PUBLISHER'S NOTE
Fill Your Cup
Cillah with
daughter,
Nalah, at the
Mathews-
Dickey
Awards
Program
& Benefit
Concert
8
GAZELLE
of Gazelle, we share stories and offer tips from the experts to help
our readers nourish their minds, bodies and souls. From Laila Ali,
who is working to help women accept and embrace themselves,
to Valeda Keys, a breast cancer survivor, we hear the words that
inspire us to keep going.
As women, we get focused on taking care of everyone else,
ignoring the signs our bodies give us that we need to stop for a
moment and pay attention. I know I need to pay attention when I
begin to get colds more frequently, and just feel tired. I am forced
to take a step back and look at what I have been eating, how many
hours I’ve been working each day, when I last worked out, and
how long it has been since I just sat still to give my body a chance
to rejuvenate.
Earlier this year, I watched a video by inspirational speaker
Iyanla Vanzant, where she explained that when it comes to the
saying, “My cup runneth over,” think about your life in the sense
that you need everything in the cup. The cup needs to be full for
you to get everything you need to be the best that you can be.
What runneth over is what you need to give to everyone else.
That video changed my life. I have noticed a major shift in my
well-being, as I have learned to focus on myself and my spiritual
growth, nourishing my soul. To put it another way, I am putting
my oxygen mask on first. For me to do that, I have to be OK with
the fact that I will disappoint people. Some will be angry with
me because I no longer allow them to empty my cup. Others will
understand that when I say no, it is a sincere, honest answer to
something I know I can’t fully commit to.
As you grow and evolve, it is critical that your own wellness and
well-being becomes a priority. Take the time to put yourself first
every now and then, and don’t allow yourself to feel guilty about
it. You are recognizing that to be the best person you can be, you
have to feel as well as you possibly can.
Happy fall,
Cillah Hall
Founder and Publisher
[email protected]
A
s I write this note, I am fighting allergies, and
struggling through the day to get things done
because I have looming deadlines. That’s what
we do as women. We get things done, and we just
don’t have time to be sick.
But inevitably, we all get sick at some point. Sometimes, it is
serious, and we fight for our lives; other times, it is just that aching
feeling of stress and fatigue. In this wellness and well-being edition