Thoughts from LaTasha Barnes of Imani Wellness & Urban Artistry

Meet LaTasha Barnes, one of several Artistic Directors at www.urbanartistry.org.

Tasha has achieved many of her dreams this past year, winning the world championships for House Dance at Juste Debout w/ partner and dear friend Oluwatoyin Sogunro. It was a historical win because they were the first women and the first Americans to take home the title!

http://youtu.be/Z7Y9zCExqFE

http://youtu.be/aND-8nnzezc

She left her military "day-job" to pursue her long-standing wellness company (www.imaniwellness.com) full-time and got hitched to her "hunny bunny" Richard Hall last April. He has been a wonderful addition to the UA family!

Check out her blog below to learn more about what's behind this multi-talented artist:

"When I sat down to compose this week’s blog for my beautiful Urban Artistry family, I found myself completely overwhelmed with topics that I really wanted to write about. There were so many that I couldn’t pick one – until today.

While cleaning out my file cabinets, part of my New Year clean up J, I came across a letter I wrote to myself back in 2003. Being the hyper Type-A person I was then, I had documented everything that was going on when I wrote the letter: my mood – hopeful, excited & amped; my surroundings – my (then) newly purchased townhome in Fredericksburg; and my sounds – Musiq Soulchild – Album: Juslisen, Song: Future. I was immediately taken back to the moment I wrote the letter, filled with all the inspiration and motivation of that time in my life and all that I dreamed for myself. I immediately went to YouTube to listen to the song and sang along to my favorite part:

'Don't worry you can do it, baby (It's yours)

Ain't really nothing to it, baby (It's easy)

Take your time and you can do it cuz

Whatever you want, it's all up to you.

It ain't hard

I promise you can get it, but in order for you to get it, you gotta be in it.

(Alright)

And once you in it, you can win it, cuz whatever you want, it's all up to you

It ain't hard (word)'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnuDnNljpIQ

That song has always given me so much inspiration and energy; I had to share it with you guys. Every time I hear its bass line and the words of triumph come through the speakers, I feel as though I truly can take on the world – AND WIN! That feeling, that super splendifourlusly awesome ‘can-do attitude’ is what I needed to share more than anything else.

At this time of year, a lot of us are setting new goals. We are looking for inspiration, motivation and the faith to accomplish a laundry list of things, or maybe just one thing. With it being the beginning of a new year of competitions, shows, and events, many of us have set out to move beyond being spectators and engaging more in the competitive and creative arenas. I challenge everyone to share their goals with someone who inspires them and develop a plan towards actually achieving them. We should not allow ourselves to become discouraged by what life may place before us.

Refuse to lose, refuse to settle, and refuse to dream silently.

Give life to your dreams by talking about them – by building up those dreams in others, your dreams will come to life."