March Update

Hey friend,

Happy Women’s History Month! I Hope March has started off well for you. How’s this pollen treatin’ ya?! It has come out fully and it’s been beautiful to see bees(the true connectors of the world) buzzin’ around.

March, oh March has been an interesting month, to say the least. What I mean: yes I have made the lists, allowed myself grace, and still feel unsettled. Within the last few weeks it has been a blessing: going to the Jill Scott concert with my sister( we had A TIME!!) attending the Hope Conference with Sarah Jakes Roberts and Dr. Anita Phillips( Check out her sermon on Christianity and mental health below) with friends. In all, this newsletter has been lagging behind my self-proclaimed goal of the 1st week of the month. I know it’s the middle now…grace, please? Attending the concert was a beautiful full circle of sisterhood; my sister and Jill had plenty of moments that night; forever grateful. Now Dr. Anita Phillips, hope you all learn about her and her mission in Christ. She is one of the catalysts for this newsletter; the first time I witnessed someone talking about mental health in the church using more than prayer in combination with psychology. Please don’t get me wrong, Prayer will FOREVER change things. It is with spiritual prayer and the natural work ( James 2: 16) that we thrive.

Dr. Anita in her Good Ground sermon discusses the parallels of mental health in the bible using Adam and Eve, the different types of ground for seeds, and Jonah. This month I’ve seen how the different “grounds” have shown up in my life that my brother brought to my attention. Which one do you ask? Scorched ground, and taking things personally have caused an attitude that blocks opportunities. I was shocked! Not me lol, but I do wear my emotions on my sleeves and it’s not for everyone (Guard your heart right). Jonah was blessed by God(even with shelter from the sun in the beginning) and his own attitude caused him to have to be in the blazing sun, then to be trapped in a big fish for days AND still have to do what God asked. As a quiet question to yourself, which ground are you cultivating; even unknowingly?

After speaking with a friend about my delay she mentioned that I may be overthinking and need to focus on what’s happening now( be present). How many of you have seen a goal, got moving then hit a wall, and stopped working on the goal? My real question is, what do you do to get back on track or at least put one foot on the ground again?? I would love to hear your responses, email me!!

For me, it is normally listening to a sermon ( Sarah Jakes Roberts: Girl Get up) while cleaning up my space. Did that work this time? No, it was praying for strength and having a short conversation with a friend that helped this time. It is the people that God puts in your life that send reminders when you can not see them yourselves. Hope you caught that: prayer(spiritual) and a trusted conversation (natural) action.

Y’all, this email turned into a mental health check-in and hope you take some time to check in with yourself. Living in Harmony’s goal is to show real-life ways to live in harmony with God. I don’t have it right but will continue to strive to get better and hope you all do that too. This season has been one of building community. Community is important; your community does not have to be large, get your 1-3 people that check on each other. My prayer is this is the start or continuation of the community for you; email is always open!

Christianity and Mental Health

How does your vision and dream seed grow on different Ground? Lets look at the bible to showcase seed and the proper ground for growth.

The Benefits of Fruit

It’s hard to talk about mental health without mentioning the part nutrition plays in keeping everything balanced. Your gut health is directly linked to your mental health. Ever notice after eating healthy you feel better; your body is moving great versus eating something fried and you’re down for the count? Check out the chart below to get some in your diet; it’s the oranges for me!!

PINEAPPLE Rich in potassium, calcium, vitamin C, beta carotene, thiamin, B6, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber. LEMON Has nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin thiamin, and riboflavin.

WATERMELON Helps prevent kidney disorders, high blood pressure, the prevention of cancer, diabetes APPLE Helps improve digestion, prevention of stomach disorders, gallstones, constipation, liver disorders.

ORANGE Boosts immune system function, reduce signs of aging, protect against cancer, and boost cellular repair. KIWI An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Has antioxidant properties.

LEMON has nourishing elements like Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folate, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin.

APPLE helps improve digestion, preventionof stomach disorders, gallstones, constipation, and liver disorders

KIWI An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, floate, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Has antioxidant properties.

2023 Anchor Scripture

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands.

2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.

6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.

7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.

10 The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Yoga with Tyisha Henderson

If you are local in the Columbia, SC area I have become a regular teacher at Richland Public Library (7490 Parklane Rd, Columbia, SC 29223)! My classes are every Saturday at 11am. Please pre-register as walk ins are not permitted.

February Update

Hey friend,

Happy Black History Month!!( 365 for most) How have you been?! First off, thank you deeply for everyone that clicked, watched and gave feedback for this Living in Harmony journey. It means a lot and y’all will see the feedback you shared throughout this and future emails.

I have been working on sticking to a routine with success and fails. Grateful for a new month to try again(thanks to grace). Success looks like: creating a list, knowing the steps to complete and getting everything prepped beforehand. Fails looks like: Not allocating enough time and negative self talk when it’s not completed. Moving forward I have listened to Therapy as Christian podcast about grace and self sabotage. In those episodes I’ve learned that GRACE and setting real boundaries(with myself and others) is real and needed to be successful. Grace and boundaries looks like: Actually going to sleep at a decent time; incorporating some gentle movements beforehand, letting others know what you’re working on for a time to not shut them out but to also let them know you’re not ignoring them and most importantly leaning on Holy Spirit to strengthen me during this season(Romans 8:26). I would love to hear what you are working on in February!

Health and Wellness Podcasts

All my podcast listeners!! Podcast were my saving grace during the peak of the Panorama. Check out a few below that were in rotation for me.

Mental health with Rosyln at Therapy as a Christian

This podcast changed the game of bridging mental health and being a Christian. Roslynn Renee shares all things mental health and Christ. We discuss how therapy can aid in helping us heal from our past and how God can assist in that effort. We will discuss different topics, interviews, and reflection sessions from the host’s, Roslyn Renee, own therapy sessions. Check out an episode here: https://link.chtbl.com/therapyasachristian

Staying Ageless with Esosa

This podcast is dope with easy health tips to incorporate in your life for a big impact. Esosa E. shares health and wellness tips that will equip you with major keys to achieve extraordinary longevity. Tune in for a fun and engaging look at food and lifestyle choices, hear from experts as well as living examples, and learn how to personalize your nutrition and exercise regimen and boost your energy so you can stay fly til you’re 99, or close to it. Check out an episode here: https://stayingagelessshow.com/

Brown Vegan

Monique at Brown Vegan felt like my favorite cousin encouraging me with delicious vegan food and the benefits with interesting guests. Monique offers practical tips to start & keep going with a vegan journey, wellness, and vegan entrepreneurship. Check out an episode here: https://www.brownvegan.com/podcast

Brown Ambition

Lastly, y’all know I LOVE me some Brown Ambition and will forever plug them as they updated my mentality on finances. Listen to new episodes every Wednesday Mandi Woodruff and Tiffany “The Buegetnista” Aliche, an award winning financial educator and author of the New York Times bestseller “Get Good With Money” helps you unapologetically build wealth by saving, investing, and making smart career choices– on your own terms. Check out an episode here: https://brownambitionpodcast.com/

Check these out and let me know which ones are your fave! I’m always looking for a new cool podcast.