Ch 29. Soul-Nourishing Growth

August is my favorite month of the year because I get to celebrate my birthday! Birthdays have always been important to me, mostly due to the time I spend in reflection. Every birthday, I take the time to think about what I have achieved and who I have become in the past 365 days (or 366 this year!). Just as plants need water, soil, and sun to grow, our own personal growth needs nourishment. We can’t grow as people if we don’t nourish our souls. Over the course of this year, I can truly say that I have nourished my…

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Here’s to 28! Another Birthday Reflection

My birthday is always a great time for me to reflect on the past year. When we think about life on a day-by-day basis, it can feel like we’re not doing a lot. But when we reflect on bigger chunks of time, it’s easy to see how much change, growth, and accomplishment can happen in one year. I love to celebrate my birthday because I am truly thankful for each day, month, and year that God allows me to remain alive. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what has occurred while wishing and preparing for another great year ahead. As…

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The Secret to a Perfect Natural Hair Puff

I’ve been asked so many times about how I achieve my perfect natural hair puff that I decided to write a quick post to CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Ready for a natural hair secret?! This secret might just blow your mind! The way that I achieve the perfect natural hair puff every time is quite simple. Drum roll pleaseeee….. I BOUGHT IT! I know, I know….You’re shooketh. It’s okay! Sometimes the puff fools me too! But last year, when I was headed to vacation in Mexico with some Wharton classmates, I decided that I wanted to rock a low maintenance natural…

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Becoming a Doctor: Family, Patients, and Personal Growth

In just two days, I will become a doctor. Writing those words out truly gives me all the feels. I…will…become…a…doctor! When I was a care-free four-year-old in Barbados, my pastor prophesied that I would become a physician. At the time, I didn’t take much stock in what he said. After all, I was a four-year-old focused on my latest coloring masterpiece in church. However, his words stayed with me, such that whenever little Atasha was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was always, “I’m going to be a doctor.” Fast forward 20+ years, and…

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Recap of SNMA AMEC 2019: Mecca of Black Excellence in Medicine

This year, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) showed out at the Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC)! SNMA is a student group comprised of black medical students across the United States. Students at Howard and Meharry medical schools started this student group in 1964 “to nurture and support the academic enrichment of its medical student members, but also to serve communities in a very real and proactive way.” (snma.org) The AMEC 2019 conference theme was The Call for Excellence: Improving the Future of Medicine through Leadership, Service, and Activism. The conference consisted of a variety of workshops and panel discussions to help…

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