337 MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020

OCTOBER ISSUE

Wellness Tips for Trying Times

Making Room for Mom

CLAY'S KEYS TO SUCCESS

Quarantine Cuties

Local Holistic Nurse Offers Bite-Size Tidbit Stories as Useful Tools

Meet Brandi Clay, Local Educator + Community Trailblazer

LOCAL PRO ORGANIZER SHARES ADVICE ON SETTING UP A COZY WORK/LOUNGE SPACE FOR MOM

CELEBRATING EVERYDAY LIFE AND FEELING GOOD WHILE DOING IT

We design with you in mind.

103 Foxtail Trail Featured in Parade of Homes 2019

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CONTENTS

OWNERS/PUBLISHERS

337 Media Editor / Creative Director: Abby Meaux Conques Graphic Designer: Abby Meaux Conques Ad Design: Abby Meaux Conques, Heidi Roy Digital Media: Abby Meaux Conques, Heidi Roy

337 CORRESPONDENTS Abby Meaux Conques, Renee Ory, Vicky Roe, Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

CONTACT US

337magazine.com

Editorial: editor@337magazine.com Advertising: advertise@337magazine.com

HOME + STYLE 6

6 Making Room for Mom

WELLBEING 8 Which Lenses are You Choosing to Look Through?

9 Being Busy Versus Being Productive 10 Conflict Happens 11 Boredom is Key: How Do You Fertilize Creativity?

12 Ritual Versus Routine 13 Empowered Being: Increase Self-Empowerment

COMMUNITY 14 Clay's Keys to Success: Education and Heart

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FASHION 15 Quarantine Cuties

14 All pages within 337 magazine are the property of 337 magazine. No portion of the materials on the pages may be reprinted or republished in any form without the express written permission of 337 magazine ©2020. The content of 337 magazine has been checked for accuracy, but the publishers cannot be held liable for any update or change made by advertisers and/or contributors to the magazine. 337 Media, LLC is not responsible for injuries sustained by the reader while pursuing activities described or illustrated herein, nor failure of equipment depicted or illustrated herein. No liability is, or will be, assumed by 337 magazine, 337 Media or any of its owners, administration, writers or photographers for the magazine or for any of the information contained within the magazine. All rights reserved.

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Making Room for Mom

By Renee Ory

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ow that the kiddos are back in school, let’s discuss a very special person who has been manning the pandemic ship for nearly 8 months now…

MOM! Professional organizers are noticing trends in client requests for spaces for Mom. These spaces include work-from-home “offices”, relaxation stations, laundry rooms, and ENTIRE HOMES! Months of living in the same spaces brings out what previously looked like minor issues like inefficient layouts, not-your-favorite wall color, and tired decor.

Things that were easily ignored when most time spent at home was spent sleeping are now issues lived in during waking hours as well. Time spent in drab or congested areas of the home have given clients very clear ideas of what is no longer serving them at home and what their true needs and wants are.

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A Color Consultation can help you create a new color scheme for your home – something you truly like.

Save inspo pics, even those you love but don’t think they “go together”, and let organizers identify a cohesive and beautiful new aesthetic from your favorites.

A Design Consultation can use current cherished furnishings to help redesign home spaces for a fresh and updated look. Or, if you are ready to burn it all, let a professional help you identify new furniture pieces to best serve your family’s needs.

Get Mom some help identifying new spaces to function as a work-from-home office or a quiet chill zone to slip away from her kiddos for 10 minutes of peace.

Cozy prayer chairs have been a new trend with clients who are in need of a physical space for worship within the home in a time when access to churches has been restricted.

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Another often-identified area of difficulty or overwhelm is the laundry room. Solutions for storage of dirty laundry and the creation of a more efficient laundry room/closet are at the tip of organizers' fingertips and ready to be delivered to you. If you need help with the laundry, you can outsource that too in order to help Mom’s schedule with on demand laundry services with next day delivery, like HAMPR. Other often-requested services are pantry reorganization and closet redesign. These caverns of storage lend themselves to hoarding and disorganization, especially during the pandemic when Moms were to be prepared for anything. These areas can be revisited, ridding them of expired or undesirable items, and being made functional again!

Remember, closets don’t always mean clothes. While the kids are back at school or virtual learning, get your space set up ideally with clothing closets, craft closets, gifting closets, linen closets, pantries, and garage storage!

Mamas, treat yourself to organized and efficient spaces for YOU!

RENEE'S TIP OF THE MONTH

AMAZING SPACES is an Acadiana-based Professional Organizing Company transforming homes and offices since 2003.

Offering a full line of closet and storage systems.

Call Renée Ory (337) 296-5506 for appointments and visit the website at AmazingSpaces.org

For most Moms, caring for family and home are their top priorities. In order to take the best care of others, it’s important to take care of oneself. Mom, what if you also considered prioritizing yourself? What would spark your enthusiasm, nourish your spirit, motivate you to take the next step toward a goal you’ve been thinking about? If you made yourself a priority, how would that change your life?

Block out designated time each day (just like a conference call) to give thought to what’s important for you to prioritize for yourself.

Amazing transformations are possible!

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Which Lenses are You Choosing to Look Through?

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

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n life, the lens through which you see can change as quickly as you change from your favorite pair of sunglasses to a newly bought pair.

In everyday life, the lens that you view life through may be foggy some days, and the next day have increased clarity.

One moment you may have rose-colored visions, and the next, a darkened tint. You can see how imperative it is, as conscious human beings, to live our lives hour by hour in order to mindfully choose the focus that we desire.

We need not keep our focus on the tough morning that we had due to things going awry such as spilling coffee on our clothes or being unable to find our child’s shoes, making us late for work. Create your day and choose your lens.

Don’t dwell in the space that you don’t desire—let the words “This will be my day” roll off your tongue instead of “Today is not my day.” Just because there are moments of chaos doesn’t mean that your whole day has to be that way; don’t commit to the chaos.

I’ll say that again, “Don’t commit to the chaos.”

Tough times happen; honor how you feel. Process it and love yourself through it. Once you feel that moment of release and your soul lighten, do the things that you deeply enjoy. This will facilitate a much sunnier day, allowing your shine to penetrate whatever clouds may roll in. Know that you can choose which pair of shades you wear at any moment. It’s a matter of connecting with the vision that you desire. Whatever lenses you need to keep your healing in sight, choose those!

Happy Healing, Holistic Nurse Kim Thibeaux is the owner & founder of Kurma Holistics A Nursing Approach. Thibeaux is a Board Certified Holistic Registered Nurse (registered Nurse of 8 years), Therapeutic Yoga Instructor, and Certified Acupressure Practitioner. Kurma is a Health & Wellness facility with a Holistic Nurse’s twist. The vision is to facilitate your growth to become a wealthier you, by implementing simple soul-utions for the difficulties in life.

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D

o you find yourself saying things like “I feel like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off,” or “I feel like a hamster on a wheel, running fast but not going anywhere”?

A busy day does not always mean a productive day.

Busy days don't always = jam-pack your schedule every day. If your brain is throwing in the towel by noon, that's not conducive to being as productive as you are capable of being.

Busyness decreases your availability to be productive for the entirety of your day. It's more optimal to spread out tasks allowing yourself to be completely present with each task at hand.

Being Busy Versus Being Productive:

Is Your Life Becoming a Blur?

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

Being in the present moment and utilizing every minute with purpose creates a more fulfilling day. You won’t find yourself asking, “What did I really do today to be this exhausted?” It’s more optimal to slightly under-schedule rather than living day to day at your limit.

Things come up, and if your schedule is already pushing your limits physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, you will be running on a short fuse. Chronically living with a short fuse (energetically speaking) affects your motivation.

This way of life creates more stress and various phenomena such as BURNOUT, a very real emotional, physical, and mental exhaustive state caused by excessive and prolonged stress.

At the end of your day, you may feel like you were successful by overdoing it and completing all the “necessary” tasks, but you will be lacking the energy and motivation to continue this pattern for years to come. This lifestyle leaves no room for self-care.

I invite you to adjust your days with purpose, allowing there to be breathing room in your schedule (*pun intended*).

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Conflict Happens

Do You Choose Productive or Destructive Conflict?

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

If you are around other human beings, you have partaken in some sort of conflict. Now, because there is a negative stigma of conflict, many pride themselves in, “We don’t have conflict.” On the contrary, conflict is healthy! This negative stigma arose from the bright light that has been shown on destructive conflict.

listening, waiting to spit out your answer. Sometimes it may seem like the conflict has no cause, and the desire to lash out at each other is increased; this can be destructive if there is no resolution. Resolution being, meeting each other in the middle or hearing each other out and then agreeing to disagree.

Destructive conflict comes up a lot in movies, social media, etc. because people have caught on that drama sells. On the flip side, in everyday life, conflict happens many times because a person wants to be heard and understood. The opposite person in the conflict does not have to agree on the subject matter to be fulfilled in productive conflict.

Lastly, there is magic in silence during conflict, this gives both parties the ability to reflect internally. The after effects of productive conflict facilitates action in comparison to reaction, which many times can end in heartache. Communication is a freestyle dance— express each step organically, without preconceived thought.

So, what is productive versus destructive conflict? An example of productive conflict is to talk it out while wholeheartedly hearing each other out and not merely

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Boredom is Key How Do You Fertilize Your Creativity?

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

I heard a concept at some point in my life, and I carry it with me. The concept was something of this nature, “Boredom is the soil for creativity.” After pondering this concept, I began to loosen up on the daily jam-packed schedule. I make sure that at certain points in my day, there is some boredom.

Whether it be first thing when I wake up, midday, or before I go to bed. I schedule down-time with no particular goal in mind, not looking at social media, reading or anything.

A “boredom” session has minimal stimuli and little distraction.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the ideas on Pinterest just like the next person; sometimes it’s self-serving as well.

Although it’s gratifying to look outside of yourself for ideas at times, creating space for you to be your own inspiration is one way to increase your fulfillment in life.

It is also quite empowering to know that you are your own creation tool! This is helpful when you may need inspiration for personal or professional projects, or just for creating a menu for dinner.

I invite you to allow life to be the garden and choose your vegetables, herbs, &/or flowers for your creation with purpose and inspiration AND have fun!

My favorite boredom session is outside in the grass; it’s where my best ideas come from. This time can be as little as 10 minutes. The influx in creation within yourself is a breeding ground for you to inspire yourself rather than looking outside of yourself for inspiration.

Thibeaux is the owner & founder of Kurma Holistics A Nursing Approach. Thibeaux is a Board Certified Holistic Registered Nurse (registered Nurse of 8 years), Therapeutic Yoga Instructor, and Certified Acupressure Practitioner. Kurma is a Health & Wellness facility with a Holistic Nurse’s twist. The vision is to facilitate your growth to become a wealthier you, by implementing simple soul-utions for the difficulties in life.

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Ritual Versus Routine: Which Sounds Like More Fun?

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

“Rut is where you are when you are in routine.” This negative connotation of the word spoke to me when considering the “routine” things that we do in life. Think about it when you are talking about keeping your home clean or exercising.

How many of them do you honestly “feel” like doing?

There is a vast scale putting a quantity on suffrage, but if you find yourself dreading things that fill up your day, I invite you to create a ritual.

I challenge you to think about the same activities, but putting the word ritual with it. Now hear me out, let’s define these words from good ole webster.

For example, washing dishes: instead of mindlessly washing, I encourage you to make it ceremonial. It’s as simple as saying thank you for the meal that nourished your body, the person who cooked the meal, the earth for making this meal available for your consumption.

Routine: a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program

This creates wholehearted living through everyday things like washing dishes.

Ritual: a ceremonial (done with purpose) act or action

Even though you may desire spending your time doing something else, creating a ritual makes it more pleasurable than wishing it to be over with. This quite possibly may be the remedy for the rut in the routine.

After reading the definitions, which word feels less daunting?

The latter of the two brings a sense of sacredness to your day-to-day tasks.

Sacredness means “doing with purpose.” Doing things with purpose will create less suffering.

Happy Healing, Holistic Nurse Kim

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Empowered Being: Increase SelfEmpowerment

By Kimberly Guillot Thibeaux

e m · p o w · e r· m e n t / əm'pouərmənt/: the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights By increasing your awareness of self-empowering or dis-empowering choices, you can consciously choose empowering EVERY time. This creates empowered days rather than choosing things/situations that are dis-empowering, creating a life that feels out of control or chaotic.

The feeling of chaos plays a part, because a person that does not feel empowered to make their own choices allows their day-to-day life to be filled with things/situations they do not want.

For example, a person may experience a reality that is heavily influenced by others rather than their own authentic truth for how they want to live their life.

It is also a recipe for creating unfulfilling days by not looking within and choosing things or situations that are authentic to you. It feels unfulfilling because you are then living solely for others and not yourself.

Areas to increase awareness regarding empowerment are your thoughts and self-talk, interactions with others, how you make decisions, and your actions throughout the day. This can paint a clear picture whether or not you are experiencing life as an empowered being or a dis-empowered being. What does it look like to embody empowerment in your everyday life?

Happy Healing, Holistic Nurse Kim

This can be as common as choosing dinner, movies, clothes, etc. If you are making everyday choices solely from outside influence, it can be quite dis-empowering.

Thibeaux is the owner & founder of Kurma Holistics A Nursing Approach. Thibeaux is a Board Certified Holistic Registered Nurse (registered Nurse of 8 years), Therapeutic Yoga Instructor, and Certified Acupressure Practitioner. Kurma is a Health & Wellness facility with a Holistic Nurse’s twist. The vision is to facilitate your growth to become a wealthier you, by implementing simple soul-utions for the difficulties in life.

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Clay's Keys to Success: Education and Heart

By Abby Meaux Conques

W

e recently got to speak with local educator and community trailblazer, Brandi Clay. Clay wears a lot of different hats, and our area gets to reap the good fortune of her valiant efforts. Recently, she made buzz in the news by taking it upon herself to set up a PPE drive for students and educators in the area ahead of the anticipated start of an unprecedented 2020 school year, but her endeavors go beyond that drive. Clay’s knowledge of what’s needed to fill the gaps in our education system and her drive to help others succeed sets a high bar for community and educational advocates.

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cator of 8 years, a doctoral candidate at Baylor University with a focus on Instruction and Curriculum and a concentration in Organizational Change, she’s in this year’s class of Leadership Lafayette, a youth advocate and he’s also a blogger.

Here’s an abbreviated list of Clay’s work these days:

In short, (like many educators in our area) aside from jumping through hoops and taking extra precautionary measures to keep her own classroom safe at Northside High School, she utilizes her time outside of those mammoth expectations to breathe life into efforts to help a community rise, when most in the area are downright fatigued with everything 2020 has hurled at us so far.

She’s the director of The Educational Dreamer nonprofit organization and the Ed.D. Series, LLC (her educational consulting firm), she serves on the board to bring the Lafayette Science Museum back greater than ever, an edu-

Broken down, her organization and her firm stand alone in their own rights.

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The Educational Dreamer Nonprofit aims to engage students to promote individual successes. Clay’s goal is to eliminate education inequalities by providing the services such as rigorous academics to develop students’ academic skills, community workshops to promote stakeholder engagement, identify and reduce achievement gaps among minority students, and promote policies that help raise students’ achievement levels and increase culture improvements to support racial and cultural diversity. The objective is to have students branch out from post-secondary institutions and to be employed in the area, stay in the area, and enrich the community, passing on knowledge on how to do so. Clay’s stance is one of “the more educational opportunities available in the area lead to more economic success in the area.”

The EdD Series works alongside schools, districts, state departments of education and education foundations with the goal of increased teacher retention, accountability services, instructional design and support, a quality review of the school system, and support of leadership. The EdD Series aims to strengthen the goals, priorities, and vision of school systems and educational leaders. She envisions doing so by evening out educational playing fields and interrupting poverty and illiteracy that our area faces.

What lends Clay credit in how to alleviate current educational shortfalls? Teaching in a district very different from the ones here in our community.

Upon her completion at Dillard University, she taught in Houston’s notable school system for three years before returning here. “When you’re removed from our system and come back from a Texas system, it’s clear to see what we’re missing here,” Clay explained. “I saw the gap in enriching programs; instead of complaining about it and with my will to gain more skills, I realized I had to be the building block in between and be an active part of the solution.”

Clay went to work personally funding programs and seeking out community projects like the 24 Hour Citizen project that funded GOT IT, (Graduate On Time With Individualized Teaching) a program geared to increase the high school graduation rate at Northside and Carencro High Schools. She reached out to community members and businesses to help get the HBCU College fair off the ground in order to get free educational resources for graduates and parents. “A lot of the attendees (over 100 in attendance) were the first to graduate in their families, and their parents were just looking for a place to help with the next steps, whether it be college, military, or employment,” she explained. Clay gathered ACT prep materials and FAFSA processing instructions to help new-graduO C T OB E R 2 02 0

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ate families. Though the programs are in their respective infancies with their starts in 2019, Clay is off finding resources for funding and isn’t letting the pandemic slow her down.

In respect to the late John Lewis, Clay has been associated with the hashtag #makegoodtrouble. “I know I’ve ruffled some feathers by doing different programs...that’s okay... and some people don’t need the resources, but not everyone has the same educational opportunities,” she said.

Clay’s efforts are gaining traction, and she’s recently been on the panels of various community Q&A forums, and has been the guest on the I’m Making Moves podcast as well as the Say It With Your Breasts podcast.

We think you need to keep an eye on this local community advocate, she’s definitely making some good trouble.

Get information on her supportive educational organizations at www.theeddseries.com.

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QUARANTINE CUTIES

We Should Still Celebrate Life During a Pandemic, and Not Feel Bad About Looking Good While Doing It

By Vicky Roe

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ho says date nights are a thing of the past just because we’re in quarantine? Although date night looks a bit different these days, you and your significant other can still make the best of it- and don’t you want to look your best while doing it? We’ve teamed up with Fashion, Lifestyle and Beauty Blogger Ashley Reid for the latest tips to keep you ready for your rendezvous.

Whether you’re keeping it cute for a sip and paint, or keeping it cozy while making dinner at home, these are the top 5 looks you can rely on to make date night special!

While most of these events are very limited these days, don’t forget, you can always turn your home into the perfect date night destination. Ultimately, it’s about spending time with the one you love. As long as you feel confident in whatever you put on, making memories is what’s going to make the true lasting impression.

Brunchin' with Babe Mimosas anyone? While going out to brunch during the current climate may not be at the top of your list, you can still get all the essentials and enjoy brunch from your own kitchen. A flirty, form fitting dress in a fun color is what you need for brunch with your special someone. A cute off the shoulder look, lace up heel and a bold lip will complete your look!

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The Perfect Pairing for Sip and Paint Who knew your living room could be your own personal art studio? Grab those paint brushes, canvases and don’t forget your drink of choice!

The modern take on the corset has become a fashion favorite for many. Pair that corset top with your fav pair of jeans and there you have it! This look is sure to get you looks from your love with and without your smock on.

Cute and comfortable is always the goal, right? Well if you’re going to a concert, even though they’re pretty much virtual now, you can still turn your special someone’s head! A flowy dress with a cute pair of sneakers will do the job.

Make sure your dress is comfortable enough that you can dance the night away with your love, even if it’s streaming a concert live from your computer screen!

Dinner Date Night You’ve probably heard it time and time again but every woman needs a little black dress in her closet! The LBD can be worn for so many things; from a girl’s night out to, of course, date night! There are also so many variations of the little black dress; whether you opt for a simple one, or one with a little more pizazz like the LBD pictured, you are sure to make a statement while grabbing (or making) dinner for date night.

Concert Cuteness

Netflix Night

There is nothing better than snuggling up with your significant other for a movie night! But who says you can’t be cute on the couch? No, you don’t need to grab a pair of heels- just grab a cute matching set of pajamas! With the pajamas, you’re guaranteed to be comfortable and a matching set gives you the perfect pulled together look to get cozy with your cutie!

With Vicky Roe, you’re getting the best of both worlds - born and raised in New York City but growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina gives her the Concrete Jungle hustle with a solid serving of Southern Hospitality!

After numerous opportunities, including working for “American Idol” during their stint in Charlotte, to interning for the “Rachael Ray Show”, to becoming a Television News Reporter in Alabama, she ultimately made her way back to Charlotte where she worked as the Executive Producer for a Morning Radio Show. The experience both behind the scenes and on the mic, set her up to be the next powerhouse on Q95.5 in Lafayette, Louisiana, and now contributing writer for 337 Magazine.

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We are excited to offer a part-time enrollment option for homeschool students in the Acadiana area (7th & 8th grade).Spots are limited.

We know that it continues to be a long road of recovery.

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We are a locally-owned company that specializes in residential and commercial construction.

Let us help you rebuild.

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Give us a call at 337-739-8751 zto get started.