Month: June 2020

My Summer 2020 Workout Playlist (pt. 1)

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I don’t know about y’all but I’m someone that NEEDS a fire playlist before I can even think about working out. The idea of working out without music fills me with sheer terror almost as badly as the terror I feel when I see people workout in jeans (seriously, wtf). I’m also someone who usually has multiple genres of music on a workout playlist unless I’m going with a theme (early 2000s hip-hop was easily my most played playlist in May). Taking all of these things into account, it only made sense that I create a Summer Workout playlist to share with my beloved readers.

I really enjoyed sharing my Valentine’s Day playlist on my blog so I decided to give it another try so I can combine two of my favorite things: working out and MUSIC. Many of these songs came out recently this year and will definitely define Summer 2020 for me. Some of the songs are just my summer favorite in general and find themselves on any Summer playlist I make, workout or not. Some of these I don’t even know when they came out but I heard them somewhere and just have been jamming to them. Either way, this playlist is a reflection of what I’ve been enjoying lately as I continue my home workouts (I still don’t trust the gyms). Hopefully you like it as much as I do and if not, you at least find something new to jam to.

Get Up 10 – Cardi B

This is just a great song to start a workout playlist with. It makes perfectg sense it was the opening song of Cardi’s 2018 Debut album. This song is usually one most of workout playlists because it gets me hype as hell.

Heartless – The Weeknd

Moment of honesty, this song had to grow me on. When I first heard it, it was whatever. Now I’m obsessed. I actually love the whole album but that’s a topic for another day. The energy in this song is just everything.

Ballin’ – Roddy Rich, Mustard

This song is by no means new but I still feel like the first time I heard it every time I hear it. It isn’t as high energy as I would usually have but it’s a vibe nonetheless. I just can’t listen to this song and stay in a bad mood.

Savage (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion, Beyoncé

Another song I really didn’t love…that was at least until the REMIX came along. Anyone who knows me knows I am the ultimate Beyoncé fan…maybe even stan. I also love Megan Thee Stallion usually but the TikTokers ran the orginal version into the damn ground! Haha, anyways…I really like this song and it totally gives me Summer 2020 feels.

Dura – Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, Becky G, Natti Natasha

This song is a forever fave and reminds me of when I went to the Dominican Republic back in 2018. Similarly to Ballin, I can’t listen to this song and be in a bad mood. It’s the perfect reggaeton track for me to level up on whatever workout I’m doing on.

RITMO – Black Eyed Peas, J Balvin

This song is just so damn catchy. I really can’t even explain but this song just makes me super excited to workout and crush it. Never knew Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin was the collab I needed but here we are.

Rain On Me – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s music literally just makes me so happy…unless it’s one of her more serious ones. The subject matter of this song is pretty sad BUT the upeat tempo just makes me wanna dance and/or workout. Takes me back to 2011 even though it came out this year.

Beautiful (MaRLo Remix) – What So Not, Winona Oak

I discovered this song on one of the soul cycle intstructor’s I follows home workout one day and I literally have listened to it every day since then. As a Vegas girl, EDM has a special place in my heart.

Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix) – Ellie Goulding

This song reminds me of being in my dorm room while my roommate was having her own mini-party. She played this all the time and I loved it so much. It is such a high energy track that is perfect for a workout.

Party Up (Up In Here) – DMX

This is literally one of my favorite workout songs of ALL time. It fits every season, every mood. Truly a timeless masterpiece that makes me want to lift hella heavy and slap a b*tch.

Cash Shit – Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby

OMG this takes me back to Summer 2019 and now will forever be in my summer rotation. Megan raps “I can’t be fucked with, no…” and that is me at the gym/during my home workout, all day.

ROYL – Chloe x Halle

I talked about how much I loved Chloe x Halle’s NEW album Ungodly Hour in my last post but for some reason I cannot stop playing this song! It was only right I add it to my summer playlist. It’s so damn catchy.

Happier – Marshmello, Bastille

Another sad song with a happy beat that makes me enjoy working out. I don’t think I can ever get tired of this song. You know how I know? I played it on repeat my entire first law school finals season back in December 2018 and NEVER got sick of it.

Save Your Tears – The Weeknd

I just love this song and catch myself singing the chorus over and over to myself more often than I’d like to admit.

Can I – Kehlani, Tory Lanez

A little freaky for my typical workout playlist but it’s still a vibe nonetheless. I really liked the entire album and usually by this point I’m cooling down.

So Bad – Jojo

This song should be muuuuuuch longer than it is but it’s perfect to stretch to after a killer workout. It also makes me wish I was going to pole dancing classes but that’s neither here nor there. Jojo’s album is also REALLY great.

Let me know what you’re jamming out to when you workout this summer! Leave a comment with your favorite workout songs. Click here to view the playlist on Tidal.

Happy (Early) Juneteenth: Highlighting Black Creatives

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The last few weeks have been extremely challenging for me as a black woman in America. Between the killings of many Black people that have taken place in the last few weeks to the collective awakening that seems to be taking place amongst non-black people, and everything in between, I have found myself extremely exhausted. One holiday I have been looking forward to is Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a Black holiday that takes place on June 19th but I post on Thursdays which happens to be the 18th this year. For those of you unaware of what Juneteenth is, here is an excerpt from Juneteenth.com.

“Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.”

In celebrating Juneteenth this year, I have decided to dedicate a blog post to highlighting two of my favorite Black creatives, their work, and their missions. Both of these wonderful beings are my friends and stay creating beautiful things that deserve recognition.

Angelica Marie – WeAreKarasi.org

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Mission: Creative healing tools. Affirmations and accessible doula care for BIWoC.

Angelica Marie is a Graphic Designer and Doula. She started Karasi to show womxn like me that we all possess the tools to heal and grow. We are all karasi because life and wisdom are already within us. Her goal is to show you creative ways to unlock them. Click here to see her website. You can also follow Karasi on Instagram: @wearekarasi.

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Check out Angelica’s website for affirmation cards, doula servies, and more:

https://wearekarasi.org/

Tey Lynn – Author

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Vision: A world that is not only safe but enjoyable for ALL Black queer femmes
Mission: To inspire Afrofuturist thought and actions through poetry and prose

Tey Lynn’s work consists of mostly her book Awakening the Dragon, which is an autobiographical exploration of sexuality, queerness, femininity, and Blackness. She has self-authored her presentations on emotional intelligence and self-care. She also has a solo published poem called “Anger” in the Aztec Literary Review. Finally, she has a novel called Luma in the works that contains Afrofuturist themes, and commentary on inclusion and liberation politics.

Follow Tey Lynn’s social media accounts and check out her website:

I also featured her on an episode of my podcast, Handle Your Scandal, that you can listen to on apple podcasts, spotify, and soundcloud.

Another way I’ve been finding joy lately is. by listening to music. The album I’m currently obsessed with is Ungodly Hour – Chloe x Halle. I saw them at Coachella back in 2018 and the amount of growth that has taken place between their debut album and this album is insane. This album is everythingggg. I literally can’t stop listening to it. My personal faves are Ungodly Hour, Forgive Me, Wonder What Sh—actually you know what I love the entire album. Please go stream it now!

I hope to highlight more Black creatives in the future and may even focus on highlighting them on my Instagram stories in the future. Make sure you don’t miss out and follow me on Instagram: @musingsofmara

(no underscore, the underscore is someone IMPERSONATING me)

Do you have any Black creatives whose work you love? How are you celebrating Juneteenth? Let me know in the comments and let’s chat!

How To Create Your Perfect Affirmations

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Saying affirmations out loud every morning literally changed my life…or at least allowed me to shift my life in the direction I wanted. If you’re not familiar with affirmations, you may be wondering “what are affirmations?” In the most basic way I can describe them, affirmations are usually brief statements that assert something as true or a fact. In the law of attraction school of thought, affirmations are positive statements that reflect the reality that we want. They are a way that we can speak what we want into existence. I may or may not have confused you even more with this statement but it’s okay. Once you read this blog post, you will have a better understand of what affirmations are and how to create the perfect affirmations for yourself.

1. Reflect on what truth you want your affirmation(s) to center around

In order to make your perfect affirmations, you must be clear on what it is you want to affirm for yourself. This may change depending on what is going on in your life. One example of this is that once everything started with the pandemic, I became really anxious about my health. Even prior to the pandemic I’ve always had my own undiagnosed health anxiety and my doctor even forbade me from googling symptoms. Whenever I feel myself getting anxious about my health, I work on affirmations to combat that and calm me down. One of my favorite affirmations is actually 3 that I say together: my body is healthy, my mind is brilliant, my soul is tranquil. The “my body is healthy” part is very important to me maintaining peace about my health.

2. Keep your affirmations in the present tense

Writing your affirmations in the present tense is extremely important. The past is done and over with and we can’t predict the future, we can only try to create it and manifest the life we desire. Which one sounds more powerful: I will become a best-selling author or I AM a best-selling author. The “I am” statement is much more powerful. I know what you may be thinking. “Mara, I’m NOT a best-selling author.” I would respond, of course not with that attitude. All jokes aside, right now you may not actually be a best-selling author but you can make it so by believing it and doing the work to make it happen. The point of repeating affirmations is to create your truth and manifest the reality that already exists. When I was waiting to be accepted into law school, I would tell myself “I’m already a law student, that reality already exists.” Not only was I admitted into law school, I also received a full-tuition scholarship to pay for it. Present-tense affirmations are crucial in creating your own reality.

3. Speak in a positive manner

Another key part of creating your perfect affirmations is focusing on what you want to be true, not what you want to avoid. I’m not going to get too deep into the law of attraction but the basics of it is that whatever you focus on is what you will attract. If your affirmations focus on something you don’t want to happen, you can actually attract that thing to you instead of avoiding it. This may trip people up but it’s so important to keep in mind. Instead of saying “I no longer have debt” you can say “I am debt-free.” They are saying the same exact thing but just as the best-selling author example I mentioned earlier, the “I am” affirmation about being debt-free just sounds more powerful and in a positive tone so your desires can’t get lost in translation. Make sure to write your affirmations in the positive to send the correct message of what you want.

Here are 3 of my favorite affirmations to give you more inspiration.

My body is healthy, my mind is brilliant, my soul is tranquil.

Today I eat for my goal weight. Today I exercise for my goal. I am my goal weight.

I recall information quickly and easily during exams.

Saying affirmations every morning can really start your day on the right track. Hopefully this How To Guide allows you to create your perfect affirmations and work towards cultivating the life you desire. Keep these tips and mind and get to manifesting.

Did you find this post as a good starting point for writing affirmations? Leave a comment with a new affirmation and this post with somebody who could use it today!

4 Important Things You Should Do The Summer Before Law School

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This post has been updated due to Covid-19. The read the original post click here.

If you’re anything like the average person getting ready to start law school, the months before your first semester will be filled with soooo many emotions: excitement, anxiety, pride, fear, and everything in between. First, take a deep breath and exhale. Everything is going to be okay! It’s going to feel like it’s not many times between now and the end of your first year, but it will. There are books dedicated to preparing you for your first year of law school…I didn’t read any of them so I can’t testify (ba dum tshh) how effective and helpful they are for the 1L experience. However, I do feel that besides one or two things I did wrong, my summer pre-1L year was pretty great. In this post I’ll be discussing what I did that I believe was effective and what I wish I had done to be better prepared.

Save money

Many different faculty, lawyers, 2L and 3Ls will tell you that you shouldn’t work your first year of law school and I’m inclined to agree. I worked only one day a week until November of my first year and I wish I had just quit, to be quite honest. I understand that is a privilege many people may not be able to afford but if you can, you should not work your first year of law school. Due to this, I think people should save as much money as they can before they start law school. You may get financial aid or scholarships, but it never hurts to have a well-funded savings account. This is especially important if you don’t want to take out loans. I can’t relate to that but it’s a noble goal to have in law school. I know this may be harder due to Covid-19 and everything else going on but definitely try.

Read for fun

I’m sure there are people who can find the time and energy to read for fun while they’re in school, I’m not one of them. Even when I was in undergrad (which was not even ½ as hard as law school for me), I never made time to read for fun. The summer before law school I decided that I wanted to read as many books for fun as I could because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do so once school started and I had to read dozens of cases a week. I’m personally a self-help/biography of powerful women junkie so I read many books of that nature but read whatever it is you enjoy because chances are you won’t be able to do that once the semester starts.

Spend time with your family and friends

Once school starts, you’re going to have way less time to spend with your non-law school friends and even your family. I live with my parents and I still didn’t have much time to spend with them throughout the week between classes, readings, and going to the gym. My friends and I rarely saw one another during the semester due to us all being in school or working and being busy. While I did spend some time with them during the summer, I wish I had spent more time with my parents before 1L started because now I feel like I hardly see them enough. One thing I want to do this upcoming school year is schedule dinners and time with my parents and days to hang out with my friends and treat it like any other appointment I have in my planner/google calendar. The point is, the summer before you will hopefully have more time to dedicate to seeing your family and friends more often and you should take advantage of that, if that’s something you value. If you are going to school out-of-state I can’t recommend this enough.

Get a semblance of a routine

My biggest fuck-up in 1L was deviating from the schedule/routine I had planned for more often than I should have. Sticking to your routine is one of the most important things an incoming 1L can learn in the summer before law school begins. Many people don’t struggle with this but I did and still do. In the first semester of law school it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and I sometimes combatted this by abandoning my routine all together for weeks at a time and just going with the flow. Don’t do this. In undergrad, I was so busy with other clubs and interning and working that my schedule had to be followed otherwise nothing would have been done. Law school granted me much more independence and freedom than undergrad or my two gap years where I was just working and working out. A lack of a routine in law school is dangerous. Before you know it, it’s December 1st and you don’t have any outlines or well put together notes and you’re submitting your major legal writing assignment at 11:55pm and you haven’t even had time to proof-read it that final time before submission. All of this is to say, practice sticking to a routine before school starts if you’re someone who doesn’t necessarily have to in order to be successful now because all of that will change soon.

Get started on implementing these tips today! If you have any other law school related questions COMMENT BELOW and let’s chat.

If you’re already in law school, COMMENT with some tips you think I may have missed that helped you during your summer before 1L.