Walking Towards Light: Joyful Movement and Empowerment with Shakera Martin
Get ready to dive deep into the world of joyful movement and empowerment with Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson and her fabulous guest, Shakera Martin!
In this 3rd episode of the Well Within series, we explore how movement isn't just about exercise; it's about connection, courage, and finding your calling. Shakera shares her journey of rediscovering joy in movement, emphasizing that it’s all about listening to your body and making choices that resonate with your spirit. We'll unpack the significance of intentionality in our daily activities and how small shifts can lead to big transformations in our lives.
So grab your favorite beverage, kick back, and let's get Well Within together!
Takeaways:
- Nkechi and Shakera emphasize that empowering oneself starts with listening to your body and prioritizing your own needs, which can lead to better decision-making.
- Joyful movement is not just about exercise; it's about connecting with your body through activities that bring you joy, like dancing or simply going for a walk.
- Shakera shares her personal journey of finding joy in movement again after years in commercial dance, highlighting the importance of reconnecting with what you love.
- Both hosts discuss the significance of community support in maintaining mental and emotional well-being, especially during challenging times.
- The conversation highlights how simplifying life can alleviate decision fatigue, allowing more space for joy and fulfillment in daily activities.
- In closing, Shakera encourages everyone to be the light in their own lives, suggesting that embracing your true self can inspire others in their journeys.
If this episode resonates with you, then remember... SUBSCRIBE • 5-Star Rate • COMMENT • SHARE this Podcast!! 💚❤️🙌🏾🙏🏾
Book Recommendation: "The Bible"
Find Shakira Online:
Website: www.simplyshakera.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/simplyshakera/
Find us online: https://linktr.ee/nkechinwaforrobinson
Transcript
Great day, amazing human.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome to Empowered at My Skin podcast where our mission is to help 1 billion people in this world think in more empowering ways.
Speaker A:Empowered humans empower humans.
Speaker A:So you are in the right place to become a lead domino for empowerment today.
Speaker A:My name is Nkechi Mwaho Robinson.
Speaker A:I'm not only your host, but I am a vibrant optimist obsessed to bring you empowering content with every single episode.
Speaker A:We will bring you weekly content alternating between longer episodes with featured guests and a shorter episode called Empowering Bites where I will be joined by my co host, Gabby Memone.
Speaker A:So if you're ready, let the show begin.
Speaker A:Great day, amazing humans.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome back to the Empowered My skin and our special well with thin four part series on wellness and well being.
Speaker A:And because being well is never just one thin and so let me for YouTubers, you actually can see our amazing guest for those on audio, you're wondering who am I about to intro?
Speaker A:Well, let me just tell you something.
Speaker A:This is a woman whose every step is guided by faith and fueled by joy.
Speaker A:Her journey reminds us that movement is more than motion.
Speaker A:It's connection, courage and calling.
Speaker A:She teaches us that when we move with purpose and lead with love, which is my favorite statement, we create space for healing, growth and grace.
Speaker A:A true embodiment of wellness from the inside out.
Speaker A:Please join me in a gigantic and massive podcast.
Speaker A:Welcome for Shakira Martin, Rewind selector.
Speaker A:Come again.
Speaker B:We gonna do a cheer for ourselves too.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I love it, I love it.
Speaker A:So I'm gonna start with my signature question.
Speaker A:What, my love, has been your most empowering thought of the day so far?
Speaker B:Empowering thought of the day is who you have to say yes to.
Speaker B:Your body.
Speaker A:Oh, okay.
Speaker B:And why I say this is because even before coming onto this call, I was grappling with my schedule, preventing me from going on a walk that I had put in my calendar.
Speaker B:Negotiable.
Speaker B:But I was like, no, no, I got to get this done.
Speaker B:I got to get that done.
Speaker B:And by the time this time the call is done, the sun is going to be gone.
Speaker B:All of these excuses.
Speaker B:But no, I made that decision in that moment that Shakira, you need to go on the walk.
Speaker B:For you, the schedule can wait.
Speaker B:The schedule.
Speaker B:And yes, it was probably one of the best decisions.
Speaker B:Got some of that fresh air, just came in, started playing some music, prepared me for this call today.
Speaker B:And you know, everything is connected.
Speaker A:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker A:So because you said listen to your body as you were potentially negotiating your schedule with all the things you had to do, Was it your body that was calling you to the walk?
Speaker A:Like, was there something internally that you felt that said, no, I need to live to that commitment?
Speaker A:What was it?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker B:It was more so the pressure of what no would bring about.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Because I know.
Speaker B:I don't know if my fellow overthinkers are in the house, you know, just focusing on the wrong.
Speaker B:I don't say the wrong things, but everything at once.
Speaker B:Making yourself feel overwhelmed, getting decision fatigue, the guilt, the shoulda coulda wouldas.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:In my case, sometimes I get physical symptoms of not saying yes to my body and yes to myself.
Speaker B:And so, yeah, it's all connected.
Speaker B:And I'm grateful that, you know, I chose me.
Speaker B:And for sure, versus asks.
Speaker A:And I love that.
Speaker A:And, you know, because this is called well within.
Speaker A:There's two things, actually, that you said that I.
Speaker A:That just sparked thoughts in me.
Speaker A:So the first one was.
Speaker A:Was like many of us listening to this there.
Speaker A:When alarm goes off in the morning, we face it.
Speaker A:A lot of us do the body scan.
Speaker A:We have.
Speaker A:We have the.
Speaker A:We had the going to bed intention to get up and work out for sure.
Speaker A:Then the alarm goes off, and there's that moment of negotiation that you sort of do.
Speaker A:Like, do my feet feel well?
Speaker A:How do my kneels feel?
Speaker A:And like.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And what Shakir is talking about, irrespective of all of that, your body needs you to get up and go.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So it's not about negotiating without your.
Speaker A:Like, it.
Speaker A:Like, the two just don't live hand in hand.
Speaker A:It's always about how do I want to feel at the end of that activity.
Speaker A:And I think that if you could focus on that feeling, then I think it negates.
Speaker A:It just.
Speaker A:It trumps any type of body scan that you can actually do or quarrel that you can have with your mind.
Speaker B:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker A:And the other thing, because you talked about decision fatigue, it's so funny.
Speaker A:I think I need to have an episode on this.
Speaker A:And if.
Speaker A:If she was willing to, I'd love to have my mother on the episode, because my mom.
Speaker A:I mean, now I get it.
Speaker A:Because there's no way my house would look like my mom's house.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, not even this room.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:My mom is so simple.
Speaker A:She has one of everything.
Speaker A:I mean, like, one winter boot, one summer shoe, one pair of jeans, one, like, maybe three, four dresses for church.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:But like, one set of plates.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Like, like.
Speaker A:And I recognize.
Speaker A:And she's 87, thriving, living her best life by herself.
Speaker A:And I'm Sitting here as she masticates.
Speaker A:She's still.
Speaker A:Like, she could eat, yo.
Speaker A:And she.
Speaker A:She has, like, she.
Speaker A:She's on zero medication with the exception of, like, some eye drops.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:She's just thriving.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And I mean, she has, like, the.
Speaker A:The sciatic and all this and the other.
Speaker A:But she has her.
Speaker A:She does it all natural.
Speaker A:Like, her feet and, like, her feet massages and stuff like that.
Speaker A:But I recognize that in large part, a lot of that is because she has so few decisions to make.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:When you have one coat, you don't have to burn it.
Speaker A:Pick up the cone you got.
Speaker A:Like, I recognize how much of my thoughts are, what am I gonna wear this today?
Speaker A:Like, what am I wearing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday?
Speaker A:And then it's not only just Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, it's like, what am I wearing to the gym?
Speaker A:Then what am I wearing to work?
Speaker A:Then what am I wearing after work?
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:Which 90am I wearing to bed?
Speaker A:Like, all.
Speaker A:Like, imagine if I just had one of each, and then there's.
Speaker A:It wouldn't even be a decision in my head.
Speaker A:It'd be just.
Speaker B:But imagine.
Speaker B:Imagine it's a possibility and fun fact.
Speaker B:So my brand is called Simply Shakira.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:People don't know this, but Simply Shakira is an affirmation.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Why?
Speaker B:Because there is.
Speaker B:For many years, there was nothing simple about nothing from what I was working on, what I was eating, where I was going, my household, all the things.
Speaker B:And I. I'm so glad for where I've come.
Speaker B:Where it's.
Speaker B:I'm like, I'm mirroring your mom.
Speaker A:I want to be my mom.
Speaker B:I need one.
Speaker B:Either one or none.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:That right there can be multiples.
Speaker B:If it doesn't fit in the drawer, Fluffy.
Speaker B:It has to go.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:If I can't.
Speaker B:If I have to fight the closet to get to the thing, it's not going.
Speaker A:It has to.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I have to be really honest with myself because there are things that there are.
Speaker A:I have to.
Speaker A:I have to.
Speaker A:I have to start somewhere.
Speaker A:So I think I could start with my closet.
Speaker A:Like, I think the closet is the easiest to do, right?
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And just have.
Speaker A:Even if, like.
Speaker A:Because I did it some years ago where I worked with the stylist, and it was just one side of my closet had just the out, like, two weeks worth of.
Speaker A:Of.
Speaker A:Of clothing, but I can mix and match sets, so I didn't have to look anywhere else in my closet.
Speaker A:And I just.
Speaker A:I lived off that.
Speaker A:Like, the outfits were already known, and I Didn't have to think about putting them together.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:That was that.
Speaker A:Anyway, I died.
Speaker A:So because you said it, I was like, oh, my gosh.
Speaker A:I think I have to write that down.
Speaker A:Decision fatigue is such a great.
Speaker A:It's like.
Speaker A:It's a double click episode, man.
Speaker A:I'm gonna have to.
Speaker A:Because I think that.
Speaker A:I think that when you have.
Speaker A:When you can.
Speaker A:When you can actually unlock that, you could be even more empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You see, and even with that example of the walking, it just seems like, oh, it's just a walk.
Speaker B:You could walk anytime.
Speaker B:But something that comes up, like when the sun comes down, I'm by myself.
Speaker B:It's not really safe to walk at night.
Speaker B:If I didn't, I'd be disappointed, and it would just create a whole other scenario when I could have just gone.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And you just went, yeah, the decision is already made.
Speaker B:And I'm going, 60 minutes.
Speaker B:I did 30 minutes.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker A:You know what philosophy that is, Renee Brown?
Speaker A:The 10 minutes you do is better than the 60 you don't.
Speaker A:I just said that to somebody today.
Speaker A:I wonder.
Speaker A:She might be listening to your episode because I put her.
Speaker A:I put her onto this podcast.
Speaker A:So Megan, I think Megan Breach.
Speaker A:I actually don't know if that's her last.
Speaker A:I know her first name is Megan, but I see her last name is B. Megan B. I'm just gonna call you Megan B.
Speaker A:If you hear this, you know, we have this conversation today.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker A:So now after all of that, let me just continue to, like, pick your brain.
Speaker A:Simply Shakira.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:So you've built an incredible platform that merges movement and mindset and empowerment.
Speaker A:So when you think about joyful movement, because I think that that's something that is near and dear to you, what does that really mean to you?
Speaker A:And how.
Speaker A:How is it different from, like, I'm gonna say dance and fitness?
Speaker A:Like in your.
Speaker B:In yourself or anything else.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Like, what is joyful?
Speaker B:So my career background started in commercial dance.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And so I've been doing that for over 20 years, and that's an intense field.
Speaker B:You're.
Speaker B:You're.
Speaker B:You're.
Speaker B:You're called to do this assignment.
Speaker B:Your craft, which is dance, is a commodity in a sense, right?
Speaker B:You lose that connection between this thing that you love to do and a paycheck or a responsibility or something else for somebody else.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:And imagine doing that for years and years and years.
Speaker B:And even though I transitioned along the way to less maybe performance and more teaching, it was the same thing in a different Font.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:For others.
Speaker B:And so I grappled with the service of it because by nature, I'm a server.
Speaker B:I love to support my community.
Speaker B:I love to support my audience.
Speaker B:And, you know, there is some satisfaction and gratitude for seeing people transform from this work using dance.
Speaker B:But what was lost in that was the joy for me.
Speaker B:Dance was always a form of expression for me.
Speaker B:Dance was always a form of joy for me when I first started.
Speaker B:And as time gone on, I realized, like, I was losing that.
Speaker B:And, you know, especially with the performance aspect of my business, all my weekends were occupied.
Speaker B:All my summers were essentially taken away because I was working.
Speaker B:So you're casual.
Speaker B:Go to the barbecue and just kind of jam with your friends, or I'm not really a big clubber, but going to the parties and like, all of these social aspects of dance, I was losing.
Speaker B:And so it was like, okay, where do I dance for me, right?
Speaker B:Do I go to.
Speaker B:So I started taking my.
Speaker B:I started taking classes as a person who was attending and not teaching them.
Speaker B:Tried that for a while, but schedule conflicts, right?
Speaker B:And so just meeting all of these points of resistance where very recently, I will say that I had to.
Speaker B:Not even I had to.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I was for.
Speaker B:I was forced to stop and find ways to find that joy again and just have to be dance.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Body can do so many things.
Speaker B:Your body can do so many things, right?
Speaker B:And it was really a moment where I had to really find joy in movement.
Speaker B:We just talked about walking.
Speaker A:So there.
Speaker A:That's a joyful movement.
Speaker B:That was a joyful movement that I discovered a year ago.
Speaker B:Two years ago, walking.
Speaker B:I would have looked at you like, please.
Speaker B:Jogging, like, no, it was a hard note, right?
Speaker B:I would walk to the bathroom.
Speaker B:I'd walk to the car.
Speaker B:I'd walk through the grocery store in the mall.
Speaker B:Very casual.
Speaker B:But never something.
Speaker B:Something that I carved out time for until I had to.
Speaker B:And in that moment, this whole new relationship formed with my body because in simple.
Speaker B:Something as simple as walking, it's time away from the noise of the world, all of your priorities.
Speaker B:It's just you and yourself.
Speaker B:You in nature for me.
Speaker B:Me and God, right?
Speaker B:Or if that's a podcast, me in education, listening to songs, Educational or a book or something like that.
Speaker B:So it was dedicated time to myself, dedicated time to my body.
Speaker B:And so much transformation has come out from that.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:But to someone that's listening, who.
Speaker A:Let's just say they do daily walks, right?
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And a lot of times it's very automatic.
Speaker A:They've been doing it forever.
Speaker A:So they just kind of go and do walks or they do something during the day that, you know, moves.
Speaker A:Because I'm assuming it's something that changes your physiology, right?
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:Like with this, when I do Great day.
Speaker A:Amazing humans.
Speaker A:Is that joyful movement.
Speaker B:It can be.
Speaker A:It can be.
Speaker A:Okay, so it can be.
Speaker B:But here's the difference.
Speaker B:It's the intention.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Okay, that's what I'm gonna say.
Speaker B:So, right.
Speaker A:So you're going for a walk and you are bringing.
Speaker A:You are including joy as an intention to.
Speaker A:To the work, to the.
Speaker A:To the activity.
Speaker B:To the activity.
Speaker B:And are you walking with my.
Speaker B:That's gonna be my testimony.
Speaker B:I'm gonna shout that from the rooftops.
Speaker B:But that could be a lot of different things.
Speaker B:That could be going to the park with your child and not just, you know, sitting and watching them play, getting up and moving around with them, around the slide or playing tag with them.
Speaker B:Not everyone has the same level of mobility, so we should acknowledge that.
Speaker B:But making that decision, it all starts in the mind and then the body follows, cooperates.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Follows gardening, walking to the.
Speaker B:Not walking.
Speaker B:But I said dance.
Speaker B:It was something that was lost for me.
Speaker B:But for many people, that's a very quick access to joyful movement.
Speaker B:Turning on your favorite song and not necessarily going to a Zumba class or.
Speaker B:Or the club.
Speaker B:Stay in your room, close the door, stand in front of the mirror, sing your favorite song and feel the field.
Speaker A:And bring the joy.
Speaker A:The joy.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You have to really cultivate.
Speaker B:And especially many of us with such busy lives, we tend to forget that or we get lost in.
Speaker B:In the sauce.
Speaker B:For example, myself, right, with the business busyness or the serviceness of what you.
Speaker B:And you just.
Speaker B:You miss that, that intentionality, like, no, this is time for me.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:It's actually being self aware.
Speaker A:You know, it's interesting because working in corporate spaces, um, I actually want to also take that and add to it because a lot of like, like going on walks and, and finding those movements are going to be a percentage of our day.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:A lot of our days are spent at work in this.
Speaker A:Any other.
Speaker A:And I feel like the same mindset, the same thought process can be brought into every single thing that you actually do.
Speaker A:You can just move and like, and.
Speaker A:And take action through your day from a space of joy.
Speaker A:And it's interesting because I had, like, from a corporate perspective, I changed my mindset from.
Speaker A:I literally fired myself as an employee over 10 years ago.
Speaker A: Like: Speaker A:I think it was like I fired Myself as an employee and I deployed myself into my workspace.
Speaker A:And that was a different mindset because when I deploy myself, I'm deploying my.
Speaker A:Deploying my energy, I'm deploying my.
Speaker A:My joy, my gratefulness, my.
Speaker A:My appreciation.
Speaker A:Like all of the things that are good about me are the things that I'm deploying.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so when you said that, I was just like, wow, like if we could do so much of life like that.
Speaker B:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker B:I would even add something that I pause.
Speaker B:I always share with some of my clients too, is the.
Speaker B:The S method.
Speaker B:And we talked about the first one, for example, Selection.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:What is that thing?
Speaker B:For me, it was walking.
Speaker B:Why is my light being silly?
Speaker B:Anyhow, we don't need.
Speaker B:You can see me, you can see.
Speaker A:Me, I can see you.
Speaker B:One is selection.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Make that relatable to you.
Speaker B:Make it practical.
Speaker B:For me, it's walking.
Speaker B:For you, it could be dance.
Speaker B:For you, it could be just finding something on YouTube.
Speaker B:For you, it could be finding an activity with your children or your spouse or your friend that you're dedicating time to.
Speaker B:And then we're talking about time that moves over to scheduling.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Many people live by the calendar.
Speaker B:I have a little more flexibility, but I have to at least have an idea of what I'm planning to do and when.
Speaker B:Like always that my food for my laundry.
Speaker B:So why not for my workout?
Speaker B:And it doesn't all, you know, workout.
Speaker B:So you're adding that extra pressure.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Joyful movement.
Speaker B:Something where you're body.
Speaker B:Put it on the calendar.
Speaker A:I love that you put it on the calendar.
Speaker A:I love.
Speaker A:I actually don't put mine on the calendar because it's.
Speaker A:So I have time, I have time blocked on my calendar.
Speaker A:But I don't.
Speaker A:But it doesn't say it's my workout that's on the calendar.
Speaker B:But guess why I do that now?
Speaker B:So my work, My work schedule has changed and I'll probably share.
Speaker B:I have some news for you, but.
Speaker A:I'll see you later.
Speaker B:Yes, my scheduling has changed where I'm not teaching as often.
Speaker B:I'm not in the in.
Speaker B:I'm not sweating for work.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:So I don't have that like luxury of using my work as my workout.
Speaker B:So now I have to like be diligent, intentional with scheduling or else I'll get.
Speaker B:It'll miss.
Speaker B:It'll be long gone.
Speaker B:9 o' clock will come and I haven't done anything.
Speaker B:And I'll use that as an excuse.
Speaker B:I'll do it tomorrow.
Speaker B:So I definitely had to Put in my schedule.
Speaker B:And the last part for me is.
Speaker B:Or the last s, I would say, is support.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:It's intentional for you, but things are so much more fun, more engaging when you have others involved.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Community, self care.
Speaker B:And so if it's a friend, it's a family member.
Speaker B:I usually, when I walk them the same routes, I see some of the same people, and I say hi to them or they say hi to me.
Speaker B:I don't know these people, but it just adds to the experience.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:So, yeah, those.
Speaker B:Those three.
Speaker B:I definitely encourage anyone who's listening to, to take, take, take, take account and then implement.
Speaker A:Yeah, I like that.
Speaker A:I like that.
Speaker A:So you're very open about your faith.
Speaker A:You've.
Speaker A:You know, you've already mentioned that both of us.
Speaker A:I'm not sure if you know, my name means God's gift, right?
Speaker A:So I always say, like, imagine if I was a terror in all of my experiences.
Speaker A:But anyway, how has faith anchored or shaped the way you lead?
Speaker B:Ooh, that is beautiful.
Speaker B:How has faith?
Speaker B:Well, I will start by saying faith anger is every aspect of my life.
Speaker B:And, you know, as I continue to get deeper and deeper with God and Jesus Christ and just, you know, really steadfast in my Bible, you realize, like, there's.
Speaker B:There's no other way to live.
Speaker B:You want to keep God at the center of everything.
Speaker B:And as far as leadership, it has taught me to be more kinder.
Speaker B:It has taught me to have more patience.
Speaker B:It has taught me to be more vocal if I'm having challenges, right.
Speaker A:Being.
Speaker B:Being authoritative for myself or ideas.
Speaker B:And you can see that when I'm either speaking to my team or in boardrooms or speaking to clients that, you know, there might be disagreements.
Speaker B:And so, yeah, it's.
Speaker B:It's such a.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:I look at it like a compass, right?
Speaker B:If I have a question, I bring it to God.
Speaker B:If I have a discomfort, I bring it to God.
Speaker B:And that happens a lot because I'm sure, you know, with entrepreneurship, every day is an adventure.
Speaker B:Every single is an adventure.
Speaker B:And I don't know where the best way to segue, but, like, even with my.
Speaker B:In respect to, like, physical aspects of.
Speaker A:Things.
Speaker B:My body being a mover by trade, by just nature, you know, when things aren't.
Speaker B:Aren't flowing, right.
Speaker B:Or if there's things I can't control, my body's usually the first thing to tell me.
Speaker A:Yeah, right.
Speaker B:And so, again, I have to bring it to God.
Speaker B:I have to bring it to God to give the direction.
Speaker B:And when, you know, Sometimes when our faith is weary because we are human first, you know, that's when that support comes back.
Speaker B:Me making sure other people surrounding you to really support you through the even tougher times where you feel like you can't.
Speaker A:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker A:So you have with God, you have built two impactful brands, I believe.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So tell us a bit about them in the order.
Speaker A:In any order that you prefer.
Speaker B:In any order.
Speaker B:So simply Shakira, as we talked about it, it's beyond an affirmation.
Speaker B:It's a quest for simplicity in my life.
Speaker B:But in those of my, my clients, my audience, there's a lot of social media and content creation on that side where I share resources and share strategies and, and, and brands, etc.
Speaker B:Etc.
Speaker B:That really support the wellness of my audience.
Speaker B:And that expands from physical to emotional, mental, and of course spiritual.
Speaker B:And when did you find it?
Speaker A:When did you found.
Speaker B: h, we started sympath care in: Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And in 20.
Speaker B:What was it?
Speaker A:Not 29.
Speaker B: Yeah,: Speaker B:And then co hit.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And that was a whole whirlwind.
Speaker B: organization, started that in: Speaker B:And that was just a source for Caribbean carnival arts.
Speaker B:The people, the music, the costumes.
Speaker B:Really a hub for the talent in Toronto specifically.
Speaker B:And like I said, I started out as a commercial dancer and I was always the only black girl in the room.
Speaker A:Room.
Speaker B:Dare there be anybody with natural hair or a little curve, you know, a little broad nose, like.
Speaker B:Absolutely not.
Speaker B:And so, you know, for years of doing that and having so much pain points from that experience, Carnival Spice was born to really not only just give people that look like me jobs because, you know, it's.
Speaker B:That's a big thing, pay jobs at that.
Speaker B:But even for the audience to see dancers of color being celebrated, being in spaces that they were never seen.
Speaker B:And here we are going on 12 and a half years and I couldn't even imagine this was what the journey would be like.
Speaker B:And it's really beautiful the amount of women that have come through our doors over the years, the amount of stages that we've been on.
Speaker B:And so while I will say it has been, it has been quite an experience navigating both, especially with Carnival Spice being growing into such a machine, for lack of another word.
Speaker B:But I would argue that that definitely a machine.
Speaker B:And yeah, both of them allow me to share my, my love, my passions, you know, people, culture, dance and fitness.
Speaker B:And I'll stop there without giving too much away.
Speaker A:Yeah, no, and I, you know, I truly Love.
Speaker A:Because I think what I've, the essence of what I've gone to is you were called into both of those realms, right.
Speaker A:Like it wasn't something that you had to force or, or find or it just, it naturally evolved.
Speaker A:And I always encourage people, especially when you are well within.
Speaker A:I think that it opens up your ability to, to, to the creative in you to be called, you know, and, and, and wanting to be called though.
Speaker B:But to listen to the call.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But the more well you are.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I think the more audible you hear the, the voice.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because when there is too much noise in there, it's just you can't, you can't.
Speaker A:But when you're well and you're able to just kind of sit back and quiet your mind, still your, and breathe and you'll stillness speaks.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You'll hear.
Speaker B:And what I'll add to that is when you're still, you can hear more.
Speaker B:But also when you are well, you can hear more.
Speaker B:Especially bringing in the faith aspect.
Speaker B:God needs your vessel to be well, to do the things that he's called you to do.
Speaker B:And you know, aches and pains are one thing.
Speaker A:I was just about this.
Speaker A:I'm glad you're saying that.
Speaker B:Right, listen, you can, you don't want to get out of bed if you talk about the mental.
Speaker B:If you're, you're having anxiety attacks, you don't want to be on emails and calling, calling people.
Speaker B:You know, when you're feeling unattractive because you know you had to put on weight or you, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker B:And I'm not looking at weight loss weight as an issue.
Speaker B:It's when you're beyond the feeling.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:The physical feel.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker B:Unpacks your, your perception of yourself.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:So all of it is, is connected and so the quest to be well is not linear.
Speaker B:Like we have to look at it.
Speaker A:From all aspects and that's really why we want to focus on well and well wellness and well being.
Speaker A:Because I truly do believe when you are a well human.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You can work through mental health a little easier.
Speaker A:You get what I'm saying?
Speaker A:Like the two are not right.
Speaker A:When you are well, you work through your challenges easier.
Speaker A:When you are well, even with aches and pains in your body, you are going to get up and work out and figure out how to navigate and pivot so that you are right.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:But it requires you being absolutely.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:I was like, can I tell you now?
Speaker A:So as someone constantly emotion because there are other humans that aren't necessarily in your programs.
Speaker A:How do you protect your peace?
Speaker A:Like, how do you protect your environment?
Speaker A:And how do you, how do you cultivate a well environment?
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:The joyful movement definitely helps.
Speaker B:Faith definitely helps because, you know, those are intentional choices.
Speaker B:Like you, you have to pray or you have to walk or, you know, those are things.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker B:The stillness, I would say is, is a, Is a huge part of protecting the peace.
Speaker B:Because when you're, when you're still, there's a, a new layer of lens that just happens, right?
Speaker B:You, you reflect more internally, you look at what's in front of you.
Speaker B:For me, I, especially with past few years, you know, just having some relationship challenges, you know, I had to be, I wouldn't say isolated, but I had to decide to be.
Speaker B:I had to create solitude, right.
Speaker B:Just not putting myself in environments that I seemed to.
Speaker B:I noticed we're causing harm.
Speaker B:And you could only do that when you just take a moment to yourself and breathe and reconnect, recalibrate, and then you make the decisions from there.
Speaker A:And if I can add something too, I think that again, back to the whole wellness, getting still, listening and learning as you, as you navigate this thing called life.
Speaker A:I think it's also important sometimes we don't do it often is when you leave an experience, I think it's almost like just do some checks and balances, right?
Speaker A:Do I feel motivated to go and do something that is energizing or that might motivate another human, right?
Speaker A:Do I feel like, do those checks and balances?
Speaker A:Like if, if it depleted you, if it, if it de.
Speaker A:Energized you, if it brought up anxiety or made you feel a certain way, then that's not, that wasn't a well experience.
Speaker A:It wasn't a well environment.
Speaker A:I don't know, but it just, I think it's.
Speaker A:I think we need to take stock a little bit more.
Speaker B:Can I use that as a segue?
Speaker B:I'm like, I gotta tell you something.
Speaker A:I gotta tell you now you.
Speaker A:Now you're telling me something.
Speaker A:I have more I gotta tell you.
Speaker B:Now because you said leave an experience, and it's so fitting and I don't want to miss it.
Speaker B:I don't want to miss it.
Speaker B:This is breaking news.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:This is Break the news.
Speaker A:Break the news.
Speaker A:So I should put a.
Speaker B:Yes, breaking.
Speaker B:Speaking of living experiences and, and being still and listening and responding, I have actually decided to close Carnival's place.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:After 12 and a half years, technically, we are officially closed as of.
Speaker B:I Don't know when this will be aired, but Saturday of the first Saturday of October, we had our last event.
Speaker B:And that without spending too much time, that came from that exact practice.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Everything I'm sharing with you all is not from just assumption.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker B:It's true living testimony.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter how glorious an experience or.
Speaker B:Or a thought or an idea or a person is.
Speaker B:How is it impacting your life?
Speaker B:How is it impacting your spirit, your body, your mind?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And Carnival Spice is a wonderful organization, a wonderful company.
Speaker B:I literally build something from nothing.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:But at this stage in my life, in this season, we're just not aligned, you know, And I've had to be obedient, and I have now let it go and navigating that in real time.
Speaker B:So when I say this is breaking.
Speaker A:News, like, yeah, yeah, no, because in transparency.
Speaker A:So we are.
Speaker A:This is the October series.
Speaker A:We air every Monday.
Speaker A:We're getting her episode ready.
Speaker A:So today is October 8th.
Speaker A:So you are seven days into the closure.
Speaker B:Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker A:And how are you feeling?
Speaker B:I see the smile.
Speaker B:I'm actually really excited.
Speaker A:Okay, okay.
Speaker A:Did you feel the relief before October 1st, or it came October 1st or once you made the decision when.
Speaker B:Relief is a great word.
Speaker B:Relief is a great word because it was like, once that.
Speaker B:Once I decided what the last event would be, I had to go through it to really believe it.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:There was some.
Speaker B:When I decided to close, there was a time period which I've.
Speaker B:I've, thankfully, I've documented, so I look forward to sharing it with over time.
Speaker B:Right now I'm just sitting in my stillness and just absorbing this, like, new identity and all the things in real time.
Speaker B:But, yeah, I had to have time to grief because that is real.
Speaker B:There's so much connection to this, this brand, this company, the identity that comes with being a business owner and, and all the accolades and the.
Speaker B:The media, all of that.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And there's the commitment to my team.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So my actual obligations and my connection with these people that have trusted me with their.
Speaker B:With their lives as well, you know, so there was a lot of grief, but as time has gone on and I kept getting more reasons why, yeah, like, let it go.
Speaker B:Let it go.
Speaker B:Like, God is waiting for you to let it go so he can show you what's next.
Speaker B:But you can't.
Speaker B:You can't do both.
Speaker A:You can't do both.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker B:And so, yeah, like, that last event, it was so empowering.
Speaker B:It was empowering because I was like, wow, like, I can Make a decision that could seem very scary.
Speaker B:It is scary on the.
Speaker B:On the grand scale of things.
Speaker B:But that's part of the courage.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker B:The.
Speaker B:That's a part of courage that you need on any journey that you're taking, whether it's entrepreneurship, whether it's your health, whether it's your.
Speaker B:Your family decisions, you know, and I'm.
Speaker B:I'm excited now because I. I've made a loud yes to my future self.
Speaker B:I've made a loud yes, especially to God, who, you know, I know as has been in this.
Speaker B:Orchestrating this.
Speaker B:Even us seeing each other.
Speaker A:I know y.
Speaker B:Running to each other.
Speaker B:Like, I talk about that all the time.
Speaker B:Like, what?
Speaker B:No way.
Speaker B:Like, especially as someone who I admire in the industry.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Like, running into you was.
Speaker A:Was.
Speaker B:Was light, but it was not light.
Speaker B:Like, it was just by coincidence.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:When I look back and I really saw.
Speaker B:Saw how everything happened, and even that day was pretty tumultuous for me because, you know, there was things happening that.
Speaker B:That I couldn't have prepared for.
Speaker B:And seeing you would just, like this ball of joy.
Speaker B:I'm like, wow, the timing was great.
Speaker B:And what we talked about was.
Speaker B:Was great.
Speaker B:And it brought us to the.
Speaker B:You know, this, right?
Speaker B:Like, what at a time like this, right?
Speaker B:So nothing by accident.
Speaker A:I'm.
Speaker B:I'm so excited.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker A:And on my end as well, because just that day, my team was asking, who are we gonna get for this particular session of this series?
Speaker A:And I was like, I don't know.
Speaker A:I didn't need to know because God showed me who.
Speaker A:Yeah, I asked you, right?
Speaker A:On the immediate.
Speaker A:I was like, yo, he was leaving a room.
Speaker B:I was going into the room by accident because I had to go grab my phone.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker B:It was just so beautifully orchestrated that I'm like, how can I not just celebrate God's glory because is by accident.
Speaker A:And so.
Speaker B:Yes, y' all stay tuned.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:I love that we're all excited.
Speaker A:So I had two more questions, but.
Speaker A:But I want to.
Speaker A:I want to make sure that I. I'm respectful of the time.
Speaker A:So I. I also think it's important.
Speaker A:We haven't really talked about how do you, like, motivate or work with people or what's your advice to people who are in the loss of, like, lost their spark state in phase.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because we have typically, respectfully, have been more so talking about people that, you know, get up and go.
Speaker A:But how about people that lost that spark?
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What's your suggestion to them?
Speaker A:To start to incorporate Joyous movement in their day to like in the day when it's heavy.
Speaker B:For sure.
Speaker B:Well, step one, of course is the 3S method.
Speaker B:Because that.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Is, is applicable to you.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:There's no rules.
Speaker B:It considers where you're at because it's not saying, you know, what, wake up at 9am or and do a 60 minute jog up a hill.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:It's select something, anything, small, big anything, what do, what do you need?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:It asks those questions.
Speaker B:And then again, as a woman of faith, I always lead with that because we always.
Speaker B:A lot of heaviness typically comes from a worldly level, a fleshly level, the conditions that we're physically in that starts to transcend to the mind and start to take, you know, captive our mind.
Speaker B:Depression is definitely a thing that I, I know can really hinder, for example, somebody's choices to do anything for themselves.
Speaker B:So they can look at that 3s meth and be like, girl, please, you know, connect.
Speaker B:Connect with that spirit.
Speaker B:Connect with that spirit.
Speaker B:You need, you need another layer of, of support.
Speaker A:I'm gonna say you need another height of, of support.
Speaker B:Ah, I love that even more.
Speaker B:Yes, yes.
Speaker B:Something to take you to another level.
Speaker B:The level that you're on is it.
Speaker B:You surpass that like there, it's on.
Speaker A:You.
Speaker B:You met, you met the, the plateau, right?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Plateaued works too, right?
Speaker B:You, what, what do you do beyond this?
Speaker B:You can, you, you have no control as far as you're concerned.
Speaker B:And so stillness, prayer, community, reaching out to somebody.
Speaker B:Because sometimes it's always for me, a lot it's a girlfriend calling me up like, listen, I'm coming to get you.
Speaker B:We're just gonna drive around and let the breeze.
Speaker B:You sit in the passenger seat.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Sometimes it's, let me take you out for a coffee.
Speaker B:Let me take you out for some ice cream.
Speaker B:I don't do dairy, but I know ice cream is definitely favorite.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Like really leaning on areas or that you have access to that are outside of you and that's.
Speaker B:And you're not a failure for doing so.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Community is self care and, and we have to not forget that in any, at any stage of our journey.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:If you could leave our listeners with one truth on faith or purpose or joyful movement that can carry them beyond this episode, what would it be?
Speaker B:What I would say to someone is, be the light.
Speaker B:Be the light.
Speaker B:Because especially in stages where, you know, it feels like darkness is everywhere once you start to turn up the notch within yourself.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Tapping into sources that can make that that bulb a little bit brighter, you really start to rediscover your power and how you show up in your world and not even just from a fitness perspective or a movement perspective.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:And when you are the light, more light starts to attract.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, I say simply Shakira as an affirmation because light can be even replaced with that just walking towards something that you want to be, you want to feel, you want to.
Speaker B:You want to see within your own world.
Speaker B:For me, it's simplicity.
Speaker B:So simply Shakira, I'm walking towards it.
Speaker B:Like, now, let's use light as an example.
Speaker B:Walking towards the light until you find it again.
Speaker B:If you lost it and you become it.
Speaker B:And so now you're a light source for others.
Speaker B:And you can now you're not pouring from an empty cup.
Speaker B:You're not, you know, biting off more than you can chew.
Speaker B:You are.
Speaker B:You are whole, you are stronger.
Speaker B:You are beyond the thing that might have dimmed your light in the first place because you made that decision.
Speaker B:And so I just encourage you.
Speaker B:Anyone hearing my voice right now, I love that.
Speaker A:Okay, I'm going to take you into rapid thrivers.
Speaker A:The first person that comes to mind that inspires you.
Speaker B:Michelle Obama.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker B:And why?
Speaker B:Because a line that she always says is, there's so many different ways to live this life.
Speaker B:She was referring it to her relationship with Barack.
Speaker B:And it's been such a soundboard throughout everything I do, especially working with people, because everyone always thinks they're right or they know it all.
Speaker B:No, your way is your way.
Speaker B:Their way is their way.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:There's so many ways.
Speaker A:I agree.
Speaker A:There's so many ways and so many perspectives.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker B:What is a daily activity that helps.
Speaker A:You with your thrive?
Speaker B:Walking.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:What is an app that helps you with your thrive?
Speaker B:An app that helps me with my thrive is the notes app.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, girl, you should see my notes at.
Speaker A:And I love that you can share, I guess, all my ideas.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker A:Love it.
Speaker A:You're an iPhone user.
Speaker A:Then what is.
Speaker A:What is a book that helps you with your thrive?
Speaker B:The B I, B, L, E. There's a scripture for everything, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And sometimes, you know, you.
Speaker B:You need a.
Speaker B:A grounding point.
Speaker B:All the questions that you have.
Speaker B:All this, like, it's there.
Speaker B:It's there.
Speaker B:The framework for your life.
Speaker B:Definitely the Bible.
Speaker A:And what is one misconception that people have of you as they see you in your thrive?
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:That because I'm always smiley and bubbly.
Speaker B:That I'm always smiley and bubbly.
Speaker A:Y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker B:I have dark days, too.
Speaker B:I have.
Speaker B:There's times I cry myself to sleep or I cry when I first wake up.
Speaker B:You know, there's family, there's.
Speaker B:There's work.
Speaker B:I'm closing my business.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker B:You know what I'm saying?
Speaker B:And navigating that, like, there's so many different layers to me.
Speaker B:And I, I.
Speaker B:When I say be the light, I strive to.
Speaker B:That too.
Speaker B:So I'm gonna share my light with you regardless.
Speaker B:But it's not even on.
Speaker B:It's not being fake.
Speaker B:It's me on a quest.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Just dining.
Speaker A:And it's a choice.
Speaker A:Like, I, I love that you said it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, it's not like.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:People always see me smiling and they call it positive.
Speaker A:I, I, I did a.
Speaker A:Like, I just think I'm always trying to look for the better way to look at something.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I don't think that that's positive.
Speaker A:I think that's what they call intelligent thinking.
Speaker A:But it is still a choice.
Speaker A:I'm choosing always to, you know, to illuminate my light, I guess, in a sense.
Speaker A:Just boring.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:So where do we find more of you online?
Speaker B:You can find me@simplyshakira.com and across all social media platforms at simply Shakira.
Speaker B:And look out for all the beautiful.
Speaker A:Things that are coming, all things that.
Speaker B:Are coming from this new season, this new rebirth, all of the things.
Speaker A:We'll share the links in the show notes.
Speaker A:And as a parting question, finish the sentence.
Speaker A:I am empowered in my skin.
Speaker A:When.
Speaker B:I am empowered in my skin.
Speaker B:When I trust myself.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:When I trust myself.
Speaker B:And I say that because so often the noise of the world impacts our decisions.
Speaker B:And at the end of the day, you know you better than you.
Speaker B:And God has assigned an authority over your life to make choices.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Trust them.
Speaker B:Trust them.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Trust them.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:I love you.
Speaker A:Thank you for saying yes.
Speaker A:Thank you for saying yes.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Simply Shakira.
Speaker A:The affirmation.
Speaker A:Yeah, affirmation.
Speaker A:So I trust.
Speaker A:What of the light?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Being the light, y'.
Speaker A:All.
Speaker B:We have to add some light for the end.
Speaker A:So to everyone that's listening, I trust that you're feeling empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:But for now, this is Sally, where I have to say, we're out.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:See you later.
Speaker A:There you have it.
Speaker A:I trust that you are feeling more empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:As the late Dr. Maya Angelou said, when you get, you give, when you learn, you teach.
Speaker A:So it would mean so much for us at empower to my skin.
Speaker A:Inc.
Speaker A:If you share this episode and tag us or teach an insight that you took from today's episode on your social and tag us, feel free to leave us a review over at itunes and follow us on social media.
Speaker A:Power to My Skin.
Speaker A:Finally, remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
