Living In Zen: Halle Berry Is Releasing Stress To Keep Her Sanity In-Check
I don't know who needs to hear this, but it's time to let that hurt go, sis. Your pain is not an excuse for your procrastination and being busy doesn't always mean you're being productive. Whether you like it or not, you woke up this morning with a purpose, but you can't fulfill it until you take a moment to get out of your own head and Halle Berry just gave us the secret to doing exactly that.
According to Halle, although coping with anxiety and depression can be difficult during this time, it's not impossible. In a recent essay for Women's Health, she explained that at one time, negative energy became a menace to both her physical and mental wellness:
"Thanks to plenty of personal experience, I believe that if we allow negative energy and stress to fester within us, they profoundly influence our health and well-being. In fact, when I've allowed this energy to house itself in my body, I've felt it affect everything from my mood to my blood sugar to my digestion."
It was at this time, Halle began to seek sustainable coping mechanisms that would help guide her through tough times and transition into the best version of herself.
"That's why, throughout my life, I've developed a few simple practices that help me work through and release stress, fear, and negativity so that I can better manage my health (particularly my diabetes), be a better parent to my kids, and show up in the world from a grounded, balanced place."
For three ways Halle Berry keeps her sanity and her stress in-check while releasing negative energy at the same damn time, scroll below!
1.Halle Berry Practices Yoga As A Physical Form Of Meditation
"One of the most helpful stress-releasing practices for me is yoga. To me, it's a physical form of meditation that allows me to move negative energy out of my body. Whatever type of yoga I practice, focusing on my breath and really feeling my body as I flow through and hold poses really centers me. It's like the stress just lifts right out of me. I try to do yoga at least three times a week—even if just for 15 minutes or so."
2.Stretching Is Another Big Part Of How She Releases Bad Energy
"Something that goes hand-in-hand with yoga for me is stretching, so it's another big part of how I release bad energy. Sometimes I just hang out in downward-facing dog pose for a few minutes to stretch out my legs (my hamstrings tend to be tight from fight training). Or, if I need something relaxing, I'll sit in child's pose with my kids for a while. It's such a comforting position, but you feel a nice stretch in your hips, along your sides, and in your back and shoulders."
3.Halle Also Punches A Pillow Or Kicks A Heavy Bag To Combat Anxiety
"The other night, for example, I found myself stretching in my bedroom at 3 o'clock in the morning because the sound of helicopters outside was making me anxious. (I'm honestly a big fan of punching a pillow or kicking a heavy bag in these moments. Sometimes you just have to fight that unhelpful energy right out of your body.)"
Featured image by Trina Stewart / Shutterstock.com
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy