(New Video Post) Healthy Hair Journey [Curly Tutorial and Tips]

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Hey Guys!

Guess what? Two days till my birthday! Woop! Woop! But back to the subject at hand, on a nearly daily basis I get into conversations about my hair, whether meeting people with similar hair to mine and they want to discuss products or people asking how I got my hair to healthy state. I love having hair convos because hair is one of those topics that I find endlessly fascinating because similar to genetics we all have our own unique texture, curl pattern and much more when it comes to our hair. I decided today to open up the discussion with you guys and share some of the things that I have done along my hair journey to get my hair healthy and a little peek into my daily routine for how I do my hair. Check out the video below and let me know some of your own tips for getting healthy hair! Enjoy!

(New Video Post) Dealing with Haters #SelfLoveSaturday

Happy Self Love Saturday!

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Once a week I get a message asking my advice on how to deal with family or close friends who are hating and not supportive of someones goals and ambitions. These messages break my heart because there’s nothing worse than confiding in someone about your dreams and they shoot it down! Or being around people who don’t want to see you grow.

Today’s video I do my best to give you a few tips from what I have done in the past when dealing with the haters. First things first, you have to cut any unsupportive friends or at least adjust your relationship with them so that their negativity doesn’t influence you on a regular basis. When it comes to your family, it’s not as easy to distance yourself from them so I say, don’t tell them about your goals just show em and prove em wrong!

We can’t expect everyone to be on board with our plans and they don’t have to be but you have to prepare yourself for being on a solo mission and being your only source of motivation when the people around you aren’t supportive. Understand their hate has nothing to do with you, but rather their own fears and failures that they are reflecting on to you. Ignore their doubts, and keep your eyes focused on the prize! Check out my video below and let me know, how have you dealt with the haters in your life?

(New Video Post) What is #100HappyDays ? – Happiness Challenge

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If you follow me on Instagram then you would have noticed that for the last 20 days I have been posting photos with the hashtag #100happydays. A lot of folks have asked me what it is and how they can be apart of it so I figured I’d do a quick video to let you guys know and encourage you to start!

#100HappyDays is a very simple Happiness Challenge that asks you to be happy for 100 days in a row. Most people do not go out of their way to be happy on a daily basis and it’s actually harder than people think! I feel the best way to be happy is to have a ton of gratitude, so far I’m on day 21 of my Happiness Challenge and it’s been a big lesson in gratitude. Whenever I’ve had my moment of not feeling happy or just blah, I’ve taken a step back and reminded myself to feel grateful for something whether big or small that happened in my day and I’m back to happy!  Having gratitude reminds you just how precious and awesome life is, the good and the bad, it doesn’t matter because it’s all apart of the journey, and its a lesson, and an experience that enhances your life!

Check out my video below of some of the small things that have made me happy in the last little while and join me on the challenge, 100HappDays.com

(New Video Post) Don’t Be Afraid To Say “No” #SelfLoveSaturday

Happy Self Love Saturday!

Today’s video is a reminder to not be afraid to say “No” to the people, places and things that no longer grow you, help you, serve you or make your gut say “something .

I used to think saying “No” was starting a confrontation, and I hate confrontations! But after starting my self love journey and gaining more confidence in myself I started to realize it was okay to say “NO” to things that made me uncomfortable, and it didn’t make me the bad guy or confrontational, it just made me confident in who I am, and what I want and what makes me happy. Saying “NO” is okay! Check out my video below of why you shouldn’t be afraid to say “NO”.

Happy Self Love Saturday!

(New Post) Taking Control of My Body – #FitnessJourney

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My fitness journey has been very similar to my hair journey. I’ve tried it all and I’ve been in denial, I’ve thought my hair was completely different to what it is and I’ve also wished my hair was completely different to what it is. It’s been a long lesson in patience and acceptance that has ended in health and awesomeness! Now I’m finally doing the same with my body and taking full control instead of letting my body control me!

As you guys may know, I’m big on healthy eating and juicing and changing my diet over the past couple years has been a huge help for my skin and hair and maintaining a certain weight for my height. But when it comes to actually being in shape and happy with my body this has been a big struggle for me. It’s easy for me to lose and gain weight, a simple week of working out and I’m five pounds down or a week of “treating myself” and I’m ten pounds up! This constant flip flop is not only annoying but it leaves me feeling helpless and out of control and I’m over it! So this month I decided to FINALLY take control over my body and accept it for what it is and make the absolute best of it for the first time in my life!

For the past month I’ve been working out 6 days a week, and 3 days of the week with a trainer to learn how to properly do weight training. In the past year I’ve met a ton of badass chicks with amazing bodies who all told me that weight training is what got them there and with a ton of research I’ve truly become a believer that weight training and clean eating is all you need to get the body of your dreams .

A lot of women believe that lifting heavy weights is going to make them bulk up and look like a man but I want to burst all of the bubbles now and let you know that is simply not true. We don’t have testosterone or the bodies of a man and even the female body builders that you see have to bust their butts to get to that shape, so you don’t have to worry if that’s not the look that you want. But what lifting heavy weights will do is to help you shape and tone and give you a full body work out which is what we need! On top of that if we eat properly by making sure to have lean protein (turkey, chicken, fish etc), complex carbs (sweet potatoes etc) and healthy fats (avocados etc) in our diet and of course lots of fruits and vegetables we will definitely see positive results and be on the right track! A friend and fitness inspiration for me, told me to think of food as “fuel for my body and not just something I’m doing for pleasure” which has helped to put a lot into perspective for me and change the way I look at “treating myself”.

But like I mentioned before, it’s fairly easy for me to get into “basic good shape” but my new goal is to make it past my comfort zone stage and truly change my body into what I want and be happy instead of just satisfied with it. I’m in the beginning of my new fitness journey but I’m really excited and inspired by it and wanted to share it with you guys, I’ll keep you guys posted on my progress and I’m gonna do a new creative photo shoot once I reach my goal that I’m really excited about! Woop! And let me know, how do you feel about your body right now? Are you on a fitness journey and do you feel like you’ve taken control of your body? If you guys need support, I’m your girl! #TeamFitness #TakingControl.

(New Video Post) Don’t Compare Yourself to Others #SelfLove

Happy Self Love Saturday! 

Today’s video is a simple message: Don’t Compare Yourself to Others! 

Your path is unique to you so don’t worry about what others have that you don’t. It’s ok to be inspired by others but never compare and make yourself feel bad! Be confident in what you have and who you are and keep going! Check out my video below for why comparing yourself to others is pointless!

Happy Self Love Saturday! 

(New Video Post) Fitness & Health [30 min Fitness Challenge] #SelfloveSaturday

Happy Self Love Saturday

Fitness and health are a very important part of your self love journey. Once you get your mind right you’ll want to get your body right too! Today I’m speaking with the super amazing body builder Nkechi @Keke1972 and a little bit about her journey with fitness and self love. Nkechi spoke with me about the importance of making time for our health and out of our 24 hour day WE MUST find 30 minutes to an hour for our fitness! She gave us all a month long 30 minute fitness challenge that will challenge you but also help to start you on the right track with your fitness journey in a smart and simple way. Give it a try and let me know how it goes, I’ll be doing it too! Check out the video below to hear more of her story. Enjoy!

Happy Self Love Saturday!

The Challenge:
20 jumping jacks x 3
15 star jumps
10 push ups
40 mountain climbers
15 lunges x 3
10 sit ups x3
(repeat until 30 minutes is complete)

(New Video Post) Summertime Skin Care [Healthy Diet Tips/Detox Water]

Hey guys!

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During the Summer months and warmer weather I usually want to wear less and less makeup, (a good tan is usually all you need in the summer) in order for me to do that I have to make sure that my skin is amazing! Amazing skin usually comes from a healthy diet and making sure you’re releasing the toxins that are sitting inside of you.

Right now I’m doing a lot of juicing and drinking water, specifically detox water. Detox water is infused water with fruits and herbs, like watermelon and rosemary or pineapple and strawberries. Infusing your water with fruits gives the water a little more flavor and gives the water all of the nutrients that comes from the fruits! It’s a great way to drink water, if you’re the type that doesn’t really like to drink water and it looks really pretty LOL! Drinking a lot of water is a huge help for weight loss and clear skin, we’re supposed to drink up to 8 glasses of water a day, which is a lot but it makes you feel good when you do it. Every year my summertime goal is to have clear skin and be as makeup free as possible, check out the video below for some of my health tips to get clear skin.

(New Post) Why 20-something Women Need to Stop Thinking like 30-something Women

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I saw a post on “Why 20-something women need to stop thinking like 30-something women” and immediately clicked the link because I am completely guilty of thinking, feeling and acting older than I am and I’ve always done this! It’s a bad habit that I’m desperate to drop! When I was a child I couldn’t wait to be “older” and when I was a tween my best friend and I sat around for a whole summer fantasizing about what life would be like when were 18! And now in my 20’s I’ve spent every year worrying that I’m not doing enough and focusing too much on my age and feeling like I’m 50 years old! It’s terrible! This year I set a goal for my self to not worry about my age and to just enjoy my 20’s and be in the moment instead of constantly over analyzing the future.

Reading this post by Lauren Martin  was a healthy reminder to just have fun, be in the moment and don’t rush your life! Enjoy every age and stage you are in because you’ll never have it again! She does an good job of covering off all our worries about love, having kids and being successful and truly just taking the pressure off because we’re still young! Like I said this has been a goal of mine for 2014 so I’m sharing it with all of you, because whether you are a 20-something or 30-something or 40-something it doesn’t matter, this post is a simple reminder to enjoy your life exactly where you are! Check it out below, enjoy!

Why 20-something Women Need to Stop Thinking Like 30-something Women

I’m never getting married. I’m never going to have kids. I’m going to be alone for the rest of my life. I am never going to be in love again.

Ladies, don’t deny that these thoughts haven’t crossed your mind at least once this month. At your loneliest, weakest (and probably drunkest) points, you’ve either thought, shouted or cried into the arm of your best friend these exact sentiments. Why can’t I find a boyfriend!? Will I ever settle down and get married?

You yearn for the answer the same way you wonder about life after death or the vast existence of the universe. Am I going to be alone forever? Should I get some cats now?

I won’t deny that at my lowest points, I’ve also expressed these thoughts. I’ve thought about ending it all before I turn 40, crossing off love and becoming one of those women who’s closed off and bitter to anything romantic or associated with a Nicholas Sparks title. I’ve wondered how long it would be until my next boyfriend and if I should have ever broken up with the last.

However, I’ve recently started getting tired of it all. I realized the dark-clouded thoughts, worries and constant stressing were making me groggy, depleted and utterly exhausted. I’ve felt out of the moment for too many months, worrying about my future rather than enjoying the present for too long. I was expending all this extra energy on all this premature worrying. I was a 20-something, worrying about the problems of a 30-something.

Believe it or not, your twenties are still considered very young, and so are your thirties. But if you’re still in your twenties, I hate to break it to you — you’re still a baby. Still don’t believe me? Think about it this way…

Where were you 10 years ago? In your teens, preteens? You were either in middle school or just cusping high school. You were at your most immature and irresponsible age.

It’s an age you scoff at and shudder to think back to; it’s an age that warrants no respect, admiration or fond memories. However, you still have a lot in common with your prepubescent self. Like that middle school self in those cut Abercrombie jeans, you are trying to grow up way too fast.

Think back to all those irrelevant and idiotic worries you had at 14. You were worrying about boys, clothes and reputations when you should have just been enjoying your youth, getting away with all those childish things you only had a few years left to experience.

You were stressing about college when you should have been trying out for the play and worrying about boys who just wanted to play Call of Duty and touch their first tit. When you look back on it, don’t you feel kind of foolish?

Think back to all the time you wasted stressing about college, only to later realize it didn’t really matter and you could have been going to football games instead of SAT prep class.

Think back to all those stupid boys you cried over whose name you can’t remember now and the fights you got in with your parents over curfews and movies. Think back to those things you thought were worth getting grounded over, or those things you wouldn’t do because you thought you were too cool for them.

Unfortunately, we still haven’t grown out of these middle school mindsets and are still chasing boys like crazed pubescent teens. We’re cutting our shirts and putting on makeup when we should be playing in the creek and watching PBS.

We’re shaving when we don’t have so much as peach fuzz and walking into Victoria’s Secret before we’re fully developed. We’re fighting with our parents when we should be getting piggy backs. We’re wasting the best years of our youth worrying about things that shouldn’t be an issue for another 10 years.

So for all you 20-somethings, worrying about finding a husband and having kids — stop. Stop before you look back on your twenties the same way you look back on your teenage years… wishing you spent more time enjoying them rather than trying to grow up.

Your twenties are for being young, single and completely uninhibited. Stop trying to lock down a “man” who still just wants to play Call of Duty and touch his hundredth tit. Enjoy yourself and your rapidly receding youth and worry about those adult things when you get there.

Click HERE to read the rest

(New Post) Interview Love – New Press for Lewy! #Grateful

Hey guys, how are you?

I’ve done a lot of interviews this year, for new online magazines, google hang out shows and blogs and I truly appreciate the love and the hustle from everyone who has reached out and supported me! I wanted to share some of my recent interviews with you guys and say thank you again to everyone for the interviews and wonderful questions and for showing so much love! I feel very grateful knowing I’ve got this kind of support! xo

Potent Magazine!

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In an era of transformative technology and more people turning to the internet for original programming more than ever, Andrea Lewis shows us her voice and creativity to speak the truth on what Black Actresses really go through in the entertainment industry, through her youtube web series Black Actress.

As an actress, singer, producer, blogger and song/script writer, Andrea Lewis continues to be what we would define as a Renaissance woman of the 21st century. Produced By Issa Rae and Tatyana Ali, her series Black Actress is both written and starring Lewis, depicting the inside world of what Black Actresses go through when it comes to casting, getting desired roles and personal life and getting taken seriously in the competitive industry. The Web Series also features other black women in the entertainment industry sharing their true sentiments and personal experiences as a black actress… To read the rest of the article click the link below or head over to PotentMagazine.com

YP Magazine 

 

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Canadian-born actress, singer, writer and blogger, Andrea Lewis is best known for her portrayal of Hazel Aden on the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. As a child actress, she has grown to be a very ambitious and hard working young professional. This can be attributed to her support system of her mother and brother and her upbringing. As Andrea describes it her upbringing was both pretty good and easy going.

While many get stuck being dreamers with their heads in the clouds and seem to fail to cross the threshold to success, Lewis epitomizes being goal oriented. “My dreams motivate me” said Lewis… to Read the rest of the article go to YPEmpire.com

Words With Michelle 

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First off, I really need to say this: Andrea Lewis is amazing. I’m not just saying that because I watched her back in the day on Degrassi (she acted alongside Drake – LUCKY!!), or because I am a total fangirl of her web series Black Actress, or because I’m crushing hard on her hair (seriously, her mass of curls are my everythang!). Andrea Lewis is amazing because she’s creative, funny, and wise beyond her years. To Read the rest of the article go to WordsWithMichelle.com 

SoGutsy.com  

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Do you remember Hilary Duff’s rough and tough best friend in the Disney Movie Cadet Kelly? Or the lovable Hazel in the hit show Degarassi: The Next Generation? Well, those characters were all played by the talented,Andrea Lewis, who is making sure you will never forget her name. So what makes this star So Gutsy? To Read the rest of the article go to SoGutsy.com