Yep, human rights activism is vital now but so it’s your mental health and wellbeing.

Mental Health month, better known as ‘May’, passed by so quickly.

And here we are dealing with two viruses. And both is up to us to prevent the spread of coronavirus by wearing a mask outside(especially if you are going to be in contact with a lot of people.), keep your distance and wash our hands often. The other one is a 400 years old sick and twisted virus of the mind, still killing innocent people and violating human rights that can potentially destroy nations, racism. While some are affected horribly by all what’s going on; there are other that are not so much. The power of the internet and technology.

HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN REALLY HELP. Do better and be a better human.

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Remember, Mental Health Awareness and Black Lives Matter and Equal, Environment, and Human Rights movements shouldn’t only be a focus for one month, or a week and just dismissed as a trend.

Most of us end up having to guide ourselves through some form of continuous mental, financial, or physical struggle, past trauma, and grief in some point in our lives. Especially, times like these of uncertainties. We need to help each other. This year has taught me some hardcore and intense life struggle. But it also it’s being teaching me to be grateful and do my best to help others.

For some, it’s has being a lifestyle. A constant, daily struggle; hunger, lack of resources, not being able to pay bills, or pay rent. Discrimination, injustice and fear of just walking down the street now… What has been highlighted more recently by the media, is those going to work and trying to save lives, without having the proper equipment at work to keep them safe; now hopefully they do. Someone getting sick or taking care of someone who is sick; working at home while trying to make it through a world pandemic. Get shot, killed or just targeted because of your skin color. No matter which lens you use to see what is happening right now, we are all suffering; perhaps even dealing with some form of mental illness. However, our black, indigenous, latinos, trans, lgbtq communities and our are in danger due to police brutality and their LIVES MATTER A LOT we need to help.

This is now our everyday life.

“Just be humble, care MORE.. but not only about yourself.” — AO

Yep, we need to acknowledge our mental health more, and we need to address it. We need to actively find ways of healing (to heal traumas and re-learning happens here), reach loved ones when days get too hard, and above all, support each other. Self-care is necessary more than ever. We need our inner-strength, and our collective wisdom, to be able to help our brothers and sisters who are suffering a lot. We need to be kinder to others. Ourselves, yes, primarily, but we also need to collaborate, support, and create new solutions for a better future for us as well as our planet.

There are days that you might feel super amazing, and there are other days; days where you are either too tired, leaving you feeling mentally exhausted and drained. That’s when you need to step back, take a break, and recharge. Then, get back on the horse. This is going to be a long battle, but even more so for the most vulnerable and minority communities. Which is why we must help as much as we can and be kind.

These days being locked down may be causing you to dread waking up to start the day, and leaves you feeling helpless about what the future might hold right now.

For The Graduates of 2020

Speaking of what the future holds, there is a specific group that didn’t quite get the celebration of their futures as they expected to; our 2020 graduates.

You are all our hopes and dreams. Declutter your mind, look what lies ahead, keep learning and stay curious. I hope you’ve learned better and decided to do better and change the world.

I would like to say on behalf of the Writer’s Yep team, Congratulations Graduates of 2020! I know that it must be difficult to graduate through Zoom (my daughter graduated last week from preschool it was sad. We threw her a party after the school’s Zoom party. You know, keep things light and positive even, when it is pretty damn hard). Please checkout our channel and mine vlog to continue your creative, writing and digital education. More experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, change makers, sustainable leaders will be joining us. These videos are for you, our communities of diverse writers, eco-warriors, creators, my friends, and family. I’ll be releasing more videos on weekends finally on a consistent basis, finding new team mates to help out. This single mama has lots on her plate just like everyone else. No complaints, I’m grateful and so should you if you’re reading this ❤ Stay tune 🙂

My advice to all the graduates: Absolutely, never stop learning, especially now.

1. Learn new skills that can be done online and start applying it in real-world situations. Only way to see if you are good at something is to try and do it alot. Dale let’s go! What do you love to do?
2. It takes self-discipline, and it is hard work. However, no matter what it is, it will be fun once you get the hang of it. The best part? You get to grow and discover more about yourself and your talents.
3. Don’t forget to keep engaging with your friends and family, all the while building your network (social media can help you with this aspect, however, be careful with how much you consume of it and what/who you consume from), while you pursue your dreams through these uncertain times. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. The digital cyber world awaits! Just be cautious of trolls and social media sucking energy vampires. Yep they exists and you know who they are because you are thinking about them right now. Send them love and stay away.

Don’t let fear stop you, keep moving forward even when you are scared.

Chances are, you are doing the right thing. Have faith in your inner genius and trust me. Knowledge is your superpower right now. Your brain is eager to know and learn more. Stay curious and be kind. When you lack positivity and openness, all opportunities get cut-off; people may begin to act fake towards you, and you may start lashing out at others.

When you are contributing positively to the world and those around you, it’s almost as though the universe rewards you for it. There is nothing more joyful. I’ve come to learn this through my own intense hardships and life-experience. The best feeling is knowing that you have helped someone else. Be grateful for your life and for what you have; because some people are wishing to have what you are currently taking for granted.

“Check yourself before you wreck yourself!” -Ice Cube Here is the song if you feel like listening to it while you finish reading the rest of the article 😉 .

If it wasn’t for music, my daughters love and willingness to learn and encourage me to use more creativity, I would not have put the work in to finish my book :).

It is in my own experience that kids are kings/queens of putting their creativity to good use — if you let them show you. Try it, turn off everything, leave some books and things for your children to work with. Watch magic happen. Enjoy the moment and record it. I feel like doing this more than ever to keep as a memento of their process. To at least take a photo or video, write something, or even paint the moment. It feels really good to look back, and see how much you’ve grown together. The people in my life are the reason you are reading this article. Thank you to my friends (new ones made through my channels), my team, and my family, who have been very supportive of my journey as a single mother, writer and creative entrepreneur of WY.

Without their support, I wouldn’t be here right now. If you need help, reach out. I’m here too 🙂

Do you find the days are getting shorter for some odd reason? However, I have never felt more alive. My family and I are definitely more careful and not as anxious as we were in the last four months. I’ve come to the conclusion that anxiety, depression, and stress surfaces when we are too overwhelmed and dig deep in sadness which for me comes from the outside environment. My point, work on your inner-strength, find what makes you happy (make a list), keep yourself safe; self-love.

The time spent with my girls homeschooling, while I do work from home, are the best moments. I look forward to them each day. I do only have them half of the week as we are co-parenting. Meaning, my best work and when things really can get planned, strategize to work faster, and schedule “mommy time”, “work-writing-time”, “homeschooling-time, “meal prep-time”, get work done and delivered, is usually on the weekend. There are rest times during the day, but no days off. Which is alright. I love what I do, and I can’t wait to discover more. And help others along the way. If you need help with Writing(content or book), editing, photography, content creation, digital marketing strategy and branding consultation reach me ❤ Creativity and connecting you with others are my middle name 🙂

I’ve come to realise during quarantine life, in order to find clients, network, keep in contact, plus reach and collaborate with other brands is harder during the week. I’m trying to find the balance between working at home and being ‘on’ as a mom. For now, what has worked so far is finding different activities for toddlers to do at home, such as crafts. I schedule and plan more of their day now more than I ever have before.

Finding structure for them means that I have also come to appreciate more flexibility in my own work. Self-discipline is hard, but trying to maintain it while having two children asking for attention, and being in the middle of a zoom call with a client? Do your best and don’t be so hard on yourself. Some clients and employers are understanding, and others, not so much. Just keep going, if you know you have a talent or something you know how to do, put yourself out there. Start working or educating yourself about money and how to make it from home. I’ve added the educational documentaries on Tuesday nights during dinner, trying to push it to two more days now.

I have also been learning through my daughters during times of lockdown.

• I’m grateful for the no phone rule, television, and just playing while learning together.
• Talking, asking questions, processing information and questioning.
• Let CHILDREN ASK QUESTIONS. Use those opportunities to learn together!

They have shown me they are going through a lot too. Especially, if we are.

My point is, don’t underestimate their well-being through all of this too. Just like you are with yourself, after they go to sleep. You need to care for your well-being. Children are images of us. If our patterns are wrong, then we are teaching them how to treat themselves, as well as others. If kids are acting racist and doing horrible things to others, stop blaming others or their environment. Their behaviours are learnt from home and can be corrected from home too.

They are living through this with you, not for you… If that makes no sense to you. Time to reassess and take a break. Children are the future and we clearly have under our own fingertips ways to work and stay at home. We all see, read, listen through podcasts, comment, like and share our opinions very well…

Just hopefully in more appropriate ways by now…

We all reading our books, educating ourselves (I hope) , and reach, help our sisters and brothers and start showing our support. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

WE all had our “me” time, binging Netflix (this outlet helps with my creativity on difficult days when I feel challenged to write different stories ;)).

Other recommendation: @hitrecord best place just to be yourself whether you are creative or not. Go be you and let the world know WHO you really are and what you like. So many beautiful projects to do and contribute. It just feels good to see what the human imagination can do.

Let’s create things differently than we use too. Carve out time to find yourself and discover what you want to do. This is necessary to be able to thrive and start making your own income or work from home. This can be done for different brands or companies that encourage online work. There are a lot of online jobs, it might take a while to find, but stay consistent and don’t give up. Someone out there needs your skills and talents.

I’ve been more active and strategic on social media these days than ever before, because there is a need to stop ✋? the hustle, be productive, work hard, and do what you have to do. All the while you are trying to survive a freaking world pandemic! Also, my brothers and sister are suffering and dealing with not only grieving losing someone from Covid-19 but also now getting killed for being of different color. NO MAS!

I know it is my duty as a mixed, dominican/native and empath, to contribute and help heal as much as I can; because I know I’m very privileged to be able to work and do what I love from home. However, I also worked really hard for that privilege, nobody gave me nothing. All I’ve done and my team has been in order to build the diversity and inclusion creative online space, that we could not find living and trying to work or find jobs as creatives in Montreal, Quebec. A new immigrant, non-french speakers or writers, women with disabilities who speak only english or spanish and people of different backgrounds than Quebecers. Yep, we are the rebels defining the status quo of a city that thrives on white supremacy, racism and discrimination.

We are done and we want people to feel heard, and express through arts and content creation what they feel and tell their stories #yourstorymatters. Perhaps your life lessons can inspire someone someday to be better and do better. We are working on new ways to make this happen. Stay tuned 😉

For now, try to get some rest and work on one thing at a time. The world is uncertain right now and slowly getting itself back up — Or not… Which is why you need to keep informed and educated. I pray everyday — that we all get to make it out alive.

Use creativity to help you to move forward. For many years, I’ve been hiding the fact that I paint, and even dance. I do both of these activities because it feels good. Especially, when I’m anxious, sad, feeling overwhelmed, or depressed. It’s not a happy-land all the time, but I’m still grateful for all that I have.

Lately, I’ve started to embrace my hidden talents, and my loved ones have been really encouraging. I’ve also been implementing my own creativity into these activities when I’m extremely happy. Which is one of the things I’ve come to love about working from home while having my girls around :). Yep, thanks to my daughters — are my biggest supporters. We have a bond that has grown to be so strong during quarantine. I’m really grateful. When it’s break-time, I write my heart out because it helps me heal, and I hope it helps you too.

Next on the to-do list, is to add more of my poems and designs. So far, I’ve received good feedback from my community about them. I hope that they keep you inspired, and that I will make the time to continue creating art and writing full-time, while I homeschool my two toddlers. I want to do all that I can so that they remember these terrible times in a different light. I want them to remember it as a happy time. Filled with learning, playing and watching how I work hard to build my business with my team. Thank you for being here, and for all your support. My daughters and I really appreciate it. ?

I believe this word is the most negative of words to use.

Listen, human. Yes, you, reading this.

Some days are good, and you can be “productive”…whatever that means to you these days. I know you’ve felt the pressure before when you didn’t wake up at 5 am on a Sunday on Mothers’ day, but, hey! You still get work done, and enjoy your time with your loved ones. Trying to do what other leaders and successful people do is good, but to a certain extent. Here, I explain why in more depth.

My point is not to stop and let yourself forget your priorities and obligations. It is great that you recognize the need to follow through with your commitments. However, you need to understand your whole self. You need to know when it’s time for your mind and your body to be “on”, and when it’s time to turn them “off”.

You are not being a procrastinator when you’ve worked for 72 hours and are finally able to relax. You will have people preaching the nonsense that procrastination is for unproductive and lazy people. They have no idea who you are, what you’ve been through, and what you do for a living. It’s not their business, it’s yours.

Productivity is very different for a lot of people. So next time you judge yourself, or add negativity into your head, just be cautious of this mental pattern that is trending on social media and in our society. Then let it go. It prevents you from growing. Trust me. I am learning this the hard way.

If you still feel the pressure that you didn’t do enough by those you surround yourself with (clients, workplace.. certain vampire energy suckers — watch out for those!), you need to access your inner strength and process how their actions are affecting your well-being.

Make sure you choose yourself, and start to let go of those people. Their expectations are not yours if they make you feel like crap. Chances are you’re following the wrong crowd or it doesn’t align with who you are; your values or who you are meant to be in the future. That’s okay. Not everyone is meant to be on your journey.

These 7 reminders I keep in mind whenever I’m feeling too overwhelmed or stressed the F$& out (sorry, not sorry — I’m a single mom and I need to be truthful and transparent to you as I am on social media. I want to start doing the same for my readers ?)

1. If you work for 16 or 72 hours straight and go to sleep at 2–3 am, please do not feel guilty or that you’re not enough when you sleep in. You put in your hours already.
2. Work and do things at your own pace. Give your brain and your emotions a break when you need to. For real, set up an alarm system to get off work gadgets. Turn off the phone and computer, when you need to be present and in the moment. Appreciate, and be grateful for what you already have.
3. Set clear boundaries with others.
4. Respect your sleep schedule (mine is a working-process these days…), healthy meals, consistent exercise, and meditation time.
5. Discard negative thoughts, and toxic people from your life. Especially those people who are there just because you have history or they were part of your past. It does not mean that you need to accept them for your future. If you know they are toxic and they haven’t changed their toxic patterns, it’s time to let them go. Prioritization is ?
6. Focus on one thing at time. This is again, a working process. I have to remind myself these words 15 to 20 times a day. It helps me to calm down when I finish homeschooling, meeting with clients, writing emails, and completing all my to-do-list, home duties/mom duties/work-from-home duties all in one day 🙂 I wouldn’t trade it for nothing).
7. Love yourself and who you are. Love what you’ve accomplished so far during these past 4 months. It’s hard to survive in a world that we already knew was selfish, greedy, unkind, disgusting and just horrible to our planet. Remember, now it’s the time to start thinking, re-learning and letting go of old patterns in order to move forward to a better future.

Hope these help. It’s time to change the old and work (at your own pace) towards a better you and future for others. We are in this together.

Here are Black Businesses to support. I’ll be adding more from canada stay tuned on the next articles, YouTube channels and Podcast 🙂

Stay home, be safe, be kind to your planet ?, to you and others ?.

Essay written by Angie Abreu Olivo -Founder, Creative Entrepreneur and Environmentalist Single Mom. Edited by EP.

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