Sit down before you get sat down

Sit down before you get sat down.

That's not the opening line to a fight on the J train. Speaking of which, if anyone ever tells you to take the J train, take the Uber instead.

Nzinga Knight pouring a glass of hibiscus sorrel on a warm afternoon in Trinidad.

"Sit down before you get sat down" is my own private language for stopping myself before I've gone too far. Late nights. Cooking a full meal while four loads of laundry run in the background. Vacuuming a room I wasn't even planning to clean, just because I'm already up there. Surah Al-Baqarah playing the whole time because I want the blessings along with the chores.

And that's on a Sunday. The day that's supposed to be for rest, for the family meal, for actually being present with my husband since he's home all day.

Can you relate? I hope, for your sake, the answer is no.

I grew up in a Caribbean household where resting in front of a parent wasn't really an option. "I see you're not doing anything, so..." You know how that sentence ends.

A taste of Brooklyn in Trinidad. CEO & Founder Nzinga Knight with our 25oz bottle of sorrel during her visit.

I carried that into adulthood. To a fault, honestly, to the point where my own parents started telling me to slow down.

Now I rest. Sometimes. On my own terms. Still working through the guilt on the days I don't feel like I've earned it.

Because rest is natural. Not just sleep, not just recovery from being sat down. Rest on its own terms.

I'm going back to my roots here, to the Caribbean belief that presence matters more than productivity, that nothing important is lost in the pause. Some things are only found there. Creativity included.

4 Nonalcoholic Mocktail Recipes	Cherry Simple Syrup Recipe	Brooklyn Brewed Sorrel is Beyoncé & Beyhive approved