service to the betterment of the world.

Naturalista4me

Are You Thinking About Semi Free Form Loc’n?

21/07/2017Qwania Dixon

What is semi free forming? Semi free forming is a way of locking. It is not an organized way of locking and many shy away from the process because of the beginning stages. Although the beginning stages could test the thickness of your skin (due to negative comments), the loc journey is very rewarding within itself. It will test your patience, it can increase your confidence, it can become a spiritual journey.

August 2nd will make two years on my semi free from lock journey. I would have never guessed that I would ever be locked but here I am today rocking this semi free form locs.

Check out this video of me sharing tips in hopes of encouraging you to follow through your unique journey embracing every step of the way.

Your Honey Does Matter

15/07/201715/07/2017Qwania Dixon

Yes, you read the title correctly. Your honey does matter! We are not talking about your boo, suga, puddin’ and all those sweet names you call your partner -although they matter too.

Honey is very beneficial for your overall health IF you are using the right kind of honey. With so many different selections in the store isles today, it is easy to purchase the ones that are less beneficial for you and your family.

Why is honey so beneficial?

Raw honey contains disease-preventing and disease-fighting flavonoids. Raw honey contains both propolis and bee pollen so you get the benefits of those two natural powerhouses as well. It has been scientifically proven to help with allergies, diabetes, sleep problems, coughs and wound healing.

Honey is not limited to your biscuits and honey and peanut butter sandwiches. It can be used internally and externally to better your health.

When choosing your honey you must determine if the honey is raw or not. There is a reason for this of course. Raw honey can provide the nutrients and other many benefits that you need that “regular” honey simply can not.

When I was a “newly” honey user, I just purchased honey and did not pay any attention to whether it was raw or not. I should have known that there was a difference because I would see some with the comb and some without. I would also notice some that were lighter than others. What about the honey that I was getting at KFC and Popeye’s to top my biscuits with? Could I just apply that honey to my face and receive the same benefits as raw honey? At the time I had no idea but as I began to research a little deeper into products and natural remedies, I learned that there is a difference.

The saying goes that if we know better we can do better. I tossed the old processed honey and replaced it with a raw honey. I know, I know…..you may not want to “waste money” by tossing your honey but we have to look at the bigger picture. Why don’t you look at it like you are tossing one more thing out of your life that could cost you your health. Throw it away and pat yourself on the back or give yourself a big tight hug for loving yourself enough to throw away something that is not adding to you but more so could contribute to dis-eases.

How do you know which honey is better? Watch this video!

Chemical Free Natural Cleanser & Moisturizer for Hair

12/07/201715/07/2017Qwania Dixon

I did yard work yesterday cutting hedges, cutting grass and raking leaves. I was sweating bullets and branches were falling on my head. The funny thing is there was a lawn company cutting grass at a property across the street from my home and they were watching me. Whatever they were thinking, this lady handled it. I am really feeling it today though. Yes, I have a husband and he started the yard before being called into work so I decided that my son and I would finish it. I didn’t wash my hair yesterday so I decided that doing so would be a priority today.

I do not have any store bought shampoo in my home so I am not tempted to run to the store bought products for convenience because I do not have any. I looked at my “natural products shelf” and whipped up a concoction to cleanse and moisturize my hair.

Bentonite Clay is an absolute favorite of mine so of course I had to incorporate into my hair cleanser. I also used aloe vera juice, apple cider vinegar, distilled water and tea tree essential oil.

You may have tried bentonite clay and ended up with lumps in your bottle and maybe even on your hair but there is a way to get it to the consistency where you will not have that problem.

Watch as I share with you how to combine these products and use for a chemical free cleansing and moisturizing:

Kickstart you natural hair journey by downloading this ebook today for only $.99!

A 360 Of My Semi Free-form Locs Video

08/07/2017Qwania Dixon

Hair Videos

What The Heck Is A Yoni Power Hour?!

07/07/201707/07/2017Qwania Dixon

June 24, 2017 I attended a yoni power hour in Savannah, GA. For starters let’s talk about what a Yoni is. I did a poll on my Facebook page asking people on my friends list whether or not they knew what a yoni was. To my surprise, many had no idea.

A yoni is the vulva, especially as a symbol of divine procreative energy conventionally represented by a circular stone.

Are you shocked? Well, if you are count to 10 because we are about to talk about that “private area” for just a moment. More and more women are gravitating towards these type of events and researching because they are looking for a natural way to care for their yoni. Many women suffer from different dis-eases and have sought medical attention. Many women have also had a hysterectomy due to many complications.

Yoni events address these issues and how we as women find ourselves dealing with these complications. Yoni eggs, yoni steaming herbs, yoni detoxes, natural pads and so much more are discussed as well.

I really enjoyed meeting women from all walks of life who have an interest in many of the things that I am interested in. Natural products, herbs, sister bonding, networking, sensual movements and so much more are available and experienced at these events. The ladies are always willing to educate you on living a healthier lifestyle.

I attended the Rose Quarts Yoni Egg Retreat in April and that was an experience for me. It was fun, emotional and so needed at that very moment in my life.

Read about my Rose Quarts Yoni Egg Retreat Here.

I took a friend with me and I call her my pisces sister because we are both pisces. This was her first experience at a yoni event. She had an awesome time.

Another one of my followers also showed up. I was like whooooohooooo……I love love love to see women taking control of their health. I also love to see women coming together and there isn’t anything but love in the building. The energy/vibe is everything.

In a time where envy has become so major among women, you do not feel this in any way at these events. You can be open, silly, ask questions without being embarrassed and you feel welcomed by people you don’t even know. I love it! If only we could get that vibe among women outside of the yoni events.

Can you imagine how much easier it would be to accomplish something as women if we supported each other?

I created a little slideshow of the yoni party with the images that were taken from the other attendees. My phone was dying, bummer, and I broke my new camera that I got for my birthday on March 2nd at the Vidalia Onion Festival fair. Another bummer . 😒

Oh well, I can’t cry over spilled milk so I did what I could do so that I could share it with everyone else!

Have you ever attended a yoni event?

Have You Ever Heard Of Jamnatura?!

29/06/201706/07/2017Qwania Dixon

www.jamnatura.com

Kickstart your natural hair journey by purchasing this ebook today!

Did You Miss The Live Curly Girl Chat On The Naturalista4me Facebook Page? No Worries | Watch Now

22/06/2017Qwania Dixon

Did You Miss The Curly Girl Chat Live On Facebook? No Worries. Watch It Now!

21/06/201706/07/2017Qwania Dixon

A More Natural Way Of Things

20/06/201722/06/2017Qwania Dixon

Many in my local community, as well as those who follow my Facebook page, know that I am a lover of natural remedies. I have shared natural recipes on social media platforms that I use on my children, as well as myself for natural hair care; but it was only recently that I began to share a little more of the,”natural” concoctions that are used in our home.

I am a habitual researcher and I must say I thoroughly enjoy researching. I like to know what is in the products that I am using and how they will effect my hair, skin, and overall health. The more research I began to do, the more I began to discover things that I wish I knew a long time ago. Welp, no need to beat myself up about it now. When you know better, you do better! Right?! As long as you are living and breathing, it is never to late to take the time to look into the products that you are using on your family and yourself.

Whipping up natural concoctions come naturally to me. If someone tells me they are having a problem with something, my mind automatically starts thinking of different herbs, oils, and other natural remedies that one could research themselves and try.

I truly believe that all we need is provided from nature. I have also learned that many medications that are prescribed, are derived from plants. Of course, more things are added to pharmaceutical drugs for different purposes which is why I personally choose to find a natural remedy if I can. I want to know what is in the pill I am taking.

I have a story that I want to share about a particular medication that was prescribed to me for a urinary tract infection. I have no idea how I got in that bad of condition, but I was given a catheter because I couldn’t use the restroom on my own. I was prescribed a very strong antibiotic – Keflex. On the paperwork for this medication it stated that the side effects may include: upset stomach, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rash, itching, hives, difficulty breathing, wheezing, unusual bleeding or bruising, sore throat, painful mouth or throat sores, and/or vaginal infection.

I began to feel really out of it and could hardly walk. My legs were aching really bad, my heart was beating like a drum and I literally felt like I was just floating. I didn’t have balance and I really thought I was slowly dying. It was that Serious. I began to research the medicine that I was prescribed and came across a thread that was loaded with complaints about this medication.

I was having many of the same symptoms as the others and I knew I had to figure out something fast. I stopped taking the pills and began to incorporate more natural ways to flush my system. I purchased spring water and drank only spring water for two days. I also drank cranberry juice around the third day of being off the medication. I immediately began to feel better. I had a follow up appointment and the catheter was taken. My doctor did another test on me to check for infection and found nothing. She told me the medicine worked great. I told her I actually tossed the medication in the trash because of how it made me feel. She told me that my side effects were unusual. Unusual or not; I felt had I finished that bottle, I would be dead right now. It was just that serious. I felt it in my spirit that I was slipping away as I lay there in pain.

Flushing myself took discipline. By just drinking water and monitoring the foods that could irritate the urinary tract through research was definitely the right move. Research, research, research!

I then began to get into detoxing the body. I drink green smoothies and detox via foot and bath. I make a detox blend that relaxes you while giving you many benefits. Detoxing foot soaks rid your body of toxins, increases circulation, soothes dry skin, aches and pains and so much more.

I thoroughly enjoy educating people on these products because I love them! I use them in my home and it is an absolute pleasure to share my knowledge with those who seek to learn more about detoxing the body. Caring for yourself by using more natural alternatives.

I must say, there are some people who will turn their nose up to natural remedies and will place anything on or in their bodies with no hesitation. This is a mindset that will take some time to reverse as you began to understand that you may be doing yourself more harm than good due to lack of knowledge.

We must keep an open mind and not shy away from natural remedies. Definitely consult with your physician. (I do not claim to be a doctor) Make sure that what you want to try is safe. Research, research, research! I can not say this enough.

I created a Facebook page titled I Heart Natural Remedies to share many natural alternatives to products containing chemicals, prescription drugs, illnesses and so much more. You can incorporate these natural remedies into your everyday lifestyle for your family.

Natural hair care was my first focus. I have been sharing my natural hair journey for years. I quickly discovered that I can care for my hair on the outside, but I also must care for myself on the inside. There is a site I like to call Google University (Google), that will pull up fruits and veggies that you can consume to help your hair grow. It will also pull up eatable foods that you can apply to the hair for conditioning.

I soon began to really look at the items we had in our kitchen, that I could use, to take better care of us. I eventually began to push the cough syrups and antibiotics to the side, and tried a more natural way for caring for my family and I. With extensive daily research, I began to whip up concoctions to care for my family. I use herbs, essential oils, clay, spices and more. I have been selling these items within my community and educating consumers on their many benefits. I am amazed at all who are trying to go a more natural route. They have tried many things (pharmaceutical), and now they are ready to go at it the more natural way.

18402921_1883755105246153_2740315146314439434_n — Bentonite Clay Hair & Face Mask | Bentonite Clay Foot Detox Soak

As for my extended family, they look at me like I have become some medicine woman. For others, they don’t know how to feel about me honestly!

I was in a grocery store recently. I picked up a bottle of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar. A lady walked up to me and she asked me; “Are you using it for weight loss?” Now I must say, I do not need to lose any weight. My first thought was, “Woman you don’t see that I am already small enough?!” I am not really tiny but I sure do not need to lose any weight. I’d rather gain! I told her that I use it for hair and body health. The look she gave me was priceless! There I was in the grocery store sharing with her the many ways that I use apple cider vinegar in our home.

It is to the point now, if someone sees me purchasing coconut oil, avocado’s, etc., they assume that I am whipping up a natural concoction that I wouldn’t be eating. I do consume avocado in my green smoothies and have cooked with coconut oil as well, but I also use them externally along with many other things.

I was accepted into the college of American Healthcare Sciences. Soon, I would like to travel and learn abroad. I am studying to be a Master Herbalist and Holistic Health Practitioner.

i heart tshirt — Purchase your t-shirt today! Partial proceeds donated to the I Love My Planet Charity.

With the internal changes that I have made, I have noticed great external results. Glowing skin and healthy growing hair. I am more energetic and grateful for life than ever before!

We can work on our outer-selves by applying products that promise us great results; but we can not neglect our inner-selves in the process. We can not close our eyes to what we are putting on our skin and in our bodies that can cause illnesses/disease. There has to be balance in mind, body, and soul for you to be your absolute best self!

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01/06/2017Qwania Dixon

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How To Do A Braid Out Using Unrefined Shea Butter and Flax-seed Gel

26/04/201706/07/2017Qwania Dixon

I Didn’t Pass Out On My First Cruise

22/04/201722/04/2017Qwania Dixon

My husband decided that he wanted to take me on a surprise trip. We have talked about taking many trips before but because of life we always pushed it back to the back-burner. Whenever he began to talk about us taking a cruise, I figured this would be pushed back to the back-burner too. Well, it was not and we did it! We cruised our way to the beautiful Bahamas.

We were scheduled to check in Sunday April 16, 2017 at 1pm at the Cape Canaveral Port. We decided to drive to Cape Canaveral a day early so that we wouldn’t have to face any delays on the road the day of the cruise.

Homewood Suites Decor

Homewood Suites Lobby

We stayed in a beautiful suite at Homewood Suites. We checked in, relaxed a little and then headed out for dinner.

I had a taste for Italian so we googled Italian restaurants in the area. We headed out to find one that we decided on and ended up choosing a different one – what a great choice! The name of the restaurant is Zarella’s. Our server’s name was Benjamin and he gave us the best service I have ever had in my life. He recommended some dishes for us to try and we went with a his recommendations. Now I am going to be honest and say that I did not eat the healthiest on this trip. I ate as much as I wanted and whatever I had a taste for. Zarella’s was only the beginning of my eating spree.

The drinks were also delish! I wanted to order something that I had never tried so my husband and I chose drinks that we had never had before. The drinks were very refreshing.

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When it was time to go, the server packaged our leftovers for us and we proceeded next door to do a little shopping (so we thought).

I needed to purchase a bathing suit and I figured it would be cheaper to purchase it off the cruise ship than on. The store we went into was a little pricey. I grabbed a two piece and noticed that just the top costs $45. There were some a little cheaper than that but I was not willing to pay $27-$45 just for a bikini top. We could’ve purchased from there because everything was nice but I am a budgetnista. I can’t help myself. I shop el cheapo.

This store had many things that were great for souvenirs. From hats, t-shirts, mugs, towels, shells, hermits and so much more-they had it all. The t-shirts and other clothing items were not as expensive as the bathing suits.

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We decided to head to Wally World (Wal-Mart). I found a couple of bathing suits there. Hey, I wear Wal-Mart clothing items! I know many are ashamed of that but not I. Walmart has beautiful clothing selections which I am sure that everyone knows that!

We wanted to swim or get in the Jacuzzi at the hotel but we decided to get rested up for the next day. Surprisingly, I was able to rest very well being I had butterflies about getting on the ship the next day.

Being surrounded in water (in the ocean) is something that I have also dodged all of my life just like flying in an airplane. I overcame the airplane fear for my birthday so I was able to be a little calmer facing this fear. Sometimes when you continue to do things out of your comfort zone, it becomes easier to tackle the next thing with lesser hesitation.

The next day we checked out from our suite and caught a cab to the port. Check in was easy breezy and we waited patiently in the waiting area until we were called to board ship.

As I sat there looking at the ship through the glass, I couldn’t believe that I was really about to do this. I wanted to smile, cry and kiss my husband all at the same time.

He was in the Navy and always shares his stories of when he was on the water. To see the look on his face just melted my heart. There was a difference this time though, he was going to relax, not work.

My husband and I have been together for six years. It will be seven years in November. We have never had a honeymoon. This trip was our time to enjoy each other away from home for more than a weekend. We have traveled since being married to places not too far away from home but we usually have someone with us or have to rush right back within two days or so. To be away for four days, just us, was something we both couldn’t believe. We were finally taking our honeymoon!

Our number was called after about an hour or so of waiting to board the ship. My stomach was in knots but I was so excited.

We were not allowed to go to our staterooms until they were ready so we browsed the ship with our luggage. We found the “common area” that had a big TV screen, a pool, two Jacuzzi’s, food and two bars.

We stood on the deck and overlooked the water. Shortly after talking ships and Navy day memories with my husband, we heard music and the dancing began by the pool. We were able to look down and watch the entertainment. This helped me to take my mind off everything for a moment, until I looked back at the water. We watched on the deck for awhile and then walked down to grab a drink and join in on the fun.

After my drink, my nerves calmed down a bit and I began to enjoy the deck party. Shortly after I noticed the ship was moving. OMG! Get me off this ship asap! That is what I was thinking but based off my pictures and video, my face looks really chill. Was I really doing this?! I guess so. I just closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths and let go of the fear as I exhaled.

We decided to take a look at the buffet and ate until we couldn’t eat anymore. I do not know why but even after eating a full meal, an hour later we were eating again. Food was everywhere! Drinks, food, drinks, food, drinks, food. This is how our days went, literally.

I had to get use to the swaying of the ship. It made me nervous every-time I felt it. I tried not to look outside at the water but I love water so that was very difficult to do. My fear is sinking in a ship (Titanic style). There were so many activities, stores, people and food that it was easy to forget that you were actually on the ship but as soon as I felt rocking the nerves started all over.

My nervousness got better after the first day. I was more calmer and we began to attend the on board activities to keep ourselves busy. We attended a Michael Jackson dance-off and trivia and my husband won it. He loves Michael Jackson so I knew he would. There were many Michael Jackson fans there for trivia but my husband won it hands down.

We arrived to Nassau Bahamas and it was absolutely beautiful. We were undecided on whether or not we wanted to do an excursion but we decided to get off the ship, walk around, do some shopping and find the beach.

There were stores galore and many of the locals were walking around asking tourists of we wanted to buy selective items from them. It was a bit overwhelming for me because I would be focused in on something that I see in a window and someone would come up and ask me to buy something. I eventually got use to it after a while.

We eventually found the beach. The water was so beautiful and blue. If I could lie in it all day without turning into a prune I would.

On the beach there were many things for sell like beer, cocktails, food ,souvenirs, paintings from a local artists and more.

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We relaxed on the beach, had a few drinks and embraced the moment. There were a lot of children running around so this made me sad a little because our children were not with us but I had to remind myself that this was mommy and daddy’s time that was so needed.

I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea to fall asleep on the beach but I definitely paid for it. My skin is beautifully tanned BUT I began to turn red and experienced sun burn. No, I didn’t put on any sunscreen. I mean, I haven’t wore sunscreen since I was in my early teens. I guess I need to apply something next time- lesson learned, or not.

My husband also experienced sunburn. Even though we were going through this, we still decided to go to the beach again when we arrived to Freeport, Bahamas. How could you stay away from water so beautiful?

When we arrived to Freeport it looked completely different from Nassau. It was more industrial. We caught a cab to the beach and along the way I noticed a lot of damaged homes and buildings.

I overheard two ladies talking about a hurricane that had hit the area recently. This saddened me. It was such a beautiful place to be the target of such terrible weather. Roofs were destroyed, trees were lying down and broken, cars passed us on the street that were dented and missing windshields.

Our cab took us to the beach and we had to pay three dollars to enter. We received a wrist band, walked around and embraced the beauty.

The waters in the Bahamas looked nothing like any waters I have ever seen in person. Usually I am afraid to get in the water (due to a previous experience many years ago). I was not afraid and jumped right on in. Well, I must confess…..I tried to walk in all seductively for my husband and a wave came and knocked me down. It was hilarious. My husband was laughing as well as other people. So much for that sexy strut.

We enjoyed our time on the beach until it was time to board ship again. Once we were back on the ship we enjoyed the activities that were taking place. There is no reason anyone should be bored on this cruise ship. There was always something to do for everyone.

When we arrived back to Cape Canaveral I was so proud of myself. I couldn’t believe I had lived through a cruise that once terrified me. Another fear faced! I couldn’t wait to get back home to our children and love on them. I missed them so much.

Our next cruise will be a family cruise. We now just need to figure out when and where we would like to go. The kids were so excited when they saw the pictures.

I left this cruise feeling renewed and looking six months pregnant because of all the eating and drinking. My husband doesn’t agree that I had a pop belly but um….yea, I did.

There was so much fun and food! I can’t wait until our next one.

Food & Drink Gallery

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OUR CRUISE GALLERY

A Getaway For My Sanity

10/03/201709/11/2017Qwania Dixon

March 2nd was my birthday and with so much going on in my life, I needed a much needed getaway. I wanted to do something different.

Over the past few months I have been getting out of my own way to expand in different areas of my life. Sometimes our fears can limit us from walking in our purpose. I ask myself where do these fears come from? Are they my own or have I taken on the fears of others that are dear to me?

I was terrified of flying so for my birthday I wanted to face this fear. I decided to take a trip to Miami, Florida to celebrate and although I could have driven, I decided to cut the time short by facing my fear of flying. What an experience! I sat next to some wonderful people on the plane and ended up gulping down a gin and cranberry juice to calm my nerves.

Before I left for my trip my mother conversed with me about the chaos of the airport itself and this didn’t help me at all. I went there prepared for the absolute worse. I expected people to be running over me as I tried to navigate my way through to find my gate. My mother told me at the security checkpoint, people would be impatient with me if I took too long putting back on my shoes and packing my items (as I had a laptop with me.) Surprisingly, I didn’t experience any of that. She unfortunately had experienced it herself during one of her flights.

I appreciate her preparing me for the worse as I was looking forward to the absolute worse and nothing happened. This allowed me to relax a little bit. My mother was the first person to call me after I landed in Florida. She was so excited and wanted to to know about my experience at the airport and the flight itself.

I enjoyed my time on the beach, store hopping, eating and drinking alcoholic beverages mid-day into the night. Hey what can I say? It was my birthday after all. I indulged in a variety of cuisines from Mexican, Italian to Cuban and a variety of desserts.

I enjoyed a relaxing massage from the Bodies Kneaded Massage Spa. I also received the deep facial cleansing services and it hurt like hell! Omg! I got the blackhead extraction services and tears were rolling down my face. It was worth it because my face looked great afterwards. It was sore for a couple of days but I had a glow to me.

My favorite part of the trip was my visit to the Kampong, a botanical garden. I am a nature lover and it is a must that I spend time in nature for healing of my mind, body and soul.

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Sometimes you just have to take some time for yourself to get your mind right! I left my hometown full of aggravation and returned renewed and ready to take on whatever.

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5. YOU MAY NOT EMBRACE YOUR BEAUTIFUL UNIQUE JOURNEY

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