

I’m sure if I asked you to recall your most memorable night out on the town, it’d probably include three key things: friends, spontaneous fun, and lots of drinks.
But when things like adulthood, responsibilities, and the plaguing thought of recovering from a Sunday morning hangover come into play, it makes you wonder if there’s a better way to achieve a buzz without the mental burnout.
As new drink alternatives like mocktails and non-alcoholic spirits grow in popularity, there’s a powerful powder that’s making its rounds into our tipsy refreshments, minus the recovery time.
Kava, also known as kava kava, is a plant native to the South Pacific islands that has been enjoyed by the culture for over 3000 years. It’s traditionally cultivated for its roots which have relaxing and socializing effects and can be consumed as an alternative to alcohol. There are many types of kava and ways to consume it, however, traditional kava root is taken through a process of crushing, grounding, and powdering that can then be strained in water and brewed.
The tincture has gained traction across TikTok due in part to its calming, uplifting, and relaxing effects that leave first-time sippers feeling a bit loopy. That’s why Hannah Wilen, co-founder of LA-based kava bar Kavahana, is using her platform to share insight on how to use kava the right way, so you can truly experience all the good it can offer you.
@kavahana A lot of people tell me that when they try kava drops/tinctures as their intro to kava, they don’t feel anything. Here’s why, and also what to try instead to REALLY feel the effects of kava :) #kava #kavadrops #sobercurious #mocktail #kavahana
“Kava is a great alternative to alcohol because it can create a sense of overall happiness without the negative effects of alcohol like hangovers, headaches, aggressiveness, and messed up sleep,” she tells xoNecole. “It’s also not addictive.”
While the effects of kava may vary from person to person, most kava drinkers say that the sensation they get from kava makes them feel “a wave of relaxation and much more social and confident in social settings,” Hannah says. It can even give a slight “tingle” on the tongue. While no two kavas are the same, the greatest difference is in the makeup of the kava that you drink — from its traditional powder form to instant kava and even its most accessible form, tincture drops.
“Some kava makes you feel much more uplifted and energized, while others put you to sleep,” she explains. “Interestingly, kava has a reverse tolerance, meaning that seasoned kava drinkers feel more of the effects of kava with less of it, and people who are just starting to try kava have to have a lot of it just to feel anything.”
Some people may find themselves drawn to kava as an aid to their social anxiety. With about 15 million U.S. adults having social anxiety disorder in any given year, many can run to alcohol to feel more at ease and more open during social interactions. With kava in the mix, you can get the mood boost and sense of calm that can help you show up as your most authentic self without the side effects of drinking.
@kavahana There isn’t anything I can compare the feeling to kava to - nothing else gives me the same feeling of happiness and talkativeness as kava does! #kava #sobercurious #alcoholfree #anxietytips #selfcare #kavahana
Such is the case for Hannah. “Personally, kava has helped a lot with my anxiety and has made it much easier to talk to people,” she says. “And I couldn’t have done it without kava itself — it’s been my teacher in making me more outgoing and telling me to just be myself in social situations.”
Before taking the plunge and trying kava for yourself, Hanah emphasizes that not all kava is not the same, and with each variety, different kava cultivars produce different effects. “Some are good for the nighttime and sleep, while others are good for frolicking in the meadow during a sunny day,” she says. Always buy from a trusted supplier and know where your kava is coming from."
Once you have, get creative and enjoy your kava sip, by sip by adding your favorite milk and flavoring. “In other words… get traditional kava powder, knead it, strain it, mix with coconut milk, — you will not regret it.”
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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The first time I heard about burn journaling was during my interview with Dreka Gates. She shared a self-care practice a holistic doctor recommended involving writing “whatever is pissing me off” and then burning the paper afterwards. According to the model, burning the page neutralizes the negative energy.
This practice piqued my interest, so I decided to do some research. I ran across a few articles about the practice and what exactly it entails. However, I soon remembered that I actually practiced burn journaling over a year ago and again last year.
The first time I did it, I was among a group of ladies and we were encouraged to write down our feelings in our journals. Afterwards, we huddled around and one by one burned our pages with some ladies even revealing what they wrote. It was a beautiful moment and a great way to support each other.
The second time I did burn journaling, I was by myself. I was reading Calling In The One and one of the practices involved writing down the things I wanted to let go of and burning it. I had Cleo Sol’s “Know That You Are Loved” playing in the background on repeat while I burned the pages in my apartment bathroom.
What Does Burn Journaling Do?
Based on my experience and others' explanations, burn journaling is a cathartic practice. The act of burning serves as an emotional release of past traumas, old thoughts, and negative feelings. It’s also a way to say goodbye and/ or forgive.
Types of Burn Journaling
There are different examples of burn journaling: Burning journals after writing, burning letters and burning lists.
Burn Journals
As stated before, you can write in a journal and burn it afterwards. It’s up to you if you burn it page by page or wait until you fill the journal up and burn it altogether. There are journals you can buy for the sole purpose of burning them afterwards.
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Burn Lists
This technique involves writing a list of things you want to let go of and then burning it. Burning the list symbolizes the release of those things.
Burn Letters
Another example are burn letters. For this technique, you write a letter to someone that you either want to forgive or let go of, but instead of sending it to them, you burn it.
Safety Precautions
If you do decide to try this practice, make sure to be safe. Use a fireproof bowl for burning and never leave it unattended. Alternatively, you can shred the pages.
If you’re in Atlanta and want to try burn journaling, meet me this Sunday for Burn Journaling & Walk.
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