The last few months have been beyond challenging. At the top of the year, I was doing what I typically do, jetting across the country to attend the Sundance Film Festival, various junkets, and panels. In early March, which now seems like a lifetime ago, I spent five days in my bikini with some of my best friends celebrating our impending 30th birthdays. While there were whispers of the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading across the globe, nobody seemed able to provide any concrete answers about what it meant. It appeared to be a phantom disease, unlikely to touch my life in any way. However, just one week after landing back in New York City, my chocolate skin tinged darker by the Jamaican sun, NYC came to a standstill. COVID-19 was quickly and horrifyingly wreaking havoc across the country, and the best thing we could do for ourselves, our loved ones, and our fellow humans was to shelter in place.
A consummate optimist, I resigned myself to sticking to a strict routine. This included early morning virtual workouts, working at my desk instead of in my bed, reading, taking naps, therapy sessions, and having Zoom calls with my friends and family. In the early days of the pandemic, it became essential for my mental health that my one-bedroom apartment in a quiet Harlem brownstone was my sanctuary. The world was in turmoil, and it was vastly important to me to hold on to some semblance of peace.
During my weekly grocery runs, I made sure to pick up fresh flowers to display while working. I kept things clean, neat, and orderly at all times, and candles became an essential part of my home's ambiance. There's always been something spiritually calming to me about candles. I could glance over from my couch, desk, or bed to watch the flames flicker — stunning scents wafting through the air mixing in with the cool breeze blowing through open windows.
Therefore, when I discovered Nicole Black's The Spa Girl Life luxury candle line, I knew it would be right up my alley. The 100% Vegan Soy candles came with six distinct scents and themes, Hawaiian Sunset, Radiant Love, Day at the Spa, Glow from Within, Sunrise on the Mountain, and Moonlight Reflection. The line comes in a set; each candle is paired with healing stones and a mantra/affirmation card. A cancer zodiac sign used to being on the go, I was desperately missing the beach. I chose Hawaiian Sunset, a soothing but juicy scent that intertwines orange blossom, lavender, jasmine, rose, and musk.
The amethyst crystals that came with the candle are all about peace and calmness. As I've been struggling with increased anxiety during the pandemic, while also using my voice to out against systemic racism and anti-Blackness, having a peaceful environment and a calming manta has genuinely helped me remain grounded. Though I can only be with my loved ones virtually though this time, loving and supporting myself is also vital.
As we continue to press forth in these unprecedented times, we must take care of ourselves. Nicole's The Spa Girl Life’s Mini First Aid Kits for the Soul remind us that we must do the inner work. For me, this centering work is often lighting my Hawaiian Sunset candle, saying my mantra with my amethyst crystals, and breathing deeply
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