

Wellness habits are something that we develop as we learn more about ourselves, especially as they relate to accommodating the professional lives we dream of and, eventually make a reality. We are also able to define exactly what wellness even means for ourselves, as we all have lifestyles and goals that vary. That being said, the habits we build can evolve over time, and the more we progress as the smart, beautiful Black queens we are, the more we look to the ambitious, successful women we admire to find ways to elevate.
Many of the women in business, entertainment, sports, medicine, and education that we know to be leaders in their industries practice habits that keep them refreshed, balanced, and better able to do what they do well. Let's take a look at the top wellness habits of the bossed-up and successful and take notes for inspiring overall wellness in our own lives:
1. They participate in fitness activities that they actual enjoy.
Whether it's the Tracy Anderson method for actress Tracee Ellis Ross, cardio and dancing for Cay Skin CEO Winnie Harlow, or Michelle Obama's shift to yoga, successful women often seek out fitness activities that not only work for them, but that are satisfying and meet their current needs.
Oftentimes wellness is not all about following a different IG workout every week or doing routines that you don't look forward to every week. It's more about knowing your body, being well-informed about your wellness goals, and finding what works for you. It's about actually enjoying fitness activities, and sticking to them. It's also ideal to shift or change based on your evolutions and transitions as a woman.
2. They recognize the importance of stillness or taking breaks to do absolutely nothing.
Actress and author Yvonne Orji once said "goodbye to the hustle and grind" and affirmed her approach to finding peace through taking baths to replenish her body and spirit. Tennis champ Naomi Osaka has sworn by meditation and the fact that self-care "doesn't have to be complicated." Oprah has practiced a Sunday routine of "doing nothing," making that day a "spiritual base of renewal."
Whether you're at zero or 100 on the scale of hard work right now, taking breaks and tapping into stillness where it makes sense for your life, mental health, and goals is important. Even if it's not a moment of total silence, taking time out of your day, week, or month to fully tap into breathwork, ease, or serenity can be something you make part of the usual to-dos on your calendar.
3. They approach wellness holistically, healing and helping multiple aspects of themselves.
Broadcaster Clara Amfo is all about loving your "whole self," and chef and singer Kelis pairs workouts with her love of incorporating fresh ingredients into the dishes she cooks. My Fab Finance founder Tonya Rapley has invested in time at a mental health gym, where she explored technological innovations and treatments to help her release stress hormones. Actress, entrepreneur, and producer Issa Rae has also touted the importance of seeking therapy, not just as something to do when something is "wrong," but as a normal part of self-care.
With wellness, it's not just about working out or eating a certain trending diet, but incorporating other things that benefit your health and wellness, like therapy and inner work.
It's great to follow a disciplined workout routine and meal plan, but there's more to your overall well-being than that. Doing things that tap into your spirituality, creativity, and inner child are all ways to balance how you approach what wellness truly means for you.
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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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'Leave Quicker': Keri Hilson Opens Up About Learning When To Walk Away In Love
What you might call Black love goals, Keri Hilson is kindly saying, “Nah.”
In a recent appearance on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the We Need to Talk: Love singer opened up about a past relationship that once had the public rooting for her and former NBA star Serge Ibaka. According to Cam, the pair looked “immaculate” together. Keri agreed, admitting, “We looked good.” But her demeanor made it clear that everything that looks good isn't always a good look for you.
That was all but confirmed when Cam asked what the relationship taught her. Keri sighed deeply before replying, “Whew. Leave quicker.”
It was the kind of answer that doesn’t need to be packaged to be received, just raw truth from someone who’s done the work. “Ten months in, I should have [left],” she continued. “But I was believing. I was wanting to not believe [the signs].”
Keri revealed to Cam that despite their efforts to repair the relationship at the time, including couples counseling, individual therapy, and even sitting with Serge’s pastor, it just wasn’t meant to be. A large part of that, she said, was the seven-year age gap. “He was [in his] mid-twenties,” she said, attributing a lot of their misalignment to his youth and the temptations that came with fame, money, and status.
“There were happenings,” she shared, choosing her words carefully. “He deserved to live that… I want what you want. I don’t want anything different. So if I would’ve told him how to love me better, it would’ve denied him the experience of being ‘the man’ in the world.”
But she also made it clear that just because you understand someone’s path doesn’t mean you have to ride it out with them. Instead, you can practice compassionate detachment like our girl Keri. “You can have what you want, but you may not have me and that.”
When Cam jokingly questioned what if there was a reality where a man wanted to have both “you and a dab of that,” Keri didn’t hesitate with her stance: “No,” adding, “I can remove myself and [then you] have it. Enjoy it.” Sis said what she said.
Still, she shared that they dated for a couple of years and remain cool to this day. For Keri, being on good terms with an ex isn’t a sign of weakness; it's a reflection of where she is in her healing. In a time when blocking an ex is often seen as the ultimate sign of growth, Keri offers an alternate route: one where healing looks like resolution, not resentment. “I think because I have such a disgust for ugliness in my life. Like, I don't do well without peace between me and everyone in my life. Like, I really try to resolve issues,” she explained to Cam.
Adding, “I think that's what makes things difficult when you're like sweeping things under the rug or harboring ill feelings towards someone. When you're healed, when you've done your work, you can speak to anybody when you've healed from things. I think maybe that's the bottom line.”
Watch Keri's appearance on Funky Friday in full here.
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