She Stories Feature Friday - Nita L. Watson

SHE STORIES

EXCLUSIVE! EXCLUSIVE!

About She Stories

She Stories is a community of women that promotes self wellness, empowerment and the value of supporting each other You have overcome tremendous obstacles Telling your story brings healing for you and others There is empowerment in every story We are Real Women with Real Stories What started out as a storytelling night has transformed into a sisterhood From gatherings to giving back, we inspire and affirm the every day woman that she is brave and beautiful

Our Founder

In 2017, I decided to carry on the tradition of testimony service and share this amazing gift of storytelling from my elders to my tribe I provided a sacred space for women to share their challenges and victories so they can not only be empowered but through each story women would find a circle of support and empowerment Her story matters and the world needs to hear it -

Ehmandah Ramsey

She Stories has always been about women sharing their stories through storytelling. (Yeah, that’s me with a box of tissue) We believe there’s healing that happens when we share our stories. We all have one!

By sharing our stories, we prove that it’s possible to shift change through another woman’s journey, struggles, and triumphs.

Elevating women of all ages is powerful. Compassion and love speaks volumes. And when they’re combined among a community of bosses, we ALL thrive! XO,

Inthisissue FEATUREFRIDAY

Can you believe it’s already February already? This is a month that we celebrate love and remember black history.

Our Features always bring fire and passion, but this week’s feature learned through loving herself that she was able to pour more into her community She’s also leaned into her own history to heal from trauma she has experienced She recalls the relationship she had with her grandmother and the values that were instilled in her

She actively gets involved with children and adults to promote mental and physical wellness. And we love everything she stands for!

NITA L. WATSON

It’s February! A month that we designate for love. And this week’s feature is a pillar of what self love looks like. She‘s made a name for herself as a trainer who teaches the importance of keeping your mental health as strong as your physical health. She empowers through strengthening the body, but has also found that she needed humility to strengthen her heart and mind She is Nita Watson, aka Coach Nita!

Nita is from the city of Pomona, in Southern Cali, and as a fellow “Pomonian”, I immediately felt the connection. She’s experienced traumas, closed doors, and heartbreaks, like most of us, but it was the fight with her toughest opponent that could’ve taken her out for good Who was the opponent? HERSELF!!

Now, when I look at Nita, I see strength and power. I see someone who don’t lose fights. I see someone that when she speaks, people listen. So I could only imagine the inner strength it took to realize she had to get passed herself in order to live out her own purpose. She credits her Grandmother and many of the women before her for the confidence and strength she’s grown. And since she’s in the business of changing lives, she couldn’t fulfill that purpose until she made changes within herself first

.

I asked Nita what her “messy middle” was. You know, the ”not to pretty” phase(s) we’ve had where life was literally knockin’ us out! One of her toughest battles have been against her own ego. “My inability to see that others mattered and my ego was detrimental to relationships and opportunities.” The childhood trauma she went through had created an aggressive and over bearing character that had used her past as an excuse to not be her authentic self It showed up in how she treated others and her ego made it difficult for her to live out her journey to the fullest

Living life in constant battle with your own self is a hard road to travel, but she finally committed to embracing her failures. She allowed herself to actually ”feel” her way through the trauma and before long, doors started to reopen and opportunities began to present themselves again

As queens, we often reference our crowns We shine them up and wear them on display for everyone to see, but sometimes we forget that they can be heavy We bear a lot of weight in ourselves. Nita learned the importance of community and sharing her crown with others, but she could have only learned that by setting her ego aside. This allows her to celebrate others and to cultivate more meaningful relationships. This is her “2.0 growth journey”.

Nita is the creator and founder of The Self Care Lab. A mental health based boxing club. TSCL is a USA Certified Boxing Club utilizing boxing as an outlet to cope with anxiety, depression, suicidal behavior, PTSD and all forms of trauma. A community that uses boxing and fitness to overcome the mental through self care. That’s powerful! As a USA Competitive Boxing Trainer and Therapist, Coach Nita and her team provide an outlet, a safe, therapeutic space for youth and their family "It's a Healing""It's a Vibe"

Every month she combines boxing with focus on a different mental health diagnosis. January covered suicide and suicide awareness. And February will bring education on Borderline Personality Disorder. She’s a fierce advocate for her community and pays it forward by providing the tools in and out of the ring to conquer any opponent She’s a beast with some gloves and a crown! SS X COACH NITA!

“Overcoming ME has been the messiest battle.”

“THE IMPACT FAILURE HAS HAD ON ME HAS OPENED MY EYES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING, PATIENCE, HUMILITY, AND ACCEPTANCE.”

@COACHNITAWATSON

Her Shine

MY FAVORITE SONG:

Swag Surf - Lil Wayne

HOW I CULTIVATE SISTERHOOD:

“The best way to cultivate is to make sure I fix me first.”

MY LEGACY:

”To finish what I started.”

MY INSPO:

“My grandmother and the women that came before me. ”

NOTES FROM MY THERAPIST

By: Leilani Bowers

This week’s session had to do with anxiety and how I deal

This week’s session had to do with anxiety and how I deal with distractions when they show up. I let my therapist with distractions when they show up. I let my therapist know that for the past couple weeks, I’ve struggled with know that for the past couple weeks, I’ve struggled with avoidance and distractions. It’s been easy lately to start a avoidance and distractions. It’s been easy lately to start a bunch of projects and not complete any of them It’s bunch of projects and not complete any of them. It’s been me having 3 things to do on any given day, and I been me having 3 things to do on any given day, and I will actively make the decision to do everything else will actively make the decision to do everything else except those 3 things. except those 3 things Have you been there before? Have you been there before? Where everything is going on in your head all at once Where everything is going on in your head all at once and you can’t make sense of anything? and you can’t make sense of anything?

My therapist had asked what methods I use when I

My therapist had asked what methods I use when I struggle with staying on track. Some common things I do struggle with staying on track. Some common things I do is focus on taking deep breaths and journaling is focus on taking deep breaths and journaling. Even Even taking a shower can provide a space for clearing anxious taking a shower can provide a space for clearing anxious thoughts. But she also provided a well known method thoughts. But she also provided a well known method that immediately brings your focus front and center that immediately brings your focus front and center through your senses. through your senses.

Focus on 5 things you see - Focus on 5 things you see - Look at your immediate surroundings It’s amazing the beauty Look at your immediate surroundings. It’s amazing the beauty we can find in our everyday surroundings Observe vibrant colors and intricate details in the we can find in our everyday surroundings Observe vibrant colors and intricate details in the objects around you objects around you

Focus on 4 things you feel - Focus on 4 things you feel - This involves your sense of touch and it’s one of the most This involves your sense of touch and it’s one of the most important senses we possess. It allows us to interact with the world around us by detecting important senses we possess. It allows us to interact with the world around us by detecting texture, temperature, pressure, pain, and even emotions. texture, temperature, pressure, pain, and even emotions.

Focus on 3 things you hear - Focus on 3 things you hear - What sounds can you hear right this moment? You may hear a What sounds can you hear right this moment? You may hear a TV in the other room, kids playing outside, or the clicks on your keyboard at work If the room TV in the other room, kids playing outside, or the clicks on your keyboard at work If the room is quiet, you’ll have to focus a little more is quiet, you’ll have to focus a little more

Focus on 2 things you smell - Focus on 2 things you smell - Being able to smell your surroundings is a good way to Being able to smell your surroundings is a good way to concentrate your focus on things you can’t see with your eyes. It may be harder to find 2 concentrate your focus on things you can’t see with your eyes It may be harder to find 2 smells at any given moment, but this is a good way to center your thoughts. smells at any given moment, but this is a good way to center your thoughts.

Focus on 1 thing you taste - Focus on 1 thing you taste - What do you currently taste? Maybe you just What do you currently taste? Maybe you just drank or ate something Is it salty? Sweet? Bitter? drank or ate something Is it salty? Sweet? Bitter? Focus on that 1 thing for a Focus on that 1 thing for a moment. moment

The next time you feel overwhelmed by your thoughts, give these a try. This can

The next time you feel overwhelmed by your thoughts, give these a try This can also be done in combination with other techniques like breathing and also be done in combination with other techniques like breathing and meditation Try them out and see what works best for you! meditation. Try them out and see what works best for you!

LXO,eilani

OUR SISTER ORG

Transitional Living for Women

We believe in women supporting women. Through our 501c3 non-profit organization, She Stories Inc., we host give back events and partner with organizations to provide resources and support for women in need We're in it for the good

We are proud to introduce one of our new sister ogr.Together We Are One home provides a safe, tranquil, structured sober living sisterhood atmosphere for the women to thrive.

We serve women that have become displaced or who are facing homelessness due to unfortunate circumstances such as divorce, health problems, loss of employment, addiction recovery, abandonment and other unexpected life circumstances.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS MORE THAN EVER. IF YOU NEED CARE, PLEASE GET SUPPORT.

d

We absolutely love sharing the stories of everyday women just like you! Every woman has a story to tell! In our community, we share our stories to uplift, inspire and empower women. Stories can be shared one on one, through social media and even through creativity.

Girl, we want you to know there’s healing power in sharing your story. Sometimes you may feel that there’s things only you could’ve experienced, until you hear someone else with a similar experience. You are not alone. Together we overcome.

Would you like to be a feature? Or do you know a woman who’d like to share her story at a live event? Let us know! Let's change the world together one story at a time. It’s pretty empowering!

Email: team@shestories.co www.shestories.co