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Minimize Burnout: This Is What Self-Care Looks Like For The xoNecole Staff
Self-care is more than a buzz word of the moment, it's a lifestyle. And it's a practice everyone should indulge in.
So often we prioritize our work, our families, and other assorted responsibilities ahead of prioritizing ourselves. Trust me, I've been there. As xoNecole's Managing Editor, I often find myself at the beck and call of emails, being pulled this way and that way for content edits, and of course, managing a team. I used to wake up and allow myself to be inundated with emails before I had time to even brush my teeth. But after months of feeling myself become more and more depleted from the hustle and flow of the daily rise and grind, I had to take ownership of how I approach my day. That began with upping the way I approached self-care.
And as our Editor In Chief, Necole Kane suggested in her post on the importance of having a morning ritual, there is nothing like the peace that comes with taking a couple of hours to pour into yourself before pouring into anything or anyone else. Self-care practices can differ from person to person, and today, we have gathered the different self-care routines that our xoNecole editorial team swears by. Check them out by clicking through the gallery below and get inspired!
Ashleigh
Ashleigh
As a Social Media Manager, you can just imagine how busy and chaotic my life can be. On any given day, either y'all President tweeted something ridiculous for the billionth time or Beyonce is breaking the internet and coming for everybody's wigs. Which is why taking time out for myself is critical; even though I feel like there's not enough hours in a day. Due to my hectic schedule, I've dedicated Sunday mornings to sort of unplug from the internet and truly enjoy me time.
I've started using Sundays to sleep in and get the rest that I need.
I make sure my phone alarms aren't set so that nothing is waking me up earlier that I want. This has reduced my stress levels so that I'm energized and I don't go into the new week still stressed out from the week before. Once I wake up, I take roughly 10 minutes to lay in silence and thank God for my blessings. I've found that this helps me get rid of any negative thoughts I've accumulated. Positive vibes only!
The last thing I do before kicking my Sunday off is log in to YouTube and listen to a church sermon, preferably by One LA. This is the highlight of my day because I can usually always relate to the message and it puts me in better spirits. I've recently re-started my spiritual journey and I've found that until I can find a church that I'm happy with; the word is still the word no matter how I receive it. My favorites lately have been from Toure Roberts. - Ashleigh Hardin-Jones, Social Media Manager
How do you do self-care? Let us know some of your favorite practices and products in the comments down below.
- 5 Beauty Products Perfect For Self-Care - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How To Care For Stressed Out Skin - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Daily Routine for Healthy Body and Mind for Successful Women - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Signs Of Burnout, What To Do About It - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- 45 Simple Self-Care Practices for a Healthy Mind, Body & Soul ›
- 20 Self-Care Practices for the Mind, Body and Soul | HuffPost ›
- How Clinicians Practice Self-Care & 9 Tips for Readers | Psych Central ›
- 21 Of The Best Self Care Practices Ever ›
- 10 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Care ›
- 25 Science-Backed Ways to Change Your Life by Taking Better Care ›
- 15 Self-Care Practices for Well-Being - Daring to Live Fully ›
- 15 Little Ways To Practice Self-Care And Improve Your Mood ›
- Health education programmes to improve foot self-care practices ... ›
- 134 Activities to Add to Your Self-Care Plan ›
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."