Happy birthday to my best friend and the love of m Happy birthday to my best friend and the love of my life, @john_aok. Every day I’m more and more proud to be by your side. Every day I love you more than I did the day before. You make me laugh more than anyone on earth. You are one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. 

I’m so thankful to have you in my life and I love celebrating you every single day. I hope you loved your day and you love this next trip around the sun. 

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
💜💜💜💜💜
A round up of some of my favorite moments lately. A round up of some of my favorite moments lately. 🤍 

🎨 Planned a painting party with @joshyytbh and channeled our inner Bob Ross. 

🏝️ Visited the causeway after showing houses by the beach.

☕️ Enjoyed a cool night and some hot tea while walking around downtown Celebration. 

🌴 A much needed sunset at the Polynesian Resort after a busy work day. 

🍨 Gelato, live music, and lots of nerd talk with my besties on Saturday night. 

✈️ My favorite sign at Disney Springs. 

🎈 Maybe I’ll go on this attached hot air balloon this year! I love looking at it but still a little overwhelmed by how high it goes. 

🐊 Saw this on a car this weekend. I would love to be friends with the driver. 

Here’s hoping the weather stays beautiful this week! I would love to keep enjoying long walks and dinners outside. 

#liveintentionally #liveinthemoment #intentionalliving #hyggemoment #slowliving #livecreatively #creativity #gelato #disneymoments #disneymagic #weekendvibes #carefreeblackgirl #queeraf #orlandoliving #orlandolife #floridaliving #intentionalcommunity #intentionalcreativity
Weekend things. 🤍 Outdoor art and boat rides. Weekend things. 🤍

Outdoor art and boat rides. I’m hoping all of spring looks like this. 🖼️🛥️

#weekendvibes #vacationwhereyoulive #livefully #intentionalliving #intentionallife #hyggelife #hyggelifestyle #hyggeliving #artlover #lakelife #orlandoliving #springiscoming
Last month I went on my first ever VIP tour at Wal Last month I went on my first ever VIP tour at Walt Disney World! It was one of my favorite Disney experiences to date and definitely something I would recommend to anyone who wants to squeeze as much Disney as possible into one day. Thankfully I was on my tour with some VIP experts so everything was planned perfectly for the #BestDayEver. Here’s what I learned:

🤍 Make a game plan for rides and experiences you want to do. We did all four parks in one day but didn’t feel rushed or exhausted because we talked about what rides everyone really wanted to do ahead of time. 

🤍 Go to the parks with people who have similar expectations and want a similar experience. Everyone in our group was a #DisneyGirl already who visits the parks regularly. This made for an extra laid back experience because we had all visited all the attractions at least once before. It would be a completely different experience to have first time park visitors or people who don’t visit the parks much mixed in with people who frequent the parks. 

🤍 Enjoy the snacks! There are some fun snacks provided on a VIP tour. Snacks are always a huge perk to me!

🤍 Pay attention to the weather. We went on our tour on a gorgeous weather day. This made it easy to be outside for a long period of time. If it was too hot or rainy, it would have been a different experience. 

🤍 Wear comfortable shoes! You are trying to either get on many rides at one or two parks or go to three or four parks. This is going to require a lot of walking! Be prepared with comfortable walking shoes. 

🤍 Bond with your tour guide. You are spending the entire day with a WDW expert whose main goal is to make sure you have a great experience. Ask them questions about the parks, learn more about their job, and include them in your fun! 

What ride would be at the top of your list if you were going on a VIP tour at WDW?

#disneyworld #disneyparks #disneystyle
Today was a perfect weather day at Epcot. So thank Today was a perfect weather day at Epcot. So thankful I live close enough for middle of the week visits. 🤍

#epcot #disneyworld #wdw #disneyparks #epcotcenter #epcotball #spaceshipearth #norwaypavilion #livingwiththeland #minimalism #architecture #disneyimagineering #worldshowcase #seekingjoy #joyfulmovement #joyfulmoments #blueskies #visitorlando #orlandofl #joyfulliving #seekjoy
February is the perfect month for hiking in Florid February is the perfect month for hiking in Florida. It’s 65 degrees today and I’m so thankful to live so close to so many gorgeous hiking and walking trails. Three things to remember when hiking in Florida:

🥾 We don’t have mountains but we do have swamps and you can sink in them so keep it moving. 

🥾 Alligators won’t mess with you unless you mess with them first. Don’t give them a reason to feel threatened. Never sneak up on one and stay away from their babies. 

🥾 Stay hydrated! Just because it’s cool outside doesn’t mean you don’t need water. Drink before and after a hike and bring water with you if you are going out for a long hike!

Remember, getting outside is amazing for your mental health, even if you are just taking a short walk, or even just standing still and taking in how beautiful our earth is. 

What trails are you hiking or walking this month? 

#getoutside #mentalhealth #mentalhealthrecovery #natureishealing #naturelover #outdoors #thegreatoutdoors #floridahiking #floridawinter #softlife #softgirl #softblackgirl #slowliving #intentionalliving #petitejoys #joyfulliving #joyfulmovement #joyfulmoments #choosejoy #floridanature #blueskies
My first dining experience at the Flying Fish was My first dining experience at the Flying Fish was a success! I loved everything from the food to the service to the atmosphere but what really blew me away was the dessert. As always, I chose the chocolate option on the menu, and I was certainly not disappointed. This is definitely one of the best things I’ve eaten on Walt Disney World property and one of the best desserts I’ve had in general. If you are a fan of chocolate, you definitely need to try it during your next visit! 

🍫 Cocoa Breach
Vanilla Custard, Chocolate Bavarois, Feuillentine Crunch

📍 Flying Fish 
Disney’s Boardwalk Resort 

#disneyfoodie #disneyfood #chocolate #chocolatelover #desserts #dessertbae #disneydining #diningexperience #flyingfish #disneyworld #boardwalkresort #chocolatedessert #chocolateaddict #disneyrealtor #disneyinsta #disneygram #wdwap #wdwresort #wdwfood #orlandofoodie #foodiesofinstagram
Goodbye, January 2023! You’ve been such a wonder Goodbye, January 2023! You’ve been such a wonderful month for me! 🤍 This year, for the first time ever, I decided to start the year off with a focus on only myself. I spent a large part of January celebrating my birthday this year! From delicious dinners and coffee dates to hiking and surprise secret adventures, this month has been full of celebrating and I’ve embraced every single moment of it. After a few years of not feeling quite like myself due to anxiety and depression, it’s great to feel like ME AGAIN! 🎉 I love her and she’s BACK, BABY! In addition to celebrating myself as much as possible, I also honored my mental, physical, and spiritual needs with lots of rest, intentional movement, meditation, and reflection. 

My word for 2023 is community and now that I feel like myself again, I’m so excited to spend the year pouring into my community, while still remembering to fill up my own cup first. 

#january #januaryreflections #selfcare #selfcarefirst #selfcarematters #intentionalliving #intentionallife #beintentional #uniquevintage #velvetdress #blackgirlmagic #blackgirlskillingit #joyfulmoments #joyfulfulmovement #joyfulliving
Snapshots from a beautiful day spent with friends Snapshots from a beautiful day spent with friends who always make my heart happy. Plus a small snippet of me being overjoyed at getting the tiny seat at the back of the train. 
🤍🌳🏰🚂

#intentionalliving #intentionallife #joyfulliving #joyfulmovement #livejoyfully #enjoythemoment #enjoythejourney #happyliving #blackgirldisney #disneymoments #disneygram #orlandoliving #orlandolife #orlandolifestyle #orlandofl #magicalmoments #choosejoy #joyseeker #orlando
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Health + Wellness, Personal · November 4, 2016

Thoughts While Getting a CT Scan

img_8273I’ll never forget the way the ceiling looked that day. Tiled, white, clinical. There was nothing imaginative about it. I could find no escape getting lost in it. The drugs being pushed into my veins felt warm, just like the nurse said they would. I tasted copper come up from the back of my throat and rest on the tip of my tongue. I knew the next side effect would be the “false sense of peeing”. The nurse assured me that I would only feel as if I was peeing through my pants but it wouldn’t actually be happening. She was correct, it did feel that way. It also felt hot, like I was straddling a warm furnace.

My skin itched under the hospital gown that I had put on fifteen minutes before. The act of putting it on made me feel more sick than I actually was. I held my breath for the seventh time as the machine moved my body up and down. “Breathe.” I heard the automated voice say again. Air released from my lungs and I wondered how many more times the machine would ask me to do that.

“Charisma?” the nurse called from the next room where the radiation wouldn’t effect her, “I see that your doctor only ordered a scan of the abdomen but we can only see the top of the mass from this scan. We need to scan your pelvis to see the full mass. I am going to call your doctor now to see if we can scan the abdomen as well. Will you be alright waiting in there?” “Sure”, I lied.

As tears silently ran down my face, I felt thankful that I was alone in the room. While the nurse called my doctor, my mind wandered back to my doctor visit. What I thought was a yearly check up and routine blood work ended up being me laying on a cold table while the nurse practitioner pressed hard against my lower abdomen with various worried expressions on her face while continually asking questions like, “You haven’t felt this?”

The nurse practitioner ordered an immediate CT scan which is how I found myself in this cold room inside of a machine that detects cancer. Somehow, I was holding on to a small glimmer of hope that the nurse practitioner was  mistaken and there wasn’t an unknown mass inside of me. As soon as the nurse confirmed that the scan did indeed show a mass, panic sunk in.

When the doctor called with the results later that day, John was at work. The doctor quickly told me that I had a uterine fibroid, I would need surgery, and to contact a surgeon who’s information she then gave me. All I heard was YOU DON’T HAVE CANCER. As soon as I hung up the phone, I cried harder than I have in years. Relief flooded out of me even faster than the tears.

Confusion, anxiety, and gratitude still filled my head. I had no idea what a fibroid was, I was incredibly afraid of surgery, and I still felt somewhat betrayed by my body. However, I knew that whatever was happening, it was something that I could actually handle.

In: Health + Wellness, Personal · Tagged: ct scan, fibroid, health

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Hi! I'm Charisma, a creative entrepreneur who loves to help others reach their full potential. I'm a photographer, a writer, and the owner of Kismet + Charisma, an online boutique that pairs minimalist, cozy, boho style with activism. In my little corner of the internet you'll find my latest travels, what I'm currently reading, how I practing Black joy as resistence, and how I'm finding hygge in my daily life. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and stay awhile.

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Happy birthday to my best friend and the love of m Happy birthday to my best friend and the love of my life, @john_aok. Every day I’m more and more proud to be by your side. Every day I love you more than I did the day before. You make me laugh more than anyone on earth. You are one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. 

I’m so thankful to have you in my life and I love celebrating you every single day. I hope you loved your day and you love this next trip around the sun. 

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
💜💜💜💜💜
A round up of some of my favorite moments lately. A round up of some of my favorite moments lately. 🤍 

🎨 Planned a painting party with @joshyytbh and channeled our inner Bob Ross. 

🏝️ Visited the causeway after showing houses by the beach.

☕️ Enjoyed a cool night and some hot tea while walking around downtown Celebration. 

🌴 A much needed sunset at the Polynesian Resort after a busy work day. 

🍨 Gelato, live music, and lots of nerd talk with my besties on Saturday night. 

✈️ My favorite sign at Disney Springs. 

🎈 Maybe I’ll go on this attached hot air balloon this year! I love looking at it but still a little overwhelmed by how high it goes. 

🐊 Saw this on a car this weekend. I would love to be friends with the driver. 

Here’s hoping the weather stays beautiful this week! I would love to keep enjoying long walks and dinners outside. 

#liveintentionally #liveinthemoment #intentionalliving #hyggemoment #slowliving #livecreatively #creativity #gelato #disneymoments #disneymagic #weekendvibes #carefreeblackgirl #queeraf #orlandoliving #orlandolife #floridaliving #intentionalcommunity #intentionalcreativity
Weekend things. 🤍 Outdoor art and boat rides. Weekend things. 🤍

Outdoor art and boat rides. I’m hoping all of spring looks like this. 🖼️🛥️

#weekendvibes #vacationwhereyoulive #livefully #intentionalliving #intentionallife #hyggelife #hyggelifestyle #hyggeliving #artlover #lakelife #orlandoliving #springiscoming
Last month I went on my first ever VIP tour at Wal Last month I went on my first ever VIP tour at Walt Disney World! It was one of my favorite Disney experiences to date and definitely something I would recommend to anyone who wants to squeeze as much Disney as possible into one day. Thankfully I was on my tour with some VIP experts so everything was planned perfectly for the #BestDayEver. Here’s what I learned:

🤍 Make a game plan for rides and experiences you want to do. We did all four parks in one day but didn’t feel rushed or exhausted because we talked about what rides everyone really wanted to do ahead of time. 

🤍 Go to the parks with people who have similar expectations and want a similar experience. Everyone in our group was a #DisneyGirl already who visits the parks regularly. This made for an extra laid back experience because we had all visited all the attractions at least once before. It would be a completely different experience to have first time park visitors or people who don’t visit the parks much mixed in with people who frequent the parks. 

🤍 Enjoy the snacks! There are some fun snacks provided on a VIP tour. Snacks are always a huge perk to me!

🤍 Pay attention to the weather. We went on our tour on a gorgeous weather day. This made it easy to be outside for a long period of time. If it was too hot or rainy, it would have been a different experience. 

🤍 Wear comfortable shoes! You are trying to either get on many rides at one or two parks or go to three or four parks. This is going to require a lot of walking! Be prepared with comfortable walking shoes. 

🤍 Bond with your tour guide. You are spending the entire day with a WDW expert whose main goal is to make sure you have a great experience. Ask them questions about the parks, learn more about their job, and include them in your fun! 

What ride would be at the top of your list if you were going on a VIP tour at WDW?

#disneyworld #disneyparks #disneystyle
Today was a perfect weather day at Epcot. So thank Today was a perfect weather day at Epcot. So thankful I live close enough for middle of the week visits. 🤍

#epcot #disneyworld #wdw #disneyparks #epcotcenter #epcotball #spaceshipearth #norwaypavilion #livingwiththeland #minimalism #architecture #disneyimagineering #worldshowcase #seekingjoy #joyfulmovement #joyfulmoments #blueskies #visitorlando #orlandofl #joyfulliving #seekjoy
February is the perfect month for hiking in Florid February is the perfect month for hiking in Florida. It’s 65 degrees today and I’m so thankful to live so close to so many gorgeous hiking and walking trails. Three things to remember when hiking in Florida:

🥾 We don’t have mountains but we do have swamps and you can sink in them so keep it moving. 

🥾 Alligators won’t mess with you unless you mess with them first. Don’t give them a reason to feel threatened. Never sneak up on one and stay away from their babies. 

🥾 Stay hydrated! Just because it’s cool outside doesn’t mean you don’t need water. Drink before and after a hike and bring water with you if you are going out for a long hike!

Remember, getting outside is amazing for your mental health, even if you are just taking a short walk, or even just standing still and taking in how beautiful our earth is. 

What trails are you hiking or walking this month? 

#getoutside #mentalhealth #mentalhealthrecovery #natureishealing #naturelover #outdoors #thegreatoutdoors #floridahiking #floridawinter #softlife #softgirl #softblackgirl #slowliving #intentionalliving #petitejoys #joyfulliving #joyfulmovement #joyfulmoments #choosejoy #floridanature #blueskies
My first dining experience at the Flying Fish was My first dining experience at the Flying Fish was a success! I loved everything from the food to the service to the atmosphere but what really blew me away was the dessert. As always, I chose the chocolate option on the menu, and I was certainly not disappointed. This is definitely one of the best things I’ve eaten on Walt Disney World property and one of the best desserts I’ve had in general. If you are a fan of chocolate, you definitely need to try it during your next visit! 

🍫 Cocoa Breach
Vanilla Custard, Chocolate Bavarois, Feuillentine Crunch

📍 Flying Fish 
Disney’s Boardwalk Resort 

#disneyfoodie #disneyfood #chocolate #chocolatelover #desserts #dessertbae #disneydining #diningexperience #flyingfish #disneyworld #boardwalkresort #chocolatedessert #chocolateaddict #disneyrealtor #disneyinsta #disneygram #wdwap #wdwresort #wdwfood #orlandofoodie #foodiesofinstagram
Goodbye, January 2023! You’ve been such a wonder Goodbye, January 2023! You’ve been such a wonderful month for me! 🤍 This year, for the first time ever, I decided to start the year off with a focus on only myself. I spent a large part of January celebrating my birthday this year! From delicious dinners and coffee dates to hiking and surprise secret adventures, this month has been full of celebrating and I’ve embraced every single moment of it. After a few years of not feeling quite like myself due to anxiety and depression, it’s great to feel like ME AGAIN! 🎉 I love her and she’s BACK, BABY! In addition to celebrating myself as much as possible, I also honored my mental, physical, and spiritual needs with lots of rest, intentional movement, meditation, and reflection. 

My word for 2023 is community and now that I feel like myself again, I’m so excited to spend the year pouring into my community, while still remembering to fill up my own cup first. 

#january #januaryreflections #selfcare #selfcarefirst #selfcarematters #intentionalliving #intentionallife #beintentional #uniquevintage #velvetdress #blackgirlmagic #blackgirlskillingit #joyfulmoments #joyfulfulmovement #joyfulliving
Snapshots from a beautiful day spent with friends Snapshots from a beautiful day spent with friends who always make my heart happy. Plus a small snippet of me being overjoyed at getting the tiny seat at the back of the train. 
🤍🌳🏰🚂

#intentionalliving #intentionallife #joyfulliving #joyfulmovement #livejoyfully #enjoythemoment #enjoythejourney #happyliving #blackgirldisney #disneymoments #disneygram #orlandoliving #orlandolife #orlandolifestyle #orlandofl #magicalmoments #choosejoy #joyseeker #orlando
I love being able to explore all of the little pat I love being able to explore all of the little paths that exist in Animal Kingdom. All of the gorgeous greenery in this park makes me feel happy, balanced, and calm. Whether it’s a quiet moment at a waterfall, watching birds enjoy the beautiful weather, or trying to see how many different types of plants I can spot, it’s such a peaceful place to spend the day. 🌳🤍

#outdoors #plantlife #nature #naturelovers #walking #animalkingdom #disneysanimalkingdom #wdw #bestdayever #waltdisneyworld #animalkingdomdisney #intentionalliving #livingintentionally #livinginthemoment #joyfulmoments #joyfulliving
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