We Hold Our Issues In Our Tissues - How To Manage Stress While Scaling A Successful Business

July is Minority Mental Health Month—a time to raise awareness, amplify voices, and advocate for mental health equity in communities of color.

Dr. Monica Riley, affectionately known as The Fountain of Youth Guru, is an award-winning CEO, holistic health expert, educator, celebrity perfumer, and philanthropist with over 30 years of experience in the holistic health sciences.

In her blog post, Dr. Monica provides six suggestions for tackling stress, specifically for women of color over 40 with the goal of embracing intentional self-care as a daily ritual and a radical act of self-worth.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of Dr. Monica Riley and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Enthuse Foundation. Don’t hesitate to contact your designated licensed clinician for medical advice and treatment

During such times as these, I  assess that - STRESS RULES! Shift happens! We humans are juggling alot, causing us to "hold" more stress in our bodies than usual. When we carry stress, our organs and body functions automatically shift into "flight or fight" mode. This means that our cortisol hormone levels can get dangerously high; causing a whole bunch of problems for us! We hold our issues in our tissues.

 On any given day; I'm wearing many bandanas:

·       Award-winning CEO - Dr. Monica's Natural Beauty

·       Integrative Medicine Doctor

·       Holistic Health Expert

·       Fountain of Youth Guru,  Educator

·       Freelance TV Documentary Producer

·       Celebrity Perfumer

·       Author

·       Philanthropist

Sure my plates are full, but no fuller than yours. So how do I handle it all?  Here are my six Tips To BEAT STRESS before stress beats you! 

1. Adopt An Attitude of Gratitude  - Be GRATEFUL for EVERY-THING! Gratitude allows us to enter a thoughtful mindset that is greater than ourselves. Gratitude manifests prosperity. 

2.  Shift Your Mindset to Release Toxic Waste -  Get your prayer & meditation on! Ground yourself and Affirm your business. "I Am Successful" "I Am A Money Magnet" "I Am Worthy of Prosperous Millions"

3. Just Say NO -  Seriously, just say NO to the "energy vampires"!!!! Experience the PowHer in "NO." No is a complete sentence. That's it; that's all.

4. BREATHE - Breathwork prepares you to handle difficult situations and difficult people.  Deep breathing regulates your nervous system and refreshes your blood. 

Inhale from your lower diaphragm and completely fill your lungs; Release the breath, through a closed mouth, and allow the energy to warm your body.

5. Stay HYDRATED - Drink Water! Water sustains mental mastery and focus. When you start to feel stressed, place your left hand over your heart, breathe deeply and sip COLD water; slowly.

6.  EXERCISE - Get your body movin' to get the cortisol swirlin'. DO what FEELS GOOD to YOU! But, move your body and stretch your greatness, daily.

Bottom Line: For women of color, mental health challenges are particularly acute. Research shows that Black and Latina women are less likely to receive mental health treatment compared to white women, despite experiencing higher rates of trauma, stress, and depression. According to the American Psychological Association, only 25% of Black women who experience mental health issues receive care, and Latina women are significantly underrepresented in mental health services due to cultural stigma, language barriers, and limited access. Tackling stress and prioritizing self-care are small ways to reclaim control over your own health and fight back against systemic racism.

Dr. Monica Riley is a Doctor of Integrative Medicine with over 30 years of expertise in the holistic health sciences. She is the Founder/CEO of Dr. Monica's Natural Beauty, LLC; an award-winning self-care essentials & mood boosting fragrance brand inspiring women/women of color 40+ to prioritize daily self-care. Learn more about her here.