Morgan Fykes

Every December as the temperature drops and we move through our varied holidays and acquired traditions, we all approach the pending new year with different attitudes. Some of us are excited, some are scared, some ignore it like the markers of passing time hold no significance and some roll through the seasons like seasoned elders. I used to stress out about the approaching new year. I used to worry about making resolutions and then judging if they were resolute enough, big enough, achievable...

We often talk about the importance of education, and we can see historically how education has been used to both empower and disempower groups throughout time. Despite the power of information, people have often looked down their nose at certain information, specifically the self-help space. We act as if reflecting on ourselves shows weakness, but personal growth and development is beneficial for everyone. It is so important to love yourself, but that does not mean to stay stagnant. Love your...

I studied Psychology at Cornell College but when I was in school, there was not a class for positivity — “positivity psychology” was a new term for me. It’s currently one of the most popular classes at Harvard, and I learned about it from Cleo Wade, the author of Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life, at a panel I moderated at the Women Empower Expo where she was the keynote speaker. I picked up her book after hearing her speak and was already finished reading it by the time I went to h...

I have always disliked the term “high maintenance,” but it took me a really long time to understand why. According to Urban Dictionary, high maintenance is defined as:
“1. Require (ing) a lot of work/attention to maintain. 2. Require (ing) a lot of money or attention to appearance. Or 3. Require (ing) a high emotional investment or en excessive amount of money.”
As human beings, we all require a lot of work or attention to thrive. We require sleep, food, water, and exercise, just to name a fe...

Fear is something that we all experience, but what is most important is how we respond to it. Fear is a necessary evolutionary response to either physical or emotional danger; it helps us to survive and protect ourselves from real threats that exist in this world. While fear is there to protect us, it can also hold us back, because sometimes we fear things that aren’t actually a threat.
Fear has three primary responses: fight, take flight, or freeze. Each of these reactions can have moments o...

Life is constantly happening all around us, whether we are ready for it or not. Good and bad things don’t always happen when we plan for them to, and sometimes it can be easy to slip into reaction mode. You are the greatest authority on you, and it’s important to know yourself and anticipate what you need to get through this thing we all call life. One of the best things that I learned in my counseling program is that you cannot help other people if you do not have your own stuff together. So...

Going after what you want is actually easy if you chose for it to be. We often make it much harder for ourselves than it needs to be because we’re scared. The short answer is to just do it; whatever you imagine your best life to be, just go after it. The reality is that often when we do, we hit all kinds of snags and barricades from our minds and experiences. Most of what we learn as children comes from watching and copying other people, so here is the long version of how to go after you want...

Feedback is one of the best and worst parts about working with other people. It’s often tough to hear critical feedback, which can feel incredibly personal or unfair. On the other hand, feedback can be uplifting, challenging, and helpful because it gives you a chance to hear how someone else sees you and evaluates your work. It gives you a chance to grow and introduces a little challenge into your life.
I’ve learned over the years that in order to grow, most of us have to get uncomfortable. W...

Dear Daughter,
I see you every day. In a world dripping in under-appreciated black girl magic, you emerge often. I see you more and more clearly every day sometimes with joy and sometimes with a hallow sadness. I see you in 2-year-old Parker Curry as she stares in wonder at Michelle Obama and declares her queen. In that moment I saw you, shine through like a light from the future to make me smile.
I see you in Marley Dias, Founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, who is 13 years old and getting the jo...

DCF: Who Are You?
Camille Stewart and Gabriella Ziccarelli are attorneys and the co-hosts of Hustle Over Entitlement. Hustle Over Entitlement is a podcast that tells stories of trailblazers and risk takers. We seek to inspire our listeners to pursue their dream careers, take the leap, and own their futures. You can find out more about the podcast at www.HustleOverEnitlement.com, follow us on social media @iHustleForIt, and subscribe!
You can find out more about Camille at www.CamilleStewart.c...

Last Saturday I was invited to attend a special NIKE training club ( NTC) week in DC. The goal was to tackle your resolutions with a room full of female athletes and ignite a year of fitness.
The training is high-intensity interval training style ( HIIT ) , a session often consist of a warm-up period , followed by 8 high-intensity repetitions , then 5 medium- intensity repetitions and a cool-down. Most of the moves relate to core movements , lunges , squats , planks , BURPEES!
Sounds doable r...

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Blo Blow Dry Bar launch event in Dupont. The owner Maha Sharma was in attendance along with host TV personalty and fashion designer Whitney Port and both of them looked AMAZNG!!
When I arrived I was happy to see some wonderful familiar faces!!
Carla Sanchez enjoying the Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne with Tammy Preston of A Loyal Love, Sara Azani of Style MBA and Natalie Pinto of The Fashionably Broke!! Around 100 fashionisa from around town were in...

This week is off to a quiet start but things will get rolling by this weekend with major events like the Sweetlife Festival and Lamb Jam DC. So use these few days of quiet to rest up because it is going to go from lazy days to wild ones real fast.
[Photo via Getty Images]

We know you are tired. WHCD weekend was hard, we feel you. But life carries on so do the parties! Here are some of our can't-miss events for this week in the DMV. Because the Gold Cup is in Virginia and we enjoy a big hat from time to time.
[Photo via Getty Images]

March has been a crazy month. The Cherry Blossoms are blooming. The metro shut down for a day. The President and First Lady spoke at SXSW. And everyone's brackets got ruined by the upsets (for the first time in history, 10 double digits seeds won first round games, and that was just the start). So to honor March Madness, we are giving you our favorite events from the month of March.