Own Your Power

Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke is the kind of professional Marci Alboher had in mind when she wrote the book, One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success. Ananda is a lawyer turned entrepreneur who uses her background in law and business in her role as President and CEO of Kiamsha.com, LLC. Through Kiamsha.com, LLC, Ananda shares her gifts as a novelist, blogger, artist, creativity coach, workshop facilitator, yoga teacher, Reiki Master practitioner, radio host, social media strategist, online content publisher and social networking site community manager.

I met Ananda as a member of one of her online communities and after watching her work, I wondered how in the world she manages to do it all. So I asked, and here’s what Ananda told me about how she finds balance and peace while managing a very long to-do list.

Tap Into a Higher Power

“I am work in progress. So I am still working on balancing my life. My spiritual and self-care practices set the tone for my day, week, month, and year. They consist of prayer, meditation, yoga, Reiki healing touch, chanting with my mala bead, saying affirmations, setting intentions, reading my daily devotional texts, drinking water, eating healthy, and moving my body. Having a regular practice centers me and creates a daily reminder of balance that I can come back to throughout my day.”

Have a Theme

“I also make sure that I have quiet time in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Doing breathing exercises, giving myself Reiki, and using mindful walking help me to slow down my thoughts and the busy bee energy that I often carry inside of me. This year I decided that my theme was joie de vivre (joy of living in French). I call it JDV. To maintain my JDV state of mind, I am spending time learning and managing my feminine and masculine energies with support from the Buddhist principles of right view, right intention, right action, and right speech.”

Find Help and Support

“I also use the support of a life coach, body wisdom coach, and two spiritual communities (a monthly meditation group and weekly service at All Souls Unitarian Church). Making sure I get enough sleep and taking breaks from email and online activities helps me too. Spending time with family and friends is a great recharger.”

Take a Breather and Connect with Nature

“Having do no-thing days each month helps me surrender more and relax. Journaling and blogging about my experiences helps too. I take walks in nature and touch trees to really let go. Having acupuncture each month and using herbs and vitamins works wonders for me. I also listen to a lot of music and live without a regular television. I do watch television online, but it is limited. That helps me manage my time better because I am addicted to television!”

Stick to a Schedule

“I am a scheduler and organizer. My parents and the nuns that ran my all-girls Catholic high school gave me a first class education in organization. Being a lawyer with finance experience also keeps me on top of my game when it comes to setting aside time to do things each week.”

Have Someone Hold You Accountable

“With all that said, I am still a procrastinator when it comes to writing my books. That’s why I have a book editor, copy editor, and a circle of readers who stay on me. I also get overwhelmed with my life and projects. When that happens, my agenda doesn’t get accomplished. It can be frustrating. Sometimes the little girl in me just wants to play and have fun. She doesn’t want to do any work. So my agenda doesn’t get accomplished. Other times my inner critic is yelling at me so loudly that I don’t think I can do what my agenda calls me to do. So I stop where I am and become stuck.”

Become Self-Aware

“Last year I started to identify, claim, embrace, accept, and integrate the different parts of myself into a personal council. My life coach and body wisdom coach helped me name the eight parts of myself. I call them my eight archetypes. Now I embrace them on a daily basis and can better understand myself and what they need when things happen. Having this understanding really helps me manage my feelings about being stuck and overwhelmed. It calms me down and allows me to breathe and accept where I am and what I feel.”

Let Go of the Need to Control Outcomes

“Acceptance creates space for surrender. Surrender allows me to let go of my need to control. And letting go of my need to control humbles me so that I can exist in the present moment. Once I come into the present moment, I can see what I need to do. Then I can make a choice to do only those things that really need my attention. I can handle the other things later. That process offers me balance in the midst of an overwhelming storm.”

***

Ananda’s current book,Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One (iUniverse, Inc. – August 2007) is on sale now. Love’s Troubadours tells the story of Karma Francois, a thirtysomething Oakland-born BoHo B.A.P. (Bohemian Black American Princess) with Louisiana roots and urban debutante flair. Her forthcoming title is a poetic memoir, That Which Awakens Me. This book focuses on Ananda’s journey as a creative woman. It will be published in late spring. For more information, contact Ananda at kiamshaleeke@yahoo.com.

Also readers can visit the following web sites to find out more about her monthly radio shows: BAP Living Radio – www.talkshoe.com/tc/18598 and Go Green Sangha Radio – www.talkshoe.com/tc/21325.
Thank you Ananda for sharing your words of wisdom!

	Leah Mullen BellaOnline’s Life Coaching Editor For more Life Coaching Articles, visit here.

Alice Jones has been apart of our family since our Give ‘n Take Networking events in New York City, since 2003.  As a fundraiser consultant for Tupparware, she assists non-profit organizations, schools, clubs and churches to  raise funds.  Find out why she loves what she does and how she can possibly help YOU!

Main service/product: Fundraiser Consultant / Brand name of a home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products.

Any interesting fact(s) you can share about your industry? Tupperware has been around for over 60 years, the brand name “Tupperware” – much like the brand names “Coke” and “Hershey’s” – refers to an entire class of products, not only the brand to which it denotes.

How do you stay motivated? Knowing that I’m helping out people across the country raise money for their own special causes.

Biggest pet peeve in business?
Cell Phones ringing in the middle of a meeting (with an inappropriate ring tone.)

What’s a bold move you took that turned your business around? When I first started no one believed I could focus primarily on fundraising and make a profit. I focused on specific industries- Wives of Officers, Wives of Firefighters and Athletic Clubs.

One thing that you would change if you could? No Child Left Behind Act – this is one of the worst piece of legislature that the House of Representatives could pass. Our children  already have to deal with the fact that their parents aren’t home with them for over 10 hours a day and now their teachers have be regulated to rushing them through their education so that the schools receive federal funding. The emphasis is not on children’s education but the schools receiving funding.

What’s your favorite area on www.ownyourpower.ning.com? NETWORKING

You know the expression, you can’t take it with you…well, if you could, what would ‘it’ be? My favorite pictures of my family.

It’s sadly time for your last meal on earth…what would it be? Filet Mignon, Baked Potato w/Butter & Sour Cream; Broccoli sauted in garlic sauce and a nice large glass of SWEET TEA –ok I know the Tea messed up the meal, but it’s my last meal. ?  -For those that know me –know I haven’t had red meat since late 2004!

Have you used Social Networking to gain new contacts/business? If so, what have been any results? Yes, I have, I’ve used Facebook and it has been successful but, I could use a little more tweeking going forward.

If you could do it all over again, what is the biggest mistake you’d avoid next time around? Utilizing my days off (from my day job) to the fullest and building my business.

What’s in your cd player/ipod right now? Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits

If you could have superpowers, what would you want? I want to be invisible –I’m inquisitive and I would like to be able to watch people without them knowing I was around.

Get in touch with Alice and tell her Own Your Power sent ya!

Add her as a friend in our network

www.my2.tupperware.com/alicejones

alice@xfactorinc.com

TEL: 678-373-0976

After a week of getting a bit off track, I figured I was going to get back in shape. I even got a few of you guys hyped up, so I have to practice what I preach, right? Well, I had no choice! After my NY trip, I was on my way to Maryland for a few days. I called my girl, Dana to let her know what time to pick me up and she said with a little hesitation in her voice, “You know…we are eating mostly RAW now, right?”
“Oh? Great.” I mumbled.
She laughed, “Girl, you’ll be fine.”

Well, this is what I get, huh? I had no idea I was headed to Fat Camp aka “Spiritual Essence Yoga” Bootcamp. Only vegan dishes, but 80% raw dishes. Tofu-time here we come! I was up for the challenge and I had eaten at her house before and was diggin’ the tofu meals she made before so, it couldn’t be that bad, right?

That afternoon when she picked me up, she handed me a bowl of pink grapefruit (which I usually don’t like) and mango. It tasted DEEE- LIOUS together. How’s that for hospitality after a long bus ride? You gotta love my friends! LOL Next stop, Whole Food supermarket. I picked up some fruits and veggies that I liked and a can of Wild Salmon. I know I needed something, since she had no ‘flesh’ in her house. Flesh just sounds nasty, doesn’t it? My mother-in-law who is hardcore vegan teases me about dining at the MORGUE. How’s that for a visual? If anything would make you think about become a vegetarian that would do it!

Anyhooo..I digress. That night we did a yoga class called 108 Sun Salutations. Honestly, I probably did about 100 and the other eight were in child’s pose panting and sweating. But I did it!

After that, I was good, I thought I would sleep late the next morning, I’m on vacation sort of. NOT! I heard a knock on my door and rolled over with one eye open to see Dana smiling all bright eyed and happy holding a berry smoothie in her hand, “Good Morning! Ready for yoga?”

I growled, “I wanna sleep….”
“Nope, we got class in 40 minutes. Get up!” I looked at my cell and saw she texted me 30 minutes before with the words, “WAKE UP!” LOl
The Yoga Diva they call her, how about the Yoga Drill Sergeant. I know my trainer Justice would high five her for getting me up and at ‘em.

I had a great time and did so much yoga I made up for those chicken wings at Amy Ruth’s and not exercising as much while in NY. Not only did I eat extremely healthy, I was surprisingly always satisfied and not starving.

I even learned how to make fried with tofu, scrambled tofu (taste like real eggs, no kidding!), and even love the taste of Nori (seaweed). Who knew?!

Dana showing me how to eat good!

I realized that being a semi-vegetarian wasn’t’ as bad as I though. I was inspired by Dana to make some minor changes and I realized rice and bread weren’t even missed.

However, I did beg, yes beg for a treat. Her darling hubby took me to Starbucks. It was just one time! I got a small hot chocolate and look what happened to me after:

This is your brain on Starbucks!

I missed a few stairs after a sugar rush. Stay away from the crack!

TIP OF THE WEEK from my trainer Justice:

Many people go on restrictive diets in order to make a difference in their fitness lifestyle. I know a few Personal Trainers who highly recommend it, however I do not mainly because people have a hard time understanding the reasoning behind such restrictions.

Most people require restrictions not because the food causes fat gain, but its because the abuse of foods causes fat gains. We all have heard the time honored saying “too much of anything is not good for you”. Well, this holds true with any number of foods. So, it is not that one piece of chocolate is going to cause 15 pounds of fat to appear; it’s the abuse of it or the lack of control. We tend to ignore our inability to have self control and or choose not to make an asserted effort to gain control.

So, as a reward a hot chocolate is okay, but to have one every night is not. A cake (one piece not half a cake) is okay once a week, but not every day. You get the picture.

Avoid the SINS (Seeing It Now Syndrome)

Read Part 1 of this Story!

Get tips and support from our group called: JUST BEE HEALTHY FITNESS CHALLENGE

Read Part 1 of this Story!

In our latest podcast we discuss, what is sex appeal to you and how do you use it? Learn some key tips from some experts and get a few laughs as we discuss the things people do to get noticed. Hosts: Simone Kelly-Brown and Nikki Clifton, Special guest host: German Dubious

Special Guests Experts:

Raina McLeod AKA Magic City Kitty, Sex Columnist of Miami New Times

Alicia Marie Rivers: Author and Editor, Sex Appeal and Self Esteem Specialist

Jonathan Mannion, World Famous Hip Hop Photographer and Video Director

Join us in the network (www.ownyourpower.ning.com) and share your opinion about Sex Appeal!

Listen to the show NOW! http://www.ownyourpowerradio.com

So, my goal to get in shape is still in progress. I’ve been moved by many of you who have joined our “Just Bee Healthy” fitness group to encourage each other and also your comments to me. Thanks so much for the encouragement! We’re all in this together and I believe me, support is always needed!

My long lost friend Candice: Reunited from FB!

My third week into my new routine, I got a tad sidetracked. I had a very cool trip last month to New York. I got a chance to hang out with some old friends, some I hadn’t seen in over ten years!

Kitab and Marcy! Love these two

I met with some clients in person that I only knew over the phone, and my favorite time was when I got to hang out with Hasan (my hubby). We visited some memorable dating locations (since it’s been a couple of years since we’ve been back at the same time) And, of course I loved my New York City temptations: the FOOD…oh Justice ,where are you when I need you? (Justice is my trainer for those who don’t know)

I know, I know…everything in moderation as they say, but after my second night in NY, I was itching like a drug addict for a hit. I wanted some Amy Ruth’s BAD! (Delicious soul food spot in Harlem on 116th in case you get the itch too. LOL)
Oh yeah, I swore I would behave while on vacation. Salads only I told myself, yeah right. Hasan wasn’t in town yet and I never go there by myself, but this night I said, “Oh, what the hell! I haven’t eaten Amy Ruth’s in over a year!” I’m very good at rationalizing. I went on, ” I don’t care if I look greedy, I’m going!” I ordered my old favorite dish; fried chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, with string beans and you can’t forget the SWEEEEET ICE TEA. Whoooh, they must put 50 sugars in that cup.

Kelley and Tonia from Amy Ruth's

Well, I must admit, I didn’t feel so greedy or guilty after a while and I know I should have. I made friends with the girls next to me and we were talking like we knew each other for years. I insisted to my new friends Kelley-Brown (what a coincidence) and Tonia that I would eat half and take the rest home. Not! After some good conversation, I looked down and to my surprise, I had cleaned off everything but the chicken bones in my plate.

The next morning, I did a whole lot of walking, jumped roped, squats, abs by the FDR Highway overlooking the city. Oh yeah, I was working it OUT! But then, as days went on, I got busier and busier. Late nights catching up with my girls and early mornings out for meetings, my time was more limited then I expected. And of course I just had to forget my new 30 Day Shred DVD with Jillian Michaels that I bought specifically so that I couldn’t make excuses for not working out.

I did make up for lack of exercise by walking as much as I could, instead of the subway, I’d walk 20 blocks or more. In Florida, I don’t get to walk as much unless it’s in the park. You’re always in your car and sorry to say Floridians…ya’ll are kinda lazy when it come to walking. Drive-thru everything! Banks, Starbucks, CVS, and Walgreens? COME ON! So, if you have the luxury of living a city and can walk, DO IT!

Well, after my stay in NYC, I had a part -two of my trip. I was off to get some more Reiki training from Dana Smith-Rogers who is not only one of my girlfriends but also my one of my teachers. Find out how I got my pay back from her…in part two tomorrow!

Well, for those who tend to slack on your fitness routine when they have a business trip or on vacation, here’s Justice Tip for the week, more to come!:

Just Bee Healthy Fitness Weekly Tip from Justice:
“Many people struggle with normal work out regimens, so imagine how hard it is to stay on task when traveling. Assuming the hotel you have selected does not have some sort of exercise room here is a strong tip.
Invest in a portable gym. Bands are a great way to take the workout on the road. Inexpensive, light weight, durable, and versatile, you can easily keep the routine going on the road. Spending 20 to 30 minutes on power-bands have kept many people where they want to be.” Justice

Interested in Training with Justice? Give him a call at 216-849-2882. Tell him Simone sent ya!!!