Faith, Gratitude, and Connectivity: Feed your Soul with Kimberly Alula

Kimberly Alula makes us happy. She is a bright and shining face with lots of amazing and insightful thoughts and ideals to share with the world! Kimberly, “Kimmy”, is all about her family and her friends…and calm is her superpower. Having graduated magna cum laude from Spelman College in 2005 and then received an MBA in Retail & Marketing from Columbia Business School, Kimberly is now a Director of Integrated Merchandising and Marketing at Fanatics, Inc., a market leader in officially licensed sports merchandise. Recently, Kimmy has started her own work-in-process brand, Grace & Revelry, which focuses on restorative getaways. Travel, writing and connecting with herself and others are her things. What feeds Kimberly’s soul? Living, laughing, loving, learning and sharing all of the above. Oh, and Oprah.

Are there any consistent activities or rituals you do to maintain a sense of inner peace? Faith, gratitude and connectivity. Those are my big ones. I have a strong faith that everything happens in perfect order by God's design. That generally leads to a peaceful lifestyle. I practice daily gratitude for things big and small en route to work & before I go to bed. Connectivity is a driver for me, so staying in routine touch with those who I love keeps life in perspective.

When you are in an emotional rut, what are your go to ways to bring yourself out of that feeling? I talk it out with my husband. He is a great sounding board, knows a lot about various parts of my life and has a way of asking questions and identifying the "real" issue that may not be as obvious to me while I'm in my feelings.

Before beginning a creative process, what type of preparation do you normally undertake? I need a clean and organized space or a setting that gets in me in the mood. An airplane is usually my most creative space - something about the open skies and the disconnection is magical for me.

Describe a time you underwent a particularly stressful situation and what measures you took to move through that process. Moving to a new city was more emotionally stressful than I expected it to be. I hadn't realized the importance of variety in my life until I left my glorious NYC that always had something new and interesting to offer. I was also removed from my network, starting a new job at an unstable organization, etc. so it was a struggle across the board. I sought professional help from a recommended therapist (referrals are a must!) to work through the struggle.

Do you have any favorite movies that always revive your spirit? Faves from the past that might not be upbeat, but always make me feel warm inside.

Is there a particular genre of music that brings you calm? I like "Spa Radio", Ballads and Chill Wave.... but those are just my faves in general anyway.

What is the most inspiring book you have ever read? The Alchemist... cheesy but true.

Who is the most inspirational person you have ever met, and what did they reveal to you that never left you? I've never met Oprah...but she's been transformative from a spirit, soul and inner peace perspective.

Don't forget to check out her new site Grace & Revelry and follow her on Instagram: @graceandrevelry

Written by Katie Girouard.