We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shawana Ward a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shawana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

Early on when I first began guiding my community in meditation, I came across a guy who looked rough around the edges, seemed to be tired and very skeptical about the session that was about to go forth. He approached me at the beginning of the experience and straight-forward asked me, “So what we bout’ to do?” I explained to him my process of the meditation in a very caring way, yet still felt doubt that this man was going to resonate with anything that went down that night. At the end of the meditation when I ask for anyone who felt led to share, he was the first one to open his mouth. He stated he felt calm, he felt capable, and he felt an overwhelming wave of love that he had never experienced before. I was completely shocked by this. To add even more of a shock factor, the same guy approached me after the session was over to further let me know just how impacted he felt and that he was going to continue to practice what he experienced even after he left. 2 months later the same guy found me on social media and hired me to guide meditation at one of his pop-ups and we’ve been business partners ever since. That experience taught me to always be authentic, to believe in my gift, and to never judge a book by it’s cover. It’s been one of the most fulfilling connections I’ve had to date. Warmed my heart is an understatement.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I got into the Health and Wellness business as I journey throughout my own personal wellness journey. I had a lot of childhood trauma and had recently left an extremely toxic relationship. I did not want to pass anymore generational trauma down to my son, so I knew I needed to make a change. I had experienced meditation once or twice in my childhood alongside my aunt who practiced Buddhism, and when it came time for me to find a practice to assist with my mental and emotional struggles, that was the first one to come to mind. Initially in 2018 I started youtubing it and doing it in my own personal time, but after learning about ancestry and my heritage I began to educate myself on chakra healing and enrolled in a course. For 6 years, I had already been active in the role of what one would label a “mental health advocate,” and “life-coaching,” but the implementation of breath-work, energy healing, and shadow-work took what I was doing to an entirely different level. I felt I had found the formula to what ultimately shifted my life for the better. From there I began my self-care workshop in the midst of the pandemic of 2020, completely virtual, and the rest was history. Now you can access the Self-Love Song Self-Care experience in person, bi-monthly and in various locations and cities on the east coast. We’ve been as far as New York and all throughout the Hampton Roads area. You can also book 1:1 services, tarot readings, or catch a class with me in the downtown RVA area.

The Self-Love Song is a wellness experience that combines mindfulness (meditation), movement (yoga), and shadow work journaling exercises to break cycles and heal trauma. The ultimate goal is to provide a safe space for community to release, be their most authentic self, and break through barrier that keep us from thriving and being our most healthy and successful beings. The experience is also accompanied by a 28-day workbook so that attendees can take the experience home and implement the same tools in their everyday lives.

One thing I learned is to be consistent over what I feel passionate and purposeful over. Even during seasons of rest and with taking breaks to revamp, educate more, and to focus on self-care, the passion never really dies. Working with and utilizing my gifts has made room for me in ways I thought they never would and has truly been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. The road has not been easy but it 100% has been worth it. I think I’m most proud of the growth my business has achieved. From zoom calls of 10 attendees, to rooms packed with 30-50 people, to teaching workplace wellness for non-profits, and facilitating master classes for cohorts, this journey continues to blow not only my mind, but the mind and hearts of the attendees I get to share space with. Returning to my alma mater to share space with young professionals of my ethnicity was also an extremely high moment. As I continue to build and expand, I keep my heart grounded and my roots in gratitude. It’s an honor to witness so many lives being changed, all the while transforming my own. There is no greater love.

You can access all you need to know about my business via my site:
https://www.predominantlylove.com/

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe that being authentic has helped me build my reputation. No matter what space I have taken my business into, everyone can vouch for my character. You’ll more than likely hear how loving, motherly, and soothing my spirit can be, and that transcends in every workshop, 1:1 session, master-class or community event.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn being fixated on my vision. I think one of the best pieces of advice I can give to entrepreneurs and business owners is to be flexible with your journey as you navigate to your ultimate destination. Love and enjoy the processes, the shifts, and the turns along the way. Those are the moments you won’t get back. Those are the moments that make it all worth it. Those are the moments that shape that end goal you’re working towards. Peace and fulfilment is in the present moment, so don’t get stuck on the outcome.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.predominantlylove.com/slsworkshop
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theselflovesong/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theselflovesong
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawana-ward-982930149/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/theselflovesong
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/_AWooxrO8eU
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/predominantlylove/

Image Credits
Sheldon Hill Photography – shellzphoto Cesshay LLC