Journey to U4ia (euphoria) is BrownStyle Magazine’s new column written by Vanessa Simmons. In this candid and inspirational series, the mom and multi-hyphenate entertainer shares her journey to wellness and mindful living.
When I first found out I would be writing my wellness column for BrownStyle Magazine, I was stoked! I had a million ideas racing through my head all at once.
I was thankful for the opportunity to lend my point of view on health, healing, and life. I was also excited about using my column to speak to experts and share accurate information about a variety of wellness topics.
While excited to get started on this new endeavor, when I sat down at my computer to write, I’ll admit I blanked right when I needed to be in action. Then procrastination set in.
Most might view procrastination as a form of laziness, but it is so much deeper than that. It comes from a place of fear and self-doubt. Since we ain’t submitting or claiming any of that, I broke out my list on how to overcome procrastination and got to work by being completely intentional (a topic I promise to dive into in this column down the line — see, I told y’all the ideas are endless).
Being intentional means to do something on purpose, so at this moment, my intention with this column is to be transparent. To kick things off, I decided to give you a glimpse into my life and share the ways I leaned on wellness and mindful living over the past two months. Welcome to my journey to U4ia (pronounced euphoria).
✨ FOR THE MIND
2024 has been a season of renovation and growth in my life. I was very self-aware through this process and reflected until I was clear on what was required of me to get to the next level in life.
By the next level, I’m not just referring to my professional life, but overall— how do I grow as a human?
I started getting very intentional about what I was doing to improve my mindset. During this time, the books I read became such a great outlet for me. Reading has a plethora of health benefits like reducing stress (goodbye high cortisol levels) and better quality of sleep. The material I read massaged my brain in a way that left me feeling empowered more than I expected.
The two books I read were Power Moves by Sarah Jakes Roberts and On Thriving: Harnessing Joy Through Life’s Great Labors by Brandi Sellerz-Jackson. Both of these selections were perfect for resetting my mind and reminded me of what it is to truly walk in confidence.
✨ FOR THE BODY
The summer of 2024 came quickly— and let’s just say, my summer body wasn’t ready. This year had many ups and downs and stress had my cortisol levels through the roof along with my weight, which is a direct symptom of high cortisol.
I devised a plan to soothe my nervous system and researched ways to balance my cortisol levels. I started the healing by going home for the Summer with a kid in tow and spent a month at my parent’s house in New Jersey— no work, no distractions, just me back in my old childhood rooms (which were remodeled, but the essence was still there).
I did a lot of self-reflection and reconnected with myself. I asked myself three questions that I invite you to try when you’re feeling stuck:
- Who do I want to be?
- What do I want to do?
- What do I want to have?
These are surface-level questions, but they allow you to be real with yourself. It felt good to be honest with myself. Being transparent with myself helped push me back on track.
I started waking up earlier and making the gym and sauna a part of my daily routine. Both are incredible for helping to lower cortisol and come with a host of physical benefits like improved cardiovascular health, muscle relaxation, and reduced stress to improve quality of life.
After my visit, I came home feeling refreshed and ready to conquer my goals. Right when I felt like I was making progress, I got a call from a film director who wanted me in his project but there was a catch— I had to lose 10-15 pounds.
I was floored at the request, but after spending the Summer healing my nervous system, I handled the call with grace (and a ton of deep breathing exercises immediately after).
If this same request had come weeks before, it would have broken me. Instead, I looked at it as an opportunity to hold myself accountable. Let me be clear – I wasn’t going to turn to weight loss medication, but instead, I pushed ahead with even more determination to get myself in shape holistically and organically.
I continued with the routine I started back in New Jersey and added in Electrical Muscle Stimulation or EMS, which has a ton of amazing benefits including improved strength and posture and increased circulation. It also enhances fitness results and offers back pain relief. I find that it instantly boosts my mood!
I also found a good digestive enzyme pill called Arrae, which helps to keep bloating away and assists with quick digestion of a cheat meal because let’s be real, it happens to the best of us.
Lastly, I rounded out my newfound routine with lymphatic massage, which also supports digestion and rid the body of toxins.
After 30 days, I hit my goal of losing 10 pounds. After all of that, I still didn’t get the part – gotta love Hollywood.
In all seriousness, I am thankful for the nudge at that time— perhaps it was never about weight loss and this director was just the messenger to push me toward accountability.
Either way, it taught me to be truly intentional with my body and since then, I’ve committed to showing my body the love it needs to physically thrive and put myself in sync with my personal goals and desires.
✨ FOR THE SOUL
Nourishing my soul will always be a key part of my wellness journey. I lean on God and his word to get me through my days. When I was going through uncertain times, I meditated on scripture.
✨ 1 Corinthians 15:57 and my affirmation for this verse is I AM VICTORIOUS
✨ Jeremiah 29:11 and my affirmation for this verse is I HAVE PURPOSE
✨ John 10:28 and my affirmation for this verse is I AM SAFE
✨ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and the affirmation for this verse was I AM EQUIPPED
I like to repeat these affirmations throughout the day and bring my attention back to I AM TRUTH. I also nourish my soul through mediations I find on YouTube, which have had a tremendous effect on easing my nervous system.
Another way I enjoy feeding my soul is by giving back and being in community with others, especially on their wellness journey.
U4ia had an opportunity to host The Collective Identity in partnership with Ethika for a special wellness retreat to encourage its mentees to set intentions and get right for the new school year. The organization is a mentorship program that supports young Black women and provides them with resources to excel in school and their endeavors.
I was excited to bring together an amazing group of young women and provide a special wellness experience that included a transformative yoga + sound bath session led by Tiffany Leonardo of Curl Crush Yoga & Wellness.
It was powerful coming together and being able to practice something mindful that left each of us feeling refreshed. It truly warmed my heart and soul.
For me, the journey to true wellness never ends, it only evolves. I hope you’ll stick with me as I explore the best ways to live a more fulfilled and healthier lifestyle for this column. I will continue sharing all that I’m learning with you.
