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Black Minimalists: Charmaine Griffin

Black Minimalists: Charmaine Griffin

Charmaine is the founder of Hello Charmaine and Kollective Koils. You can also find her writing around the web. She is hosting the May #blkminchat Twitter chat on minimalist travel over at Black Minimalists on Thursday, May 5th.

What propelled you into a minimalist lifestyle?

So minimalism kinda found me three years ago when I didn't even know there was a name for it. I started cleaning out my closet because at the time I was stressed, unhappy, and I felt like I needed to do something to start fresh. I started with my closet because I had a beautiful walk-in that I couldn't walk into! I had clothes and shoes literally busting out of the door, which was a clear indicator that it was time to let some things go. I bagged up clothes I hadn't worn in at least 6 months, took them to my favorite thrift store in Long Beach called Tattered, and after doing that I realized this was not the only area of my life I needed to "clean up". So my closet was just the beginning. My bedroom was a hot mess, my car, and then to get even bigger than that my finances needed desperate help. That year I made it a point to get things in order after literally just starting with my closet.

You recently returned from South Korea after teaching abroad for a year. What life lessons did you learn from your experience? How did living abroad impact your minimalist journey?

Living and teaching in South Korea taught me that life could be a whole lot more simple than what I made it. I suffer from anxiety. My anxiety was taking over my life. Even though I slowly started getting rid of my stuff when I got too anxious or stressed my living space would turn into a tornado. That battle ended in Korea. I started reading The Essential Essays by The Minimalists, who opened me up to authors such as Leo Babauta, Courtney Carver of Project 333, and Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist. It also put a name and structure to what I needed to consistently do in my life... minimize. I learned to only focus on what I needed, get rid of the excess. This helped with my anxiety because I no longer had a bunch of stuff, I stayed organized and I maintained simplicity.

How do you manage your professional and personal obligations, along with your blog, social media, and desire to travel?

I'm a planner. I try not to plan too too far ahead, but I at least have a idea of what my goals are for the next 6 months. I make sure to tackle small goals on a daily basis (usually no more than 3) related to my blog, social media and personal obligations.

One of your goals is writing full-time. How has writing transformed the way you understand your world and the world around you?

Writing gave me a voice when I didn't have a way to share my story. So in that, I'll always have a connection to writing. I use it as a tool to help connect me with different communities. Because of my writing I've learned to pay more attention to the relationships I have, stories I hear and the commitment of staying authentic.

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Your piece on For Harriet about being tired of already successful white men teaching others how to become rich resonated with me. It's something I've struggled to articulate since I entered the realm of online entrepreneurship. What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs struggling to find their place and identity in the business world?

Consistency is the key. Without consistency you'll get caught up in the struggles of the present and it can deter you from doing the work. Make the commitment to do the work and watch your business flourish. It takes time for anything that you want to succeed and grow. I've learned this from living in Korea, it took almost a year before I saw real growth to my blog or Kollective Koils. I toughed it out by continuing to do the work.

Similarly, I experienced the same exhaustion from reading about privileged, white men share their stories of embracing minimalism. Giving everything up and living simply with a thriving business or severance package in hand is a lot different from many of our stories. The reason why I started Black Minimalists was because something was missing between their stories of our stories. What is your take on black minimalism and how we can influence our community by living simply?

Black minimalism is necessary. It embraces the idea that the "American Dream" we once sought after can look different. By living with less we are encouraging ourselves to focus on what's most important in our lives. We also get to save money! Which is an awesome perk. Right now the opportunities are endless for Black people, so living simply will just give us the chance to pursue them.

Tell us about your brand Kollective Koils. Was this a passion project and how does it fit into your message (if it does at all) of "living life simply"?

Kollective Koils was 100% a passion project. I saw a need for promotion of natural hair bloggers. There are tons of natural hair bloggers out there, most of them putting tireless hours to get exposure like the top bloggers. I love natural hair and as a big YouTube viewer I realized instead of starting another natural hair blog, I'd dedicate a brand solely for natural hair bloggers. It doesn't fit into the idea of "living life simply" because it's a different entity but I've definitely incorporated minimalist practices in running the brand.

Where can we learn more about you?

I offer minimalism life coaching, it's great because you can book one hour with me to start your capsule wardrobe or to plan out simplifying your finances, we aren't limited to where we simplify. To do so send me an email to hellocharmaine@hellocharmaine.com. Also, you can reach me directly on twitter. I love answering questions about minimalism. So tweet me @_hellocharmaine.

 

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Black Minimalists: Yvonne Wallace

Black Minimalists: Yvonne Wallace

I was fortunate to meet up with Yvonne back in March. We talked for hours and if you need someone to give you a strong push, she is your coach. It's so refreshing to connect with like-minded people and I look forward to meeting up and collaborating with Yvonne in the future. 

What drew you to minimalism and what are your goals in living simply?

I think the main thing that drew me to minimalism is having my daughter and realizing that everything (that's needed with a baby) was multiplying faster than ever.  Babies come with a lot of stuff so I realized that if I don’t do anything about it then sooner than later, clutter was going to take over my house and my mind. 

This started my journey of minimalism.  I had a “free” garage sale when leaving my first house and never looked back.  The most important thing is to take one day at a time.  I do not beat myself up about NOT doing everything.  I take one day at a time and try to focus on one business task and one personal task each day.  Then I celebrate small victories of completing these two tasks along the way. 

Your mission is "to help make people wealthy, financially, mentally, and physically, from the inside out", How do you accomplish that in your work?

I like to think that coaching is at the root of many areas in life.  Whether it’s dieting, exercising, playing a sport, financially, or learning the skills for a new job, it always starts with a coach who is there to train, teach, inspire, mentor, and be a cheerleader.  This being said, I think one thing I help people with is figuring out their values before making any major life decisions.

If we can figure out how they are doing mentally, it makes it easier to deal with harder subjects like money and finances.  In addition to my 1:1 coaching, I’m in the process of creating a travel course that will help families plan almost free trips.  I want to help families simplify based on values and create experiences instead of collecting stuff. 

Visit Yvonne's new site: Simple Travel Hacking and get a free quick sheet with tips for how to travel nearly free!

You focus on simplicity in your coaching, What drew you in this direction professionally?

Professionally, I always had people come up to me and ask me how I was able to accomplish something or how to create easy systems to follow.  So I think that it was only natural I fell into this role.  Simply put, a clear mind will result in a happier life. I saw this improve over the years in my life and I wanted to be apart of this on a larger scale. 

Can you offer a few quick tips to bring more simplicity into our lives right now?

a. One thing I always ask myself is do I NEED or WANT this before every purchase.  I think that it keeps things in perspective when shopping in a store like Target when it’s easy to go in for one thing and come out with 20 extra items.  

b. Once a week, go through your home and choose one thing to donate or recycle...do this until you feel happy to walk in the doorway because the clutter is gone. 

c. For a clearer mind, use the Calm App.  This will give your a few minutes of peace each day. 

d. Set your intentions at the beginning of each day so you will be more clear and focused and you will also put things into action faster. 

Having lived in DC for a few years, I know it's about movement. How do you find your zen in the city in addition to your roles as a coach, writer, speaker, mother, and wife?

Consistent breaks is key in my life.  Taking a walk in a new neighborhood, going to a temporary art exhibit to see something beautiful brings me joy. I try to see one new thing each week that’s different and specific to DC.  It’s important to collect experiences rather than stuff.  Check out Twitter or Google for ideas. Turn your surrounding environment into positive energy. 

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You offer a free happiness tracker on your site, what are some things you do to find your happiness on a daily basis?

Being grateful for 3 items each day is so important.  At one point, I would text my friend every day three things I loved about life and she would do the same thing.  We were grateful accountability buddies!  It puts things into perspective. 

Another thing I do is my own version of meditation...it’s saying mantras over and over again in the morning so I can focus my day with the things I want to accomplish.  This goes back to setting intention.  I do not read the newspaper because I noticed that my energy would be drained from tons of bad things happening in the world so I use the daily Skimm email to learn about current world events.  Therefore, I can still have a conversation with others but I’m not constantly upset either.  It’s a balance.

What's your take on the black minimalist movement?

I think that it’s important to realize that we, especially women in our community, become caregivers and helpers very early on.  We take care of our grandparents, parents, children, family, and friends.  A lot of the time, we give so much, we might not have a lot left for ourselves.  That being said, we need to take care of ourselves and I think by simplifying and being minimalist, we will not only take care of ourselves but will also be better people for others who depend on us.

Where can we learn more about you?

I hang out on Twitter (@itsyvonnenicole) and will be scoping daily simple travel, financial, and mindset tips on Periscope (@itsyvonnenicole) in April.

 

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#BLKMINCHAT: April Recap

Earlier this month, we chatted about all things style with wardrobe stylist, Darron Leake (a.k.a @lemar_moda_ on Twitter). We discussed our style perspectives, essential items, and tips for defining your style and decluttering your closet.

The questions:

Highlights from our chat:

On personal style:

On essential items:

Tips for decluttering your closet:

On staying stylish within a budget:

Thanks to everyone who joined in the chat and thanks to Darron Leake who guest hosted. Everyone offered a lot of great tips and we got some good questions about decluttering also.  To read the full conversation and all the #blkminchat tweets, click here.

Our next chat will be on Minimalist Travel in May and our guest host will be Charmaine Griffin of hellocharmaine.com. Also, stay tuned for my Black Minimalists interview with Charmaine coming out in May.

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Black Minimalists: Wilsar Johnson

Black Minimalists: Wilsar Johnson

Wilsar was featured in Black Minimalists on the Web Part Two. 

I first met Wilsar via twitter, but recently had the pleasure of meeting her in person back in March when we attended a minimalist meet up in Washington, D.C. Let's just say the good vibes were mutual. I look forward to more hangouts and collaboration.

Tell us how your simple living journey began. What are your goals in living minimally?

My simple living began about two years ago. I was watching a TEDTalk and stumbled upon a talk from The Minimalists; I was intrigued.  I was intrigued because I’ve always tried my best to ignore this kind of living even though it appealed to me.  I used to run away from simple living/minimalism because I thought that my friends wouldn’t understand. I was insecure about living like that especially as a black/West African woman. We love things; we love nice things. The more clothes/shoes we own, the better (even though I was uncomfortable with that type of lifestyle) we’re supposed to feel; it showed status.

My goal is simple (pun intended haha), it’s to purchase purposely and spend intentionally. It started as a way to declutter my physical space, and then turned into reassessing my mental space, and now it’s about being more intentional about my finances because, well, I want to be a conscious millionaire one day haha.

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Explain what it means to be a fit minimalist and the overall minimalist fitness movement. What three tips can you share for someone wanting to keep their workout routine simple?

Being a fit minimalist is a new movement, which I want to push to the masses. I love to workout because it makes me happy and increases my confidence. I used to workout, at minimum, an hour a day, six days a week. I love to workout during the afternoon but my workday is extremely unpredictable (I work in politics), so although I saw great results, I told myself that there has to be a more efficient method.

After some science –backed research, I learned that short, minimal workouts are equally efficient and effective. I began creating my personal 30-minute workout program. That’s how my fit minimalist journey began (it’s fairly new). A fit minimalist is someone who doesn’t want to spend hours in the gym (or at home) to see results. You can get similar results in 30 minutes by just creating the right program. It all depends on your goals.

Tip one: Keep your circuit short – choose about 5-8 exercises. Repeat your circuit about 5-8 times.

Tip two: Be patience – You’re not going to see significant physical results in one week, but you will start to experience some mental changes. You’ll see a change in your mood and confidence. You’ll see physical changes as you continue.

Tip Three: Eat well – It’s not the most attractive tip, but you should be more cognizant of what you’re putting in your body. Eat less packaged food, eat out less (your wallet will thank you as well), and drink more water.  As black women, we have to be more aware of what we’re eating because we’re predisposed to diabetes, and high blood pressure, both of which are preventable by just adjusting your diet.

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You look great (!) and you've stated eating healthy helps you remain in good shape even when you don't workout as often. Did minimalism influence your decision to improve your diet and become pescatarian? Can you share some simple meals you enjoy?

Minimalism played a small role in the way I eat (including becoming a pescatarian), but I’m weird because I’ve always eaten healthy, even in college haha. Because my mom worked, she used to cook once a week, and we’ll eat that meal (mostly Sierra Leonean food) all week. Back then, I didn’t know she was simply meal prepping so I grew up with that habit.

I cook my own meals (Lunch and Dinner, and I try to keep it simple) on Sundays. I rarely eat out (I brunch at least once/month). I’ve been a Pescatarian for less than a year, and I did it because I was just sick of eating meat, and wanted to see if I could do it. I decided to give it a try, and now I love it. I still miss steak, though. God, I love a good medium rare steak haha.

My go to meal is West African PB Stew with Rice, and all you need is:
Peanut Butter (creamy), tomato paste, your choice of protein, salt, pepper, and Adobo (my go to seasoning). Boil the ingredient together, and you’re done! I promise you, it’s delicious and a lot of my American friends love it lol. I should do a blog post about it so that people can try it at home haha.

You have the quote, "Know your passion, but be open to opportunities." pinned to the top of your twitter feed. How does your passion for fitness, politics, and tech intersect? What advice can you share about being open to opportunities and how to spot them.

I love that quote because it speaks to my life. I care about health and fitness, especially the way in which it affects the black community.  My day job is politics and policy. I work on agricultural, environmental, and nutritional issues; in addition, I am a Digital Media Manager at work (which is where some of the tech comes in). Tech intrigues me, and I’m constantly awed by its influence in the health and fitness field. All three intersect because in order to reduce the rate of obesity in America, we should look at the policy we currently have.

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You exude so much #blackgirlmagic, what is your secret to celebrating your authentic and essential self?

Honestly, I don’t take myself too seriously, I laugh a lot, and I workout (mentally and physically). I can’t say it enough, but exercise is my secret sauce. It makes me confident. It makes me feel sexy, and it allows me to approach things differently.

Wilsar also curates a dope IG account with all the #blackgirlmagic you can stand @blackgirlfriday. 

How do you define being a black minimalist?

A black minimalist is someone who seeks to live a value added life. A black minimalist is someone who wants to be reintroduced to her/himself, and isn’t afraid to live outside of the norm.

Is there anything you'd like to add + where can we learn more about you?

I’m always brainstorming new projects. My brain refuses to give me a break haha.

I created Melanin Habits because I'm curious about productiveness and how certain habits can affect the way we work. The site's purpose is to showcase how some of the most successful black Influencers start their day.

It’s proven that having a dedicated morning routine affects the way we address our day so my goal is if we can read/see how some successful people start and/end their day, it may spark something in us; it may motivate someone else to reevaluate their mornings. It's a passion project of mine, and I’m afraid and excited to do it!

Twitter + Instagram: @MelaninHabits

Website: MelaninHabits.info 

You can also find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat @CallMeWilsar. I’m very active on both! You can ask me almost anything and always looking to collaborate and brainstorm with like-minded people. 

 

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Simple Biz: Everyday I'm Side Hustling

sidehustles

Disclaimer: This post does not contain any “get rich quick” schemes or secrets to earning money fast. This post is in response to a question I was asked by a youtube viewer about what type of work I do from home.

Can't knock the side hustle.

I love 90s music. One of my favorite songs is “Get Money” by Junior M.A.F.I.A. featuring Notorious BIG and Lil Kim. Basically, the song details many illicit and illegal ways to get money. I don’t promote illegal activity, but the song definitely inspires a hustle spirit and by hustle I mean industrious and innovative for a cause whether it’s to pay your light bill or build an empire.

Below, I have detailed seven ways to make money in addition to or in spite of a full-time, permanent job. I don’t work full-time for any employer and I haven’t since 2013. I have done most of these to make money at some point in life.

There is a popular notion in the entrepreneur community to “fake it ‘til you make it” and portray an image in which you appear more successful than you are until the time comes when the reality matches the ideal.

I personally cannot get behind this although I have been tempted to over the course of my journey. It’s too much of a burden to maintain something that is not completely accurate, even if it can help build trust and sales, those gains are based on a lie at the end of the day. This list is real, not glamorous, and based on things I have done and some I continue to do.

  1. Part-time, temporary work, online + offline
  2. Handmade business
  3. Coaching
  4. Selling your stuff
  5. Babysitting
  6. Using your tax refund
  7. Renting your home

Part-time, temporary work, online + offline

This is work done for an employer. When I left my last full-time job as an Academic Advisor in March 2013, I knew I would never work full-time for anyone else ever again. Since then I have worked part-time as a Customer Service Rep through my local temp agency, online as an Professional Scorer evaluating standardized tests for an education company, and currently I’m a Site Coordinator for an after school program.

Temp agencies offer many flexible work assignments if you want to work part-time and temporary. Working from home and online for the education company, I was able to set my own hours and days as long as I met the minimum requirements.

Check out:

Staff.com

Pearson

The Muse

Handmade Business

If you’re creative, you can use your talents to make physical products or design digital products, this could be a great side hustle. It’s the perfect outlet for your creative energy and you can make some extra cash.

I earned a little over $1000 from my jewelry business, YVA Designs last year. I sold through Etsy and offline, but there are other e-commerce sites such as Ebay, Amazon Homemade, Shopify, and Big Cartel. I am planning to open a second shop with digital downloads this year.

Your design business may require some start up cash for materials and tools, just make sure you will earn back what you have invested and make a profit.

Coaching

It seems like everyone and their mother is some type of coach these days and that’s ok because there is room for everyone. We are all unique and have different skill sets and this includes you. Coaching is something that really excites me because I love helping people. I started informally coaching in 2013 and trained with Tim Brownson in 2014.

Even though it seems like everyone is doing it, it doesn’t mean everyone should. The coaching industry is not regulated and anyone can theoretically call themselves a coach without any experience or training. Don’t be one of those people.

Seriously consider your desire to work with people one-on-one, your ability to inspire and influence people for their own good, your skill and knowledge base, and your dedication and integrity.

I coached pro-bono for one year before I trained with Tim and then I started paid coaching. If you have the skills, training, and above all, a true desire to help others, coaching may be something to consider.

Many things can be coached or consulted on. It could be something you do at your day job that you would like to teach in a different format or setting. Do a thorough evaluation to determine how you can be most effective and helpful.

Sell Your Stuff

If you’re in the process of decluttering, this could be very lucrative. The reality is that most of your stuff may only be able to be donated, recycled, or trashed, but if you have appliances, clothing, electronics, and furniture in new or good condition, you can sell them. You can have a yard sale, take them to a local consignment shop, or sell them online via sites like Thread Up, Poshmark, Craigslist, and your local Swap N Sell group on Facebook.

Babysit

If you like children and don’t mind spending several hours with them, you could be a parent’s savior. Having previous experience caring for children or working with young people in some type of educational setting is a must.

I rarely do this anymore, but from middle school to college, I made decent money caring for other people’s children.

use your Tax Refund

This is based on the money you’ve already made and depending on your life situation and tax bracket, you may not even receive a refund. If you do get one, make sure you’re getting all your credits and deductions. This lump sum of cash can be powerful towards starting your own business, paying off debt, investing, or putting it in savings. No matter what type of job you have or if you receive a refund, you should be paying yourself anyway by saving.

Rent Your Home

This is the one thing I haven’t done, but I have friends who have and I’ve utilized this service. Airbnb is probably the most popular home sharing site. It helps if you live in or near a major metropolitan area or some other type of tourist destination. I used Airbnb when I traveled to Mexico and the person I rented from in Mexico City actually made it her full time income. If you don’t mind strangers in your home for temporary periods of time, this can also be lucrative.

Bottom Line

You will need to get creative and be proactive to make extra money. If you’re trying to retire your full-time job and live the life you want, this applies to you doubly. Evaluate your skills and surroundings and see how you can be of service to others and get paid for it.

 

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