Love Letters: Tomazia Benoliel

Meet Tomazia Benoliel; creative, curator of calm.

The radiant force behind @tomythings_. Tomazia brings a grounded beauty to everything she touches from slow mornings to thoughtful styling, each moment she shares feels like a gentle exhale. With a deep love for simplicity, ritual, and softness, her world is one of intention. Whether she’s capturing sunlight spilling across linen sheets or sharing her favorite clean beauty finds, Tomazia’s presence reminds us that care can be both beautiful and easeful. We caught up with her to talk self-love, sensory rituals, and the quiet magic of feeling at home in your body.

What are your roots, and where do you currently call home?

I have angolan roots, but I grew up in a multicultural household. My parents being from two different places, Cape Verde and Sao Tome. This made me who I’m today and the reason why I’m very passionate about culture. While I live in Portland, Oregon home for me will always be my Country “ Angola” and where all of my roots belong.

What is your zodiac sign?

Rising in sagittarius, scorpio sign and moon and sun in scorpio as well hehehe

How did societal perceptions shape your views on beauty and self-image? In addition, when did you start to feel at home in your body?  

Embracing my natural afro hair was how my self acceptance journey started. It took me 5y to understand that there is beauty within my afro hair and embracing it and learning about it gave me a different type of confidence. It made me understand that I was raised in a world that does not teach me to love my hair and it’s texture. From there my need to talk more about self-love was born. Because during my early teens I never loved myself as much because I thought I was “ too dark” to be pretty.

How do you show yourself love?

Through the years as I got to learn more about myself I came up with morning routines that allow me to knowledge myself before a busy day. I talk to myself in the mirror a lot my complimenting myself, praying has also been my way of showing gratitude and that comes back to me with so much peace. I often try to be gently to myself, moving my body is another form os self-love. As every time I step up to workout I’m showing up for myself and proving to myself that I can do it and  that keeps me going. 

What is your superpower? What’s something you were once insecure about but now fully embrace?

As I’m now growing I’m getting to know myself even more and understanding that my superpower is my joy and good heart. I just move with so much easy in a loud world and sometimes I don’t really know how but I guess is my light ?

As a teenager I used to believe I was “ ugly” and simply just not pretty enought ( that sounds so crazy now, I know). But today overcoming that became one of my biggest strengths simply because my confidence now comes from a different place. It comes from a place of grace, knowing how beautiful my skin and hair are, knowing that every room I step in with my darkskin and afro hair people notice me, but now because I notice myself and carry that with so much pride.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?

Please know that you are beautiful enough, don’t be so hard on yourself for trying to fit into places people don’t see who you are. Your skin is so beautiful and your superpower, don’t listen to those that will tell you otherwise and try to make you look different.

Don’t hide yourself from others, you are such a beautiful sould and you deserve to be seen by the world. Ouh btw, please give a try to your afrohair ? It will change your life.

Believe in yourself more than anything and no need to prove it to others, those who see your light will make it be seen and felt. Only you know the sacrifices that you do hug your dreams dearly and go for it.

I feel most beautiful when... (Finish the sentence)

When I’m wearing my afro hair, while my dark skin shines the most. I just know  I will step into any room full of myself. ( In a good way)

What are two things you absolutely love about yourself?

Honestly, my resilience and positivity. I don’t know what keeps me moving to always go after the things I desire but I find a way to keep figuring out things even when I have no idea. But that is one of the things that I truly admire in myself, I always allow myself to cry and get my head up and keep moving on.

What’s your favorite morning ritual?

Uhhh I love this, my morning routine is something that took me 4y to master ( be consistent with it). I think as adults it is very important to have a routine that often reminds us our purposes and validate ourselves because life every single day as a way to make us doubt.

Here I go:

I start by playing my playlist of jazz or a fav  podcast that will bring a good mindset for the day ( I avoid grabbing my phone and scroll on socials first thing in the morning and this has worked wonders for me)

Make myself a cup of tea and take my aloe vera water shot on an empty stomach

Start doing my skincare and get ready for the day ( all while sipping on my tea )

I have a list of 6 Daily  affirmations in my bathroom that I repeat to myself everyday while getting ready “ I’m beautiful, I’m loved by God, I can achieve everything I set my mind to…”

I have breakfast and write down my to do list of the day ( only after that I go through my phone)

While this might sound like a lot, I promise that it takes me probably a 30 minute total to do my morning ritual before having food. Just these 30 minutes always make me start my day more positive and with joyful.

And your favorite night time wind-down ritual?

I love me some tea so after I have dinner and watch my telenovelas, I do my skincare already and make myself a cup of tea. I avoid being on my phone 1h before I go to bed to allow my brain to disconnect. I play some jazz and have my cup of tea while journaling and reflecting on my day, after that I read for 30/40 minutes before bed.

This to allow my mind to forget about all the things that kept me busy during the day and letting tomorrows worries be tomorrow worries.

How do you navigate moments of self-doubt?

I often try to remind myself of all the things I have done so far, and to reassure myself of who I’m and what makes me unique. Allowing myself to execute the things I fear while living in doubt is something that I often do, because If I let my moments of self-doubt sabotage me I will never execute the ideas. Self-talk is something that always carries me on, when I catch myself having some self-sabotage thoughts I go ahead and reassure myself out loud and call myself out, almost like fighting that voice inside my head.

Self-doubt is something that will always come and go especially when we have to do big things and trust in ourselves for it, but we must create techniques to overcome it.