“Making HERstory”
Featured This Month:
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Tha Bay 2 ATL - SoCAL Flames
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The Art of Living
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Hood 2 Hood
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Writers Block
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Featured This Month: 〰️ Tha Bay 2 ATL - SoCAL Flames 〰️ The Art of Living 〰️ Hood 2 Hood 〰️ Writers Block 〰️
4EVER INSPIRED: Volume 09 - A monthly newsletter featuring people, stories, places, tips, tools, and inspiration to be our best.
“The Bay To Tha A(TL)” Stories, places, and people that matter to the people.
ATL SPOTLIGHT! Check out our places to be and people to know this month!
BAY AREA SPOTLIGHT:
We will return with CA ‘places to be’ next month. For now, check out our last newsletter for a pulse on places to visit other creatives.
BE WELL!
Hey Beautiful,
It’s your girl, Basu Lisa C., your soulful wellness guide. I’m beyond grateful to be
walking this journey with you—building something real, something healing, something
that nourishes your spirit and empowers your soul.
As we welcome 2025, the shorter days and cooler nights might make you want to
retreat, slow down, and put self-care on hold. But let me remind you—this is the
season to lean into your wellness practice more than ever. So many people think
winter is just about stillness, but it’s more than that. It’s a sacred time for deep
restoration, powerful reflection, and intentional nourishment.
This is your invitation to pour into yourself like never before, to embrace self-care
unapologetically, and to step fully into your most aligned, vibrant self. Let this be the
year you choose YOU.
Affirmation for the Season
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be
reduced by them. — Maya Angelou
Let that settle in your spirit.
No matter what this season brings, you hold the power to rise, to shift, to heal.
Wellness isn’t just about how you move your body—it’s about reclaiming your peace,
your joy, and your divine right to wholeness.
What Does It Mean to BE WELL?
To BE WELL is to live with intention. It’s not a trend or a checklist—it’s a commitment
to yourself. It’s choosing to nurture every part of who you are in ways that honor
where you are right now.
Mind:
Give yourself grace. Winter is the perfect time for reflection and vision planning. Take
a moment to journal, meditate, or simply sit with your thoughts without judgment.
Ask yourself: What do I need? What am I ready to release? What am I ready to call
in?
Body:
Keep moving! It doesn’t have to be intense—just stay in motion. Whether it’s yoga,
walking, stretching, or dancing in your kitchen to your favorite song, movement is
medicine. It keeps your energy flowing and your spirit uplifted.
Spirit And Soul:
Find your sanctuary. Whether it’s prayer, deep breathing, meditation, sound healing,
or self-love rituals, make space for what restores you. This season is about
alignment. Honor your power.
Winter Wellness: Small Shifts, Big Impact
Sip Warm, Nourishing Drinks – Herbal teas, warm lemon water, and golden milk are
like little love notes to your immune system.
Breathe with Intention – A few deep breaths can reset your nervous system and bring
calm to your day.
Embrace Community – Don’t hibernate alone. Surround yourself with people who
uplift and support your journey.
Honor Your Energy – Rest is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Slow down. Recharge.
Know that rest is a form of productivity, too.
Honoring Warmth, Empowerment & Clarity: The Pose of Divine Strength.
As we focus on warmth, empowerment, and clarity, I invite you to practice the Ra Un
Nefer Pose (Sema Heru and Set)—a powerful Tjef Neteru Sema Paut pose that
represents balance, resilience, and inner strength.
How to Practice the Ra Un Nefer Pose
Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, grounding yourself in strength and stability.
Extend one arm toward the sky (representing Heru, the higher self, clarity, and empowerment).
Extend the other arm downward, palm facing the earth (representing Set, the grounding force of transformation).
Close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and visualize light, warmth, and power flowing through your body.
Hold this position for five deep breaths, feeling yourself rooted yet expansive, balanced yet strong.
This pose is a reminder that you have both the power to rise and the ability to stay
grounded. Just like the winter season calls for reflection and warmth, this pose invites
you to embrace stillness while standing in your strength.
To Each Is Om: A Space for Every Body
I created To Each Is Om™ because we needed a space to breathe, heal, and just
BE. A space where we break cycles, restore balance, and return to ourselves.
This is not about how you look. It’s not about “being good” at yoga. It’s about coming
home to yourself.
Every BODY is welcome here—no matter your size, shape, age, or experience.
As we step into 2025, let’s commit—not just to go through the motions but to truly BE
WELL—in every sense of the word.
And the best part? You don’t have to do it alone.
I’m here. We’re here.
Together, we rise.
Let’s Move, Breathe, and Heal Together!
Visit https://toeachisom.com for class schedules, wellness offerings, and upcoming
events.
With all my love and gratitude,
Basu Lisa C.
Founder of To Each Is Om™
Be Well, Be You, Be OM™
“HOOD 2 HOOD”
Everything in between parenthood and adulthood; we’re just tryna make it out!
500-Point Alternative to Punishment
How many times do I have to say the same thing over and over again!
Do you have a child or children that seem like punishment never works? Yeah, me too!
How about when your child or children may have done something that isn’t a “punishable” offense, but there is something for them to learn to be better and have the bigger lesson moment? Yeah, I've been there too.
At some point, I learned to move away from punishable moments to teachable moments. I will not always be available to hold my children's hands when life shows up in the moment. My job as their mom is to provide them with a safe environment to experience real-life situations, help them use their problem-solving skills, encourage them to develop a method for when and how to apply empathy and show them ways to build good character.
From personal experience, I am learning what works and does not work for my family every day. More specifically, I am learning what works and does not work for each one of my children.
In full transparency, I am human. Sometimes, lessons I have learned on how to handle a situation with a particular child go right out the window, especially in moments of fatigue and frustration. Don’t worry; there will be an article on how to bounce back in moments of communication breakdowns.
The purpose of this article is to explain how I used a system I saw on social media to improve corrections for my children and how I have adapted it to fit my family's goals. My family goals are to raise my children with the practice and application of good intentions, Integrity, humility, and grace. At the same time, helping them understand natural consequences, intention vs impact, and progression over perfection. They need to understand the power of emotional regulation in positive status and poor status.
Here’s an example of a situation and how I apply this tool.
My children are observed being unkind to their peers whenever they are having an off day. I often start with a conversation about what was done, what was said, and what the thinking behind whatever may have happened was. Once that conversation is had, I, as the mom, will make a mental note.
The conversations alone are never enough for my children. They listen and retain parts of what I said but have no real way of applying it. So the conversation may go something like,
“Ok, I hear what happened, I understand what happened, and because you also know we don’t treat people poorly because we are experiencing a bad day, the natural consequence could be no Facetime and mic for the game when you play. Instead, we are going to go through this 500-point list to apply what restoring integrity can look like so we can work on communication when we are not having a good day and engage with the peer appropriately.”
This is just an example because I am not putting my kids' business out on the internet. Removing the ability to talk to their peers during the process allows them to have something to work towards restoring and learn how to take time for themselves to recenter so they are not impacting other people with their own choices.
Here’s a real example of a point list I have used with one of my own children.
500 point system
Outcome: reduce screen time limit on weekends to 12 am
I want to highlight that I always talk to them about what the outcome of this exercise is.
In this case, it was identified that social media and phones were impacting my child's overall well-being, and the limit on screen time was increased.
We had a conversation, and this list was created.
Write a love letter to yourself (1 full page)- 25 points
Finish the four agreement book and have a conversation with mom about what was learned- 75 points
Yoga with mom- 50 points
Creating a video with mom- 50 points
Car meditation (4 days)- 25 points
Building a safe space- 50 points
Planting- 50 points
Family art time- 50 points
Volunteering for an act of kindness- 150 points (outside community work)
Write a poem to your little sister- 25 points
Write a letter to your dad (1 full page)- 50 points
Create a dance routine that reflects learned skills from cheer- 50 points in
Creating a sibling bonding activity-75 points
Watch two sermons of pastor mike and reflect- 25 points
Create a shared healing playlist- 25 points
Use Canva to create a positive T-shirt idea- 25 points
Tutoring - 100 points
The goal for this list as a parent was to help my child realize life happens outside of social media and outside of a phone. They can build meaningful connections with or without it. The other goal was for them to know that our family is also their support system. This list allowed them to think deeply about each family member, be creative, create solutions to cope, connect, strengthen their faith, and have fun.
Some things on the list could be done multiple times, while others things may be done once. They don’t have to do everything on the list; everything must be done with intention. So, ensuring that tasks are completed with the intent to grow and avoid reverting to the day-to-day way of being.
I gave high value to the things I thought would help the most and lesser value to the things that may be done multiple times.
It took them about three weeks to complete their list, and now they are so aware of how social media and the phone impact their own well-being that they actually put themselves on a 500-point list challenge.
I am cursious how you would adapt this for your own family, I can learn a thing or two!
Jenna
The Art of Living
Originally published in last month's issue, we decided to bend the block and bring it back to salute this amazing artist!
Bela. B, Artist
“Art brightens our lives by transforming our spaces and influencing how we feel.”
Pause…
Poignant messaging is woven into the traces of distinctive visuals, blended with tender detail in every stroke. Rich skin tones and natural shading make each piece not only beautiful but believable. This piece made us breathe, pause, and reflect.
Fortress…
The art of living is that the view of the journey is largely based on the perception of the vision. This piece reminds us that we can be both a blockade and a fortress.
Awaken…
The brightness of the moon, the detail of the mind garden, and the reflection of the water are all stunning. Every detail is captivating—almost to a trance state.
We recently spoke to BELA B. about art, color, life, and why she continues to create.
1. What inspired you to create art?
Art is my favorite way to communicate! I truly believe that everyone has a unique message and gift to share with the world. For me, making art goes beyond just expressing myself; it’s all about connecting with others and encouraging everyone to discover and share their own gifts too. My artwork is my little present to the world, designed to spark conversations and inspire some thoughtful reflection.
2. How does your art connect with people and society today?
My art is a reflection of the life lessons I've gathered along my journey. I think it’s really important to share these insights because they can resonate with others who might be going through similar experiences. By expressing what I’ve learned through my work, I hope to create connections and foster empathy, reminding everyone that they’re not alone in their struggles. Art has this incredible power to bring people together and encourage dialogue and understanding in our ever-changing world.
3. Why do you think art is so important?
Art is all around us in so many ways, often in forms we might not even notice at first! While we usually think of art as paintings or sculptures, it can also be found in the design of everyday items, like the shape of a pencil or how a webpage looks. Art brightens our lives by transforming our spaces and influencing how we feel. It sparks creativity and innovation, lets us express ourselves, and helps us understand different cultures. It’s a lovely reminder of the beauty and thoughtfulness that can be seen in the little things we encounter everyday, making art an essential part of our human experience!
4. where can we find you now/next?
Everyone can find me on Instagram as @belab_art, on Facebook as BelaB, or on my website www.artbelab.com.
Writers Block
Life will keep on life-ing. I encourage you to embrace each turn as the tide rolls in. Take what you need and leave the rest for someone else. Do what you can and only own your actions - not others’ outcomes. And LAUGH!! If nothing else, please allow yourself to laugh.
Check out this short clip with our favorite content creator, PHRESH, the CEO.
https://youtube.com/shorts/OQZ6sFLUhfc?si=lZNuAHVpF69f0CLp
Below is an affirmation poem about being a woman making herstory and a mini self-care calendar to get you inspired. Check it out; try saying it aloud in the mirror daily (it takes 1.5 minutes)
Whatever you do, I hope you find more joy, more balance, and more you.
Love and light,
