Your Blank Canvas

Everything serves a purpose. There’s a popular yet misleading quote about meaningful work that says, “find your purpose, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The phrase implies if you love your work, it won’t feel like work. Knowing and discovering your purpose can become overwhelming yet eye-opening. Your purpose is not a milestone to achieve but rather a lifestyle to live. We struggle with that and that's okay. In this conversation, I sat down with one of my good friends, Tierra Webb, about her life as a former D1 athlete and now, an up-and-coming entrepreneur. It is important to know that when we create our purpose, we are greater than it. Our purpose is just something that you decide to believe in. You discover, label, and choose to attach to it. But that also means you can take that label away at any time. You create your purpose and thus are not defined by it; more so, you control it.

More About Tierra Webb: 

Tierra Webb is an athletic and financial coach. Going from former D1 athlete to entrepreneurship, Tierra built TWebb Affect where she's committed to coaching the next wave of athletes through basketball skill training and development. Alongside her connection to the game, she focuses on bridging the gap between sports and life beyond the whistle while serving the community with resources and insight on how to leave a proper financial legacy as a licensed agent.

People joke that Tierra has never met a stranger because of her welcoming and authentic personality. She values growth lives for electrifying experiences and is passionate about connecting with others. She lives by and quotes, “Mindset is everything, take control of your own whistle by committing to working hard at being the next best version of yourself." 

the comfort zone…aka your most comfortable nightmare. You’re afraid to step outside and yet you so want to. There are many things you may tell yourself in those moments of fear, but let this conversation be the push you need to step outside. A few weeks ago, I sat down with one of my good friends, Venesa Coger, who is the Social Content Strategist on Refinery29 sub-brand Unbothered. In this episode, she shares her story as an intern and now a full-time queen, who never gave up on her dreams despite going through her own obstacles in life. While only being at the company for a little over a year she has contributed to the growth and increase in following of the brand, she has produced and hosted the Quarantine and Chill live series, as well as written articles that cover fashion and entertainment. If you need a little push, this episode is for you. Listen to her story and let this be your sign to never give up. 

For those who don't know, PIT is short for Pain is Temporary– a black-owned business founded by Jon Calhoun and LaShawn Cargo in 2016. They first began this organization to make an everlasting impact in the community of Monmouth, Illinois, and other areas in Chicago, by using physical fitness as an icebreaker to connect with elementary and high school students. The goal is to create a safe environment that is open to discussions based on human struggles, adversities, and pain that we all can relate to as one–to realize that overall, Pain Is Temporary. 

In this brutally honest conversation, I sat down with them and spoke about how they practice gratitude in their own business, regardless of what they go through personally. They believe that gratitude is such a rich practice that has so much to teach. It can be uplifting, smoothing out our edges. It can be deeply connecting, leading us to profound realizations. Ultimately, gratitude is a pathway that leads us directly to our hearts. There we find acceptance of who we are. We find acceptance for the circumstances of our lives that shape who we’ve become. We see the intricacies of life, the divine plan (or lack thereof). If you're a business owner or just a regular human- being trying to live your life to the fullest, and you're struggling to practice gratitude, this episode is for you. Listen to it. Take notes. 

Shopping, prepping, cooking, cleaning the dishes… can be overwhelming. Putting a healthy meal on the table takes effort, and sometimes we don’t have the energy or motivation to get in the kitchen and make it happen. So I decided to sit down with one of my good friends, Monét, where she shared her experiences with her business called, Mo'VEGGIES and what drives her to eat and live healthy every day. For those who don't know, Mo'VEGGIES began when Mo decided it was time to encourage flavaful vegetarian & vegan consumption. In the kitchen, Mo likes to play around with seasoning to ensure your taste buddies go on a roller coaster ride of Flava & spice. Although mo focuses on vegan and vegetarian cuisine she has already created timeless recipes using a variation of Flava! Check this episode out and definitely TRY her food. 

On March 16th, 2021– a horrific series of deadly shootings occurred in three Atlanta-area spas. It is our responsibility to condemn these violent attacks and lend our support to those affected. This episode is tough and emotional. I dedicate this one to all the families and friends who've been affected by this tragedy. Know that I am here with you, for you. 

Important Resources

In this honest conversation, I sat down with a good friend of mine, Jimena Lucio, another wonderful boss babe. We spoke about what it takes to be our own bosses and how being "grateful" sets a good momentum to a successful life. Jimena believes that outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens. You have to fall in love with the process of becoming the very best version of yourself. Consistency is harder when no one is clapping for you. You must clap for yourself during those times. Be your biggest fan. If you are your own boss, this episode is for you. Listen to it and let's have a chat.

More about Jimena Lucio:

Born in Mexico but was raised in Chicago with her beautiful family, Jimena Lucio is a superwoman. She started a business in the financial services industry after dropping out of college. She married her high-school sweetheart and is an amazing mother to her beautiful Camila. Aside from making a living whole making an impact, Jimena loves to travel and try new food groups.

In this honest conversation, Caroline Liu shares her story as a late-diagnosed autistic adult and her tribulations with short-term memory loss as a result of multiple concussions in the last decade. I can't express how important it is for me to remind everyone that their story matters. Everyone has their own struggles and battles, but it is important for us to be kind. 

Caroline Liu is a painter, seamstress, and muralist currently living in Albuquerque. Liu holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of New Mexico and has exhibited work in galleries all across the Midwest and the Southwest. She has painted murals throughout the Chicagoland area, as well as for international companies such as Adidas, Vans, and Lululemon. She is an artist in residence alumni at the Chicago Artists Coalition, the Chicago Art Department, and the Hyde Park Art Center. Her work has been published in various publications, including New American Paintings and The Chicago Tribune. 

Whether you’re in lockdown or practicing social isolation, times are tough. And it’s okay if all you feel like doing is napping, multiple times a day. It is safe to say that 2020 has not turned out the way any of us had hoped. What started out as a promising year, has now evolved into some sort of poorly made B horror movie with a storyline that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight. This new reality of dealing with this pandemic has been thrust upon us all, leaving many with more questions than answers, especially for photographers. However, in this brutally honest conversation with photographer, journalist, and educator in Washington, D.C, Alyssa Schukar, she continues to see the good in every day, even if it may seem impossible at times. If you're struggling to be 'creative' during the pandemic, this episode is for you. Listen to it and let's chat. 

More about Alyssa Schukar: 

Alyssa Schukar is a Washington, D.C.-based photographer, journalist, and educator. While her work is rooted in an interest in and love of people, it's propelled by a desire to study and name the larger forces that affect Americans' everyday lives.

Alyssa is a frequent contributor to the New York Times. Her images have also appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, the Atlantic, and TIME magazine. National commercial clients include US Bank, UPS, Chase, and Glenmorangie.

A native of the Great Plains and a proud graduate of the University of Nebraska, Alyssa has worked professionally in several countries outside of North America, including Afghanistan, India, Scotland, and France.

Welcome, March! New week, new beginnings, new season. First and foremost, thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to another episode of pure honesty. In this brutally honest conversation, I sat down with one of Chicago's talented and finest artists, Christopher Marrs, where we spoke about ways we can practice gratitude through our creative spaces. Being grateful is a feeling that makes life worth living—a feeling that makes you want to stay in this world and come back for more. Gratitude is the practice of noticing and appreciating the positives in the world. Shifting the focus from what you don’t have to what you do have can have a profound influence on your emotional state, particularly happiness. If you're a creative or just a regular human being, struggling to practice gratitude, this episode is for you. 

More about Christopher Marrs:

Marrs uses photography to create evocative and surreal visual narratives. He likes to believe that there is beauty even in the darkest of places. If you aren't already, make sure you follow him on his social media platforms linked below. 

Tik-Tok: @marrsthemartian

Instagram: marrs_the_martian 

This week is a little different. I'm taking a week off on posting these amazing stories I've gathered, and really encourage you all to focus on practicing gratitude. Gratitude is the state of feeling content. Content with what we have, what we have achieved, and what is happening around us. It’s not always easy to be grateful or even optimistic about our half-full glass or new intern position at your dream company, but it’s a way of saying thank you for all the good things in our lives. If you can be anything, be grateful. Let's chat. What Are You Grateful For?