Meet Makeda Smith

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

Hi Makeda, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?

My self care journey starts when I wake up in the morning – I immediately say a silent prayer of gratitude. Then, after I check my emails and social media, I spend between 30 minutes to an hour exercising and meditating before launching fully into my day. My exercise routine consist of jumping on my mini tramp (trampoline/ rebounder), deep stretch yoga, and some form of inverting (hanging upside down) either in my aerial hammock or on my FeetUp yoga chair. I also spend quiet meditation time on my HealthyLine PEMF/ crystal mat to get a healing dose of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy! As an aging adult, my goal is to maintain a #seniorsoftlife – so meditation and exercise are the foundations that keep me flowing throughout my days. Oh, and I drink lots of water and take a handful of medicinal herbs, minerals and vitamins through the day.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a veteran publicist in the entertainment industry, having run my own home-based PR agency, Jazzmyne Public Relations, for 36 years now.
I’m also a grandmother who pole dances for art and fitness. My dance brand is Flying Over 50 – and I’m a pro-aging wellness coach, teaching breath work, deep stretch yoga and flow dance movement to seniors via my online portal, The Makeda Method.
I’ve also recently released a motivation guide, available on Amazon, entitled, “Flying Over 50 at Any Age: A 30-Day Self Journal for Speeding Past Limitations.”

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think the first most important quality that has served me is perseverance. I’ve wanted to lay down and quit more times than I can remember. There were times I would lay down for a while, but I always and all ways got back up. I’m here to tell you that there is always a blessing beyond the burden, but if you quit – you will never get to experience your blessing.

The second most important skill for me was to always deliver my best work, beyond the client’s expectation. All you really have is your reputation. Trust me, your reputation stays with you longer than any quick money and will sustain your business in the long run. I started my PR agency in my apartment 36 years ago – and no one, not even I, thought I would be here, still relevant over three decades later. It is my reputation for delivering good work that has sustained me.

Thirdly is, keep the faith. Even when you can’t see it, have the faith to know that what you want is yours!

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I am feeling overwhelmed, I stop, breathe and go within to meditate. Everything we are seeking is inside of us. Everything we need is inside of us. Everything we are is inside of us.
Any feelings of overwhelm are best addressed by the breath. As a certified YOGABODY breath work coach, I love sharing the power of breathing with others. Breathing is a secret super power and its readily accessible when we know how to do it properly.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jazzmynepr.com and www.flyingover50.com and www.themakedamethod.com
• Instagram: @flyingover50 and @themakedamethod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jazzmynepr and https://www.facebook.com/flyingover50
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/jazzmynepr
• Twitter: https://x.com/makedaqueen and https://x.com/flyingover50
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themakedamethod / https://www.youtube.com/@flyingover50