aWith the constant demands of our career and personal lives, it can be challenging to insert experiences and elements that bring joy into our daily lives. We often find ourselves on a hamster wheel focused on what needs to get done rather than what brings fulfillment. Sometimes inserting joy comes from doing the simple things that make us feel good. We sat down with our newest Ase Ambassador and Miss Black California USA 2019, Sydney Virginia (@missblackcausa2019), to explore ways in which she #lovelife while maintaining a demanding schedule.

A: I create joy by doing things I love to do. This includes listening to the newest music, watching my favorite show (even though I've seen it a million times), and talking on the phone with all my family and friends that aren't in California.

 Q: What do you do about things that aren't joyful?

A: I avoid them. Recently, I've been all about keeping my peace and reclaiming my time. If something in my life doesn't bring me joy, I do not allow it in. If it is something that must be in my life then I figure out how to change it into something enjoyable. Life is too short to not be happy. 

A: I read my devotional every morning and I use an app called Selfish Babe that sends me daily affirmations. These tend to help me start the day off right.

A: Every morning and every night I make sure to wash my face with soap and water. The older I got, my skin changed from dry to oily so to prevent breakouts I make sure I get that oil off my face each day. I also drink A LOT of water. It really does help with brightening my skin. 

A little more about Sydney:

Sydney Virginia, J.D. is a native of Annapolis, MD and obtained her B.A. in both Sociology and Journalism from Hofstra University in 2015 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in May of 2018. She was selected as Miss Black California USA 2019 in September and plans to use her title to bring awareness to the racism embedded in the U.S. justice system, specifically against African Americans. She plans to work with and support organizations who primarily focus on restoring the rights of disenfranchised black and brown individuals and organizations that are centered on mending our broken criminal justice system. She will compete for the National Miss Black USA title in August of 2019 in Washington, D.C.  We're thrilled to partner with Sydney and support her work.