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My Journey ...
Endo, Adeno, Cranio, & Me
The Journey Continues...
"You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice."
Bob Marley
Resilience, chronic pain, self-actualization & affirmation were some elements that brought me to start Meraki Life & Style, LLC. Here is a peek into my 20+ years of reproductive health challenges that have shaped me into the woman I am and continue to transform into.
Ms. Natalie A. Solomon-Brimage exemplifies resilience and innovation in the field of Public Health, with a specialized focus on Women's Health and Cultural Humility. As a seasoned Public Health Analyst with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Maryland, she brings over two decades of dedicated service to the table. Natalie's transformative work in HIV care earned her the prestigious Marquis Who’s Who in America in Healthcare award in 2021.Natalie holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and is certified in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Workplace. Her research interests are deeply rooted in cultural humility, health equity, and the health of women in communities of color.Her personal battles with infertility, Stage IV Endometriosis, Fibroids, Adenomyosis, and a brain tumor have only deepened her commitment to fostering inclusive healthcare. As a #1 best-selling author and the founder and owner of Meraki Life & Style, LLC, she seamlessly blends wellness and decor. Natalie is also a sought-after speaker and facilitator, covering topics such as cultural humility, microaggressions, mindfulness, and vision journaling.Active in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the Black Door Society, Natalie is dedicated to uplifting women and communities of color. Through her initiative, Meraki Empowerment Collective, she champions wellness and empowerment, living by the mantra ‘Secure Your Oxygen Mask First’. Thank God I don't look like what I been through. 🙏🏽😁#smilethroughthepain
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MY SOUL
For years, I have happily served in a helpful role to those seeking inspiration, coaching or advice. In 2019, I finally decided to own that role and be intentional about it.
For over two decades I silently struggled with a painful chronic disease and other various health challenges, while donning my 'armor' to serve a brave, makeup-enhanced face to the world as if everything was wonderful. When In actuality, in some parts of my life, it was quite the contrary.
Living with an invisible illness and balancing a 'self-inflicted' social butterfly M.O. can be a bit counterintuitive. I realized that the more I tried to 'act' normal in the face of my body constantly attacking itself, the more I was doing a disservice to my attainment of better self-care, something I promote as part of my career and to my loved ones (yet I wasn't practicing it).
It constantly wears on your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The laundry list of diagnosed ailments and surgeries go from Stage IV Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Fibroids, Chronic Pansinusitis, Migraines, and most recently to a brain tumor.
I knew I had to channel my angst, pain, feelings of being constantly broken and overwhelmed into something positive and beneficial for my sanity and soul, a.ka. Securing Your Oxygen Mask First, but how and into what?
MY CREATIVITY
I decided to create a lady cave, she shed, sacred space or zen den - whatever you fancy - to give myself a place to be vulnerable, creative, meditate, cry, pray...to rediscover pieces of my soul, partake in my hobbies, and indulge my love for decorating and staging spaces. My beloved sacred space is located in our basement, in the midst of my husband's Gentleman's Lounge - that's a story for another time.
Throughout this process of thinking of decor ideas and what vibe I wanted my room to have, I began to realize how therapeutic the entire process was. I really had to pause and reconnect with myself and spend some quality time with my thoughts and feelings about how to process everything going on with the numerous health challenges that were trying to take over my life.
I had to become more aware of not being on autopilot to deal with my current existence, acknowledging my wants, likes, and goals of this new space. Transforming my room turned into a physical manifestation of my soul's imagination, creating my sacred space.
It's been a dynamic journey that led me to figure out a way to articulate what this on-going process has meant to me, and then one day surfing the internet I stumbled upon the word Meraki.
MY LOVES
I am realizing the best way for me to share where I am in my current space, I had to be selfish with my time, needs, and wants. If I was going to truly embrace my reality, my loves, my process, and open up to others in a way that may help them,I needed a place to educate, inspire, and share pieces of myself to celebrate that I don't look like what I have been and continue to go through.
I pray that through my stories of struggles, faith, strength, and resilience that I can help someone else along the way.
I started writing about my passions, my pain, my thoughts, and curious wonderings about navigating life.
I founded Meraki Life & Style, LLC with a mission to give others a taste of how I am healing, coping, and channeling my energies in a way that may help others Secure Their Oxygen Masks First! while I help others create their own sacred spaces in it.
Through hosting workshops, lecturing, design, staging, and decor, let me help you create a physical manifestation of your soul’s imagination - a sacred space...
Ase
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
240-245-7313