Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, Welcome back to another episode of Let's Talk
Speaker 1: the Things, where we discuss personal growth, travel, music, beauty
Speaker 1: and wellness while encouraging you to live fearlessly and fabulously.
Speaker 1: I'm ash and this week we are talking to Things
Speaker 1: about something special to all Caribbeans, but especially Caribbean women,
Speaker 1: the Veranda. Yes you heard that right. We are talking
Speaker 1: to Things about the magic of the Verandah and how
Speaker 1: it teaches us a thing or two about wellness, balance
Speaker 1: and living our best lives. So what exactly does the
Speaker 1: veranda have to do with wellness? Well? On this episode,
Speaker 1: we're going to uncover the power of slowing down, reconnecting
Speaker 1: with ourselves and finding balance, just like we've done for
Speaker 1: generations on our verandas. So grab your tea, coffee, or
Speaker 1: a glass of wine and let's talk to Things. Wellness
Speaker 1: is not a trend. It's a lifestyle. One minute, it's
Speaker 1: all about detox tea. Next it's tumoric lattes or matcha
Speaker 1: tea or even jade rollers. But we all know the drill.
Speaker 1: Trends come and they go, and what works for some
Speaker 1: may not work for others. In the Caribbean, our approach
Speaker 1: to wellness has always been simple balance, not to be
Speaker 1: confused with palants. We've been taught to work hard, yes,
Speaker 1: but we've also learned the value of resting. Maybe it's
Speaker 1: a Sunday afternoon when you sit on the veranda sipping
Speaker 1: some lemonade, watching the rain come down and letting the
Speaker 1: world slow down for a minute. Or maybe it's those
Speaker 1: quiet moments at home when you've finished everything on your
Speaker 1: to do list and you finally just get a moment
Speaker 1: to breathe. But somehow, somewhere in this adulthood of ours,
Speaker 1: we have lost the balance. We started believing that if
Speaker 1: we weren't busy, we just weren't doing enough. And I'm
Speaker 1: guilty of it too, trust me. But here's the thing. Wellness,
Speaker 1: true wellness, has absolutely nothing to do with keeping up
Speaker 1: with trends. It's about taking care of your body, mind,
Speaker 1: and soul in a way that works for you. It's
Speaker 1: about creating a life that feels balanced, even if it
Speaker 1: means a little messiness along the way. So before we
Speaker 1: get into wellness, let's talk about the veranda. Now, for
Speaker 1: those of you whom it may not be familiar, the
Speaker 1: verandah is a beautiful open space right outside your home.
Speaker 1: It's more than just a porch. It's a place where
Speaker 1: we gather, reflect and rest. It's that spot where the
Speaker 1: outside world meets our home, where the breeze kisses our
Speaker 1: skin and the sun touches our faces. In fact, I
Speaker 1: would argue that the verandah is like the original wellness retreat.
Speaker 1: It's a space that invites us to slow down, take
Speaker 1: a deep breath, and just be whether you're sipping some
Speaker 1: ginger tea, chatting with friends, spending quality time with your
Speaker 1: grandparents or parents, or simply watching the rain pour down.
Speaker 1: As I said earlier, the Verandah offers us a moment
Speaker 1: of pause, a moment many of us forget to take
Speaker 1: in the overwhelming rush of life. Unfortunately, in today's world,
Speaker 1: and just as we get older in general and acquire
Speaker 1: additional responsibilities, we don't always have time for that for
Speaker 1: that pause. We're busy chasing deadlines, running from one obligation
Speaker 1: to the next, and sometimes we forget the importance of
Speaker 1: slowing down. The veranda teaches us that wellness is not
Speaker 1: something we have to chase. It's about being present, reconnecting
Speaker 1: with our surroundings, and letting go of the pressures to
Speaker 1: always be doing, quote unquote, So what if we could
Speaker 1: take some time and get a sense of peace, that
Speaker 1: same Veranda vibe and apply it to our everyday lives.
Speaker 1: What if we could create a wellness routine that's just
Speaker 1: as relaxed yet intentional as those slow afternoons we spent
Speaker 1: in our childhood or even currently on the variet As
Speaker 1: Caribbean women, we are known for being resilient, hard working,
Speaker 1: and always on the goal. But here's the thing. Slowing
Speaker 1: down is just as important as working hard. I would
Speaker 1: argue that it's actually more important. I want you to
Speaker 1: imagine something with me. For a second, You're sitting on
Speaker 1: your verandah, the sun is setting, the sky is a
Speaker 1: perfect mix of orange and pink, and there's a soft
Speaker 1: breeze rustling the leaves. You're sipping on your favorite drink.
Speaker 1: Maybe it's sorrow, maybe it's a little white rumman ting
Speaker 1: or a glass of wine, and for once, you're not
Speaker 1: thinking about anything. You're not thinking about what's next, or
Speaker 1: what you have to do or your to do list.
Speaker 1: You're just being. When we take a moment like that
Speaker 1: for ourselves, when we step out of the chaos and
Speaker 1: sit in the stillness, it does something magical for our
Speaker 1: bodies and our minds, and studies have shown that simply
Speaker 1: being in nature, for example, or just in a peaceful
Speaker 1: space like your veranda, can reduce stress, improve your mood,
Speaker 1: and even boost your immune system. And here's a major key,
Speaker 1: it's free. The veranda or whatever you have that is
Speaker 1: similar to a veranda, is a natural wellness sanctuary, and
Speaker 1: it's available to you any time you need it. Now.
Speaker 1: I recognize that some persons may live in an apartment,
Speaker 1: a condo, or a home that doesn't have an outdoor space. However,
Speaker 1: if you can go somewhere like a wellness resort, or
Speaker 1: maybe a friend or family member's home who does have one,
Speaker 1: even once a month, I think it would be well
Speaker 1: worth it. We've got to learn to let go of
Speaker 1: that guilt that comes with resting, right, Like that guilty
Speaker 1: feeling where you know you want to sit down or
Speaker 1: you want to take a break, but you just feel
Speaker 1: like you're neglecting something. We have to let go of that.
Speaker 1: I mean, how many times have you told yourself I
Speaker 1: don't have time to sit around. You know, we've trained
Speaker 1: ourselves to feel like we always need to be productive.
Speaker 1: But guess what no no no no no no no
Speaker 1: no no no go. So wellness just doesn't work that way.
Speaker 1: The Veranda vibe reminds us that rest is a part
Speaker 1: of the process, and when you're not giving yourself permission
Speaker 1: to slow down, your body starts to scream for it
Speaker 1: through headaches, burnout and exhaustion. And that no sound safe.
Speaker 1: Now let's talk physical wellness because listen, the Veranda isn't
Speaker 1: just about sitting around all day. It's also about movement.
Speaker 1: And I don't mean you need to hit the gym
Speaker 1: every day unless that's your vibe, of course. I mean
Speaker 1: that in the Caribbean, movement is really in our bones.
Speaker 1: It's in our dna, it's in our dance or rhythm
Speaker 1: and the way we naturally connect to our bodies. Have
Speaker 1: you ever sat down in front of a nice play
Speaker 1: to Akian selfish and for whatever reason feel to dance?
Speaker 1: Movement is really a significant part of who we are
Speaker 1: as Caribbean people. When was the last time that you
Speaker 1: took the time to really appreciate your body and just
Speaker 1: the ability to be able to walk to your mailbox
Speaker 1: or walk to your fridge or get up out of bed.
Speaker 1: We spend so much time, working, running rons and living
Speaker 1: for others. But our bodies, our first home, often gets
Speaker 1: pushed to the side. But not this year. My first
Speaker 1: tip is to drink water. Minu business hydration. Let's talk
Speaker 1: about water. I know, I know you're thinking ash please.
Speaker 1: Water is not gonna fix everything. I'm so tired of
Speaker 1: people saying, oh, all I do is drink water and
Speaker 1: water this and water that. But the truth is your
Speaker 1: body needs hydration, and anywhere you are in the world,
Speaker 1: but particularly in the Caribbean, we've got it made. When
Speaker 1: it comes to natural hydration. There's coconut water, sour sop juice,
Speaker 1: sugar cane juice. These aren't just for a party, they're
Speaker 1: the ultimate hydration for your body. Water helps clear up
Speaker 1: your skin that sounds safe, boost your energy, and keep
Speaker 1: your body functioning properly. If you're not drinking enough, you
Speaker 1: might start to feel sluggish, have headaches, or even become
Speaker 1: a little bit more irritable than usual. And nobody wants
Speaker 1: to be around somebody that's irritable. So challenge yourself this
Speaker 1: week by drinking a little bit more water, even if
Speaker 1: you have to add a little lime to it, or
Speaker 1: you sip some coconut water to offset regular water, because
Speaker 1: I know some people say they don't like the taste.
Speaker 1: I don't really know what that means, because I didn't
Speaker 1: know water had to taste, But I understand whatever you
Speaker 1: can do to be hydrated, do it. The next tip
Speaker 1: I have is to move your body right. And no,
Speaker 1: I don't mean spend an hour at the gym unless
Speaker 1: that's your thing. Like I said, I mean find ways
Speaker 1: to move that fit into your life. You don't need
Speaker 1: a fancy membership to get moving. Dance around your host
Speaker 1: to some old school reggae or soca music, take a
Speaker 1: walk on the beach or around the block, join a
Speaker 1: morning jog with friends. Movement is a part of our culture, right,
Speaker 1: I mean, think about it. How often do we find
Speaker 1: ourselves moving to the rhythm of a good song. We
Speaker 1: have a natural connection to music and dance that we
Speaker 1: can use as a part of our wellness routine. And last,
Speaker 1: but not least, rest Rest is just as important as
Speaker 1: a movement. As I said. As Caribbean women, we often
Speaker 1: pride ourselves on pushing through even when we're exhausted. But guys,
Speaker 1: I'm here to tell you if no one has told
Speaker 1: you yet, rest is not lazy. It is essential. Whether
Speaker 1: it's taking a nap in the afternoon or just taking
Speaker 1: a moment for yourself while watching a movie, you know
Speaker 1: it's part of the process. Your body needs time to
Speaker 1: recover and if you're not getting enough rests, it's going
Speaker 1: to slow down. Stress, fatigue, and burnout are real things,
Speaker 1: and it's important to acknowledge when your body is telling
Speaker 1: you I need a break. Remember Veranda vibes. The goal
Speaker 1: isn't to do everything perfectly or as fast as possible.
Speaker 1: It's to recharge and feel good inside and out. Now,
Speaker 1: this is something that I think, and we've talked about
Speaker 1: it on here, especially in season one and two, that
Speaker 1: doesn't get talked about enough in the Caribbean, and that
Speaker 1: is mental wellness. For years, mental health has been a
Speaker 1: taboo topic in our culture. We've been taught just to
Speaker 1: deal with it, to be strong for everyone else, to
Speaker 1: keep our head high no matter what. But the reality
Speaker 1: is we can't pretend we're okay when we're not, and
Speaker 1: as women, we're often taught to get over it or
Speaker 1: move on, especially in Caribbean culture where there's a lot
Speaker 1: of focus on being tough. But guess what, It's okay
Speaker 1: to feel how you're feeling, whether it's joy, sadness, anger,
Speaker 1: or frustration. Feeling your emotions is part of being human.
Speaker 1: As a Caribbean woman, we're often juggling so many roles daughter, sister, auntie, friend, partner,
Speaker 1: and sometimes our mental health is the last thing we
Speaker 1: think about. But the reality is your mind needs rest
Speaker 1: just like your body. And the Verandah is a perfect
Speaker 1: metaphor for mental wellness. Why because it's a space where
Speaker 1: we disc connect from the noise and reconnect with ourselves. Now,
Speaker 1: tell me when the last time you spent ten minutes,
Speaker 1: just ten minutes of your whole day of twenty four hours,
Speaker 1: sitting quietly, breathing deeply and letting your mind wander. That's
Speaker 1: the mental wellness power of the veranda. To me, at least,
Speaker 1: that's how we need to treat ourselves and treat our
Speaker 1: mental wellness. Take time to check in with yourself. Are
Speaker 1: you feeling stressed, overwhelmed or anxious again? It's okay not
Speaker 1: to be. Okay, it's okay to take a mental health day,
Speaker 1: step outside and just breathe. Our mental well being is
Speaker 1: just as important as our physical health, and we can't
Speaker 1: afford to neglect it. Now you're probably saying to yourself, Ash,
Speaker 1: this sounds great, but how do I bring the ver
Speaker 1: random vibe into my everyday life. Well, it's simpler than
Speaker 1: you think. It's not about finding a physical veranda, though,
Speaker 1: if you're listening to this on one in the Caribbean,
Speaker 1: I'm very jealous. It's about cultivating moments of peace and
Speaker 1: stillness throughout your day. So here are three tips that
Speaker 1: I think could create your daily veranda vibe. Tip number
Speaker 1: one a morning pause before you dive into the chaos
Speaker 1: of the day. Take five minutes, close your eyes and breathe.
Speaker 1: Imagine you're on your veranda, hear the birds, feel the breeze,
Speaker 1: and just take a moment. Tip number two, move with purpose.
Speaker 1: Whether it's a walk, a dance session, or a quick stretch,
Speaker 1: move your body in a way that feels good. Movement
Speaker 1: isn't just about fitness, it's about feeling alive and last,
Speaker 1: but not least, Tip number three, before bed, take a
Speaker 1: moment to reflect on your day. What went well, what didn't,
Speaker 1: and what do you need to release Before you go
Speaker 1: to your bed, this is your time to sit on
Speaker 1: the metaphorical veranda. If you don't have one and just
Speaker 1: be This was nice and relaxingy, short and sweet, just
Speaker 1: like me. Wellness Caribbean Style inspired by the power of
Speaker 1: the Veranda. Remember take time to pause, breathe, and reconnect
Speaker 1: with yourself. It's not just a luxury, it's essential for
Speaker 1: your mind, body, and soul. You are worthy of feeling
Speaker 1: good inside and out, so take a deep breath, take
Speaker 1: a break, and take care of yourself because you deserve it.
Speaker 1: If today's episode resonated with you, share it with your besties, family,
Speaker 1: or anyone you think needs a little bit of inspiration.
Speaker 1: And remember, wellness doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming.
Speaker 1: It's about creating balance and taking time to take care
Speaker 1: of yourself.