10 Ways to Fall Back In Love With Your Black/African Roots
Dear Afro Femmes Out There,
This is how to fall back in love with your soul and your roots!
Whether you are Black, Afro Cubana, Afro Xichanx, Afro Indian, or African- Embrace The Goddess Within You! We are all women of a beautiful Indigenous or Afrocentric cocoa and red dirt rainbows and we deserve to accept love and tenderness that we deserve.
In a world that is constantly demanding that we should adhere to one set role be bold.
In a world that says we must abide by this stereotypical and toxic imagery of ‘strong’ femininity in black and brown and light-skinned bodies that are socially acceptable sexualized, dare to recognize and claim your power!
For us women who were too light or too dark for acceptance and for the 4C hair and midnight shaded beauties who blend in with the stars, this is for you!
For the Chicanas and Puerto Rican brujas, the Sudanese queens, and all the Native black guardians, this is for you!
Strengthen Your Natural Hair Journey
Braids, Bantu knots, dreadlocks, headscarves, and silk bonnets should be incorporated into your life. Be it a seasonal appeal or daily look, find out a way to learn about what your natural hair needs.
This means looking into the cultural significance behind certain hairstyles, as well as seeking healthy, affordable, and safe hair products to promote natural growth and overall positive hair health.
With this new journey, take pictures of yourself to remind yourself of your progress and to ensure that you are content with your looks, without the opinions of others chiming in.
Build Your Own Diet and Workout Routine
When you have a better relationship with food, then you have a better relationship with your body. Cooking meals for yourself, keeping a food diary, or trying new recipes or ingredients are all solid ways to get started with building a fresh connection with some of the foods you love!
With a refreshing diet that compliments you, don’t feel pressure to go vegan or eat solely fruits and dietary supplements. Instead, combine your structured diet with a workout routine that will help with strengthening your core, toning muscles, getting your active, or helping with mild to chronic body aches and conditions.
Once you get the blood flowing through a dance set or yoga class, kickboxing or Ti-Chi, only you can determine if you feel connected with the divine light that fosters within.
Sing and Dance Out Loud
Some of us have been told that women are better off being seen and not heard. Well, forget that notion completely!
You better blast Drake at 4 in the afternoon and twerk to your heart’s content. Go ahead and belt out every note to Rosalia’s Malamente and salsa your way into the morning sun.
Give yourself endless bounds to be happy and find freedom in movement. Take time out from any stressful situation or day and relax your soul when you unleash all the clusters of energies that society tells you to keep hidden and reserved.
We are wild stallions galloping through wind tunnels in this world, so march on and march hard.
Be Loud and Aggressive
You’ve probably heard or been told that women of color are too loud or are too mean to even be approached. Well– yeah screw that! Be loud and be aggressive! Fill up the entire room with your radiance and grace!
Challenge those problematic co-workers. Suggest your brilliant ideas and take ownership of those ideas you propose in that corporate meeting. Defend your point on why white privilege is real and how racism is alive and well, in your college seminar.
Be boundless, be fierce, and do not back down from taking up space in a world that has only recently started to consider us human. Do it all with a golden heart and bold moves.
Wear Yellow
Yellow is a hue that enlightens and attracts beauty to beauty. Spruce up the wardrobe with fresh colors like yellow that compliment your body type and complexion.
Women of color need to welcome a brighter introspection into our bodies and outlook. We need to start feeling the warmth we give to others within ourselves. You can stand out on your own vibe with a stunning look, and yellow is the starter color that works for all BIPOC women!
Practice A Morning Mantra
Some people find it either cheesy or crazy to talk to yourself. But there is a difference between foolish gibbers and concrete coaching. You need to be your own cheerleader. No more self-sabotaging ways that hinder your intrapersonal growth.
A morning mantra is an excellent way to distract your anxiety from spiraling too early on in the day. The coping skill of thought-stopping can be beneficial for those of us who struggle with mental illness or self-image appreciation.
Give yourself kindness, motivation, love, and self-care first thing in the morning to set the tone in your mentality for the day!
Find Out What Helps Your Spirituality
Whether you practice Islam, whip up spells, kneel at the feet of Mother Mary, or light candles at the altar of your ancestors, prayer is a life skill that extends beyond all religions, practices, and spaces.
However, some of us are not entirely in tune or content with our spiritual pathways quite yet. But there are ways to seek it out.
Studying nature, maintaining a daily or consistent relationship with the natural environment, and meditating in nature make for significant first steps towards understanding your soul and identity.
Once you discover what spirituality, religion, and prayers look like for you, then you can further your character and soul growth. Your personal relationship with God, the universe, Allah, or the divine are all valid methods of connection and you should embrace them in a decolonized, wholesome, and sincere way.
Seek Out Resources
Sometimes the BIPOC experience takes a negative toll and many Afro women can feel ignored, misguided, and invalidated.
No matter what popular culture says at the time, and no matter what toxic beliefs that certain family members or culture might promote, mental illness is real.
Bipolar disorder, CPTSD, chronic depression, suicidal thoughts, sexual trauma, insomnia, are all very real diseases that afflict the mind, body, and soul.
If you can take medicine and go to the doctor for a broken wrist, then you can and should go a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist specialist to work through your emotional and mental needs.
There is no shame whatsoever in admitting to yourself that you need help and support both professionally and personally. We can’t be ‘strong’ 24/7. And we can’t always be masculine and unbreakable. We must learn to give tender love and care to those shadow parts of ourselves.
Seek these resources if you need them.
Meditation and Manifestation
When you think about the negative constantly and you give into misery you get accustomed to its company and in turn become miserable. And when you give way for blessings and you start to claim your power and your desires, you manifest your dreams into reality.
Drafting out goals short term and long term can paint a picture of your envisioned successes for yourself. Doing this with some added mediation can increase your mood and hopeful thoughts about whatever it is you wish to exist. Make it a daily habit to inhale your anxieties and stressors, and exhale manifested goals and progressive positivity.
Compliment Yourself
We are far from basic Betties! We all are adorn with golden crowns, so put some respect on your name! Confidence can be timid and a slippery slope.
When you cherish yourself, you recognize the blood of your ancestors that runs courses through your veins. Also, you can understand why you should compliment yourself as often as possible.
You are worthy of love and respect. And you should accept and admire all facets of your personality and good looks. Simply smiling at yourself in the mirror more often can do wonders for your mental state.
Afro femmes out there, heed this piece and adjust your crown. Chin up and power on queen!
