are you looking to switch it up this holiday season? whether you’re looking to get a head start on your New Years resolution or just want to practice more meaningful traditions here are some things that you can try to end your year on a positive note. 

the holidays can be a special time of the year, but there are still challenges that come no matter the season or holiday. if you find yourself at peace and with ability to give (time, money or gifts) there are many causes you can contribute to. 

finding a shelter, organization, or cause to support this time of year can be the perfect way to spend your holiday. we found a few organizations that support their communities all year long, these can be a starting point to finding something in your city or town:

• Local Organizations:

• Chicago, IL: Sarah’s Circle - with the continued loss of affordable housing in our communities, over 2,000 women in Chicago will be homeless tonight. Sarah’s Circle is increasingly focused on permanent supportive housing solutions for these women.

• New York City, NY: Win NYC  - win provides safe housing and critical services to help homeless women and their children rebuild their lives and break the cycle of homelessness

• Atlanta, IL: Center for Black Women’s Wellness  - CBWW is a premier, community-based, family service center committed to improving the health and well-being of underserved Black women and their families.

• Houston, TX - Shape - their mission is to improve the quality of life for people of African descent (all people) through programs and activities, with emphasis on Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work & Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. 

• National Organizations:

• Women Voice Network - an organization dedicated to educate, inspire, encourage, and empower women. their non-profit is a 501(c)3, creating programs, job training, workshops, and videos to bring awareness to issues such as domestic violence, human trafficking, bullying, missing children, and many other compelling issues.

Kwanzaa is a celebration of Black culture, history, and roots. the name of the celebration is derived from the phase “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits” in Swahili (an African language). 

Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday and can be celebrated in tandem with Christmas and Hanukkah. 

• Unity (Umoji): tell stories of achievements from black leaders, thinkers and creators, and how they’ve effected your community.
• Self-Determination (Kujichagulia): write intentions for yourself and meditate on ways to find strength with goal-setting.
• Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima): This is the perfect night for an intimate dinner. missed out on frensgiving? everyone can get together and bring a dish for a special meal together.
• Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa): on this day you can support Black businesses and other members of your community. can you do the challenge of using and wearing black owned brands from head to toe?
• Purpose (Nia): this is a great time to focus on community and outreach. use this day to get involved with community organizations or find a coat drive to give to, to help someone in need.
• Creativity (Kuumba): try a get together with friends and listen to your favorite music. if you feeling adventurous maybe give a tik tok dance challenge a try.
• Faith (Imani): This is often a day of self-reflection that ends with the sharing of gifts. Focus on all that came before you, all that is around you, and all that will come after you.

starting Dec. 26th, 4C ONLY will be taking a deeper dive into the principles of Kwanzaa and how we can incorporate them into our lives. we invite you to join us, fren!

manifesting the life you want starts with visualizing the life you deserve fren. creating a vision board and meditating over your life is the perfect way to set intentions for the new year. just the act of putting your goals on paper can help you achieve your goals.

here are some tips on how to get started on a vision board:

• if you’re looking for something tangible, use your favorite magazines, books or images from the internet to source photos that you can glue onto poster board. for a digital, more mobile reference, apps like pinterest, instagram (bookmarking content), and canva are your bestfrens.

• think about the one or two pieces of your life that you really want to change and focus on the words that come to mind. if you want to write them out, try using scale to point out importance (bigger the word, the deeper it resonates). you can also think about it in terms of long term and short term goals.

• find vibrant images that will catch your attention and create excitement when you look at it. the bolder, the better.

• once you're done, put your vision board in a place that you’ll regularly see it—like your bed, your work space or if it’s digital, your desktop or phone background.

self love is the best love and what better way to show ya self some love than gifting yourself something special for the holidays. after all, who knows what you need better than you?

don’t hold back on the ideas either!! 

is there a vacation spot that you’ve always wanted to try, or how about a new Brandon Blackwood bag? Or maybe you want to treat yourself (& kinks) to the new 4C ONLY Starter Kit.

 what ever gift you decide, let it be intentional. try writing a note to yourself on a card to reference it’s meaning, for example:

“i invest in myself because i deserve it.”

“this will be the first of many trips, i will indulge in the cultures of the world” 

“my hair is an extension of me and i want to love every strand.”

“i deserve to live in luxury, i can find luxury in everyday life.”