Self-Care Is The Best Form of Flattery.

Self-Care is an Investment in Oneself.

Every day ending in -y is the perfect day for self-care. A hot cup of coffee or tea, a great book, massage or snack all contribute to elevating ones mood. There are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week, so there's no excuse not to find time for yourself. As a busy mother, wife and business owner, I force myself to take some me time.

1. Burn Candles: Aromatherapy candles can help you relax, feel calm, energized and help your brain get into a more productive mindset. Check out one of our favorites! Karter L Rose Candle Company 

2. Get Creative: As a business owner, my job requires me to be creative 95% of the time, so occasionally I have to find non-work related creative ways to relieve stress. Dance parties with the James Crew, roller skating around Lake Merritt or reading (listening counts too!) a good book on the couch in a Love Iguehi Kaftan; all allow me to reduce stress and get my creative juices flowing.

3. Relax. Sleep. Repeat.: As a woman who wears many hats, the grind doesn't stop but I do put it on pause. I have to get better at turning the entrepreneur off, but I know (because my family always tells me) that rest is a necessity and not a sign of procrastination.  So, let's give ourselves some grace. Make it a priority to schedule family time, work time, me time and rest time in order to create a more balanced lifestyle.

Self Care is a journey and I admit to being a work in progress. If you are like me, lets be accountable to each other by establishing a self-care routine. It may be the best investment we can make in ourselves.

When You Invest in Yourself Others Will Too!

I think we would all agree that 2020 has been a challenging year. Many small businesses have been forced to make tough adjustments just to survive. Thanks to the Love Tribe we have actually seen growth in this challenging season. In March when "it hit the fan", we adjusted our plans, invested in ourselves, and successfully pivoted the brand. The Love Tribe stuck with us and purchased face masks and head wraps while we developed our Kaftan line. In a tough year, we have actually grown our business and we are grateful for your support. We are also grateful for organizations like the Oakland African American Chamber Commerce (OACC) who established a Resiliency Fund with funding from large corporations like Blue Shield of California. In July, we were awarded $5,000 from the Resiliency Fund. The support from our community and the Love Tribe is what will mark this year for us. 

Please check out the full article for more inspiration!