"When I stopped focusing on the lack, I was able to see the good. This good allowed me to love on myself, leave a broken relationship, and give myself permission to succeed."
This is an excerpt from an ebook, A Guide to Gratitude written by this week's thoro gem, Ayana Iman.
Ayana I Gibbs, MA,is a public speaker and certified professional life coach from the city of Trenton, New Jersey. I first came familiar with this gem a couple years ago in passing at different art expos in the city. When I began to follow her on Instagram, I quickly became impressed with her bomb photos, brave outlook on the world and her obvious desire to see people be great. I remember participating in her gratitude challenge back in December of 2015. The challenge was to intentionally practice gratitude for 30 days and with all honesty, it was one of the most challenging challenges I ever did BUT it really helped me to focus on what I was grateful for in a world where we're almost encouraged to focus on what's wrong with or around us.
In her book mentioned earlier, A Guide to Gratitude, Ayana talks about a season in her life that made her change the course of her thinking so that her life can be redirected from hurt, shame and opposing thoughts to conscious living and acceptance. Negativity not only keeps us stagnate in the physical but especially in our minds and she gets right into that. That type of toxic whirlwind of negativity is exactly what Ayana focuses her life purpose on combating not just for herself but for everyone she comes in contact with. She's been on various panels, been keynote speakers at various conferences and universities all geared towards leadership, self-love and walking in excellence.
In 2015, Ayana started Authentic Convos, which is a space where people come together to talk about everything from love, travel, relationships,etc. What started as a 5- person lunch for women rapidly turned into a panel where men and women from various backgrounds and ages get together and simply talk about life ;where thought-provoking conversations on global matters is encouraged to build connections within the community.
“I wanted to create a safe space for healthy dialogue, creative innovation, and motivation that extends beyond the digital realm, that’s Authentic Convos."
Along with being a world changer, creative and author she's also a mother to a beautiful baby girl affectionately known as Sweet Baby Ayo. Ayana's second book, ALL THAT MATTERS: A book about families, was written to show her daughter, that although the dynamic in each family is different, we're all connected through love.
I love when I see women who are not just living life for the "gram" but living on purpose and turning everything they've experience whether good or not so good as an opportunity to grow.
Bold, Beautiful, and living unapologetically, Ayana Iman, you truly are a thoro gem.
Website: www.ayanaiman.com
www.authenticconvos.net
IG: ayanaiman
authenticconvos
No comments:
Post a Comment
Share your thoughts on this post.