December #PFFL of the Month

Jadelle Grinkley
Age: 25
Lynn, Massachusetts
 

- Sorter at Amazon
-Benefit Coach at Lynn Housing
- Foodie

What is your current goal? 

Get to my goal weight of 190 pounds (I want to lose 30 more pounds)!

What is the most difficult thing for you to fit into your life while striving to achieve your goal?

The most difficult thing for me was fitting in meal prep, eating healthy and exercising all while working two jobs!

What steps did you take to fit that goal into your life?

I was over 300 pounds and had weight related issues, so I found time late at night on the week days to go to the gym. On the weekend after work and in the moorings I would go to the gym. I had help from my mom with the meal prep and instead of eating the food from the vending machine at my overnight job, I would bring in granola bars, or little fruit salads. It was hard and I fell off a few times. Every time I fell off i came back 10 times stronger.

What is one tip that you have for women to achieve their goals?

If you really want it, stop making excuses. instead if thinking about it just do it.

November #PFFL of the Month

November #PFFL of the Month

Brittany Mckay
West Palm Beach, Fl
Age: 26

Montessori Teacher
Yoga Instructor
Yogi For Life

What is your current goal? 

I am a school teacher for young children, (ages 3-6) as well as a yoga instructor. My goal has always been, and will always be to positively impact anyone I teach, whether it's in the school classroom or in the yoga studio. I have dealt with serious anxiety issues, depression, self confidence and body positivity issues in my own life, and I know that it is yoga that lifted me out of the darkness of my own mind; yoga lifted the fog and brought me back to life. If I make at least one person a day feel better about themselves, laugh, smile, or feel loved, then my goal has been reached. I just want everyone to know that they are necessary and loved; I make that very apparent during each of my yoga classes.

What is the most difficult thing for you to fit into your life while striving to achieve your goal?

This is the best thing about my goal; it is always achievable and nothing can get in the way other than myself. When I strive to make others feel good and loved, it in turn, makes me feel like I am accomplishing everything that I wish to achieve. Before I found my own self love, it was difficult to believe that I could achieve the ultimate goal of lifting up my community;the saying is true: in order to truly love others, you must first love yourself. I believe that because I can now look in the mirror and be proud of what I see, I can truly show others what it's like to feel completely loved and powerful. In order to love and to be authentic with what I preach in my yoga classes. I must fit in the time to internalize, to meditate, and become deeply aware of the love and light that  constantly circulates and radiates within my own being- just as it does in every being. 

What steps did you take to fit that goal into your life?

Meditation. Crying. (More crying). Yoga practice. (More yoga practice). Self-reflection. 

This was played on a loop constantly, until I could look at myself and say out loud with authenticity that: "I am enough." We all have our moments when we feel like we are not enough. Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not lovable enough, not skinny enough...etc. this is the monkey mind at play. Through self reflection and discipline, we can quiet this "not enough" loop and find that we are indeed enough, more than enough. The steps never stop; this journey of self love to show others' self love is a never ending conversation with the self. But I promise you the it's worth it, and so are you! 

What is one tip that you have for women to achieve their goals?

Goals take time, and hopefully your goal is a lifelong one rather than a month-long goal to lose 10 pounds. If you are trying to lose weight for health reasons or simply to feel good about yourself, I hope that you reflect on why you have made this goal, how you feel after you have "achieved" it, and then ask yourself, "Am I happy? Do I know that I am enough (even if I gain the weight back)? What can I do to maintain this content mind?" My advice is to stick to at least one long term goal and to not be so hard on yourself about "achieving it." When we do anything at any extreme, the outcome is usually a regression in the changed behavior, good or bad. There must be a balance, or you will not only feel resentment towards others, (including carbs ;),) but you will make yourself feel guilty or even shameful. If you eat a slice of pizza, miss a spin class, or just don't feel like doing anything but "Netflix and chilling" that day, then listen to your mind and body! Don't be so hard on yourself. You have to be your own best friend and best friends don't yell at you for eating white carbs once a frickin' week. **snaps** 

October #PFFL of the Month

Naa Quaye (aka Nkay)
Buffalo, NY
Late 20s
Singer, Songwriter, 
Stylist
www.nkaysoul.com

"The biggest step I took was actually taking the first one"
-Nkay

What is your current goal?
Right now I hope that my fashion and lifestyle blog will continue to grow and reach a larger audience in the next coming months. I want to incorporate a shop feature on my blog so that clients can shop for items I wear, and shop for clothing from my brand. As far as my music, I would like to take it to the next level - recording an album, performing at local spots, and collaborating with other artists in my area. I love music and fashion, so I can't have one without the other! It's just not possible! 

What was the most difficult thing for you to fit into your life?  
The most difficult thing to fit into my life while striving to achieve my goals, is finding the right place for me to settle and plant my seed. I've done a lot of traveling over the past few years which is something I love but I had to take a step back in order to move a step forward. I found it difficult to build a foundation when I constantly kept moving from city to city. So now, I have planted my seed in Buffalo, NY because it's a city that's growing in the world of fashion and the arts, and it's between two major fashion hubs - Toronto and New York City. I have big plans for next year that involves these great places, so I'm excited for that! 

What steps did you take to Fit Your Life Into Your Life? 
The biggest step I took was actually taking the first one. There was a period of time where I focused on other parts of my life, when in actuality I wasn't living my life at all. I woke up one day and said to myself, "What are you doing with yourself? You need to make a change." And I did just that. I started doing research on careers in fashion and music. Anything that had to do with the creative arts was something I knew I had to be a part of. Blogging, photography, designing, you name it. The world of the arts has always been my calling and that is exactly what I am doing with my life now. It all starts with you. 

How has Jemia and Fit Your Life Into Your Life℠ impacted you?
Jemia continues to inspire me in so many ways. The steps she's taken to build and grow her career is incredibly motivating. Women should always empower other women, and she does such a great job of doing just that! I can't wait to work and network with her in the future! 

What is one tip that you have for women to achieve their goals? 
The best advice I can give any woman is to follow your heart, because its the only thing that will guide you. I used to let the fear of the unknown control my life. Once you find your passion, your life will never be the same again. Work hard at whatever it is, network, connect with people. Have those business cards ready! Never sell yourself short or think that your vision is too small - never give up. If I listened to all those people who told me I couldn't do music or fashion, I wouldn't be where I am today. Stay focused, keep praying, and dress the way you want to be addressed :) 

September #PFFL of the Month

September #PFFL of the Month: 

Sophia Ezomoghene, Philadelphia, PA
30 years-old
Lead Prekindergarten Teacher

What was the most difficult thing for you to fit into your life? 
Creating time and space to decompress from the stress of work and allowing for room to dabble in my own creative interest. 

What steps did you take to Fit Your Life Into Your Life? 
In 2012 I moved to Washington, DC from Boston, MA to purse a teaching career in Early Childhood Education. In Washington, DC. I worked at a charter school with an extended day and school year. My work day began at 7:30am and ended at 5:30pm. Due to staff and grade level meetings sometimes my work day ended at 6:00pm. This schedule left insufficient time for me to decompressed after work. 

While I am grateful for the knowledge I gained while working at my school I soon realized that it was not the place for me. I tried pursuing my interest such as studying French and taking ballet lessons. In my evening French class I was teetering on the edge of being comatose due to exhaustion. I had little strength left for a simple plie in my adult ballet classes. Something had to change. 

I sat down and I wrote down what I wanted. I wrote down all of the characteristics of my perfect city and quickly realized that Washington, D.C. only fit a quarter of my requirements. I then wrote down the characteristic I wanted in a school. My current school also met just a handful of my requirements. So then in there I decided that I had to move and find a new school in a new city. Then I made 2-3 day trips to these cities to really get a feel for them. 

I decided on Philadelphia, PA! I researched the requirements needed to obtain a teaching license in Pennsylvania. I took the exams, completed the appropriate paperwork, and crossed my “t”s and dotted my “i”s. Once I received my license I began applying to and interviewing for schools in Philadelphia. 

Even though I had yet to acquired a teaching position in Philadelphia, I told my vice principal and my principal that I would not be returning next year. This made my decision to move official. I buckled down and applied to schools that met my needs. Finally I found the school for me. 

The new school year begins in a week and the anticipation is overwhelming. I miss the smiles of my old students but I am wicked excited to met some new faces. I moved to Philadelphia at the end of June and I have never felt more relaxed. I spent the summer (what I call, The Summer of Sophia) challenging my mind by studying Spanish and pushing my body to the limit in barre and yoga. 

What is one tip that you have for women to achieve their goals? 
Do what makes you happy. It's such a cliche but you only live once. In this moment, in this time,  in this body. What are you doing to make yourself happy?