Ciara Opens Up About Growing Into Her Confidence & Gives Advice On Finding Your Equal
When you think about positive women in the music industry who can be looked to as role models, Ciara should come to mind. The wife, mother, and businesswoman have leveled up in all areas of her life and her story has served as an inspiration for many women. Fans have witnessed her growth from her “Goodies” days as the princess of Crunk&B to becoming an international superstar. Now, she has ventured into other spaces such as skin care, fashion, education, and more.
The “Better Thangs” singer covered the Sept/ Oct 2022 issue of Ebony and got candid about motherhood, working with husband Russell Wilson, and overcoming challenges she’s faced in the music industry.
Ciara on Growing Into Her Confidence.
“In the beginning, it was challenging living my life in front of the world. It made me way more guarded. Even when you have your ugliest moments that you wish no one else could see, you don’t have a choice. My philosophy is to run towards my fears and the things that make me uncomfortable, so I was running for a while. As a young girl coming up in this industry, I was carrying so much on my shoulders. Eventually, I was like, 'You know what, this is who I am and either you like it or you don’t.' I can’t live my life based off what someone thinks, or someone else’s comments. Then suddenly, I’ll start thinking that in my mind because words are powerful.”
“I’m also spiritual, so I am who God says I am; no one can take that away from me. When you reach higher heights, the hate grows greater—it doesn’t stop. But baby I’m hater-proof. And even when people say negative things, I think to myself, 'God bless you. I understand you could be going through something, but I’m going to love.' And guess what? I’m good. My family loves me. I’m good. God loves me. I’m good. There’s nothing you can say that’s going to alter that or make me feel any different.”
Ciara on Finding the Right Partner for You.
“Don’t ignore the signs. Sometimes we want to make things happen with people who only check off a few boxes. Conversation is everything. The first day my love and I talked, I had never had a conversation like that with any other person. You have to really listen to what people are saying. How do they talk about people? How do they love themselves? How do they love others? Are they spiritual? Do how they think align with your thoughts? All these things tell us a lot.
"When you have that common-ground connection, it’s more than half the battle. It’s less about words—because people will sell you a dream—and more about what they do. You have to see who someone truly is. And time does tell a lot, you know? But at the same time, the truth could be right in front of us and we’re just not opening our eyes. Don’t be afraid to be disappointed. I know I’m not perfect, but things work perfectly right for us. I believe there’s a person that’s perfect for everyone.”
Ciara on Working with Husband Russell Wilson on Their Fashion Brands.
“It’s so much fun because we’re doing it together. The great thing is that when he and I do anything together, we get to have a little bit of work and play. Luckily, we’re equally yoked and our visions are aligned. We have a big vision to create successful businesses. The ultimate goal is to build billion-dollar businesses. For us, this is about creating legacy brands. We have dreams to impact in every way possible. And there’s also a family component to it—we want to afford our kids the opportunity to possibly continue our legacy and work for the House of LR&C one day.”
Ciara on Motherhood.
“Being a mom is my most favorite job of all jobs. It’s work, day in and day out, and it is not easy. But it’s so worth it. My family has given me my why. I look at my husband, and I’m inspired every day. I’m even more driven because of my children; they make me feel like I’m doing something more in life. Life isn’t only about success. I feel very blessed that I’ve been able to win awards and make hit records. But you know, it only lasts but so long. That’s just the truth of it. Don’t get me wrong, legacy is forever, but the bond and love that I have with my family is even greater than anything I can be given.”
Ciara on the Advice She Would Give Herself After Having Her First Child.
“The journey I went on in front of the world was not the most comfortable. I felt so vulnerable in that moment. What I learned is to embrace the vulnerable times head-on. Looking back on [that] moment in my life I would tell myself, 'You’re doing good girl. Everything’s going to be alright. There’s good in what you’re going through, even in our toughest times.' There’s a scripture I love in the Bible, James 1:2-4, ‘Consider it pure joy when you face trials and tribulations because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.’ It’s the reason I named my label Beauty Marks Entertainment. My idea was that all of the scars you get from the obstacles you face in life are your beauty marks. All those moments that didn’t feel so beautiful and felt like a flaw are actually beautiful.”
Ciara on the Challenges She’s Faced with Stardom.
“When I was young, I wore my heart on my sleeve. What I realized is when it comes to business, not everyone’s going to be as sincere as you are. That was a challenge for me along the way because in some rooms not everyone deserves to know everything or for you to give them every part of you—you must be selective. It took me a second to understand that, especially as a businesswoman. I learned to take my emotions out of it because business isn’t personal. The moment I did it was game-changing.”
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Featured image by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Blac Chyna Opens Up About Her Initial Fear To Share Her Spiritual Journey With Others
Watching Angela “Blac Chyna” White’s transformation in real-time has truly been a sight to see. It wasn’t that long ago that she announced that she was reversing her cosmetic surgeries in an effort to go back to who she was before the world came to know her as Blac Chyna. In previous interviews, she stated that she was dissolving her facial and lip fillers, removing her breast implants, and getting a butt reduction, as well as removing the dimple piercings that enhanced her fame and controversial tattoos.
In a recent Tamron Hall interview, the mother of two said that she has “fully recovered” from the procedures. She is also celebrating one year of sobriety and opened up about being worried about how her new journey would be received by others.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for so long, right, and of course, like, you know, coming out, I’m like young, I’m gonna do wild things as we all have,” she said.
“...I feel like by me being vocal and showing everybody you can change your life and things can get better, like through myself, that right there is an accomplishment, and that’s a part of freedom, too.”
But as she started on her journey, many people have shown her grace, which is something she’s grateful for. “And then the fact that people have been showing me grace, it’s like amazing,” she said. “And I feel like when I did it, I just did it. It was more so like spiritual thing and I feel like people see that, and I’ve always been like my authentic self, so what you see is kinda what you get with me, and that’s just kinda what it is.”
Chyna, who recently received an honorary doctorate from Sacramento Theology Seminary and Bible College, has also repaired her relationship with her mom, Tokyo Toni. The social media celebrity surprised her daughter on the Tamron Hall Show. Prior to the sentimental surprise, Chyna dished on the reconciliation and having a better understanding of her mom.
“I must say, some of the things I have to take accountability for because, like my actions. As a mother, you don’t want to see your daughter doing certain things ‘cause it’s like it doesn’t matter what my past was or what we’re going through, I didn’t raise you that way,” she admitted. “So, it’s like, okay, maybe I was a little bit wrong. Maybe I was acting out a little bit. But I feel like as we grow older, I kinda see more, and I understand more.”
Chyna will be starring in season two of Fox's reality competition show Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.
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