I will no longer do myself the disservice of not sitting [and soaking] in these joyful moments that come my way. Hand in hand with celebrating small wins, I’m savoring true joy; and choosing to remain present during beautifully unforgettable times. Very much carpe diem; and life is for the living! Accepting change, journaling, and blogging this past year have made this journey feasible in ways I once couldn’t even imagine when I started in June, 2020.

Please No Bullsh*t is now a year old! A whole year with this baby of a passion project, turned salvation, turned purpose. I am celebrating this milestone because of everything it represents: determination [during a pandemic that’s changed life as we knew it], choosing myself— my mental health and overall wellbeing, taking chances, trying new things, being vulnerable (something I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember), documenting a personal experience while also discussing community, culture, and so much more. I am proud to have this platform I’ve created for myself— for me, evidence that I do have the power to change my own life [whether intentional or not] even as certain circumstances act as obstacles. I set out to chronicle a specific time in my life, this scary in-between of graduating college and finding my place in the world as a young, Black, female creative. A year in and I am still on this journey; learning, growing, changing for the better, and no longer afraid of the unknown.  

Most importantly, I promised to keep it real. “Please no bullshit,” is the refusal of sugarcoating. It’s a calling to dig deeper, to open up and discuss the not so bright sides, to show the juxtaposition of life, the ups and downs. Nothing about college was easy. Finally graduating brought forth a lot of emotions: relief, anxiety, grief, and more. What I want most out of my writing is to never shy away from honesty and to never skip out on truth, which starts with being honest and truthful with myself. Like a diary, I leave it all here; promising to never hide. Life after college hasn’t been all struggle and strife either. There’s beauty in finding yourself, beauty in finding your way as you forge your own path. My goal has always been to show that, too.

What’s next for Please No Bullsh*t? What’s next for me? Abundance. More moments. More opportunities. It took me two years out of college to realize how much is truly possible. How much life can change- your whole mindset, your whole trajectory, your vision of how things are “supposed to be.” This past year I let go of supposed to be; let go of expectations that kept me from growing as I had no choice but to accept the unpredictable. I realized what you go to school for, or get a degree in, never has to be what you do for the rest of your life. I’m a writer. I’m a designer. I’m a healer. I am... so much more than I give myself credit for. This discovery, in a way, is me telling myself, we ain’t taking no more bullshit. No more negative perceptions of self. No more accepting what does not align with my spirit. No more deviation from my path and true purpose. Now, we are flowing; never forcing. I’m here, present on this journey, to show just that. Thank you for journeying with me. Let’s prepare for more of this epic ride.