Why Are You Doing This?

Why chase a childhood dream of doing art?

That’s the question I’ve been sitting with for the past year. So let’s cut to the chase—as I sit here in Barnes & Noble, trying to organize my thoughts and scribble out a “What I Want To Do” list, I come back to this same question.

In 2020, I began to deeply reassess what’s important to me—Destiny, the individual. Like you, my to-do list in 2022 was still gigantic, but something shifted in me that year. A lot, actually.

Yet at the center of it all, I keep coming back to these top four priorities:

1. To honor God and be my authentic self—first with Him, and then with others.
This is not always easy. In fact, it’s hard. But it’s also freeing. I want to walk in every space as honestly and whole as I can.

2. To serve others and help pave a path for young women.
The power of representation is real. Let me be clear—I do not and cannot represent every Black girl or woman. But for the young ladies within my reach, I want to serve them well. If I can offer resources, insight, or just a safe place to dream, I'll do it.

3. To "die empty." (Shoutout to Myles Munroe.)
To die empty means I want to try the things that scare me, challenge me, and stretch my gifts. I want to pour out everything God has put in me. One day, I’ll be older—with silver coils and shaky painting hands—and I don’t want to look back and say, “I wish I had used my twenties and my time differently.”

4. To start a legacy for myself and for my family.
This journey won’t be easy. It’s an uphill climb. But I’m climbing anyway. And I know I’ll see you at the top.

I filter most of my life decisions—and even the way I create art—through these top four. That’s why I’ve been challenging and showing up for Destiny. That’s why I’ve been running around, saying yes and no to opportunities, missing a “Choice Days” with my niece and nephew, and trying my best to show up well wherever I go.

I know these priorities might change or evolve over time, but the heart behind them? I think that will stay the same.

So that’s my why.

What are your top four filters?
Are you learning to find peace with who you are and how you show up in the world?

It’s an uphill journey—and yes, it’s hard—but trust me:
You’ll be proud of who you’re becoming… far more than what you do.