The Three You's

If you are free, free somebody else.

Transparency leads to transformation.

My Grandpa used to say: “When you get wisdom, give it.”

 

Well, this is a little taste of the fruit I’ve bared and the flowers from the gardens of growth that I’ve bloomed.

 

We’ll call this …

The Three You’s

 

I think there’s always three versions of ourselves that are always fighting with each other.

 

1.    Who we are.

2.    Who we were.

3.    Who we want to be.

 

The gag is they’re all us.

We fight to keep going and sustaining who we are.

We fight to let go of who we were.

& We fight to move forward and become who we want to be.

We.

Never.

Stop.

Fighting.

 

Recently, I started feeling really tired of fighting like this. The fight has been going on entirely too long and even though I’m still standing, I am exhausted.

 

I found myself up at 3:17am - wide awake, literally about to have a whole sit down with all three of myself(s) –LOL.

 

“Fear is a failure of faith” & “Growth never comes from comfort zones” …

 

Those are the only two things that ran through my mind the day I put in my two weeks notice to leave my job last May. It’s been a full year since that day and I’m STILL glad that I was brave enough to walk away.

There comes a time in life where the fear of staying the same, becomes greater than change. I chose the difference through the fear & I prayed over every bit of it; BUT I obeyed what I was told by GOD because well, ---- Disobedience is expensive.

 

I wrote my resignation letter (in fear).

I printed it out and brought it to work (in fear).

I gave it to my manager at the time (in fear).

& I walked away from my secure, consistently paying, non-passionate, corporate job of three years (in peace).

 

From there I walked into what it really meant to persevere.

2018 was all about

Learning.

How.

To PERSEVERE.

 

Fast forward to now – It’s June (Summer) 2019.

Leaving my full time corporate regular person degree permitting day job and committing to follow my purpose was one of the bravest things I’ve ever done. I’ve always been passionate about fashion and my dream has always been to be a fashion stylist. Through college and continuously afterwards I’ve always done styling on the side as a side gig. I was ready to do it more-so fulltime though. I felt like I was ready to bet on myself more than ever at this point.

My plan: was to move to LA (as I’ve always dreamed and make all of my dreams and long-time goals come true).

God’s plan: …Totally different …

 

I had so many trips planned before leaving my job and I decided that afterwards I’d start planning for my move.

I traveled … even went out of the country for the first time.

Traveled for styling work within my own city.

I was getting booked like crazy for styling gigs and my schedule started filling up from word-of-mouth, longtime contacts and etc …

I was completely blown away at the fact that I was pretty much working full-time ---but this time doing actually what I wanted. Blessings were literally falling from the sky ….

I soon realized that maybe the belief that more opportunities were in LA wasn’t really the case. Maybe it was that when I opened myself up to the opportunities that I wanted and believed in God with full faith that they would come ---they did.

 

It’s been quite a journey thus far for sure though. ---Definitely going to be a great story to tell my kids one day if nothing else.

But it’s not exactly finished yet.

 

It’s Summer 2019 & I’m still trying to figure out what exactly is going on honestly. Adult life is hard. Being a full time entrepreneur adult is even harder.

 

You know how you hear those stories about how someone quit their job and then suddenly they were able to figure out their life’s purpose and run head first into all of the magic of their dreams and live happily ever after?

HA! Yeeeah … Well--that last part is still working it’s way to me. & It will come I’m sure. BUT I’m currently being patient with myself and the process of it all still as I wait. Don’t get me wrong---Though this journey has its challenges, it definitely has its very fair share of perks as well.

 

Perks:

-Uninterrupted/Unprecedented/Intentional alone time with God everyday.

-The freedom that I feel and am allowed each day is priceless.

-The time that I have to do whatever I please whenever I please is immeasurable.

-The adventure that comes packed inside of each day along with the wonder of what it could bring is liberating.

-You are your own boss.

-You make your own schedule---which you can also change, alter, and cancel at anytime.

-There is no limit on your income. You make what you want, however much you want, whenever you want.

-My creative freedom is endless.

& etc …. The list goes on.

 

But can I be honest about some of the hardships?

-Negative bank accounts are not fun.

-The sometimes worry/anxiety prone emotions that arise about the list of grown up things happening that make you feel like you need an adult to help you handle ---- but oh wait ---the gag is #youareanadult remember?

-Emergency issues: car problems, health scares, unintended/unplanned financial crisis

-Wavering income.

-Being behind on a couple bills

-Truly managing your time wisely

-The feeling of being lost and not knowing whether God is giving you signs to “stop it” or if he’s strengthening your faith to keep going and trust him.

- & etc … the list could continue.

 

There are both pros and cons to this journey. Challenges have been inevitable (as they naturally are), and blessings have come continuously as I believed they would. BUT --There has been no good without the bad as well.

I’ve learned a new level of acceptance for the good and the bad when they come, even when they arrive simultaneously. Life in general is never all good or all bad –I’ve realized that sometimes it’s both at the same time. Challenges make you stronger (if they don’t kill you that is).

I’ve learned to love the good days & maneuver the bad days.  

You have to learn to enjoy the good days …. because the bad days do come. Don’t hurry the worry. Let the good be good.

 

The greatest difficulty in it all has been overcoming my mind. I was very careful with the thoughts that I’d entertain, the mindsets that comparison would compose, and the manifestations that I’d speak. Your perception is your ultimate reality even if it’s not your ultimate truth. Your reality dictates your actions and many times, peace lies in your perspective of things. I have learned to be content in every season. I now know more than ever that I don’t have control over anything. The only thing that I can control is my emotions and perception of things. If you believe in better you ultimately manifest better. You can honestly manifest anything you want.

 

Problems will arise, that’s life! Sometimes, the problem is not the problem; the problem is your perspective.

 

I’ve traveled more in the past year than I ever have. I’ve worked harder for myself (and no one else) in the past year than I ever have. I was published in a magazine. Featured on podcasts, spoke at my second career day, gained a new network, featured on youtube channels and etc. I’ve made more money on my own in two weeks than I’ve ever made on a job working for someone else. I’ve become closer to God in a completely new way.

& I have no regrets. Through the good and the bad-- I wouldn’t change any of it.

 

Success in the bible is defined as fulfilling your divinely ordained reason for being. Your divinely ordained reason for being, is your purpose. Anything that you are successful in outside of your purpose will never fulfill you. Therefore, if it is that you’ve found fulfillment in anything other than your purpose you’ll never be successful.

 

The understanding of the previous statement has been a blueprint for me over the past year. It’s helped me to intentionally align myself with my purpose during this time of intentionally walking towards my dreams. Intention is everything.

 

I’ve come to the realization that life is a beautiful series of finding and losing yourself all while unwrapping some of the most beautiful pieces of who you are. You lose certain parts of who you are to make room for everything that will support you to become. Eventually, you’ll find yourself looking back in surprise at who you were and excited about all that you’ve overcome. It’s all apart of the process of evolving into who you’re meant to be.

It Is A Process.

You have to be willing and ready to do what most people won’t to create a life that most people believe they can’t. Now I don’t recommend for anyone to go out and quit their jobs with absolutely no plan at all --- but I do believe that you should do whatever is best for you ---even if it may include that. God moves with you for every move you make. Your mind has to be stronger than your situations. Your perspective has to be greater than your problems. KNOW THIS THOUGH: This entrepreneurial life is not for everyone.

You have to learn to stare fear in the face, that way you won’t meet it as much. You must understand that doubt will come but choose not to let it stay. Be prepared for fear to find a way to appear but don’t permit it to stay near.

 

I’ve noticed that by expecting blessings to come they in return do. I never stopped believing that everything I deserved was coming my way. I never ceased to believe that blessings that I didn’t even have a vision to see were already making their way to me. I’ve been simply open to all God had for me. Everything I have and ever had was all because God gave it to me.

 

I had faith that God had a plan for me and that he would fulfill all of his promises to me including all visions that he instilled inside of me.

I said—when I left my job that I wanted any and everything that God had for me and I was willing to lose it all to get it all if need be.

 

Faith + Expectation = Miracles #IveSeenHisWork

Have faith …

Say what you expect …

Really believe …

Have no doubt …

-it’ll happen!

 

I wanted to be a full time fashion stylist --- & I believed I would be. 

I prayed to God and asked for him to lead me ….

& that is exactly what he has done for me ---

Because guess what ?! I’m a full time fashion stylist currently.

 

But listen …I’d be lying if I told you that it’s been easy. It’s truly been such a crazy beautiful journey to see all the pieces of my greatness revealing themselves to me … but as you know there’s always more pieces to the story.

 & so the journey continues …