We always hear about how morning routines are important to not only start your day off on the right foot but sustain success. Many of the powerful women we all admire, from Oprah to Beyoncé to Range Beauty CEO Alicia Scott, have routines in which they are deliberate about how they spend the first few hours of their day.
Well, we, the editors at xoNecole, also have special routines and rituals that keep us going, especially after spending days interviewing amazing women, editing, publishing loads of articles, engaging with the xoTribe on social, and providing you with that daily content boost you need to stay inspired and empowered. Check out how we spend our mornings (for the most part):
Sheriden Chanel, Managing Editor
Courtesy of Sheriden Chanel
Honoring The Flow: "I try to give myself grace that every morning doesn't have to look the same way in order for me to feel well or like I have some semblance of a routine to keep me anchored in how I flow through my day. Some days, the first thing I do looks like gratitude journaling. Other days, the first thing I do looks like splashing my face with water immediately after waking and doing an abbreviated version of my skincare routine."
Getting The Energy Going: "I love walking in my neighborhood and listening to a podcast as a way to hit the reset button on my creativity. Outside is medicine, so I love that, by default, that's always an element of my morning. During that time, I am either listening to my favorite sacral chakra playlist, one of my favorite podcasts like Balanced Black Girl or Morning Microdose, or even just silence to really bond with my dog, Brownie."
Must-Have Breakfast: "My favorite breakfast is a protein smoothie, especially mornings when I do some strength training or workout. I have become a Smoothie Queen, you hear me! There are so many different ways to make them that it always feels varied enough, filling, and delicious."
London A. Whitson, Contributing Editor
Courtesy of London A. Whitson
First Thing In The Morning: "This year, I made it my mission to create a morning routine and stick to it. When I wake up, before I do anything, I meditate, and then I read a few scriptures from the Bible. Meditating helps me start my day off on a positive note."
Putting Herself First: "What gets my energy flowing in the morning is working out. I try to work out 3-4 times a week and prefer to do it in the morning. I like to alternate my workouts, so I will do cardio like walking around my neighborhood, or I'll do strength training or Pilates. Also, I recently joined a boxing gym, and so I like to go there on the weekends."
Favorite Breakfast: "Oatmeal because it's easy and healthy. Sometimes I may also cook turkey bacon or eat fruit with it. However, if I'm beginning my day with exercise, I try to eat protein first, like almond butter, and after my workout, I will eat breakfast."
Janell Hazelwood, Associate Editor
Courtesy of Janell Hazelwood
As Soon As I Wake: "I always give myself at least 30 minutes for silence. No emails. No social media. No group texts. No cleaning up or checking on work from the night before. No workouts. No TV. Just me, my coffee or tea, quiet prayer, and my thoughts. It's helped me overcome burnout and deliberately practice focus on God and self."
Music Is Medicinal: "The first thing I do before editing, writing, or opening emails for the day is put on my favorite music mixes. It helps me concentrate, and it gets my creative juices flowing. It's also a way to keep the vibes upbeat and positive wherever I'm working. I often travel, so my work environment vibes shift on the regular.
"I'm big on energy, and sometimes virtual correspondences and digital nomad life, in general, can be impersonal, isolating, and disconnected. Music helps fill the gaps. I've created Work playlists on YouTube, Amazon Music, and Spotify featuring an eclectic mix of artists, including Frankie Beverly & Maze, Chronixx, Moonchild, Hector Lavoe, Minnie Riperton, Timaya, and DJ Zinhle."
Favorite Breakfast: "Since I'm not a huge fan of eating Breakfast during the week, I'll have something light, quick, and easy to make, like a green smoothie (with kale, protein powder, ginger, and cucumber) or an open sandwich of one fried egg, a piece of wheat toast and pepper sauce. A big breakfast in the morning slows me down, and I can't really think, write or edit when I feel heavy."
Ambar Mejia, Social Media Manager
Courtesy of Ambar Mejia
Putting Wellness First: "I make myself a nutritious breakfast while I listen to a podcast or audiobook. Right now, I'm rotating between a Portuguese podcast about culture and history (I'm learning Portuguese) and the book Atomic Habits. 10/10 would recommend the book. It's already been a game-changer!"
Jamming Out: "To get the creative juices flowing, I like to have [a] solo dance party with my favorite jams. It's also really important for me to take 5 to 10 minutes a day to write down all my most important to-dos. I was really struggling with anxiety at the end of 2022, and this small habit has helped my productivity and anxiety a lot."
Breakfast Deets: "Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and fruit with a coffee or matcha latte. I have a really busy schedule, so I need to make sure I have something filling and nutritious to keep myself going throughout the day."
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Featured image by Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
