black girl magic is not only real, but pure sorcery. folks like former first lady michelle obama, uber successful zim ogochukwu of travel noire and creative genius issa rae inspire me to live my best life.
however, you can’t get their glow without the hustle. i’m learning more and more that success as a creative requires focus and determination. it’s not easy, but it’s possible.
i remember being a law student, middle school teacher and community organizer at the same damn time. it was the period in my life when i just pressed go and trusted myself to fly. thankfully, the 80/20 rule teaches that my four years of grind will positively impact decades of my life.
building politics & fashion into a more recognizable brand takes a different set of skills. i have to see and trust myself as a creative. i have to think and move like a business owner. instead of being afraid of this shift, i’ve started to expect miracles.
i’m taking notes on the women i admire the most. here’s what i noticed about their glow, and how i’m working to achieve it.
7 secrets of highly glowed up people
1. start each day with a plan
blogger mattie james of mattieologie says “you want to change the world, but you won’t change the time you wake up in the morning.” that’s a complete and total read for my life because getting up early is a struggle. however, i know i’m the most productive when i get my ass up and start the day with a plan.
2. make time for self-care
highly glowed up people may work hard, but they invest in themselves even more. you think oprah has that list of favorite things each month just from sitting behind a desk? i bet money she makes time for self-care like luxuriating in one of her many vacation homes where unicorns roam. to be serious, self-care is what sustains any glowed up person’s hustle.
READ: Three Simple Tips for Self-Care
3. stay active
some folks are gym junkies and literal fitness goals. i’m not one of them, but i realize that lots of glowed up people aren’t. being physically active is part of their routine, and they make an exercise routine work for them — and not the other way around. my favorite form of physical activity is yoga and lately i’ve been walking lots more. i’ve even been getting off the bus about a mile from my house to walk home from work.
4. silence mental noise
the one thing that kills dreams and stunts our glow is getting trapped in fear. judging from people who’ve achieved epic success, they silenced these fears in order to push themselves forward. you think it was easy for auntie michelle (yes, the former flotus is our kin) to remain poised in the face of consistent misogynoir? for her not to take her naysayer’s doubts to heart and slay every single speech while acting as first lady? nope, i’m sure it was hard. but she didn’t let fear limit her greatness and now we’re all encouraged.
i’m using this exercise by glow up specialist muchelle b to escape my negtive beliefs.
5. don’t waste your fucks
part of silencing mental noise is also silencing your haters. glowed up people keep a very limited amount of fucks in their back pockets to use in case of an emergency. otherwise, they live life abundantly and pursue their dreams. after reading the life-changing magic of not giving a fuck by sarah knight my fucks are currently in the negative.
6. invest in what matters most
one of the things that inspired me about zim’s story of starting travel noire was her dedication to saving money in order to travel and launch her business. she slept on friend’s couches and lived the struggle life while investing in her dream. glowed up people do the work, trusting the universe’s call on their lives.
7. master the art of saying no
saying no is one of the most liberating things women can do. we’re trained to be passive and permissive, to be polite and always say yes. undoing this conditioning is vital to getting your glow, one because you get to do shit that actually matters to you. glowing up requires boundaries.
you probably thought this would be a makeup tutorial or even tips on achieving a physical glow. nope, but the best part is that everything physical radiates from within. start with your spirit first to stay glowed up.
As usual, you NAILED it!!!!!
I must get a copy of “the life-changing magic of not giving a fuck” by sarah knight.
However, I think I have that mastered (at age 76), but it should be an interesting read.
Author
Thanks Dolores! The book is cute, a modern take on self-help that’s not preachy, but humorous. Although, I agree you could teach Sarah Knight a thing or two!