In the past months I’ve began practicing yoga, sticking stricter to my vegetarian diet, and became even less apologetic about choosing my wellness over indulging others. Currently, I’m a black, natural-haired, feminist, anti-racist yoga-practicing woman whose transitioning to veganism. Between my rants about menstrual cups and my overall new-found interest in people, particularly women, discovering and being proud of their bodies I’ve learned a lot about myself and how to keep myself whole, sane, and above all centered. So here’s a few tips for everyone who is outchea in the struggle tryna prosper and be great and such at whatever they’re doing….cuz we all know what unfocused outcheaness leads to…
Stick to Your Truth
There are times when you make decisions for yourself because they seem completely right for you and your life at the time. Of course that doesn’t stop the peanut gallery from coming up with fifty-leven questions for you about why you made that choice. That also won’t stop the peanut gallery from having two million and one reasons why you’re crazy or weird for making that decision. Sometimes they’re coming from a place of concern, other times they’re just nosy and talk too damn much. Either way if you feel in your heart this is the path you’re meant to take, take it. You can address their criticisms and unsolicited advice later. Or you know, never. It’s up to you.
Address Issues When They Come Up
For the sake of “peace” or “being liked” or whatever, we tend to shove stuff down or push things to the side when they bother us. As much as it seems like “ignoring the problem and it’ll eventually fix itself” is a cure-all, it’s not. When people have affected you and have you feeling some type of way, you should address it. Don’t bottle it up or find other ways to passive aggressively react to the issue. Address the problem, the person, or the source of the grief so that you can save yourself a ton of grief!
All You’re Obligated to do is Stay Black & Die
When people question us or our decisions we feel the need to give them a concrete reason for why we are the way we are in order to earn some type of gratification or approval. What you need to realize is that people are going to judge you whether they approve of your reasons or not. Also, giving someone an explanation is above all a courtesy, not a right. There are a plethora of arguments and debates I’ve gotten out of because I simply said ” I like [topic of discussion] because I do and if you feel a way that has absolutely nothing to do with Brianne” and left it that. Did people look at me like I had something growing out of my head? Sure! Did they keep trying to engage me in some type of debate even though I’ve already made it clear that I’m not interested in such things? Of course!
Has that mattered to me one bit? Absolutely not. I chose to transition to veganism because it aligns with my moral and ethical principles and that’s all there is to it. Just because you now feel bad about chomping down on some unethically slaughtered pig, doesn’t mean Bri has to give you a dissertation on why she chose to change her eating habits.
You can feel a way if you must.
That’s all I got folks! What are some other tips you have for ways to stay calm and quiet in the middle of the chaos and the haters?
-Bri aka Brini Bri aka’ you do what for a living’
“Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”-Psalm 119:165
B.Alexandra's Cosmos 