Here are the books I came back with from #London. Visiting @persephonebooks was a pleasure and to meet the team behind these #books an absolute honour. It's hard to be hip over thirty by Judith Viorst is the funniest collection of poetry I've ever read. I think being #married enhanced the reading experience greatly. • I was in London for a #selfcare #workshop that revolved around #womenofcolor. It was 15 of us, sat in a circle, processing our thoughts, feelings, socio-political standings. We discussed our proud moments, our means of coping and the words that trigger us. We shared tips on cultivating the ability to speak from a space of deep self-love while constantly combatting other people's insecurities which are imposed upon us. The impact of othering, fragmented backgrounds and the pressure to 'work twice as hard' was a lot to unpack in a single morning. I was moved by the trust, openness, vulnerability and positivity that these amazing women brought to the discussion. • It's important to understand what self-care means to us, that it goes far beyond lighting candles and taking baths (both of which I highly recommend by the way). It's about unconditional love for ourselves. It's tender. It's acceptance. It's the ability to ground ourselves in soothing rituals. It's acknowledging our presence when others won't. It's unlearning all that we've been conditioned to believe about ourselves. It's about getting off the conveyor belt. It's forgiveness and self-sufficiency. It's all about self-compassion.