Introducing: Dominique Baker

The GLW team is so excited to introduce to you our next contributor, Dominique Baker!

Please join us in welcoming her to the team and show her some love!

Hi Everybody!

My name is Dominique Baker and I’m a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. 

I launched my blog www.StyleDomination.com in 2015. My husband was the one who thought it would be a fun idea to start blogging as I love fashion and beauty, and attended a lot of fun events around my fair city of Ottawa. I soon started posting about favourite nail polish trends and styling advice, but it was covering the opening of Canada’s first Nordstrom that put my little website on the map.

Since that Nordstrom post, I’ve grown tremendously. I make a point of creating a welcoming space for everyone of all walks of life on all of my social media channels. While I love to share tips on fashion and beauty, I do like to tackle social issues with a spotlight on the black female experience. 

It’s important to me also to give back to the community that has raised me up and made me a success as well. Charitable work is “heart work” as I like to call it, as it fills the heart to uplift the less fortunate, and to lend a helping hand to better the community as a whole.

We are in the midst of difficult times, and social change is on the horizon. This has left many of us feeling depressed, emotionally drained and hopeless. While it’s important to keep our fingers on the pulse of what’s happening around the world, taking a step away from dismal media reports to take care of our own souls is important in order for us to facilitate change. That’s where mindful self-care comes in.

I would like to share a few of my own favourite self-care tips with you. These tips help ground me and calm the noise when my soul needs a little bit of a rest. I’m confident they will help you too:

1. Tuck your phone away. The constant “ding” of incoming notifications has been proven to heighten anxiety. I leave my phone outside of our bedroom also to ensure a restful sleep at night (and to prevent me from scrolling for hours before bed).
2. Feed your body nutritious foods. You can’t help yourself and others if you feel terrible after eating junk. And take high-quality vitamins! You never know which little mineral will unlock that door to long life.
3. STAY ACTIVE. Exercise boosts your energy levels, clears your mind, chases away stress and leads to better sleep. Find an activity you love and make it a part of your daily routine. 
4. Reward yourself for small victories! Exercise three times in a week? Get that manicure. Replaced two meals with plant-based ones? Get those shoes you wanted. The reward doesn’t have to be huge, just make sure to treat yourself.

On that note, I will end this post here. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Girls Living Well community and to start contributing to this accepting and healthy space! 

Peace, love and light,

Dominique