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A Vision Board Helped 'Glow' Actress Sydelle Noel Manifest Her Best Life
There is power in having a plan. Being intentional about your vision is key in manifesting the life of your dreams, just ask Sydelle Noel. The would-be actress once dreamed of becoming a track star and had her eye on the Olympics until her dreams were stifled by a critical injury. When her ambitions of being a world-class athlete were ruined, she was clueless about her next move.
After working a number of unfulfilling jobs, she felt lost and unsatisfied. It wasn't until her manager mentioned sports modeling that she even considered a career in the industry. Sydelle went from being in sports commercials to starring in one of the biggest box office hits of the year, Black Panther. Now, Sydelle is the newest cast member, Glow and says that this is only the beginning.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
Sydelle does all of her own stunts, and says that her roles in Glow and Black Panther didn't come from sheer luck or by coincidence. Her big break through her very meticulous manipulation of the laws of attraction. The 32-year-old said that it's pretty much impossible to attain success when you haven't visualized success as it relates to you personally. She told Madame Noire:
"I feel like it's one thing wishing for something, but I feel like you can't just say, 'I want to be an actress.' I feel like you need to be very specific in what you want because you can be an actress, but what you're doing as an actress may not be what you wanted to be."
We all have goals and aspirations. The difference between the people who reach their goals and the ones that don't is usually clarity. Anyone can be rich, or own a business, but the person who understands that life is in the power of the tongue always wins. With the help of a friend, Sydelle literally spoke her dreams into existence.
The actress said that before she could manifest her best life, she had to be more specific as to what happiness really meant to her. Thanks to the suggestion of a homegirl, Sydelle created a vision board that encompassed some of her wildest dreams:
"So I would literally put exactly what I want on my vision board. It's not even a board right now. It's literally a hallway. If you walked by my wall, you would see pictures, you will see everything, and it's exactly what I want. I'm very specific in my dreams and what direction I want to go and I would say that to everybody. Like I tell my friends, when you're doing the vision board, be specific. You can't just say I want this, I want that, because it's truly the direction you want to go."
One by one, she's seen the images from her vision hallway manifest in her real life, but it didn't happen overnight. It's important to remember that having a plan doesn't mean bypassing the pain that comes along with self-discovery. Making your vision a reality will not be easy, but Sydelle says it's worth it.
"It didn't come easy for me. I mean there were times where I didn't know how to pay my rent. There were times that I was really, really struggling and, you know, had to call my mom and be like, 'Hey, I don't have my rent this month.' So I don't take that for granted at all."
Growing up in a Catholic household, Sydelle says that her perseverance is rooted in faith. Even if you aren't particularly religious, you have to understand that the laws of attraction allow you to have anything in this world that you can imagine and then some. Anything that you speak, you will have.
A little more than a decade ago, Sydelle had been offered a full ride to the University of Georgia on a track scholarship. Her athletic training and career-ending injury put her on track to become our generation's first and only black female action star.
"My entire goal in this entertainment business is to be an action hero, because literally, I can't really name an African-American female that's an action hero. ... Where do you have one that's constantly being used like the Rock or Charlize Theron? You don't have one that's constantly known as an action hero, and that's my total goal for this entertainment business."
Sometimes our goals have the potential to scare us into paralysis, leaving us to wallow in complacency and wonder "what if" for the remainder of our natural born lives. If you really want it, visualize it, write it down, and watch it come to fruition.
Once you believe in the power of your own ambitions and create a plan, nothing in this world can stop you, girl.
Featured image via Sydelle Noel / Instagram
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
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“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
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Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
In today’s economy, we’re always looking for ways to stretch every dollar. However, the allure of new gadgets, trendy clothes, and the latest dining spots can often lead to impulsive spending. An iced latte here and an Uber Eats delivery there, topped off by a spontaneous online order can add up over time.
For those seeking to curb frivolous expenses and adopt a more mindful approach to their finances, participating in a no-spend month could be the solution to gaining control over their spending.
What is the No-Spend Challenge?
The no-spend challenge is a personal finance exercise where individuals commit to not spending money on non-essential items for a specific period. This could mean cutting off a subscription service, limiting your nights out for drinks, pulling back on online shopping, and holding off on big, spontaneous purchases to see how much you’d save over the month. The challenge encourages participants to evaluate their spending habits, identify areas of unnecessary expenditure, and redirect their financial focus toward savings and debt reduction.
This spending requires one to differentiate between needs and wants, with the base necessities being food, transportation, housing, essential bills, and medical/mental health expenses.
Preparing for a No-Spend Challenge
When embarking on a no-spend month, proper preparation is key to ensure you make the most out of the experience.
Financial expert and founder of The Frugal Feminista, Kara Stephens, says that having a compelling “why” can serve as a motivator to endure the ups and downs of the challenge, especially if it's your first time. “Have a clear idea of what your goals and outcomes are for the challenge. Do you want to be grateful for what you have? Do you want to save a certain amount of money?” she tells xoNecole. “Know what's going to be your ‘after-no-spend challenge' sustainability plan because we're hoping that your habits and your perspective on spending are changing and that you find a way to make that a part of your life after the challenge.”
One of the initial catalysts for the recent popularity of the no-spend challenge is to combat “revenge spending.” This spending habit, triggered by the “life is short” reality of the pandemic, has caused many of us to want to make up for lost time or missed experiences, which can lead to reckless financial decisions and jeopardize future stability.
Because of this, Stephen advises us to reframe our thinking around revenge spending to avoid putting our financial future at risk.
“Try and shift your perspective on revenge spending and say, yes, I want to live my best life, but how can I spend it responsibly?” she says. “How can I revenge spend on a budget? How can I remove the idea of revenge spending from my lexicon and just live well and plan systematically so it doesn't take away from my future financial goals?”
Benefits of A No-Spend Month
Taking part in a no-spend month has a number of benefits, one of which is the self-awareness and gratitude you gain by cutting out non-essential purchases. “You’re more financially self-aware because you're only thinking about what you deem as essentials,” Stephens says. “It can also make you more resourceful because you have to use what you have in your home, rather than going out and shopping.”
Those who take part in the challenge often find they become more intentional with their purchases, distinguishing between what they truly need and what they can do without. The money saved over this course of time can then be redirected towards paying off debt, building an emergency fund, or being put into a sinking fund.
Due to the rigid nature of the challenge, Stephens says that it’s important to have a sustainable framework to follow the no-spend challenge to avoid reverting to old habits. “It can be like "yo-yo dieting,” she explains. “If you were very strict for a certain period, but didn’t create any type of habit or change of mind to continue with it, you could resort back to revenge spending, ironically.”
Things to Keep In Mind
While it may seem like just another financial trend, taking part in a no-spend month can provide precious data about not just how much money you spend but also your mindset and relationship around money. You can observe how your feelings about money change and highlight areas of improvement. Alternatively, you can even start a sinking fund that allows you to put money aside for large purchases or personal experiences.
Ultimately, it’s not that spending money is bad, it’s about how you approach spending in a responsible way that ensures your financial security and success in the long run.
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Featured image by Evgeniia Siiankovskaia/Getty Images