Jazmin Sharelle

KNOWING YOUR BODY

Their Own Personal Journeys

Always Seek Medical Treatment From Your Primary HealthCare Provider

I was active, not eating clean but making healthy choices, I didn’t drink soda, sugary drinks, or frequent fast food. I was getting more frustrated, some days I couldn’t get out of bed, I had no energy, and sexually I felt off!! I thought I was dying. No matter what I did I wasn’t losing weight the way I should have been based on my lifestyle. I started feeling overwhelmed, work was unbearable. I was traveling, I probably was drinking too often, and I started having panic attacks. I was being harassed at work and I was losing my grip, my cool, my hair and then the job was gone, I could have fought but I took the settlement and I started making doctors appointments.

I was specifically looking for a black woman OB/ GYN, I knew something was wrong. I had been told all my life just lose weight and your cycle will regulate, just have the surgery. I wanted to do it naturally because I enjoy exercise, I like healthy food, I knew something was wrong!! I found my OB/GYN sooner than I expected. I had not menstruated in forever. I got to the appointment, changed into the hospital gown, took a urine sample, got a PAP smear, and a vaginal sonogram.

There was build up in my Uterus and blood in my Urine. I walked into her office and she said you have PCOS, I was too exhausted to really react. She explained my symptoms and I was slightly relieved. She suggested Surgery and an IUD. That was a process that was harder than I expected, I had never been in an operating room. My surgeon asked me something to the effect of, if something went wrong should she save me or my Uterus, I'm paraphrasing but that's what the question felt like. I started thinging about what if couldn't have children, that changed everything for me. Having a family wasn’t on my radar but that's a deeper conversation that I haven't worked out in Therapy yet. I had always had a tough side to me, I could compartmenalize, remove the emotions, remain logical. Once I got the (IUD) Mirena the floodgates opened, I became more sensitive, more maternal, more vulnerable, still logical Once I got the (IUD) Mirena the floodgates opened, I became more sensitive, more maternal, more vulnerable, still logical but I am different, baby fever different. This estrogen is still kicking my ass 3 years later. As a kid I was a chronic Asthamatic and I took high doses of steroids and that's why I believe I don't have a metabolism, and therefore the start of my hormone and weight problems, also a larger conversation about Healthcare Inequality. I believe this is where my PCOS stems from. I am very proactive but the fatigue and insomnia are kicking my ass right now in this moment as I type this. I am overwhelmed and a bit frazzled so I am only able to give you a general experience. I just started a blog called “Pretty Unattractive, The Social Construction of My Beauty”. I am working my way through all of this alongside Therapy.

PCOS feels like exhaustion, it feels like I am constantly at war with my body. I feel like I like I am in a body I didn’t ask for. I am constantly finding new ways to love myself, be kind to myself, to accept my body but some days like today the fatigue is unbearable and I just want to crawl into bed but I can’t, life still is happening and I have things to do!

Jazmin Sharelle

Jazmin Sharelle Instagram Pretty_Unattractive Website To hear live interviews from these extraordinary Women with Jermaine Smith “Everyday Talk with Everyday People”

S. Michelle Betts

What made you decide to go into finances?

First off, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to my success. It took some time for me to find where I wanted to be career-wise. In high school, my strongest subject was science; therefore, I sought out a nursing career. I quickly realized blood, guts, and needles were not for me. I decided to take a class with HR Block. After completing the course, I started my career preparing taxes. I was 23 years old. Learning tax laws and applying them to tax returns were exhilarating. However, I had not learned the importance of credit or the sources of financial freedom. Two years later, I decided to move from Detroit to attend college in Northern Virginia majoring in Accounting. We are located in Eastpointe, Michigan, on Detroit's borderline (across from Eastland Mall). We provide annual and quarterly services to all states and the District of Columbia. We are experienced with the 1040s, Schedule C (small businesses), nonprofits (990), Partnerships, and S Corporations. We enlighten clients on new tax laws while minimizing their tax liabilities and maximizing their refund for a lesser price than most tax companies. Affordable Taxes' owner is S. Michelle Betts; she holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting and brings 10 years' experience to her credits. She is also sitting for the IRS Enrolled Agent Certification.

Learn more by visiting www.affordabletaxes.biz Conveniently file your income taxes from home. Visit our google business page to gain access to our digital portal.

What would you tell Woman about their financial future and how best to begin?

My suggestion to women would be, build an emergency fund. There are ways to decrease your tax liability and save at the same time. 1) By contributing to your companies 401k, you have the ability to save, and some companies match up to a certain percentage. The contributions are taken out of your paycheck before taxes, which means your gross income is reduced, so you pay fewer taxes. If you ever need to withdraw from your 401k, consider the company match as the extra amount you need to take out for taxes and penalties. 2) IRA contributions are tax-deductible as well. You can save up to $6,000 if you are 49 and under and $7,000 if you are age 50 and older. This method allows you to save and decrease your tax liability. 3) HSA and Flex Spending Accounts work like personal savings accounts. You contribute pre-taxed dollars, lowering your tax-liability. However, you can only spend the money on qualifying medical expenses.

B ’ J e w e l e d by

Carrie

Balanced Women is founded by Jewel Gould, a non-profit who curates spaces and initiatives that are all geared towards encouraging women from all walks of life to lead a well-balanced life while executing their various rolls. Most r e c e n t l y B a l a n c e d W o m e n launched their first initiative called Sister-Sister, designed to assist their community with not just essential needs, but also to aid with furthering education, tools and resources needed to pour into purposeful dreams as well.

In support of ending racism, systemic racism, hatred, brutalities and dehumanization, the funding collected for their first initiative will be dedicated to pour into the lives of black women who are wholeheartedly working on becoming the best versions UOMA of themselves for their families and communities. They will be utilizing these donations to pour into their lives, dreams, aspirations, and businesses.

write to re mah) means beautiful and we believe that beauty starts the moment you decide to be yourself. We exist pronounced OMA (uh UOMA the rules of inclusivity and diversity to create a world of beauty that truly is for all of us.